Hi everybody,

I would like to acquaint you with important things about homeworks. Please save this message for future reference.

FORMAT: The format of the homework has been spelled out in lecture and in the webpages, but I'll go through it again. You need to put a cover sheet on the top, and it has to be stapled. ALL of the information has to be filled out on the front of the cover sheet. If there is no cover sheet, or the homework is not stapled, it will automatically be rejected, no matter how much work you do. So to avoid trouble, I have a suggestion: Get one cover sheet printed out soon and make about 10 photocopies. That way you have them for the rest of the semester without having yourself subject to ACS printing services. Also, get a stapler or get a friend who has a stapler.

HW DUE: Homeworks are due in section, but if you miss your section, you can come to another one. If it turns out that you can't make another section, then you can bring it to my office during my office hours. All homeworks must be turned in at some section, or at my office hours, with absolutely NO exceptions.

Remember the four "NOs":

1. NO late homeworks;
2. NO homeworks during lecture or discussions;
3. NO homeworks in my mailbox, or Prof. Blanchard's mailbox;
4. NO homeworks under, on or near my door or Prof. Blanchard's door.

GRADING: We'll use a 0-10 score for grading your homework. You can earn partial credits if you work hard on the problem but didn't get the right answer. Working hard means knowing the technique or at least knowing what you were doing. But writing out every problem and making no attempt to solve any of them will not give you a partial credit.

DISCUSSION SECTION GRADING: There will be two projects and probably 9 or 10 homeworks assigned this semester. From those, at the end of the semester, I will drop the lowest one, so if you missed one homework for any (good or bad) reason, you still have a chance to get a good grade. Your projects will count 9% each and the 8% remaining will depend on your homeworks, your extra effort on solving the problems and/or your participation in section. I remind you that attendance to discussion sections is NOT mandatory, but if you do show up, you are entitled to participate as much as possible. Do not reduce yourself to an ancient scribe.

I cannot emphasize enough the importance of doing the homework problems. I think it is impossible to do well in the course without keeping up with the homework. You are welcome to work with others on your homework, but remember it is much more important that you know what you did than that you got the right answer on the page.

If you need any help, you are welcome to come to me during the hours I am available or make an appointment by e-mail.

My office hours: Tuesday 3-5.
My tutoring hours (MCS 144): Tuesday 1-3.
My office : MCS 163
e-mail : marinavb@math.bu.edu

Good luck this semester,

Marina.