Homework grading and re-grading policy

We want to encourage high standards but we do not want to beat you down.

So:

* Your homework grade will primarily be based on effort (thoroughness, neatness, completeness). Simultaneously the graders will mark up and grade more severely based on content, but this will not be part of your course grade.

* 6 hour policy. If on the top of your homework you write "I spent X hours on the homework." and if X >=6, you get full credit. You can spend more than 6 hours if you like. And you can get full credit if you do a good effort and spend less. But the purpose of the homework is to keep you engaged, so that's mostly what we are grading. And 6 hours is enough to show good engagement, no matter how well you do.

The 6 hour policy, what is it about? Its for people who are just trying to get through the course and want credit for the homework. All tough courses will have some fraction of students working much more than 6 hours/week on homework, because they are interested or because they are trying to do much more than just get by. If you are not one of these eager beavers and are having trouble doing all the problems in the 6 hours you should start by writing up and handing in some or all of the practice problems, of course its best to start by mastery of the more elementary material. Time spent on practice problems counts as part of your 6 hours. If you want to catch up on earlier material, time spent on practice problems from earlier weaks also counts as part of your 6 hours. Then you should budget your time on the harder problems. Use your homework time in the manner that you think is most educational.

* Please ask a TA or grader in office hours (or just after recitation if there is time) if you do not understand a comment or grade on your HW.

* All homework can be redone for some partial credit until the last Wednesday of classes. Hand in, all securely clipped together, the old HW, the new HW and a cover sheet. The whole homework does not need to be redone, only problems that need to be regraded. After receiving their graded HW in section, students have ONE week to rework problems they missed for FULL credit. HWs redone more than one week late will be given partial credit. Late homework needs a clear label in big letters at the top "LATE HOMEWORK: Please grade for partial credit."

* Homework can be resubmitted if the grading seems unfair. On post it notes, write down the issues at appropriate places. Put a cover sheet on the homework explaining which problem you want regraded. Don't mark directly on the homework. Hand in redone homework at the office hours of the grader. There you can discuss the issues.