Four applied homework assignments are scheduled for the semester, corresponding to the four main units of the course. You may complete these in groups of 2 (that is, with a single partner, see the collaboration policy for details). The purpose of these assignments is to provide you with an opportunity to put the concepts you are learning into practice with working code.
You should plan to start assignments early, soon after they are released (see the schedule), to give yourself plenty of time to ask questions, get help, and complete your work without any undue stress.
Completing and Submitting
All of the assignments will involve programming in Python and working with datasets to experiment with applying concepts and principles from class. They will generally be in parts, with each part contained in a Jupyter notebook that you will complete and turn in on Gradescope. If you work with a partner, you must use the group submission feature on Gradescope, and should not submit separately. The starter notebooks and details on submission and grading for each assignment will be distributed on Canvas.
You should turn in the .ipynb notebook files on Gradescope, and should *not* submit an exported pdf or code file. Any printed results or visualizations should appear directly when the notebook is opened. Furthermore, the results should be reproducible by “Restart kernel and run all cells” without generating any errors. To ensure these conditions are met, you should take the following steps when submitting:
- When you think you are finished with a given part/notebook file, select Run –> Restart kernel and run all cells.
- Carefully proofread the resulting notebook from start to finish, ensuring that any printouts or visualizations look as you expect.
- Submit on gradescope, and view the resulting notebook file on gradescope after submitting to ensure it looks as you expect.
Grading and Lateness
Assignments generally are broken down into parts (individual notebook files, often working with a particular dataset or concept) further divided into tasks. Different tasks may have different point values associated. Grading for each task will generally be broken down into a number of binary satisfactory/unsatisfactory checks for completion with quality of the various components described in the task.
Late submissions will be accepted for up to one week from the original due date at a cumulative penalty of 2% per day. This penalty may be waived in cases of incapacitation or a dean’s excuse for emergencies or extenuating circumstances (see the policies page on absence). The late penalty will not, in general, be waived for other personal circumstances including travel or extracurricular activities. In such cases, you should either plan ahead of time to complete assignments or you can submit during the late period at the small penalty.
