Textbook

Required Textbook

Discrete Structures by Harriet Fell and Javed A. Aslam. You can buy the textbook online or in the Northeastern University bookstore.

Piazza

Because this is a theory course, and solutions sometimes rely on one particular, specific insight, we have a few rules governing our CS1800 Piazza page:

You may not post solutions to problems.
You may not post a single, simple insight that enabled you to solve a problem (e.g., “Use Cantor’s diagonalization”), but you may post general approaches (e.g., “I thought this homework problem related to the class discussion on infinite binary sequences”).
You must be respectful of and courteous towards your fellow students and the teaching staff.

Violations of these rules will result in our closing the Piazza page.

We'll also use Piazza to post course announcements, so make sure your email settings are turned on!

Communication

Piazza is the best place to ask general questions, get clarification on a homework spec, ask a follow-up from lecture, etc.

Email (laneys @ northeastern.edu) is the best tool for specific questions or concerns about your experience in class, or anything sensitive in nature. During the week, I'll respond within 24 hours, but don't expect a response after 9pm. On the weekends I'll be slower to respond, but if you reach out over a weekend you can expect to hear back by Sunday evening.

Office hours are the best place for talking through your approach to a homework problem. We're not here to give you answers, of course, but to be your fellow computer scientists thinking through a tough problem with you. Expect us to ask more questions than we answer.

Assignments and Recitation Problems

All homework assignments and recitation problems will be posted on the Schedule page.

You'll submit homework assignments on paper. Due dates will be clearly marked. You may submit homework up to 5 days late. However, a late homework loses 7 points for each full calendar day (or part of a day) that it is late after the deadline. Moreover, if you submit your homework late it will be graded with next week’s batch of assignments, so you’ll receive your score much later than if you submit on time.

Your lowest homework score will be dropped and will not count towards your CS1800 grade.

Academic Integrity and Collaboration

We expect that you might study with friends and work out solutions to problems together, but you must write up your own solutions, in your own words.

Here are some concrete guidelines.

Never look at someone else's homework solutions. Otherwise you might turn in overly similar work.
If you produce a solution together on a whiteboard, don't simply copy it down afterwards. You must, on your own, write your own solution by hand.
If someone explains an answer to you, do not write down their exact words; instead, on your own write up your solution afterwards.

If you collaborate with (or get help from) any other student, then write their name on the the first page of your assignment at the top. If you have a question about what is considered a violation of this policy, please ask!

The university's academic integrity policy discusses actions regarded as violations and consequences for students: http://www.northeastern.edu/osccr/academic-integrity

Quizzes and Exams

There will be 4 quizzes during the semester, plus a midterm exam and a final exam. They will be administered entirely on paper; no notes or books or devices are allowed during exams/quizzes. You must be present in class to receive a grade. Missed quizzes/exams will count zero.

If you must miss a quiz/exam due to extreme, unanticipated circumstances such as an illness or a family emergency, notify me via email before the event.

Lateness + Attendance

A homework solution may be submitted up to 5 days late, with a reduction of 7 points per day (or part of a day) that it is late. A homework submitted more than 5 days after the deadline will receive zero credit.

Attendance is required for lectures, and, along with your engagement during lecture, it counts towards your participation grade. Registers will be taken for all classes, and late arrival (later than 15 minutes) will be counted as an absence. Notify the Academic Operations Officer, (cc: laneys @ northeastern.edu), by email, as soon as you are aware that you must miss a class for any reason.

Each absence after two missed classes on a given course will result in the deduction of two percent of the total course grade (up to a deduction of 15% overall).

Attendance is most important, of course, for quizzes and exams. You will receive a score of zero for any quiz or exam that you miss without prior notification of extenuating circumstances.

When you attend lecture and recitation, I ask that you be fully present. Please be respectful of your fellow students and me by participating attentively and non-disruptively. You may use computers in class, but only for taking notes. You may not use phones during class.

Title IX

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 protects individuals from sex or gender-based discrimination, including discrimination based on gender-identity, in educational programs and activities that receive federal financial assistance.

Northeastern’s Title IX Policy prohibits Prohibited Offenses, which are defined as sexual harassment, sexual assault, relationship or domestic violence, and stalking. The Title IX Policy applies to the entire community, including male, female, transgender students, faculty and staff.

If you or someone you know has been a survivor of a Prohibited Offense, confidential support and guidance can be found through University Health and Counseling Services staff (http://www.northeastern.edu/uhcs/) and the Center for Spiritual Dialogue and Service clergy members (http://www.northeastern.edu/spirituallife/). By law, those employees are not required to report allegations of sex or gender-based discrimination to the University.

Alleged violations can be reported non-confidentially to the Title IX Coordinator within The Office for Gender Equity and Compliance at: titleix@northeastern.edu Reporting Prohibited Offenses does NOT commit the victim/affected party to future legal action.

Faculty members are considered "responsible employees" at Northeastern University, meaning they are required to report all allegations of sex or gender-based discrimination to the Title IX Coordinator.

In case of an emergency, please call campus police.

Please visit http://www.northeastern.edu/titleix for a complete list of reporting options and resources both on- and off-campus.

Accessibility

Students who wish to receive academic services and/or accommodations, such as extra time on exams, should speak to me at the beginning of the semester.