You should realize that this approach actually saves time over the whole semester, since it is easier to do the homework right after studying the material, and thus reinforcing the lecture. Also, by starting all homework problems as early as possible, you have the opportunity to get help before the due date. You should expect to spend at least three hours of your own time for every hour of class per week.
Please note that assignments are due in class, at the beginning of class to be precise. No guarantee can be given for assignments turned in at any other time and/or place. I will accept late assignments only in exceptional situations, provided approval has been obtained by the due date. If a late assignment is accepted, it will ordinarily still accrue a penalty of 5% of the possible points for each day from the due date until my receiving it (including weekends and holidays). I reserve the right to exclude any problem from grading on late assignments, for instance, if it was discussed in class.
Never leave assignments at my office, if I am not present, as they may get destroyed by the cleaning crew. Rather, you should submit them in a properly addressed campus mail envelope at the departmental mail slot at MP 410. Always write your name clearly on the homework. Your student number or social security number are not needed at any time. If your name is not clearly legible, the score will not be recorded. I suggest to include my name (Gobbert) and the department name (Mathematics and Statistics) on the front of your assignments, which helps to recover them, in case they get lost somewhere on campus.
Some formal notes: Assemble your assignments in professional style, properly ordered, each problem clearly labeled, using sufficiently large and clear lettering, etc. Please leave sufficient margins and other spaces for comments and feedback. You must show complete work for full credit. This also means that you have to give enough details such that another person with a similar background as yourself can reproduce your answers. This criterion will be the guiding principle for grading.
While the grading scale will be adjusted later to some degree to reflect the level of difficulty of the exams, the following may serve as a guideline based on prior experience:
| Score above | 90% | 80% | 65% | 50% | otherwise |
| Letter grade | A | B | C | D | F |
Please note that this syllabus is subject to change by announcement, in particular the number and types of exams, the weight distribution, or the grading scale. If there is a class cancellation for reasons beyond our control, e.g., due to snow fall, assignments are generally due in the next following class meeting; similarly, exams are considered automatically rescheduled for the next class.
I apologize for these drastic statements, but past experiences have forced me to add this paragraph to the syllabus. Please, remember that I am charged with enforcing academic integrity in order to preserve the quality and reputation of your education, grades, and degree at this university. The webpage http://www.umbc.edu/integrity provides information on academic integrity and UMBC's policies including background information and examples; I strongly urge you to become familiar with the issues.
When in doubt about anything or if you have any questions, feel free to contact me. Note that I will only accept e-mail that is sent to the correct address, that clearly identifies the sender by full name, and that has a meaningful subject line. Notice that mail without name or subject might be deleted by my mail filtering software.