Dear students:

Here is a breakdown of due dates for course assignments. All assignments will be given at least two weeks before the due date, and will be due during class for that day.

Please note that I will NOT accept late assignments without penalty. Trying to weigh the severity and validity of reasons for late work is an impossible task. Instead I will grant everyone the following privilege. You may hand in your assignment one school day late for a penalty of 10% of the mark; a second day late for 20% and a third day for 30%. After 3 school days I will not accept your work for credit but will note that you did complete it. This may help at the end of term if your marks need a small boost from one letter grade to another.

Important dates:

Assignment 1: Oct 6

Assignment 2: Oct 27

Assignment 3: Nov. 10

Assignment 4: Nov. 24

Midterm Exam: Oct 22

Honour code: I take very seriously my job of teaching at SFU. It is an honour to stand in front of you and tell you what I know. Understanding programming and developing proficiency in expressing your thoughts algorithmically is a great art. I enjoy conveying to you my sense of this art. You can be as proud of your computationally fluency and skill as any good poet or fine artist or musician. I wish you the best in developing your skills.

However, there is another side to this relationship. It is professional responsibility. We have a tacit contract between yourself as student and myself as a representative of the university. It is called the honour code. I expect that you will learn as much as you can in the course in the best way you can. This will include listening to lecture, asking questions and, significantly, working together with your classmates in understanding the course material and studying for the examinations. I encourage you to work together in groups to tutor each other.

However, when you complete your programming assignments and written examinations, you must work completely alone. There is a subtle distinction here which is often misunderstood by undergraduate students. Please understand that there is a rigid boundary between discussing the material of the class and the demonstration of your proficiency in the material as demonstrated by homework and examination. You cross this boundary when you begin to code your assignments and when you enter the examination hall. The boundary is absolute. If you consult with your colleagues about the actual solutions to your written assignments then you have violated the honour code. If you obtain assistance in a written examination then you have violated the honour code. The penalty for violation of the honour code is failure in the course. There are no exceptions to this rule. It is too serious for that.

On the other hand, the course material is not too difficult. In fact it is very interesting to learn. If you commit yourself to attending lectures and rehearsing the material after class (perhaps with classmates) and doing the homework (by yourself), then you will have no trouble passing the course. Please keep up. Do not wait until the night before an assignment or exam to study. It is best to spend 15 to 30 minutes everyday on the material than the whole night before a due date. Talk to me or to our TA if you are having problems. Please enjoy the course.

Regards,

Veronica Dahl

N.B.: Based on Prof. Bill Havens' Honour Code writeup.