Homework Assignments:
There will be eleven homework assignments of equal weight which are usually due within one week. The lowest homework will be dropped from the overall homework score. Homeworks will mostly consist of written problems but may
occasionally contain programming assignments. Homeworks will be posted on the homework page. For each homework assignment, any score of 60% or
higher will count as 100%.
Review of the grading of a homework or an exam must be
requested within 2 weeks after the graded exam/homework is returned to you.
Be aware that such a review will consider the exam/homework as a whole, and
as a result your grade is just as likely to go down as it is to go up.
You may discuss rough ideas and thoughts
about a homework assignment with
your other classmates, but you have to write up your solution on your
own. You are not allowed to read, copy, or
rewrite the solutions
written by others (in this or previous terms or from the web).
See the section on Academic Integrity.
10% of the homework score will be based on clarity of exposition of the
solutions. In other words, a problem solution that is technically perfect,
but which is presented in a difficult-to-understand manner, will lose 10% of
the score for that problem.
Some guidelines for the written presentation of solutions are given in the writing guidelines. Neat and concise
solutions are required in order to receive full credit for your solutions. If
you cannot solve a particular problem, state this clearly in your write-up,
and write down only what you know to be correct; rambling at length about
ideas that don't quite work may cause additional points to be deducted.
There are no late days of any type for homework assignments. Late
homework will not be graded for credit. In extra-ordinary cases (a
two-day cold does not count since you have one week to complete the
assignment), contact Carola prior to the due date to get a
homework extension.
The weighted average will determine your letter grade roughly as follows:
During the lectures we will use slides as well as the board. Carola will take
pictures of the board during the lectures. Those pictures as well as the
slides will be available on the webpage, such that you
can see what has been covered if you happen to have missed a class. There is
however no guarantee that the pictures will be complete.
You may discuss rough ideas and thoughts
about a homework assignment with
your other classmates, but you have to write up your solution on your
own. You are not allowed to read, copy, or rewrite the solutions
written by others (in this or previous terms or from the web).
If you're stuck on a problem and unable to get to the instructor for help, then we suggest
you try and use hints from a publicly available source such as a textbook or journal
article. The source should be cited and you have to write the solution in your
own words. It should be apparent to us that you understand the solution for full
credit. Every cheating will be reported to the office of academic integrity.
If two people are caught sharing solutions then both the copier
and copiee will be held equally responsible. Cheating on an exam will
result in failing the course.
Exams:
There will be one midterm exam and a final exam.
Both the midterm and the final exam will be closed-book and closed-notes (no
electronic devices allowed). For each exam you are allowed to bring one "cheat sheet": One single-sided letter paper page for the midterm exam, and two single-sides letter pages for the final exam. The midterm will be non-comprehensive, but the final exam will be comprehensive.
Late Policy:
Without prior arrangements, missed exams and homework assignments result in
a grade of zero. In order to take a make-up exam, contact Carola
prior to the exam if you have to miss it
for some valid reason; documentation may be required. Notification after
the exam will result in a score of zero.
Grading:
Grading will be based on the following
weighted scale:
A >= 90%
B >= 80%
C >= 70%
D >= 60%
F < 60%Handouts, Slides, and
Pictures:
The class web page will have links to all class handouts as they become available. Academic Integrity:
Last modified by Carola Wenk,
carola @ cs.utsa.edu ,