CSE 232 Section 1 (Spring 2013)

Section Info

Note: This section"syllabus" is a supplement to the course syllabus. You are still responsible for everything in the CSE 232 Syllabus, Course Policies, and Coding Standard.

General Information

Email Communication

• I will send announcements, project feedback, etc. via email in order to save time during lab for programming topics and project Q&A. If you don't read your MSU email regularly, set up a forwarder to your personal email account.
  
• You can email me any time with any questions or concerns. I read email at least once a day.

Course and Section Websites

In addition to the course website, I also post various materials to our "section" site. The addresses for both sites are as follows:

Where to look for what:

• All project files and the entire contents of the course pack are found on the course website. I will post my own notes for the projects on the section site.
  
• All lab assignments are posted on the course website, but I may modify some of them and post them on the section site. Always check the section site before downloading the lab assignment files. I will also post extra instructions and solutions to common problems for the labs.
  
• Notes from the lab sessions and other examples and guides I create will be posted on the section site.

Section Policies

Most of these policies are identical to official course policy, but there are some points I want to emphasize.

Lab Sessions

1. Come only to your registered lab section. We don't have enough computers for visitors.
2. Please come to lab on time. I will often announce important information at the beginning of lab.
1. If you are excessively late, I reserve the right to mark you absent, and you will not receive credit for the week's lab assignment.
3. You may leave after completing the current week's lab assignment, though it's in your best interest to use any remaining time to work on the current week's programming project, since I'm here to help.
   
4. During lab, I will give priority to students who need help with the current lab assignment. I will assist with projects and anything else as time allows.

Lab Assignments

1. Please check the section website before starting each lab. I will often post additional instructions and modified files.
   
2. Please come to lab prepared to do the assignment. I am happy to answer specific questions about anything you do not understand, but I am not prepared to teach you topics from zero because you skipped lecture.
   
3. Per course-wide policy:
1. You are free to work alone or with other students on lab assignments (but not on projects).
   
2. I you miss lab due to illness or emergency, please contact me ASAP (in advance of the absence, if possible). If the reason is valid, I will allow you to make up the lab by the beginning of the following lab session.
3. If you do attend lab, but are unable to complete the are unable to compete a lab assignment by the end of the session, you will be able to complete and turn it in by the following lab session. It is your responsibility to make sure you get the assignment checked off.
   
4. You must complete 13 out of the 15 lab assignments in order to receive a non-failing grade in this course. I can give you my record of the labs you've completed at any time, but it is your responsibility to complete and turn in each lab assignment on time.
4. You are welcome to work on any lab assignment ahead of time, but beware that you may miss important instructions, in which case you may have to redo parts of the assignment.
   

Programming Projects

1. Read the assignment specifications and notes documents carefully. Everything you need to do is in there. Ask if you don't understand the instructions.
2. Per course-wide policy, you may not work with other students on the projects (you can on the labs). The code you submit will be electronically compared with current and past submissions, and it's easy to get your code flagged by working with others even if you didn't intend to cheat.
3. Contact Mr. McCullen ASAP if you miss a project deadline due to illness or emergency, or have problems with the Handin system when turning in a project.
4. Do not modify any project files after the due date. If you have any problems with Handin, you will need the timestamps on your files to precede the due date in order to prove that you finished the assignment on time.

Grading

1. If you think I've made a mistake in my grading, or if any comments I leave on your score sheet are unclear, please email me ASAP.
2. I will not consider requests to raise project grades, except in the case where you believe I have made a mistake or graded you unfairly compared to other students in this section.
   
3. I will not "pre-grade" projects under any circumstances. This includes but is not limited to questions along the lines of "How many points will I lose if ___ doesn't work when I turn it in?"
4. See Grading Policies on the section website for details.

Course Support

Consulting Hours

• Feel free to come to any TA's consulting hours any time. Even if you don't think you'll need help with the assignment itself, you'll have other people around to help you with errors and bugs.
  
• Please read the project specifications and notes carefully before asking the TA on duty about the current project.
• Please review your notes, the textbook, and the course pack examples before asking how to do something.
  

Getting Help

• See Getting Help on the section website.

Questions and Concerns

• Contact me for missed labs and project grading problems.
• Contact Mr. McCullen for missed project deadlines (with a valid excuse).
  
• Contact either or both of us if you are struggling with the course or have any other concerns.

See Also

• Grading Policies
• Getting Help