STANDARDS of SCHOLARSHIP
For Professor De Boer's Classes
(Last updated on 12/10/2022)

". . .whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus..." (from Colossians 3)

Homework is for Learning by Showing How

SUMMARY
Good homework builds a relationship between you and God.
Some memorization is needed but "knowing the steps" is not the goal.
Skipped steps may reflect a lack of understanding.
When answers are given, explanation is everything.
If asked to "explain," write an explanation!

DETAILS
The overall goal of doing homework is to build a relationship of understanding between you and God's creation, our world. When you can show others how solve a problem or show others how one thing relates to another thing, then you have really learned something about God's creation. In contrast, if you have memorized steps that you need to perform to solve a problem you have merely earned a grade. Of course, you will earn grades, and memorize some stuff, but the goal of homework is more than memorization, it is learning. On written homework you need to present a clear sequence of rational statements to show how a problem is solved, not simply a correct answer.

Skipped steps may be interpreted as a lack of understanding on your part and may be graded down accordingly.

If the answer is given (e.g. in the back of the textbook) it is essential that you explain how to get the answer. Oftentimes you will use equations and math to show how you solved the problem, but sometimes you will need to explain how you solved the problem by using a sentence or two. (After all, you cannot expect credit for simply copying the answer!)

Sometimes you will have an essay to answer. Watch for words like, "explain" or "contrast," etc. in a question. When those words occur you will need to write a sentence or two to answer the question.

In general, your professors are not interested in the answer. They already know the answers! Your professors are interested in you and your learning. You must write something to show that you know how to solve the problem.

Type of Paper
    For homework
    —Use letter size paper (about 8.5" x 11")
    —Paper ripped out of a spiral binder is not acceptable unless
         you neatly cut off the ragged edge.
    —Engineering paper is recommended but not required.

    For reports and papers
    —Use plain white letter size paper (8.5" x 11")

For homework turned in electronically
—Turn in one PDF file or other acceptable file format per homework
    assignment. The one file should contain all your solutions.
—You may scan homework that is done conventionally with pencil
    and paper and submit a PDF file or other acceptable file.

Alternatively, you may do your homework entirely on a computer. (A smartphone's screen is too small for you to be sufficiently productive.) Microsoft Word, Libre Office, and Pages are three examples of word processors that have enough features to be useful. At the end, export a PDF file or other acceptable file format. It is especially useful to become proficient with the equation editor that your word processor includes. You might like to supplement your word processor with a more complete drawing editor and a photo editor of your choice, and then cut-and-paste screenshots from those programs into your word processor document.

For writing homework solutions Professor De Boer uses whatever is convenient for the problem. Sometimes that paper and pencil scanned to PDF. Sometimes he uses MS-Word and pastes results from other programs such as Gimp, Octave, PSpice, X-circuit, etc. into the file. Professor De Boer once was a fan of MathCAD. It is still an option but he finds MS-Word plus pasting from other programs is even more convenient.

Staple
Staple your papers together in the upper left corner if there is more than one page.

One Side Only
Write on only one side of each sheet of paper. 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.

Use a Pencil for Homework—Learning is an Iterative Process.
Most engineering problems include too much detail to hold in your head without writing intermediate steps down. Thus you need to write in order to think. This includes any computerized homework that Prof. De Boer might assign. You are not expected to be good at solving computerized homework without using a written aid such as a pad of paper and a pencil and eraser or a program such as Mathcad running alongside of the computerized homework.

Mistakes will happen because you need to start writing before thinking all the way through the problem. By using a pencil you can erase your mistakes, or if you use a program like Mathcad you can delete or edit your mistakes. Writing, thinking, writing more, erasing, re-writing, and so forth is the best and fastest way to solve engineering problems. Keeping a neat and easy-to-read page by erasing and re-writing is the right way to work. Write a lot and when needed, erase (or edit).

Page Heading
For Homework
Put at least the course number, problem set number, date, and your name at the top of each sheet of paper. Example:

EGR 999                       PS#99       9/9/2099    Van VanderVander

For Reports
Follow whatever style guide is specified.
Prof. De Boer usually specifies IEEE style.

Neat Page Layout
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. On reports, follow the style guide for page layout.

Homework: One Problem Per Page (usually)
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. If the problem takes more than one page, that is OK, you may continue on second and subsequent pages if needed, but only if the problem started at the top of a new page. You may be graded down for violating this rule.

Homework: Problem Summary Required
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 with a glue stick.

Units
When a problem statement includes units (seconds, volts, etc.) then the answer should include appropriate units. In reports, units must be used appropriately.

Significant Digits, No Leading Decimals
Use an appropriate number of significant digits. (If in doubt on a homework problem, Prof. De Boer will accept 3 significant digits unless the answer is obviously an integer quantity or unless precision is a specific goal of the problem.) Do not allow leading decimals. (Right: 0.125, Wrong: .125)

Figure 1. No Leading Decimals!

Graphs--Label Axes and Make 'em BIG
Graphs should be an appropriate size. If the graph is an answer to a homework problem or an illustration in a report, this usually means at least two inches high and 3 inches wide. It is also necessary that the graph be appropriately scaled. If you can cover the interesting area of the graph with your thumb, the graph is either too small or not scaled appropriately. Title the graph and label both axes with quantity and units where appropriate. See Figure 2 below.

Figure 2. An example of a properly labeled
graph that is minimally large enough.

Proofs (Also "Show," "Explain," "Derive," Etc.)
Q: "What is the best smartphone?"
A: "The Schwarzineger i99 Smartphone is simply the best!"
But do you believe it?

You cannot convince most people by simply telling them the "correct answer." People want to know more. Sometimes we need proof.

Words like "show," "explain," "derive," etc. usually mean the same thing as "prove."

An engineering proof is a chain of statements leading from given information to a conclusion. This chain of statements must be accompanied by the names of the relevant definitions, theorems, principles, and so forth. In a normal problem solution you only show the chain of statements and assume the reader will recognize the definitions, theorems, etc. without naming them. In a proof, you name your authorities.

Engineering is about technical problems in a social context. Engineering is not simply applied math and science. This means that an engineering proof needs to convince people by establishing the authority by which a thoerem is deemed true and reliable. Generally, you cannot do a proof by computer because the computer does not expose the underlying authorities by which it computes. It only gets "the right answer." The "right answer" alone is usually not convincing, no matter how true and right the answer is. This is especially true if there is any doubt or controversy, which is preciesly when a proof is most needed.

Use of Calculators and Computers
Use calculators and computers appropriately to perform routine and tedious operations and calculations. Computers are also ideal for producing clear and accurate graphs.

In sympathy with engineering department guidelines, Professor De Boer only allows NCEES approved calculators to be used on tests and final exams. This restriction improves your chances of passing the Fundamentals of Engineering Exam. Professor De Boer highly recommends that you take this exam during your senior year. If you pass, you can list it on your resume and it can open doors to opportunities for you. (You may use any calculator whatever for doing homework.)

If you will not be allowed to use a calculator during the tests, consider doing some homework calculations entirely by hand so that you are prepared better for the tests. If you will only be allowed to use an NCEES approved calculator on the tests, consider using your NCEES approved calculator for doing homework so that you become well-practiced and efficient when using that calculator.

You may be graded down for using a calculator or computer to do a trivial operation. For some examples, you should know how to do simple definite integrals without needing a calculator. You should also know the sines and cosines of common angles such as cos(0) = 1, and you should know simple exponentials and logs such as exp(0) = 1 and ln(2e) = ln(2) + 1. Relying on a calculator for these is about as rewarding as watching your friend play your favorite video game instead of learning to excel at the game yourself.

Never use a computerized symbolic math program (e.g. the "symbolics" menu in MathCAD or the equivalent in your calculator) to do work that you don't know how to check. Students who try this frequently get the answer wrong, have no way to realize the answer is wrong, and never learn how to solve the problem. Even if the answer is in some technical mathematical sense correct, it might be in a useless form which betrays your ignorance. Example:
f(t) = exp(it) + exp(–it) when a useful solution is
f(t) = 2cos(t) Those expressions of f(t) are technically equivalent, but would you know what the first one means?

If you use a computer program (e.g. Mathcad) to help you solve a homework problem, you must print the file and staple it to your homework. If you write a program (Matlab, Java, Visual Basic, etc.) print the source code (use a fixed pitch font such as "Courier New" if you have a choice) and print the output of the program too. On a report the reference to the software needs to be documented more carefully than on homework. Follow the style guide for the report. Missing a printout or a reference? Credit may be denied!

If you use an unusual feature of your calculator when doing homework, say an equation solver, definite integral solver, or matrix inverse operator, make a marginal note. (e.g. "Used matrix inverse on my TI-89 calculator.") If you use such a feature repeatedly, you only need to note your method once, near the first instance. On reports the requirements for documenting your solution methods will need to follow the style guide.

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. On homework you may do this informally. (e.g. "Used table of integrals in calc. book by Edwards & Penny, 4th edition." Almost any style is acceptable if your classmates can reasonably be expected to find your source based on your reference. Subsequent citations can be even shorter, e.g. "Integral Table.") In a report, a full citation (such as in IEEE or APA or MLA style) is required.

Do Your Own Work
Avoiding plagiarism is one aspect of working with academic integrity, which is more generally discussed in the Student Handbook (section on Academic Integrity).

Keep your papers and computer files private. The only times when you may legitimately share are during peer grading in class (if peer grading is offered) and any work done in connection with a team in the lab, in which case the team may share any of their own materials among themselves whenever the result will be a single project or lab report.

Using the Internet to find resource materials to help you understand a subject so that you may solve a homework problem is acceptable, even laudable. In contrast, using the Internet to find or purchase solutions to copy from (or "work from"), is plagiarism.

Out-of-the-classroom communications among students about homework and other aspects of the class must be verbal or text-based (face-to-face or electronic) communications only. These communications must be along the lines of helping your colleague solve problems for herself or himself. For example, saying, "You need to use such-and-such a theorem to solve that problem" is good. "I think you made a math error because your method seems right," is another example of the right type of communication. Even "I got five point nine one for the answer," is acceptable. (Credit is given only for showing how to get the answer, not for the answer itself.) An exception is that you may entirely share graded work with classmates who have their own graded copy of the same homework assignment. If you desire, you may compare your grades and solution techniques.

It is not OK to recite entire equations step-by-step leading to the solution. It is not OK to show your friend your solution or a part of your solution before the homework is handed in. If your friend is really stuck, you should probably refer him or her to the course instructor for help—that's what the instructor is here for after all. If you desire more help than this rule allows, see the section below, "Help is Available."

Policing and prosecuting academic dishonesty is time consuming. It is not the professor's responsibility to design an absolutely cheat-proof course. Thus, penalties for those who do get caught tend to be high in order to serve as a deterrent to all. Students should be responsible to each other to create an environment of integrity in the course. Professor C.S. Lewis was once asked by another professor what he did about plagiarism. Here is his advice, which Prof. De Boer thinks is insightful, especially the last sentence:

I told him I was not a detective nor even a schoolmaster, nor a nurse, and that I absolutely refused to take any precaution against this puerile trick [copying]; that I'd as soon think it my business to see that he washed behind his ears or wiped his bottom. He... [dropped out] of his own accord the next week and I never saw him again. I think you ought to make a general announcement of that sort.... It is bad for them to think this is "up to you." * Flay them alive if you happen to detect them; but don't let them feel that you are a safeguard against the effects of their own idleness.
      What staggers me is how any man can prefer the galley-slave labour of transcription** to the freeman's work of attempting [the assignment] on his own.
                --Letter from Lewis to Dr. Alastair Fowler,
                  December 10, 1959 (page 1107).

*That is, Lewis believes that professors who worry excessively about how their students might be cheating mislead their students to think that "getting answers" (by any means) is more important than deep understanding of the subject.

**By "transcription," Lewis means copying in your own handwriting or with non-substantive variations so that it looks like your own work.

If you need (or want) help more frequently, consult the secretary at the ASK center and request "peer tutoring." See this page to get started with peer tutoring. Professor De Boer believes that the grade of most any student can be improved by about a half or a full letter grade simply by routine participation in the tutorial services. (Yes, that takes time and work, but it may be worth it for you.)

Tutorial help is available for many 100 and 200 numbered courses at Dordt University, and for some other courses too, so ASK for peer tutoring! When tutorial help is offered for a class, any student in the class may participate.