DORDT COLLEGE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT 
                      Spring Semester, 2002

                        HOMEWORK STANDARDS
                 For Professor De Boer's Classes 

0.) The overall goal of doing homework is to present a clear and 
       reasonably detailed sequence of rational statements to 
       show HOW a problem is solved.  Having a correct answer, 
       from the back of the text or from a friend, is not 
       educational, unless you fully understand how to get that 
       answer.  Some texts do give some answers--so that 
       you may concentrate on the method of solution--not to 
       simply insure you get a good grade.  This concept, that 
       you must UNDERSTAND HOW to solve problems--is numbered 
       "zero" because it comes before everything. 

1.) TYPE OF PAPER:  Use 8-1/2 by 11 inch paper 
       (or nearly that size). 
     --Legal size paper is not acceptable. 
     --Paper ripped out of a spiral binder is not acceptable 
       unless you use a scissors to neatly cut the ragged edge 
       off. 
     --Engineering paper is recommended but not required. 

2.) ONE SIDE ONLY:  Use only one side of each page (do not write 
       on the back side of the paper).  (Exception: computer-
       printed pages may be printed on both sides in order to 
       conserve paper.)

3.) PAGE LAYOUT AND NEATNESS:  Start each new problem at the top 
       of a new page.  (Exception: if the problem is short enough 
       to finish it on the same page you started it.)  Write 
       legibly.  Consider using white space to set off 
       important parts of the problem or answers.  Boxes and 
       underlining can also be helpful for the grader.  You may 
       be graded down if the grader has difficulty deciphering 
       what you have written or finding an answer. 

4.) WRITE WITH A PENCIL, USE A GOOD ERASER:  Mistakes are 
       expected.  By using a pencil you can erase your mistakes 
       and save the grader the effort of looking through 
       scratched-out lines.  You will spend enough time on the 
       homework to justify good quality equipment.  A 0.5 mm 
       mechanical pencil (e.g. Pentel brand or equivalent) and a 
       white plastic eraser (e.g. Pentel "Click") will pay for 
       themselves with time saved.  This equipment is available 
       at the Dordt Bookstore and at other local merchants such 
       as The Pencil Box and Walmart.

5.) PROBLEM SUMMARY:  Start each problem with a summary of the 
       problem statement.  As an alternative, you may photocopy 
       the problem statement page, cut the problem statement 
       out of the photocopy, and paste it onto your homework.

6.) UNITS:  When the problem statement includes units (seconds, 
       volts, etc.) then the answer should include appropriate 
       units. 

7.) NUMBER FORMAT:  Use an appropriate number of significant 
       figures for your answers (usually 3 unless the answer is 
       obviously an integer quantity) and use engineering or 
       scientific notation appropriately.  Do not allow leading 
       decimals.  (Right: 0.125    Wrong: .125) 

8.) GRAPH FORMAT:  Graphs should be an appropriate size.  If the 
       graph is an answer, this usually means at least two inches 
       high and 3 inches wide.  Title the graph and label both 
       axes with quantity and units where appropriate, example 
       shown below: 


                           Fuse Current vs. Time 
                   50 
                      
                      
                   40 
                      
          Current     
                   30 
            (mA)      
                      
                   20 
                      
                      
                   10 
                      
                      
                    0 
                     0   1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8 
                                 Time  (s) 

9.) COMPUTER OUTPUT:  If you use a computer (e.g. Mathcad) to 
       help you solve a problem, print the file and staple it 
       into your homework. If you write a program (Visual Basic, 
       Java, Matlab, etc.) print the source code (use a fixed 
       pitch font if you have a choice) and print the output of 
       the program.  (No printout?  Credit may be denied!)

10.) NO TEAMWORK:  
       I require you to do your homework individually.  You may 
       meet with others to share answers and discuss solution 
       methods.  This helps you discover how to solve problems.  
       Such communication about homework ought to be verbal, not 
       in writing.  (Exception: e-mail or written notes which 
       function in lieu of a verbal conversation or to record a 
       verbal conversation are OK.)  In your discussions you may 
       mention answers you have arrived at, and you may mention 
       techniques and equations that you used, and sections of 
       the textbook, lectures, or other reference materials that 
       you found useful, etc.  You may also share in writing and 
       compare graded homework with your classmates. 
                            
       Teamwork is a technique for doing more work than one 
       individual acting alone can do.  Homework is for your 
       individual study, thus teamwork is not appropriate for 
       doing homework.  We use teamwork in the lab, partly as a 
       necessity, and partly as an introduction to the type of 
       working environment found in industry.  Do not confuse the 
       goals of the lab work with the goals of homework. 
       

11.) PLAGIARISM:  
       You can go too far with discussions on homework.  For 
       example, working directly from another student's paper, or 
       from an e-mail or a computer file that essentially 
       contains the solution, is plagiarism.  Using someone 
       else's computer file that contains a solution or a portion 
       of a solution (e.g. a Mathcad file could be of this type) 
       is also plagiarism.  Using someone else's graded homework 
       from a previous offering of the course is plagiarism.  I 
       count giving such information as plagiarism also.  Keep 
       your computer files private.  For more details, see 
       Dordt's general policy on "Academic Dishonesty" in the 
       "Student Life and Housing Policies" section of the Student 
       Handbook. 

12.) REFERENCE BOOKS:  If you use a table of integrals or trig. ID 
       or a theorem or other such material from a reference book, 
       you need to cite the source.  (e.g. "Used table of 
       integrals in calc. book by Edwards & Penny, 4th edition."  
       Subsequent citations can be even shorter, e.g. "Integral 
       Table.")  Since this is homework, a full citation (such as 
       in a bibliography) and the format of the citation is not 
       important--just so that a reader knows you did not pull 
       something out of thin air, and that you could go back to 
       the source. 
       
13.) USE OF CALCULATOR:  If you use an unusual feature of your 
       calculator, say an equation solver, definite integral 
       solver, or matrix inverse operator, make a marginal note.  
       (e.g. "Used matrix inverse on my TI-85 calculator.")  If 
       you use such a feature repeatedly, you only need to note 
       your method once, near the first instance. 

14.) PAGE HEADING:  Put your name, course number and problem set 
       number on each page.  Staple in the upper left corner.