CS302 / General / Grading

1997 Fall: Sections 15 and 22
[Grading Percentages] [Project Grading] [Late Policy]

Grading Percentages

 The following percentages will determine your final grade: 
Exams				60%
  - Midterm I (week 7)    20%
  - Midterm II (week 11)  20%
  - Final Exam		  20%
Quizzes 			 5%
  - 5 each worth 1%
Programming Assignments		35%
  - 8 homework assignments
-----------------------------------------
Total			       100%
Individual assignments and exams will not be assigned letter grades. Letter grades are assigned at the end of the semester.

Programming Assignment Grading

 Projects are to be submitted electronically on the morning of class. I will lock out the turn-in directory for both sections 15 and 22 at 8:30 AM. This means you should turn in your program before 8:30. 8:20 would be safe. Better yet, turn it in the night before and get a good night's sleep!

Grading of programming assignments is based upon three criteria: correctness, technique, and readability.

Correctness is by far the most important criterion. A program which does not correctly fulfill the requirements of the assignment is subject to a grade reduction of as much as 60% or more.

The technique used in a program is the means in which that particular problem was solved. A solution which is correct but clumsy or awkward is subject to a grade reduction of as much as 25%. Sometimes there will be very little leeway in this area; other times there might be several correct solutions.

The readability of a program refers to the ease with which a human reader (such as the grader!) can read and understand the source code. The readability does not affect the execution of the program; however, poor readability can result in programming errors which make the program incorrect. Poor readability can also result in a grade reduction of as much as 15%. The readability of a program includes:

  • Proper and consistent indentation of statements
  • Documentation (via comments) for functions and parameters, and for non-obvious variables and pieces of code
  • Use of blank lines to separate logically separate pieces of code
  • Use of meaningful identifiers for variables, functions, etc.
  • Correct use of constants
  • Use of idioms (customary standard ways of writing logically equivalent pieces of code) discussed in class
Additionally, if your code is unreadable and I can't decipher how you solved the problem, you may lose points on technique too!

Late Policy

 As mentioned earlier, projects must be turned in before 8:30 AM on the day of the deadline in order to receive credit. Homework assignments may not be turned in late, except in circumstances beyond the student's control, such as illness or a death in the family. You must contact me AS SOON AS THE PROBLEM ARISES. It is your responsibility to keep me informed of the situation. Here is my contact info. You should be prepared to present evidence for your excuse (a doctor's note, a church program from a funeral, etc.).

If you know that you will miss an exam or quiz, let me know at least two weeks in advance for an exam, or 48 hours in advance for a quiz, and I will schedule a make-up. Accomodations will also be made for people who miss exams or quizzes unexpectedly and can present a doctor's note. As with homework assignments, it is your responsibility to contact me AS SOON AS THE PROBLEM ARISES. If you know you will miss an exam or class because of a religious holiday (other than ones mentioned inside the front cover of the Fall 1997 timetable, which I already know about), you must let me know within the first three weeks of class.

(Last modified: 09/04/97)