Course Policy

  1. Please make sure that I have your basic info including name, student ID, academic status, and email address. The latter will be used to contact you in the event of last moment lecture cancellation.
  2. The official course text is DSPCSP. There are multiple copies in the library and two copies will be reserved. Unfortunately, one semester is not enough time to cover the entire book. (There is an advanced seminar next semester.) Please read the chapter material carefully. There are rewards for finding previously unreported errors (up to 15 points).
  3. Always check the course web site before coming to class. There will be updated information regarding material to be covered, homework exercises, and last minute notices.
  4. Although the chapters to be covered in the lecture are mentioned on the web site I am notorious for not confining myself to the planned material. Thus lecture attendance is mandatory. Active participation is encouraged and influences the material covered. If you must miss a lecture, read the appropriate chapter in the text. Most demonstrations performed in class will be available on the book web site.
  5. Lectures will commence at 17:15 precisely, so you are requested to arrive by 17:10. Since the lecture is three hours long, there will be break(s). According to majority preference there will either be
  6. There will be a final exam. The exam is closed-book and will consist of 25 multiple-choice questions, from which you must solve 20 (five points per correct answer). The questions are designed to probe your understanding of the material covered. About half of the questions will involve basic definitions.
  7. Homework assignments are posted on the web site and are to be completed within 3 weeks. Assignments are designed to coax you into reading over the material in the book (which is a good idea anyway).
  8. There will be surprize midterm exam(s), on pre-announced dates. These quizes will enable me to ensure that the material is being understood, and enable you to get better grades in the course. The questions will mostly relate to basic concepts. Quizes and exams are closed-book.
  9. Course grades will be calculated as follows:
    10. I will take extenuating circumstances (such as joining the course late or long illness) into account.
  10. Cheating (such as copying) on assignments will lead to their rejection. Cheating on exams will lead to course failure.
  11. I do not have office hours at the university (or an office for that matter). Contact me via email and if need be we will set up a time to talk. Please do not hesitate to email me if you have questions regarding the subject matter. However, please also take into account that I receive about 100 emails per day, and so my answer may sometimes be somewhat delayed.
  12. N.B. As you probably know I am not on the regular university staff (in other words I have a real job). So why do go to the considerable effort to teach these courses and write textbooks? I teach as a hobby because I enjoy teaching and I teach and write because I think the subject matter is not presently being taught correctly. I want the course to be as interesting, as useful, and as enjoyable as possible. Your feedback as to the attaining of these goals is appreciated!