Homework Assignments

Homework 1 (due Jan. 27)

Homework 2 (due Feb. 3)      Matlab information   

Homework 3 (due Feb. 22)    Input files      Output files       General UNIX information

Homework 4 (due March 15)

Midsemester project A (polydispersity)

Midsemester project B (solid crystals)

Homework 5 (due April 21)

Final project

Homework Guidelines

Collaboration You are encouraged to talk to other students in the class about homework exercises, but all work you hand in must be your own. Several specific examples of this general rule follow. For theoretical exercises, you must write up your own solution (you may not copy someone else’s solution). For writing exercises, you must write you own assignment in your own words (you may not plagiarize anyone else’s work). For any exercises that involve using computer codes (Matlab, FORTRAN, or otherwise), you must develop your own version of the code (you may not use another student’s code).

Presentation Handwritten assignments must be neatly presented, on one side of each sheet only. All writing assignments must be typed. Make sure your name is clearly marked on all work you turn in.

Code development Some exercises will require you to develop short codes (usually in Matlab). There are two special features of these assignments.

  1. You must include a commented copy of the final code when you turn in your homework. Points may be deducted if a code is not adequately commented. A reasonable standard for comments is that the function of a code should be obvious to a knowledgeable user without substantial effort on the user’s part.
  2. Your description of your results should include a brief description of what steps you took to verify the code works. Any code (no matter how short) that has not been carefully tested is practically guaranteed to have bugs.

Writing assignments A number of exercises, including the final project, will be writing exercises. In addition to technical correctness, portions of the grade for these exercises will be allotted for clarity of expression, grammar, spelling, and presentation. Several simple steps you can take to improve your written assignments are:

  1. Type your reports single spaced in at least 10 pt font.
  2. Outline your ideas before you write. Plan to write at least two drafts.
  3. Run a spell-checker over your final version.
  4. Proof-read your document carefully twice. The first time, read at a fine scale, looking for awkward grammar, technical errors etc. The second time, read on a large scale, looking at the overall structure of your arguments and presentation.

 

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Page last updated: 04/11/2005