Homework Assignments
Homework assignments constitute an important part of this course. They
are designed to help you understand the materials covered in lectures
and in assigned readings. It is only by doing the homework that you
really learn the material.
Nature, Frequency,
and Grading:
There will be 8 homework assignments handed out throughout the semester (subject
to change). Each assignment will consist of a set of (typically 3) "pencil and
paper" problems as well as a one "coding" problem. Each homework assignment will
be worth 100 points.
Homework Assignments will be worth 30% of the final grade. In calculating the
overall homework grade, the assignment with the lowest grade will be
dropped.
As detailed above, some of the problems in the homework assignments will require programming
using Java.
Homework assignments may be fairly long, each taking an average of 4 hours to complete
(assuming that you are caught up with readings and are fluent in programming), although the time required will vary quite a
bit from student to student and assignment to assignment. Always allow
more time than you think you will need!
Electronic Submission Process:
Homework assignments will be posted on-line at the end of the week (typically on
Fridays). As a tree-friendly practice, no hardcopies will be distributed or made
available, and all solutions will be handed in electronically (on-line).
For the non-coding "pencil and paper" components of the assignments, solutions
will be managed using Gradescope (http://www.gradescope.com).
For the coding component of the assignments, solutions will be handled using
gsubmit (www.cs.bu.edu/teaching/hw/gsubmit/)
which allows for auto-grading.
If applicable, please follow special instructions regarding submission and
documentation of your work (especially code). Typically, homework assignments will
span at least two weekends.
If your homework solutions (or parts thereof) are handwritten, you will need to
scan your write-up and upload that electronically. Scanning capabilities are
available at various university libraries and also through the main CS office on
the first floor of MCS (during normal business hours, office staff can help you
email a scanned copy of your work to yourself). Please take this into
consideration so that you don't get stuck having to do this at the last minute.
Grades for assignments will be returned (also on-line) in a timely fashion. It is
the student's responsibility to make sure that the grade they received for each
homework is properly recorded by the instructor and/or teaching fellow. This can
be done by periodically checking your grades on-line through the Gradescope and Blackboard
portals.
Late Policy:
For full credit, your homework must be submitted electronically by the deadline.
There will be a hefty penalty of 25% for a homework submitted one class late. You may submit part of the homework by the deadline to avoid the penalty on that part. No homework will be accepted if late
by more than one
class. There will be no exceptions to this policy, except for certified medical excuses. In such cases,
extensions will be granted only if (and until) the homework solutions
are posted (hopefully, about 1 week after the original due date).
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