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 Policies regarding homeworks, etc. (18.04-Spring 2000).  PLEASE READ THEM:

As you know, from the syllabus, the problem sets will count for 25% of the
grade, with about four of them. The following policies apply to them:

 A) Collaboration: It is OK to exchange information with other students, in
    the sense of hints, general ideas, pitfalls to avoid and so on;   i.e.:
    "within reason" ("let me see/copy" your answer is >NOT< within reason).
    But, the final answer must be written 100% alone, with understanding of
    every DOT that goes in there. This is an absolute MUST.

    WARNING:
    The collaboration policy above applies ONLY to problem sets.
    For take-home EXAMS (if any),  the policy is 100% alone,  with the only
    allowed consultations being with the Lecturer and the Rec. Instructor.

 B) The assigned problems will be graded.   Answers to the problems will be
    provided (hopefully) very shortly after each set is due.

 C) ENGLISH: please, use English to explain your answers.  Try to avoid the
    use of arrows and other funny symbols and  supply English words so that
    the steps in your reasoning can be easily followed.  Credit may/will be
    withdrawn from answers that are not properly and clearly  explained and
    justified. THIS IS IMPORTANT!!!   True UNDERSTANDING almost always goes
    with the ability to explain. If you cannot explain it in plain English,
    there is a good chance that you actually  do not understand things with
    enough depth.

    Clear legible writting is also a must.  Answers in too tiny a font, too
    light a pen or any other reason that makes them hard to read are >> NOT
    ACCEPTABLE <<

 D) The "suggested reading", "suggested problems" and any other "suggested"
    are for you alone to do or not do. It is (strongly) recommend that you
    do as much as possible of it. But these are NOT to be handed in!

 D) About COMPUTER ASSIGNMENTS (if any):
    a) Use any language or computer you like. Athena accounts are available
       to all students. You can use MatLab, Mathematica, C, FORTRAN ... 
    b) Include a BRIEF explanation of how the problem was solved (a printout
       of a program is really not enough!). WHAT is the IDEA!
    c) Results must be CONDENSED to some COMPREHENSIBLE and CONCISE form:
       * Use plots, tables or graphs. Do not show "raw" numerical output.
       * Make sure one does not have to hunt for the answers all over the
         place. They must be EASY to find and identify. Put them at the
         beginning, for example, and then justify them
    e) Include a printout of your program appended (i.e. AT THE END).
    f) Look at your output and make sure it makes sense!      That a program
       "runs" does not mean it does so as intended.

   NOTE: sometimes the assigned problems may involve graphical output,  that
         will be require an explanation of why they are so.   In these cases
   you can use the computer to make the drawings,  BUT, the pictures/figures
   MUST STILL be "justified" (i.e.: why are they so?).   Use of the computer
   to substitute for thinking is not allowed.

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      Below some hints and tips on how to make things readable and on
        how to avoid being trapped into making preventable errors.

Notice that we will be sympathetic with algebraic  (and other simple errors)
that can be attributed to the rush and pressure  students at MIT usually are
under........ But we WILL NOT BE SYMPATHETIC with errors incurred because of
sloppiness in the process of doing the problems!   There is a big difference
between these two situations and the grading will reflect it.

1) Use scratch paper and do your scratch calculations there (not within your
   answers). Putting all your attempts into the answer will not only produce
   very hard to read answers,   it will ALSO significantly increase the risk
   of you ending up confused and with either a wrong or ambiguous answer.

2) Do not use arrows, leading from one piece of the argument to another part
   somewhere else.
   Do not introduce needless ('funny') symbols into your answer,  especially
   ones without a definition attached!
   Define what your variables are  (if you need to introduce new ones not in
   in the problem statement).

   Failing to do these things:  not only produces very hard to read answers,
   but also significantly increases the risk of ending up confused and with
   either a wrong or ambiguous answer.

   Error caused by  (for example)  having the same symbol meaning different
   things in different places (or not having a clearly defined meaning)  is
   not a ``small error'' due to a forgivable confusion; it is  an error due
   to sloppiness and as such, not very forgivable.

3) English means understanding.

   Seriously; if you cannot explain your reasoning to some other (reasonably
   knowledgeable) person in simple terms --- without need of tons of jargon,
   then there is a pretty good chance that you do not understand the problem
   in enough depth.

   It is a well known fact amongst researchers that, when you are stuck in a
   problem, it is often very helpful to talk with someone else.      This is
   often the case even if the other person does not give you even one single
   useful hint during the conversation.
       The reason that this works is that explaining the problem to someone
       else forces you to organize your thoughts in a clear manner not
       involving preconceived notions and unjustified assumptions. For this
       to work, all you need is a smart listener that will not buy
       something just because you say so and (furthermore) will not let you
       get away with jargon code words he or she does not understand.

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