CMPS 2200 Introduction to Algorithms
Fall 14

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Policies

Attendance:

Attendance in class will not be taken but students are fully responsible for all material presented or assigned in class. For this reason, attendance is strongly recommended.
Attendance in the labs is required. If you miss too many labs, your class grade may be docked by up to 10% at the instructor's discretion.

Homework Assignments:

There will be nine homework assignments of equal weight which are usually due within one week. Homeworks will consist of written problems only. Homeworks will be posted on the homework page. For each homework assignment, any score of 60% or higher will be rounded up to 100%.

You are allowed to turn in homeworks in groups of two. You are encouraged to discuss rough ideas and thoughts about a homework assignment with your other classmates, but you have to write up your solution on your own (with your group partner). 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. Homeworks are to be submitted on paper in the labs. If you cannot attend the lab you are welcome to submit your homework by email to the TA and instructor, by sliding it under the instructor's office door, or by any other means you can think of to get the homework on time to the TA or to the instructor.

Homework grades will be available on Blackboard.

Programming Projects:

There will be two programming projects of equal weight. Programming projects will be posted on the homework page. We will use C/C++, Java, or Python for the programming projects.

The programming projects have to be submitted individually. You are encouraged to discuss rough ideas and thoughts about a programming project with your other classmates, but you have to code your project 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. Also note that we will use automatic checkers to detect software plagiarism.

Project submissions will have to be uploaded to Blackboard. Project grades will also be available on Blackboard.

Exams:

There will be one test and a final exam. The test as well as the final exam will be closed-book and closed-notes, but you are allowed to bring a cheat sheet to each test (one letter page single-sided). The test will be non-comprehensive, but the final exam will be comprehensive.

Review of the grading of a homework, a programming project, 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.

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 the instructor 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.

There are no late days of any type for homework assignments or projects. 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 the instructor prior to the due date to get a homework extension.

Labs:

Attendance in the labs is required. You are also required to actively participate in the labs by solving (or attempting to solve) exercises on the board or answering questions. If you miss too many labs, or if you do not participate in the labs, your class grade may be docked by up to 10% at the instructor's discretion.

Grading:

Grading will be based on the following weighted scale:
At the instructor's discretion, your grade may be docked by up to 10% if you miss too many labs or do not participate in the labs.

The weighted average will determine your letter grade roughly as follows:
A  >= 90%; B  >= 80%; C  >= 70%; D  >= 60%; F  < 60%

+/- grades will be given for borderline cases.

Handouts, Slides, Pictures:

The class web page will have links to all class handouts as they become available.

During the lectures we will use slides as well as the board. The instructor will take pictures of the board during the lectures. Those pictures as well as the slides will be available on the class web page, 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.

Blackboard:

Assignment grades will be available on Blackboard. You are also encouraged to use the discussion tool on Blackboard. Submissions for projects should be uploaded to Blackboard.

Academic Integrity:

You are encouraged to discuss rough ideas and thoughts about a homework assignment or programming project with your other classmates, but you have to write up your solution on your own (with your group partner for homeworks).

You are not allowed to read, copy, or rewrite the solutions written by others (in this or previous terms or from the web). Also note that we will use automatic checkers to detect software plagiarism.

You are required to adhere to the Code of Academic Conduct. Every cheating will be reported to the Associate Dean of Newcomb-Tulane College. 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.


Last modified by Carola Wenk,   cwenk  -at-   tulane  -dot-   edu,