EE 552 Extra Credit: Read This First
For an extra credit project, please do not expect extra credit unless the project has:
· The telephone number and e-mail address of each participant on the title page
· The following signed statement on the second page:
"I/we alone prepared and wrote this project. I/we received no help from anyone one else. This material is not copied or paraphrased from any other source except where specifically indicated. I grant my permission for this project to be placed on the course homepage during future semesters. I understand that I could receive an F for the course retroactively, even after graduation, if this work is later found to be plagiarized."
· Copies of all referenced papers and all relevant pages of books are provided with the project.
DO NOT EXPECT YOUR TRANSCRIPT GRADE TO REFLECT YOUR EXTRA CREDIT PROJECT WITHOUT ALL OF THE ABOVE.
What are extra credit assignments? - Extra credit assignments are voluntary, optional assignments. Typical extra credit categories:
Extra credit homework - this may be an optional homework assignment in which the Grader awards points that add to overall homework totals. This is not usually what I mean when I refer to "extra credit".
Extra credit problems offered in class - a problem may come up during a class. I may simply define the problem more or less vaguely and state that it could earn extra credit for anyone who solves the problem. If you are interested in attempting the problem and need to clarify the problem, just ask me during or after that class.
Optional test problems - may be offered on the Midterm or Final.
Major project – I may accept a small number of special projects arranged with me personally no more than 1 week after the Midterm.
For a project, you must know what you want to do!
One week later, give me a project outline with your name, telephone number, how much time you expect to put into the project, and what you expect to get out of it.
Software project - Only very specific kinds of software projects will be approved. Software should be self-documented, should be downloadable from our website, and should run modern PC under Windows. Unless you are a remote student or you are group of students developing the software, you should define your project early in the semester.
Format - In the case of an extra credit problem or project, print and sign your name in the upper right-hand corner, together with your video location, the date, your e-mail address and also phone number. Title the paper appropriately. State clearly and fully, as you understand it, the project or the problem you are solving. If it is a "prove-or-disprove" type problem, state the position you are taking. If it is a written project, please hand in MS Office 2000 (not Office XP) softcopy on a floppy or CD ROM, plus printed copy. Include copies of referenced documents. When handing in the assignment, do not mix non-homework extra credit with homework.
When due - Extra credit work is due before any discussion of the answer in class but otherwise may be acceptable any time before the Final. Try to hand major projects in a week before Final. Your project should not interfere with your preparations for the Final. No credit can be given for extra-credit work done or handed in after the Final, but occasionally post-Final project additions and changes may be needed and will be appreciated.
Grading - For non-homework extra credit, I generally grade extra credit work myself. Points earned for extra credit are preceded by a plus (+) sign. I evaluate projects just before handing in course grades. A good written project may be placed on the EE552 homepage. Ordinarily, there is no risk associated with extra credit work. However, cheating or plagiarism can result in a D or F for the course. The grade can be assigned retroactively if this is discovered in a later semester or after graduation.
Impact on course grade - Extra credit work is an opportunity to stand out from the class by virtue of extra effort, contribution to the quality of the course, individual achievement, or creativity. I accumulate extra credit points throughout the semester. At the end of the semester, I assign tentative course grades based on homework and test scores. I then determine a threshold for extra credit points. I calculate any extra credit points beyond this threshold, and multiply this value by a weighting factor. This score is then added to the student's tentative score to determine whether this places him or her in a higher grade category. The course grade is changed appropriately. No one's score is lowered because other people earned extra credit. Thus, even if you were the only person in class not to do a project, your grade would be the same as if no one did any extra work.
Failure to follow the instructions below can reduce or eliminate extra credit that would otherwise have been earned.
IMPORTANT: SPECIAL CONDITION - Unless we agree personally, in advance, all extra credit work is to be done by the individual student, alone, with no help of any kind from any living person. Books and published papers are acceptable only if clearly referenced and their contribution stated clearly. A copy of such papers or of relevant pages from books must be provided before any credit can be received. Handing in work for extra credit implies ON YOUR HONOR that YOU HAVE ACCEPTED NO UNAUTHORIZED ASSISTANCE, and you will never provide any assistance to others in future semesters without my explicit consent. Plagiarism (see Student Handbook) or violation of this understanding is the same as cheating on a test and can be remedied by a retroactive grade change even after graduation. Cheating on a test generally results in D or F for the course.