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Grading

In addition, to pass the class, you must pass the Final Exam.

The lowest two of the eleven programming assignment grades and lowest two of the eleven problem exercise grades will be dropped from their respective averages.
(This policy is intended to provide some allowance for sick days or other unavoidable events, not to allow you to skip an assignment you had trouble with. Completion of all 11 assignments will count toward "extra credit," which will be used to adjust letter grades at the end of the semester. The exact effect of extra credit will depend on the final grade distribution.)

As you can see the weekly homework assignments make up the largest single portion of your grade. You learn best by doing, not just listening and reading. Stay on top of the homework, and don't get behind! They come fast--right on top of one another. Keep up with the homework and starting the assignments early. Then: (a) you will have more fun when you aren't under time pressure, and you'll learn more; (b) you will then also understand the lectures better, (c) you will finish the assignment more easily because you will have the context and the support of your peers and TAs, (d) you'll be well on your way to a good grade. It's hard for your instructor, TAs and peers to be sympathetic and helpful to someone who didn't put in the effort to get started before the last minute.

Late Homework Policy

Programming assignments are assigned during the Lab (aka "Discussion Section") meetings on Wednesdays, and is due electronically in the OWL system at 9am on the following Tuesdays. Homework submitted after this time will not be accepted (and given a grade of zero). As mentioned above, the lowest two of the 12 homework assignment grades will be dropped. I encourage you not to "waste" this allowance--it is intended to cover a time when you are sick in the hospital, have a funeral to attend, etc.

Written exercises (OWL exercises) will appear on Mondays, and will be due at 9am on Thursdays. You must log into the OWL system, find the correct exercise number for the week, and complete the exercise through the OWL Web interface. There will be no late submission of OWL written exercises. All questions not answered by 9am Thursdays will be given a score of zero. As mentioned above, the lowest two of the 12 written exercise grades will be dropped. Again, this is intended to cover dire situations in which Web access and your completion of the exercise is impossible.

Regrading Policy

If you feel that a homework assignment or exam has been misgraded, you should bring this to the attention of a TA or the instructor. Assignments will be open for regrading for two weeks after their due date, up until the day of the final exam.

Honesty Policy for Homework

• You must type in and edit your own code and exercise answers.
• Copying someone else's file or answers is not allowed.
• Allowing someone else to copy from you, either explicitly or implicitly by leaving your code unprotected, is not allowed.
• Editing each other's code or answers is not allowed.
• Copying code you may find on the Web is not allowed.
• We use powerful, robust tools for detecting plagiarism and copying in homework. Don't take the risk.

Regarding the ethics of what you may or may not discuss with other students:

• "High level" discussions are fine.
  For example, discussions about the problem statement.
• "Low level" discussions are fine.
  For example, discussions about Java syntax, understanding compiler error messages, understanding the mechanics of the Java language.
• "Mid level" discussions require discretion.
  In some CMPSCI courses, discussions at this level are not allowed. In this course, if "collaboration allowed" is explicitly stated, you may collaborate with classmates at this level, provided that you cite at the top of the submitted homework the names of the classmates and TAs that you worked with and those who helped you. For example:
  /**
  * Chris Brown
  * Homework 2
  * 5/6/2007
  * I worked with Dana Ballard and Randal Nelson.
  * I received help from Claire Cardie.
  */

There are also some "no collaboration" homeworks, or ones in which collaboration with only with a few specific people is allowed.

If the homework writeup states that collaboration is NOT allowed, then:

• You can ask and answer high level questions as described above.
• You can ask and answer low level questions as described above. However,
  A student who needs help with debugging a program may show another student his/her code.
  A student who is helping someone else may not show his/her code.
• Use your best judgment to protect both yourself and your friends. In UMass CMPSCI, typically if a professor suspects unwarranted collaboration, all participating parties are penalized (both helpers and helpees).
• Use your best judgment about asking or answering questions of other students. For example, if you are supposed to implement Algorithm X that is described in the book, and you don't understand Algorithm X, then you can ask another student to explain it to you. However, if you are supposed to come up with your own algorithm to solve a problem, then you can not ask another student to tell you their algorithm.

When in doubt about whether it is ethical to ask or answer a question of another student, ask a TA or the instructor.

Academic Honesty

Any acts of cheating, plagiarism or breaking the above rules will be reported to the University Academic Honesty Board. You are responsible for knowing, and will be held to, the University Academic Honesty Policy. This policy is available online at http://www.umass.edu/dean_students/code_conduct/acad_honest.htm

By enrolling in the class you are accepting all the above policies.

If you have questions about these policies please talk with the instructor.