Policies

Printable syllabus

Assignment policy

I expect you to complete the assigned reading before class on the day for which it is assigned.

Homework will be due at the beginning of class on the day it’s due.

General instructions for reading assignments

• Do the assigned reading before you come to class on the date for which it is assigned. If you have questions or find the ideas presented in the readings confusing, I encourage you to ask questions in class.

• Questions in the “Reading Notes” sections of the assignments are for you to think about to make sure you understand the material, but you do not have to write up your answers or turn them in.

  You are responsible for all the assigned readings, but topics I have highlighted in the reading notes are particularly important.

• In addition to the questions I ask in the reading notes, look over the “Conclusions” section at the end of each chapter to check whether you understand the key facts and concepts from the chapter.

Honor Code:

This course, like all courses at Vanderbilt, is conducted under the Honor Code.

Studying:

As you study for this class, I encourage you to to seek help from me or from other classmates or friends.

Homework Assignments:

I encourage working together on homework assignments: you may talk with your friends and classmates about homework assignments, compare notes on how you are working a problem, and you may look at your classmates’ work on homework assignments. But you must work through the problems yourself in the work you turn in: Even if you have discussed the solution with others you must work through the steps yourself and express the answers in your own words. You may not simply copy someone else’s answer.

Research Project:

The research project assignment be conducted under the same ethical principles that apply to publishing papers in scientific journals. The work you present must be your own, but you may consult with others and seek help. If anyone else makes a significant contribution to your project, you whould list them and their contribution in an Acknowledgements section.

If you ever have questions about how the Honor Code applies to your work in this course, please ask me. Uncertainty about the Honor Code does not excuse a violation.

Final Note:

I have made every effort to plan a busy, exciting, and instructive semester. I may find during the term that I need to revise the syllabus to give more time to some subjects or to pass more quickly over others rather than covering them in depth. Thus, while I will attempt to follow this syllabus as closely as I can, you should realize that it is subject to change during the semester.