Course policies
1 Assignments
1.1 Autograder
Unless otherwise specified, submit weekly assignments to the autograder:
https://autograder.luddy.indiana.edu/web/course/121
Let our Instructors know if you have difficulty accesing the autograder website.
The weekly assignment will be due at midnight of each Thursday unless otherwise specified.
1.2 Grading
The grading scale ranges from 0(0%) to 6(150%). Your grades consist of two parts:
Your scores from the autograder. If your code passes all the tests, you will get full scores from the autograder.
The style of your code. For example, when you are required to write a function like append, you shouldn’t use the builtin function from Racket unless otherwise specified. We will check your code manually. If you use the builtin append rather than define it yourself, even if your code passes all the tests, you will get 0. You should also write append in a naturally recursive way, unless otherwise specifed. Read the description at the beginning of each assignment for detailed requirements.
You should aim for a grade of 3 or better on the assignments. If you receive a lower grade, make sure to carefully revisit that assignment before the next exam. We encourage you to contact an instructor for help when you have not completed an assignment.
You should make every effort to turn in assignments on time. If you’re really struggling with an assignment, it’s better to turn in whatever you do have and get help from an instructor.
Assignments that cannot be compiled in Racket and execute the student test file (for instance, due to an unmatched parenthesis) without warning or exception will receive an automatic 0. Compilation errors are different from runtime errors: a runtime error occurs while your code is being run, while a compile-time error means that your code is not even valid Racket code. (Runtime errors are bad, but compile-time errors are really bad.) To help avoid this, you should make sure your submission passes our provided student tests.
1.3 A596/C311 Homework Requirements
A596 and C311 students should complete all of the standard homework assignments. If you succeed on either the Brainteasers or Just Desserts, your effort is treated as extra credit, but are not required. Extra credit will not be given unless all required problem definitions show substantial effort.
1.4 B521/H311 Homework Requirements
B521 and H311 students must seriously attempt all standard homework problems and brainteasers on the assignments in order to receive full credit. The Just Desserts sections are not required, but are intended to be fun.
2 Frequently asked questions about grades
Q: Do you accept late assignment submissions?
A: NO, but if you have a valid reason, we will consider giving you extended time.
Q: Will any assignments be dropped?
A: NO.
Q: What do I need to do to earn a 4 on an assignment?
A: For each homework assignment, we typically give a 4 grade to a handful of submissions that are exceptionally good. Often this means giving a serious attempt at optional problems included with the assignments. Sometimes, it just means doing work that is above and beyond the basic requirements of the assignments. Proper indentation, formatting, etc. all add into these calculations.
Q: Is a 3 a bad grade?
A: Definitely not; a 3 is a good grade. If you earn a 3 on every assignment and do well on the exams, you’ll do very well in the course. However, earning a 4 on any assignment can offset a lower grade elsewhere.
Q: What is the relative importance of exams versus assignments in the calculation of grades?
A: Assignments typically account for about half of your grade, but are more important in terms of exam preparation. Exams focus larely on the material covered in homework assignments, and presuppose you’ve completed the homework assignments and thought hard about them.
Q: Are there any curves for exams/final grade?
A: Yes. In general, if you get 75% from homework and exams, then there should be absolutely no worry about your final grade.
3 Collaboration policy
Homework assignments must be completed individually. You may discuss the material with other students, but all written work, including code, must be your own. If you discuss the assignment with anyone, you must include your collaborators’ name(s) in the comments before the related questions of the assignment you submit.
We don’t tolerate plagiarism. If submitted work doesn’t appear to have been completed alone, the instructors may take further measures as appropriate under the campus’ Academic Misconduct policy. We reserve the right to meet privately with individual collaborators to ensure sufficient understanding. If you are working with another person, make sure it’s a shared effort. Otherwise, our exams will be extremely difficult.
4 Office Hours
Students often find office hours to be a useful tool for out of class help in completing homework assignments. You should consider making use of them too.
5 Lab policies
C311, H311, and A596 courses have lab sections. Check C311/H311/A596 lecture and lab schedule for the schedule of labs. You can also find a detailed schedule in Schedule.
6 Exam policies
Exams are graded on a point scale, typically out of 100, without a curve. Exams offer bonus questions that can improve your score, potentially beyond 100 points.
Exams strictly must be completed alone. Make sure to avoid even the appearance of misconduct; keep your eyes on your own exam at all times, and do not leave objects such as papers or electronic devices exposed at your workspace. The instructors reserve the right to ask you to change desks before or during the exam, and any attempt at misconduct will be pursued under the campus’ Academic Misconduct policy.
7 Pregnant student policies
IU is dedicated to supporting students who are pregnant or have experienced other conditions related to pregnancy (termination of pregnancy, miscarriage, lactation, or related medical conditions). To register for accommodations due to pregnancy or a related medical condition, please contact your campus Accessible Educational Services (AES) office. Students can use the AES contact for IU Bloomington students or the AES contact for IU Indy students. To learn about the rights and resources available to students, such as academic accommodations, please visit pregnancy.iu.edu Links to an external site. or email oie@iu.edu for more information.