CS 39 (Fall 2004): Amit Chakrabarti: Administrative Details

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Computer Science 39
Theory of Computation

Amit Chakrabarti

Fall 2004

Administrative Details

Homework

There will be a homework given out each Wednesday and it will be due at the beginning of the next class. Homework is to be submitted before you come into class into your TA's mailbox, located just beyond the glass doors by the reception counter.

A few important notes on the homework assignments:

Start early: Some problems will be hard and are not typically solved in one sitting. Start early and let the ideas come to you over the course of a few days.
Be rigorous: CS 39 is a theory course, and so mathematical rigor will be expected in your solutions.
Be concise: Express your solution at the proper level of detail. Long, verbose answers are strongly discouraged. Give enough details to clearly present your solution, but not so many that the main ideas are obscured.
You can discuss with others: Some of the problems will be difficult, and it will often be helpful to discuss them with others. Feel free to form study groups. However, the idea is for everyone to understand the problems and experience working through the solutions, so you may not simply "give" a solution to another classmate. In particular, each student must write up his or her own homework solutions and must not read or copy the solutions of others. If you work with others on a problem, you must note with whom you discussed the problem at the beginning of your solution write-up.
Work on your own before talking to others: Although, as I said above, you can discuss the homework problems with others, you will learn the most by first trying out each problem on your own. Make as much progress as possible on your own before you meet with your study group.

Late Homework Policy

Any homework submitted late carries an immediate 20% penalty (unless you have a very good excuse and have discussed it with me in advance), and an additional 10% penalty per calendar day after that. No homework will be accepted after the next homework is due, or after the final. In this course, if you do not do homework on time, you will soon find yourself overwhelmed, so please be regular with your work.

Challenge Problems

Occasionally, the homeworks will contain one or two "challenge problems". They are to be thought of as "extra credit" work and will be tallied separately from regular score. If you end up on a borderline between two grades at the end of the course or are being considered for a citation, this extra credit will count in your favor. However, failure to solve challenge problems will never be counted against you because grades are assigned on the basis of regular scores.

You should work on these challenge problems if you find them interesting and you think that they might teach you something. It is unwise to skimp on regular homework problems in order to attack these challenge problems, though.

Working Together and the Honor Principle

Students are encouraged to work together to do homework problems. Groups who work well together in class should consider working together to do homework. What is important is a student's eventual understanding of homework problems, and not how that is achieved.

The honor principle applies to homework in the following way. What a student turns is as a homework solution is to be his or her own understanding of how to do the problem. In preparing the draft of the homework to be turned in, a student may not consult the notes or homework solutions of another student or any solutions to homework problems in past offerings of the course posted on the web. Students may consult any source (including those just forbidden for the final draft), except for another student's final draft, in learning how to do homework problems. Students must state what sources they have consulted, with whom they have collaborated, and from whom they have received help. However students are discouraged from using solutions to problems posted on the web for previous offerings of the course, and as just stated, must reference them if they use them.

The honor principle applies to exams as follows. Students may not give or receive assistance of any kind on an exam from any person, including the professor.

Students with Disabilities

Any student with a documented disability needing academic adjustments or accommodations is requested to speak with the professor by Oct 10. All discussions will remain confidential, although the Academic Skills Center may be consulted to verify the documentation of the disability and advise on an appropriate response to the need.

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Computer Science 39 Theory of Computation Amit Chakrabarti