Significant information will be disseminated during class sessions or on course web pages that you will be responsible for knowing whether or not you attended the sessions or accessed the website. That is, not all information necessary to successfully complete the assignments or examinations is covered in the textbook or handouts.

Your final course grade is determined by combining your scores on assessed activities. Your letter grade will be no lower than that computed by the following distribution of points and weighted average conversion to letter grade:

Distribution:
Midterm Exam = 25%
Final Exam (comprehensive) = 40%
Activities & Assignments = 35%

Weighted average conversion to letter grade
100-90%: A;  89-80%: B;  79-70%: C;  69-60%: D;  59-0%: F

Assignments turned in more than 72 hours (3 days) before the stated date/time due will receive 130% of their earned credit. Assignments turned in within the 72 hours before the stated date/time due will receive 100% of their earned credit. Assignments turned in within 72 hours (3 days) after the stated date/time due will receive 70% of their earned credit. Assignments turned in more than 72 hours after the stated date/time due will receive no credit.

Missing the final exam will result in a course grade of F. Make-up exams will not be accommodated without prior arrangement and written agreement.

Extenuating circumstances (illness, crises, emergencies, ...) will be addressed in accordance with University, School, and Departmental policies.

Collaboration

I encourage collaboration and regard it as essential aspect of Computer Science. Collaboration and discussion with fellow students concerning course information, materials, assignments, and studying for exams is encouraged. You are not expected to learn the course content or work on assignments in isolation on your own.

While most activities in this course will be collaborative in nature, assignments that are used for individual assessment must be written up on your own, reflecting your individual effort, even if the solution is the result of a collaborative effort. In your write-up, you must credit the people with whom you worked. Unauthorized collaboration during exams is never acceptable.

If you consult any sources, you must explicitly note the materials that you used. Turning in work that does not credit collaborators, or includes uncited quotations or references, is considered dishonest and an attempt at fraud.

All incidents of suspected dishonesty will be reported to the department and the Dean of the college. Consequences may include a grade of 0 on the assignment, a grade of "F" for the course, academic probation, or dismissal from the institution. This is a very serious matter and should not be taken lightly. If you have any uncertainty or concerns, please discuss them with your instructor or advisor.

Quiet Period

The 24-hour period immediately preceding the due date/time for each assignment and project is considered a quiet period. During that 24-hour interval, no questions directly referencing that specific assignment/project will be addressed by the professor. All students are strongly encouraged to complete significant work on assignments and projects well in advance of this quiet period. The instability and unreliability of most computer systems, especially those used for academic purposes, is another compelling reason to complete all computational work prior to the quiet period.