Rex N. Fisher                             Computer Science and Engineering Department, BYU-Idaho

ECE 305 Assignments

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IMPORTANT: More details regarding schedules, assignments, and policies are available to registered students on I-Learn.  These items are subject to change, but students will be given advance notification of any changes.

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General Assignment Policy:

 

Late Assignments will almost never be accepted!

 

There are very few circumstances that merit an exception to this rule.  Broken cars, broken computers, broken clocks, broken hearts, lost keys, lost disks, lost calculators, lost papers, too much other homework, dates, discretionary travel, parties, not seeking help early enough, and forgetfulness do not qualify. 

 

The only valid reasons are things that are completely out of your control.  (Even that does not matter in the real world.)

 

Examples of things that are beyond your control:  (1) your pregnant wife is in labor, or (2) you are in the hospital. 

 

This policy may seem harsh, but your future employer(s) will be just as strict about finishing your assignments on time.   Don't believe it?  Look at this:   

 

"HP attempted to put in a bid to construct a geographical information system for the Polish Power Grid, but missed the deadline. According to the Warsaw Business Journal, the courier dispatched with the bid got stuck in a traffic jam, invalidating the bid. Eight bids were received on time."   (INSIDE HP, Traffic Stymies HP Bid In Warsaw , Tuesday, March 2, 2004) 

 

The reason for being late did not matter.  All of the time and hard work Hewlett-Packard put into the bid did not matter.  The bid was not accepted because it was late!

 

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Exams:

 

There are three block tests and a comprehensive final test.  All four tests are open-book and are weighted equally.  The lowest test will be dropped.

 

Each block test is a take-home test that will take you several hours to complete.  Do not wait until the last minute!  You may use your notes, your book, and any other published material.  You may not discuss the test with anyone except me!  

 

If you do not take a test at the scheduled time, you will receive a zero.  There are no makeup tests!

 

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Quizzes:

 

Quizzes are worth about 10 points each.  They are not announced ahead of time and usually cover material assigned during the previous lecture or lab exercise.  They motivate you to keep from falling behind and then "cramming" before a test.  By spending a little time on the material every day, you learn it better, and remember it longer.

If you are late for class and miss a quiz, you will receive a zero.  There are no makeup quizzes!

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Homework:

 

Most lectures have an accompanying homework assignment.  Problems are due the following Monday by 5:00 PM. 

 

Homework must be labeled with:

Your First & Last Name       (Example: Rick Sparks)
The Class Number                (Example: CompE 350)
The Homework Number       (Example: HW # 5)

 

Homework must be neatly written by hand on engineering paper, or done with a computer.  Only the front side of the page may be used.  Do not combine assignments.  Sloppy or otherwise unprofessional papers will not be accepted.  Five points will be deducted for mislabeled homework.  Late homework will not be accepted!  

 

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Lab Experiments:

 

There are lab experiments in the course.  Be sure to download, and bring, the any required data sheets. 

Lab reports are due at 5:00 PM one week after the lab was assigned.  Lab reports must be labeled exactly as shown in the schedule or 10 points will be deducted. 

 

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Student Presentation Assignments:

 

Several skills, not often developed in the traditional classroom environment, are crucial to your career's success.  Your future project assignments, promotions, and pay raises will depend on your ability to:

 

1.    Learn technical material without attending a formal class.
2.    Write technical reports that are organized, neat, accurate, and free from spelling and grammar errors.
3.    Make formal presentations about your projects to peers and management.

 

To help you learn these skills, the class will be divided into four presentation groups.  Each presentation group will be assigned 2 hours of class time.  The group members will, in effect, become assistant instructors and facilitate the class' learning of the material for those 2 hours.  The group may lecture, conduct demonstrations, play games, go on a field trip, hold a lab exercise, and/or do any other appropriate activity to meet the learning objectives.  

 

The assigned material covers "Electricity and Magnetism" topics in the morning session of the FE Exam.  For guidance on what to emphasize in your presentation, you may refer to Appendix C in your text, which discusses the FE Exam and gives recommendations about what should be studied.  Pay particular attention to sections F, G, H, and I. 

 

Do not rely on your text as your sole reference or your only source of presentation material! 

 

At the end of each presentation, both the instructor and the class members will evaluate the performance of the presentation group that facilitated that hour of class.  These scores will be 20% of your grade.

 

Questions on the evaluation form include the following:

 

1.    Do you look and sound like a professional?
2.    Are you well prepared, or are you just winging it?
3.    Is the presentation well organized and do the topics follow a logical sequence?
4.    Are visual aids used appropriately, and well?
5.    Are the technical details covered thoroughly and correctly?

 

Tips & Advice for Presentations

 

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Portfolio:

 

A portfolio of your class work is worth 5% of your grade.  These are collected at the end of the semester and copied for review by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (EAC/ABET). 

 

Get a 3-ring binder and make the following divider sections for it:

 

1.    Exams 
2.    Homework
3.    Presentation Notes used to facilitate your assigned block
4.    Labs

 

Put all your graded assignments in the appropriate section.  

 

The portfolio is due at 5:00 PM on the last day of class.  It will be returned to you during the scheduled Final Exam.  Late portfolios will not be accepted.