Homework Assignment Policies - Paper-Like Assignments

1 Purpose of Homework Assignments in this Course

In this course, the primary purpose of paper-like homework assignments is instructional. That is, the primary purpose of homework assignments is to give you an opportunity to learn the material that is covered in the course.

Nonetheless, homework assignments will be graded (and may be graded strictly). There are two reasons for this. First, the grades will provide you with an assessment of how well you know the material. Second, experience has shown that Computer Science students do not always make decisions that are in their own best interest, and often do not complete ungraded assignments.

In other words, in this course, paper-like homework assignments are designed to: (1) help you learn the materials; (2) help you understand what you have and have not learned; and (3) encourage you to do the work that is necessary for learning to occur.

2 Collaboration

Different courses have different policies about collaboration. This document describes the policy for Prof. Bernstein's sections of this course during this semester only. Be careful to understand and comply with the policies that are in place for your other courses.

Failure to comply with these policies is a violation of the JMU Honor Code. Automated tools may be used on any submission (including "early" submissions), at any time, to detect violations of this policy.

2.1 Rationale for the Collaboration Policy

Unambiguously, the best way for you to achieve the second objective above is for you to complete homework assignments entirely on your own, occasionally asking questions of a general nature (i.e., about the topics you need to understand in order to complete the assignment but not specifics about the assignment itself). However, for some students, collaboration aids in achieving the first objective.

2.2 Allowed Interactions

You may discuss homework assignments with the instructor(s) for this course, instructors for other courses and other students currently enrolled in this course.

2.3 Inappropriate Interactions

You must not discuss homework assignments with students who are not currently enrolled in this course, including lab/teaching assistants.

Also, you must not discuss homework assignments with tutors of any kind – paid or volunteer, local or remote. Similarly, you must not use information from any source, whether human (e.g., "mechanical turk") or not (e.g., AI-based content creators), that was created based on information that is specific to the assignment (e.g., specifications, function/method/class declarations). When in doubt, assume that content obtained from the Internet must not be used.

Finally, you must not make your solutions to homework assignments available in any form on any WWW sites, solution archives, etc... and you must not get your solutions from such sites.

2.4 Recommended Interactions

You are strongly encouraged to discuss homework assignments with the instructor(s) only, and to submit work that is entirely your own.

Assistance can be a crutch that actually hinders learning. You will be much more successful at learning the material in this course if you complete the homework assignments independently [with, perhaps, assistance from the instructor(s)]. Though you may lose some points on the homework assignments if you take this approach, it will almost certainly help you on exams (which are a much larger portion of the final grade).

2.5 Courtesy/Etiquette

Though you are entitled to discuss the homework assignments with other people, you must be courteous.

Most importantly, students are not required, or even encouraged, to provide assistance. So, if asked, you should feel free to decline such a request and, if asking, you must not take offense if such a request is denied.

In addition, the instructor(s) may not provide as much assistance as you want. Most frequently, this happens when they think the assistance you have requested will prevent you from learning an important concept. Sometimes, this happens when they think you are using too much of their time. Again, you must not take offense if a request is denied.

3 Materials

You may use your notes and any books/published materials while working on homework assignments.

You may not refer to solutions and/or answer guides of any kind (including: solutions to homework assignments or exams that were provided to students in other sections and/or semesters and/or universities; instructor's manuals; and/or lists of "worked problems").

4 Submission

All paper-like (e.g., reports, calculations, essays) documents must be submitted in PDF format using Gradescope.

Some paper-like homework assignments may contain only one question from Gradescope's perspective, even though you may need to complete multiple tasks to answer that question. Others may contain multiple questions from Gradescope's perspective. The assignment will indicate how many questions there are from Gradescope's perspective.

After you upload the .pdf file containing your answers, you will need to indicate which parts of your submission are associated with each question. When there is only one question from Gradescope's perspective, you must select the single question in the outline and then select all of the pages in your submission. When there are multiple questions from Gradescope's perspective, for each question you must select the question in the outline and then select the page (or pages) that contains the answer to that question.

Most desktop software has the ability to create PDF files (or "print" to them). In addition, there are free tools for manipulating PDF files that you may find useful. Also, Gradescope provides an app that you can use to scan paper documents.

You must not modify any kind of electronic submission in any way (including re-submission) after the due date.

5 Due Dates/Times

Unless stated otherwise, homework assignments must be submitted on or before the due date and time. Homework assignments submitted after the due date/time will not be accepted.