MIT OpenCourseWarehttp://ocw.mit.edu 18.306 Advanced Partial Differential Equations with ApplicationsFall 2009 For information about citing these materials or our Terms of Use, visit: http://ocw.mit.edu/terms.MIT (Fall 2009) 18.306 Rosales. ======================================================================= Policies regarding homeworks and Exams, PLEASE READ THEM: As you know (from the syllabus), the problem sets will count for 20% of the grade. There will be about 6 of them, more-or-less (one per 1--2 week, except when a test is due). 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. The final answer must be written 100% alone, with understanding of every dot there. WARNING: ********************************************************* * The collaboration policy above applies ONLY to problem sets. * * For take-home EXAMS (if any), the policy is 100% alone, * * the only allowed consultations being with the Lecturer and TA. * ****************************************************************** WARNING: ********************************************************* * You are 100% responsible for any answer you supply, in either * * problem sets or exams. I can call you any time to explain your * * answer. If not convinced that you understand what you wrote, * * you will loose credit, up to and including the whole problem * * set or exam, depending on the degree of lack of understanding. * ****************************************************************** B) WARNING-WARNING-WARNING-WARNING-WARNING--CLARITY: ****************************************************************** Your answers must be presented in a way that is easy to read. Type them (12 point) or, if by hand, write clearly, use a LARGE enough font, and HIGH contrast ink or pencil. The lecturer has serious trouble reading stuff that does not follow these simple guidelines. Problem sets or exams (specially take home exams) that fail them may NOT be graded, and NO credit will be given. For that matter, graduate student level explanations are expected. For full credit, the arguments must be clear, complete --- and in reasonably good English. As for the level of rigor: Math. proof level is not expected. The same level as in the lectures or notes ("reasonable scientist") is the expectation. ****************************************************************** C) The TA will grade 5 problems in each set (selected randomly), but answers will be provided for all. Do all the problems. If you just happen to miss the ones picked, you will get no credit. Further: it is the only way to really learn. The policy is to avoid grading in-a-hurry by the TA. By looking at just a few problems, the TA should be able to do a better job with the grading. D) Any suggested reading, suggested problems or any other "suggested" are for you alone to do or not do. DO NOT hand in these problems!I recommend that you do as much as possible of this. F) About COMPUTER ASSIGNMENTS (if any): a) Use any language or computer you like. I recommend that you get the Student Edition of MatLab. b) Include a BRIEF explanation of how the problem was solved. WHAT is the IDE A (a printout of a program is not enough!). c) CONDENSE the results to some COMPREHENSIBLE and CONCISE form: * Use plots/tables/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 AT THE END). f) Look at your output and make very sure it makes sense! That a program runs does not mean it does so as intended. For example, if you use too large a time step, you will still get output ... which can easily be nonsense! ADDTIONAL EXAM POLICIES The keyword is: "reasonable". Reasonable actions are allowed. Reasonable is defined in terms of the purpose of an exam: an exam is aimed at testing your knowledge and understanding. If an action defeats this purpose, then it is not reasonable. For example: Seaching for the answers somewhere defeats the purpose. Hence searching in the internet, or libraries, bookstores, or whatever for answers to the problems defeats the purpose, and it is not allowed. Only the books in the Syllabus, your class notes, and stuff in the course web page are allowed. There may be billions of ways in which the purpose can be deafeated; I cannot list them (I do not even know them), but you should be able to judge on your own if something you do defeats the purpose. ======================================================================= % %%