Help and Pledge Policy:

We learn a lot from each other. This is good. Most of the in-lab activities this semester will explicitly involve working with a partner during lab.

The out-of-lab experience is structured so that you will typically work individually, although in some cases parts of you will be a team effort. When working as a team, you may consult and discuss freely with your team.

Some of your pre-lab and post-lab work, while done individually, will be done in public PC labs in which classmates will be present. What, in such an environment, constitutes an honor violation?

Basically in this course, the honor code pledge asserts that work which you submit as being your own, whether a lab, program, or exam, really is your own. In the case of programs there is sometimes a grey area as to what constitutes "your own work." Clearly, taking someone else's code and permuting it by changing comments, procedure order, variable names, etc. is rampant plagiarism; it is not "your own work." Suppose instead that you talk with a friend about the algorithm, and then code up that algorithm, is that plagiarism? I would say no. The intellectual challenge of this course is to take abstract algorithms, data structures, or ideas and make them work. You may freely get help understanding the algorithm, data structure, or idea - but you must make it work.

What about help with syntax errors or C++ coding?  In the past I have drawn the line here: "if you actually look at another person's code (or let someone look at yours) you are stepping over the line." This semester I know that some students are likely to have a few C++ specific questions and I would like for you to be able to help each other with both the basics and the nitty gritty details of C++.  So where DO we draw the line then?  While in some cases actually looking at someone else's code to help them find a syntax error may be what is needed, do think carefully before doing so.  If at all possible, discuss the C++ feature in question away from a computer - on paper or a whiteboard.  In any event, there should not be a reason for you to show your code to another student except to possibly enlist their help in tracking down an occasional error, and even this should not become a constant practice.

The general rule is: "do your own coding and keep it to yourself."

I expect a signed honor pledge to be written on all homework, lab work, and exams. Most importantly, I expect you to adhere to the intent of the pledge.