Collaboration Policy

Collaboration policy for this class is as follows. The last point is particularly important: if you don't make an honest effort on the homework but always get ideas from others, your exam score will reflect it.

Violations of Collaboration Policy

Violations of collaboration policy fall into two categories: ones that are acknowledged at the time they occur (for example, in clearly marked comments in your code) and ones that are unacknowledged. Acknowledged violations (e.g., using someone else's code for a method you didn't know how to write yourself, and stating clearly in your code that this is not your own work) will result in an appropriate reduction in the grade, but will not be considered cheating.

Unacknowledged violations of the collaboration policy--for example, not stating the names of your collaborators, or any other attempt to represent the work of another as your own--will result in an automatic failing grade and will be reported to the Academic Conduct Committee (ACC). The ACC often suspends or expels students deemed guilty of plagiarism or other forms of cheating. I have served on the ACC and have seen it happen. I will assume that you understand the CAS Academic Conduct Code (read it if you haven't).

If you are uncertain as to whether a particular kind of interaction with someone else constitutes illegal collaboration or academic dishonesty, please ask me before taking any action that might violate the rules; if you can't reach me in time, then at the very least include a clear explanation of what happened in your homework write-up to avoid being treated as a cheater. Citing your sources is usually the easiest way out of trouble.