CS354 Machine Programming
Summer 2005

CS354 Grading Policy

Grading Percentages

The following percentages have been assigned for CS354: (subject to change)

       Exams Midterm 20%, Final 30%                     50%
       Programs                                         35%
       Homeworks                                        15%
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Total                                           100%

Individual assignments and exams will not be assigned letter grades. Letter grades are assigned at the end of the semester. Final grades for CS354 are curved with a mean in the range 2.7 - 3.1, where A = 4.0. The curve is computed after the final exam is completed. The instructor will look for natural divisions in the final percentages for the purposes of assigning letter grades.

Grading Standards

Please see Guidelines for program grading

Also:

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 25%. 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

Late Policy

All assignments are due on the day and at the time specified on the syllabus in your handin direcory. Except for A0, all other assignments may be turned in late, but they will incur a significant penalty. One day late is defined as a 24-hour period following the scheduled due date (weekday or weekend). The following penalties will apply:

• 1 day late: 25% deduction, up to 24 hours late
• 2 days late: 50% deduction, from 24 to 48 hours late
• more than 2 days late: no work will be accepted after 48 hours late.

For example, if an assignment is due at 8:30am on a Tuesday and it is handed in after 8:30am on Tuesday, but before 8:30am on Wednesday, a 25% penalty will be deducted.

Notify the instructor as soon as possible if circumstances beyond your control prevent you from completing an assignment on time. Extensions are not given if requested within 3 days of the due date or after the assignment is due.

Regrades

You have one week after a graded assignment is returned to request a re-grading of your assignment if you believe that there was an error in the grading.