Homework Policy – Ed Scheinerman

Homework is the most essential part of a mathematics course. It is only by diligent work on the problems that mastery of the material is possible—you have to get your hands dirty!

My policy on homework is as follows:

Grading	Homework papers are graded by the teaching assistant(s). I expect that you will do your very best on each homework, however, I believe that the homework is where students are supposed to make their mistakes. For this reason your homework grades will constitute the smallest fraction of your course grade. Further, I understand that during the course of the semester, life doesn’t always follow a smooth path. Everyone is entitled to one “free pass”, i.e., I drop the lowest homework score.
Solutions	The teaching assistant(s) will write solution sets for the problems on the homework. These extremely valuable learning tools are distributed on the day the homework is due.
Late Papers	Usually not accepted, but please see me well in advance of the due date if special circumstances arise.
Illegible and Unintelligible Papers	You are expected to communicate your mathematical thoughts clearly. Papers should be neat and the problems should appear in the order assigned. It is not the job of the teaching assistant (or any one else) to decipher sloppy or garbled writing; I fully support a teaching assistant’s decision to give no credit because of illegible writing or unintelligible grammar. One suggestion is to first work out the problems on scratch paper and then to recopy. I encourage you to learn LaTeX and use it for writing up your solutions.
Working Together	You are permitted—even encouraged!—to work together on homework assignments. Teaching each other and working together are important skills. However, it is essential that you adhere to the following procedures: First, attempt to work the problems yourself. If you run in to trouble, then begin your discussions. Second, to the extent possible, communication on homework problems should not be “one way”. Third, and most important, you are not permitted to make any written record of your discussions. You may, of course, use pencil and paper while trying to solve the problems jointly. However, once the discussion is finished, this scratch work is to be discarded. You are then to reconstruct the arguments on your own.
Outside References	Your class notes, handouts and the assigned text should provide the material you need to work the problems. If you wish to consult other texts, you are permitted to do so. It may be the case that you will find the solution to your problem in another text or on the internet. It is unacceptable to simply repeat (or trivially modify) that solution. You should be able to reconstruct the answer on your own. In general, presenting someone else’s work as your own is plagiarism and is cause for disciplinary action.
Computational Aids	The use of calculators and computers is permitted. If you use a computer to solve a problem, be sure to include the program listing.
Explain Your Answers	Simple “one word” responses to problems are rarely acceptable. Be sure to give clear (but not overly long-winded) explanations as to how you arrived at your answer. If the problem does ask you to ultimately give a numerical answer, be sure it is easy to find that answer on your paper.