In assigning grades I may deviate from the stated numerical percentages if I see a good reason to.
The class is effectively curved. In the past, median grades on exams were low compared to what contemporary students expect, often just over 50%.
While the above might sound draconian to some, it is supported by a body of research that demonstrates how extreme is the distraction from that stupid phone of yours, even when it is on your person and not in use. It is also supported by my personal experience, which is that that classes evolve a far better dynamic when the classroom is as tech-free as possible.
Well, not quite. I will still put out homework assignments each week. While homeworks will not count for your grade, I encourage you to try to solve all the homework problems I give out. The TAs will discuss the homeworks in office hours. Expect to see related questions on exams. I will even set things up so that you can turn in your solutions. Please turn in only clear, correct solutions. Homeworks that get turned in will not get grades, but may get comments.
I know quite well that students are more willing to spend long hours hacking in front of a stupid machine than calmly thinking about a theory problem beneath an oak tree. Maybe try to give the other mindset a try?
Given the sort-of elimination of homeworks, I don’t plan to make up any new homework assignments: I’m just going to recycle homeworks from a prior year.
I expect our class to be recorded, with recordings put online. Many students think this means that there’s no need to come to class. Experience tells me that this belief is wrong: students who miss classes usually do terribly.
For exams you may not sit next to a friend. “Friend” means anyone you’ve discussed course-material with and whose name you know. “Next to” means that the person is the person on your left, right, front, front-left, or front-right.
See “Classroom electronics” for rules about phones, laptops, and the like.
If you turn in a homework, you may not have consulted any old solutions. Acknowledge any source from which you got important ideas.
I refer all academic misconduct matters to Judicial Affairs (OSSJA), and some terms there have been many referrals. While I personally believe that those who cheat should be dismissed from the university, I have no control over that. All I can do is give you an F in the class, which is what I do.
If you are guilty of academic misconduct, either by your own admission or by a finding from OSSJA, I will assign you an F grade in the course. This is in addition to whatever OSSJA does. I call this the misconduct-implies-F policy. I started this policy years ago, which has become the default policy across the CS Department.
If you are having personal or academic problems motivating you towards academic misconduct, please come and talk to me instead. I am not such an ogre. (Well, is that not what all ogres claim?)
First, I really want you to think. Don’t try to solve the problems by doing some sort of “pattern matching.” It might sound like the quickest way to get there, but it just doesn’t work. This course is about learning a certain sort of problem-solving skill more than about learning some specific material. Keeping this in mind may help put things into better perspective.
Even more than with other courses, it’s important not to fall behind. Maybe the Friday quizzes will keep that from happening.
I would suggest that you take no notes. The material is easily found in the recommended book or in other books or online resources, and I think it works best to sit back, listen, and follow. I myself will distribute my notes, and maybe some students who just loves to take beautiful notes will share theirs online.
I expect that this will be my last term at UCD. It is a bittersweet time. There have been many good things about spending half a lifetime at UCD, but many bad things, too. Perhaps we will pause every now and then to discuss such matters. Perhaps you too are aware that university teaching is too much concerned with conveying facts and techniques, and too little concerned with providing perspective or encouraging genuine introspection.