Grading
   Your grade in this course will depend to varying degrees upon several aspects of your work. The specific breakdown is as follows:

• Quizzes and participation (15%)
• Assignments (40%)
• Exams (45%)

   Please note that attendance at lectures is factored directly into your grade. Details of all the other grading opportunities may be found elsewhere within this presentation.
   When appropriate, grades in this course will be posted (anonymously) either on the bulletin board in our classroom or on the Web so that you can track your relative standing in the class.
   Please note that final letter grades will not be posted.
   In a small class of this nature, it does not seem appropriate to pre-determine an exact methodology for assigning final grades. Therefore, I will withhold decisions on the specifics until I actually sit down to assign grades.
   There are, however, a few things that I can guarantee:

• The weightings stated above will hold unless otherwise announced in advance.
• Grades will be assigned relative to your rank in the class. You will receive a grade that is higher than or equal to all those ranked below you in the class standings.
• I will work as hard as possible to ensure that the grades I assign fairly represent each student’s demonstrated mastery of the course material.
• I will not assign grades of A or F unless I feel that they have been earned.

Attendance
   Attendance at lectures will be counted directly towards your grade. Lectures will start promptly as scheduled, and attendance will be taken at the start of class. If you arrive late, you run the risk that you will not receive credit for attending that lecture.
   Missing a lecture here or there should not drastically impact your overall grade (as long as you make up the missed material). However, making a habit of missing lectures (or routinely arriving late) will have a detrimental effect on your grade.
   It is possible to receive partial credit for missed lectures (or late arrivals) provided you have a valid excuse. However, I will be the one that determines the validity of the excuse and the amount of partial credit. Please note that there is a difference between an excuse and an explanation.

Late Submissions
   Assignments are due at the scheduled start of class on the due date unless otherwise stated in the assignment description. Assignments must be submitted to me before class begins. You may submit assignments later than this deadline; however, a penalty will be assessed on your grade as a result.
   Penalties will be at my discretion, but you should expect a minimum penalty of 5% or a single step of a letter grade. The more time that elapses between the deadline and the submission, the greater the penalty is likely to be. Submissions made more than 72 hours after the deadline may not be accepted.
   You are responsible for getting the submission to me somehow. I will determine the penalty based upon when I personally receive the submission. Please plan accordingly.
   All of the above is negotiable if you have a valid excuse. However, it is your responsibility to get special allowances from me by e-mail. Even if we discuss such allowances face to face, they will not be considered official until you get me to confirm them in writing. And, remember, I will be the one to decide the validity of your excuse.

Missed Tests
   There are two types of tests involved in this course: quizzes and exams.
   Quizzes will be unannounced in order to encourage you to attend lectures and keep up on the reading. I will drop the lowest quiz score at the end of the semester. But if you miss more than one, the resulting zeros will factor into your grade. There will be no makeups offered for quizzes except in the most extreme circumstances or with a doctor’s note.
   Exams will be announced so that you can plan and study accordingly. Makeups may be allowed, but only if you contact me before the exam is administered. Be sure to get confirmation of your makeup from me by e-mail to make it official! I will not drop any exam scores at the end of the semester.

Computer Access
   CS402 is a lecture course. The classroom has a computer with a projection system for me to use in demonstrating concepts. As students, you will not have access to computers during lecture. However, you will need access to a computer outside of lecture in order to fulfill the course requirements.
   While it is helpful to have your own personal computer on which to do the course work, it is not required. If you wish, you are entitled to use the public computer clusters on campus.
   If you do have your own computer, it is your responsibility to ensure that you have the proper software installed to complete the assignments. If you do not, you may find it preferable to use the public computer clusters here on campus even if you have your own computer.
   No matter where you choose to do your work, you should plan on getting started on it as soon as possible. All computers are governed by Murphy’s Law (some more so than others), and you should plan on them deciding not to work just when you need them the most (that is, in the last hour before an assignment is due). It is your responsibility to allow yourself enough time to get your work done despite the obstacles (both expected and unexpected) that may impede your progress. You may want to familiarize yourself with the policy governing the late submission of assignments so that you know what is at stake. Computer difficulties are more often a sign of poor planning than a valid excuse.

Integrity
   I expect my students to act with academic integrity. As such, in this course (as with most courses, and indeed life in general) you will be expected to do your own work.
   Unfortunately, experience has demonstrated that a handful of students find this simple statement ambiguous. Therefore, I may ask you to sign a Code of Conduct and return it to me at the beginning of the semester. Please be sure you read and fully understand this document before signing it.
   It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with the University’s Acceptable Use Policy regarding the use of campus computing facilities and adhere to it.
   Potential penalties for failing to abide by these rules can range from zero scores, to failure of the course, to loss of University computing privileges, to legal action.