CS 332: Theory of Computation Prof. Mark Bun
Boston University
January, 2020
Collaboration and Honesty Policy∗
We understand that, once the rules are clear to you, most of you would never consider cheating in any form. However, the line between “collaboration” (a very good thing) and “cheating” (a very bad thing) can be blurry. This document specifies the rules of collaboration in this course and penalties for cheating. We require that each student read, sign and return this document.
No collaboration is permitted, whatsoever, on exams and optional homework problems.
Only you can use the Top Hat account registered in your name to earn participation points in class.
You may verbally collaborate on required homework problems, however, you must write your solutions indepen-
dently. If you choose to collaborate on a problem, you are allowed to discuss it with at most 3 other students currently enrolled in the class. Before working with others on a problem, you should think about it yourself for at least 30 minutes. The header of each problem and program you submit must include the field “Collaborators:” with the names of the students with whom you have had discussions concerning your solution. Indicate whether you gave help, received help, or worked together. If you worked alone, write “Collaborators: none”.
• You may get help from anyone on LATEX issues which are clearly more general than the specific assignment. (E.g., what does a particular error message mean?)
You may use references such as books and online resources for well known facts (e.g., formulas such as n n =
2n), however, you must always cite the source.
• You may not look up answers to a homework assignment in the published literature or on the web. • You may not share written work with anyone else.
• You may not receive help from students who have taken the course in previous years.
• You may not review any course materials from previous years.
• You may not answer Top Hat questions for somebody else. Thus, clear examples of cheating include, but are not limited to:
i=0 i
• Google-ing for specific keywords that happen to appear in the current homework assignment.
• Showing a draft of a written solution to another student.
• Copying down a solution that another student has written on a whiteboard. (Sharing written work.) • Emailing (or texting, or IM’ing) fragments of your written solution to other students.
• Getting help from someone whom you do not acknowledge on your solution.
• Leaving your solution unattended or with another student in circumstances that allow copying.
• Copying from another student during an exam.
• Receiving exam-related information from a student who has already taken the exam.
• Looking at someone else’s work on BU computer systems, even if the file permissions allow it.
• Submitting a problem solution that you cannot orally explain to the course staff.
• Lying to the course staff.
Violations of the collaboration policy—for example, not stating the names of your collaborators, or any other attempt to represent the work of another as your own—will result in an automatic failing grade and will be reported to the Academic Conduct Committee (ACC). The ACC often suspends or expels students deemed guilty of plagiarism or other forms of cheating. Make sure you understand the BU Academic Conduct Code:
http://www.bu.edu/academics/policies/academic-conduct-code/ .
If you are uncertain as to whether a particular kind of interaction with someone else constitutes illegal collaboration or academic dishonesty, please ask the instructor before taking any action that might violate the rules; if you can’t reach the instructor in time, then at the very least include a clear explanation of what happened in your homework solutions to avoid being treated as a cheater. Citing your sources is usually the easiest way out of trouble.
I, , have read and understood the above CS 332 policy on collaboration and cheating. I agree to honor the rules which the policy describes.
Sign your name: Date:
∗ Based on https://cs- people.bu.edu/sofya/cs332/handouts/collaboration- policy.pdf which in turn is based on http:// server251.theory.cs.cmu.edu/twiki/pub/Main/CourseSyllabus/cheating-policy.pdf and https://www.cs.bu.edu/~reyzin/teaching/ s17cs112a/syllabus.html.