HOMEWORK POLICIES

Please pay attention to the following homework policies:

1. Homework assignments are due at the beginning of the class period, one week from the day that they were assigned. 
2. Late homeworks will receive a penalty; thus, it will not be possible for a late homework to get the maximum grade.
3. Once the homeworks are graded and returned to the class, late homeworks cannot be accepted.
4. If you are having difficulties with your assignments, you are strongly encouraged to consult with the teaching assistants during their office hours and with the Professor, usually after class.
5. If you cannot arrange to see one of the teaching assistants, it is perfectly natural and acceptable to consult with your fellow classmates. 
6. However, you are kindly expected to submit work that shows your individual effort. You cannot submit a copy, or a disguised facsimile of another person's work as your own. 
7. Copied homeworks will not be accepted.
8. We are all expected to abide by the University of Illinois's standards for academic excellence and integrity. 

HOMEWORK HINTS AND GUIDELINES

Please follow the proceeding guidelines for homework.
1. Print your name clearly at the top of each page of your homework.
2. Print the homework assignment number, and the date on the front page of  your homework.
3. If you need several sheets of paper for your homework, please be sure to staple the sheets together, and put your name on all the sheets.
4. Do not write different homework assignments on the same sheet of paper, since different teaching assistants will be grading different homework assignments for the whole class.
5. Do not staple different homework assignments together. Please keep them separate.
6. If an assignment requires writing essays or short reports, you are expected to use a word processor. Please do not turn in hand-written reports. If you have a computer failure of some sort, let your favorite teaching assistant know about this ahead of time, and discuss with the teaching assistant about what can be done before the assignment is due.
7. If an assignment requires plotting a graph of data, you are expected to use computer software such as Excel, Kaleidagraph, Mathematica, Mathcad, or some other program to do the plotting. Please do not turn in sloppy hand-drawn graphs. If you have a computer failure, discuss this with the teaching assistant before the assignment is due.
8. If an assignment requires short answers, simple calculations, or derivations, it is understood that a hand-written presentation is the most practical and sensible way, but please write clearly.
9. Try to make use of boxes around your final answers to help the teaching assistants in grading your homework.
10. If you utilize an article, textbook or a website for data or information, be sure to reference that source at the end of your homework.
11. Be methodical in doing your homework. Write down all your units and dimensions. Your homework solution sets should have a relatively organized structure. The most basic and easy format to use is the following: 

Given: State what the problem is, and all known information.
Find: State what it is that you are supposed to calculate, solve, or determine.
Solution: Present your solution.
- If possible, include a sketch or a diagram that represents the problem.
- Write down all assumptions.
- Write down relevant equations and relationships.
- Include units throughout calculations.
- Include all steps of derivations, if necessary.
Conclusion: Write down a single sentence summarizing your results.
Example: "The critical mass for a solid sphere of U-235 is approximately 48 kg."
References: Write down your references, if you used any. 
12. Please write as neatly as possible so that the grader can read your assignment. A neat assignment is much easier to grade.