Course Policies

This document is lengthy, but you are responsible for understanding and abiding by its contents.  It's worth your time to review this carefully.

Policy Authority & Implementation

If you have questions about policy, ask an instructor using Piazza (if the nature of the question is confidential please do a private post to just the instructor, Doug Shook; if the issue is truly sensitive, an individual email or meeting during office hours is best).  Only an instructor (not TAs) should be approached with questions of policy. 

Major Policy Concerns

Graded Course Components

Component (due dates are on Canvas) Contribution to overall grade
Assignments (weekly) 30%
Studios (weekly) 10%
Quizzes (weekly) 2%
Exams (three, 20% each) 60%

Assignments

What

Assignments are individual programming projects that correspond to the module's topics. Each one is assigned to all students. 

When

Assignments will be due weekly. Start assignments right away so you have time to complete them and demo them by the due date. If you wait until the last minute and get stuck you may have trouble getting help. Also, by finishing assignments on time, you will be ready to start each new assignment as soon as it is assigned.

Submission / demos

Assignments are due during the class section that you are enrolled in. You are required to demo your work to a TA or instructor during class sessions or office hours to a TA who is officially on duty.  Think of a demo as more of an understanding check rather than a check to see if your code works. Yes it does matter if the code works or not, but more important is your understanding of the code that you are working with.

Each assignment has an associated rubric posted on Canvas. Review this rubric before signing up to demo your work. This rubric is like a script that the TAs will follow when assessing your work, and you should prepare for it ahead of time much like a quiz.

Prior to signing up for a demo you should ensure that your final work is on GitHub (via a Commit and Push).

Due to the high volume of demos that we have to perform, there is a limit of one demo per assignment per day. If you try to demo the same assignment more than once in a given calendar day, you will be asked to come back the next day to demo it in office hours. You absolutely can demo more than one assignment in a day, you just cannot demo the same assignment more than once. Please prepare your demo ahead of time to avoid the need to re-demo your assignments!

Partial Credit

Each Assignment has a rubric that directs how points are assigned for credit. You can get partial credit for an assignment based on the rubric. If you are crunched for time, you'll want to trade off using a late coupon against getting partial credit for the work you have done so far.

 

Late work / Missed work / Error submitting

Each student is issued fourteen (14) virtual late coupons for use during this semester.

          • Each coupon can extend an assignment due date by one calendar day, but:
            • No more than 7 coupons can be used on any assignment. That is, assignments being demoed more than one week late will receive a zero. 
            • Work demoed without sufficient late coupons will receive a zero. For example, demoing an assignment 5 days after the due date with only 4 remaining coupons would receive a zero (but not use the coupons). 
          • Assignments are due during your class session time.  Demos that are completed after your time will use at least one coupon.  
          • Demos may only be done during TA hours and will be done in a first-come-first-served basis.  If TA hours are busy and you arrive late, you may not have an opportunity to demo your work.  You may have to expend additional coupons and time to complete your demo at another session.
          • No penalty will be assessed for late assignments, but virtual coupons will be consumed.
          • Late coupons are automatically applied.  You do not need to request them or write anybody that you intend to use a late coupon.

Early Work

Work can be demoed early if resources permit (generally Studio days are too busy to support early submission. TAs are generally prepared for demoing the current material and may choose not to perform demos if they are not adequately prepared. 

Studios

What

Studio sessions are an opportunity for collaborative, hands-on work with the course content during class time.  You are strongly encouraged to work in small groups (2-3 people).  Studios also provide an opportunity for you to have questions answered by TAs and instructors. 

When

Studios will be done weekly during class sessions.  Most studios are open ended.  You're expected to make an honest effort to explore the concepts and make progress, but you are not required to complete the studio. 

Demos

You are required to demo your work to a TA or instructor at the end of your class section. 

Prior to demoing you should ensure your final work is on GitHub (via a Commit and Push).

Late work / Missed work / Error submitting

Studios can not be "made up" for any reason, but you may attend another section of the class on your normal class day for the studio.  At the end of the semester the lowest two studio grades will be dropped to compensate for unexpected absences (that is, having up to two absences won't impact your grade at all). 

Quizzes 

What

Online quizzes over content from a preceding module. 

When

Due the same week as the associated assignment;  check the course calendar for actual due dates and times.

Submission

Quizzes will be completed online in Canvas.  You may submit the quiz as many times as you'd like. The best score will be used.

Late work / Missed work / Error submitting

There will be no make up quizzes or alternate quiz times under any circumstances.

Exams

When

There will be four exams given over the course of the semester. The exams take place in the evenings and the dates can be found on the course calendar. Due to the size of the course, the exam will take place in numerous locations across campus. Information about where you should take the exam will be announced prior to each exam.

Absences / No Makeups

There will be no make-up exams under any circumstances . Instead of allowing make-up exams, we will only count three of the four exams towards your final grade, effectively dropping your lowest exam grade. For many people this means that if you do well enough on the first three exams then taking the final is optional. If you have a conflict with an exam, however, then you will be expected to use that as your drop and take the final exam.

We do allow other WashU faculty members to proctor the exams for school-related travel. There are some restrictions:  1) A faculty member must contact us a week in advance and indicate a willingness to proctor the exam. 2) The proctor must be present for the duration of the exam and enforce the same conditions as an on-campus exam. 3) The exam must start and end at the same times as it would if it were taken on campus (we will email PDFs of the exams to the proctor 30 minutes before the start of the on-campus exam; they are responsible for printing them). 4) The proctor must email a record of completed work within 1 hour of the end of the on-campus exam (clear, legible cell phone photos of each page are acceptable). 5) The proctor must return the written exam within 5 calendar days.  

Grading Concerns

Following the return of each exam there will be a brief period (1 week) where you may request problems be regraded.  The process will be described when exams are returned.  Regrade requests will not be accepted after this period.

Letter Grades

Letter grades (or pass/fail) will be determined by overall course score. No rounding is performed on your semester score: you must have at least the stated number of points to earn the associated grade. 

Score Grade Option Pass/Fail Option
93 A Pass
90 A-
87 B+
83 B
80 B-
77 C+
73 C
70 C-
60 D Fail
0 F

 

Collaboration & academic integrity

Academic integrity is an essential characteristic of any scholar!

To avoid problems, it is important to understand what forms of collaboration are encouraged and which forms constitute cheating. Please read this carefully and ask questions as needed. (Questions should be directed to an instructor, not TAs)

You are encouraged to work with other students on your assignments, and to help other students find and fix problems in their programs, provided that you comply with the following conditions:

  • Give credit for help received. If you receive help from people (besides the TAs and the instructor) or other sources (such as AI tools like GPT), you must list them using comments in the material you submit.
  • Give help appropriately. Your TAs receive training concerning how to help students in this course. You have probably not received that training. When helping someone, giving them solution is often not as beneficial as helping them think through the problem and develop the solution. Furthermore, the assistance of others is not allowed during demos or exams. True understanding of the material is required. Giving someone the solution to an assignment will not be enough for them to master the concepts and leave them unprepared.
  • Work in groups only when allowed.
    • Studio work is collaborative and is always performed in groups of two to three people. Working in groups can be beneficial because you can discuss concepts, review possible alternatives, and catch each other's mistakes.
    • Assignment demos and exams must be completed individually, not in groups. Receiving outside help during a demo or an exam will result in an immediate referral to the Academic Integrity Coordinator.

    What happens if I am suspected of violating the academic integrity rules for this course?

    • All cases will be referred to the provost's office Links to an external site.. That office hosts an Academic Integrity Coordinators who will do the following:
    • The AIC will contact the student and present the case that the student may have violated our rules.
    • The AIC will then present the student with options on how to proceed which may include accepting responsibility for the violation or requesting a hearing.

Additional course support

Learning Support

Washington University is committed to providing accommodations and/or services to students with documented disabilities. Students who are seeking support for a disability or a suspected disability should contact Disability Resources Links to an external site. at (314) 935-4153. Disability Resources is responsible for approving all disability-related accommodations for WU students, and students are responsible for providing faculty members with formal documentation of their approved accommodations at least two weeks prior to using those accommodations. We will accept Disability Resources VISA forms by email and personal delivery. If you have already been approved for accommodations, I request that you provide me with a copy of your VISA within the first two weeks of the semester.

Victims of Sexual Assault

The University is committed to offering reasonable academic accommodations to students who are victims of sexual assault. Students are eligible for accommodation regardless of whether they seek criminal or disciplinary action. Depending on the specific nature of the allegation, such measures may include but are not limited to: implementation of a no-contact order, course/classroom assignment changes, and other academic support services and accommodations. If you need to request such accommodations, please direct your request to Kim Webb (kim_webb@wustl.edu), Director of the Relationship and Sexual Violence Prevention Center Links to an external site.. Ms. Webb is a confidential resource; however, requests for accommodations will be shared with the appropriate University administration and faculty. The University will maintain as confidential any accommodations or protective measures provided to an individual student so long as it does not impair the ability to provide such measures.

If a student comes to me to discuss or disclose an instance of sexual assault, sex discrimination, sexual harassment, dating violence, domestic violence or stalking, or if I otherwise observe or become aware of such an allegation, I will keep the information as private as I can, but as a faculty member of Washington University, I am required to immediately report it to my Department Chair or Dean or directly to Ms. Jessica Kennedy, the University’s Title IX Director. If you would like to speak with directly Ms. Kennedy directly, she can be reached at (314) 935-3118, jwkennedy@wustl.edu, or by visiting the Title IX office Links to an external site. in Umrath Hall. Additionally, you can report incidents or complaints to the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards or by contacting WUPD at (314) 935-5555 or your local law enforcement agency. See: Title IX Links to an external site.

You can also speak confidentially and learn more about available resources at the Relationship and Sexual Violence Prevention Center by calling (314) 935-8761 or visiting the 4th floor of Seigle Hall. See: RSVP Center Links to an external site.

Bias Reporting

The University has a process through which students, faculty, staff and community members who have experienced or witnessed incidents of bias, prejudice or discrimination against a student can report their experiences to the University’s Bias Report and Support System (BRSS) team. See: brss.wustl.edu Links to an external site.

Mental Health

Mental Health Services’ professional staff members work with students to resolve personal and interpersonal difficulties, many of which can affect the academic experience. These include conflicts with or worry about friends or family, concerns about eating or drinking patterns, and feelings of anxiety and depression. See: studenthealth.med.wustl.edu/services/mental-health-information/ Links to an external site.