Deadlines#
The deadlines given for assessment items and code walk registration in this course are hard. No late submissions will be accepted.
By default, the base deadline for each assignment will be on an Friday at 15:00 Canberra time, modulo assignment variables.
The deadline for registering for a code walk for an assignment is on Friday at 18:00 Canberra time in the week before the relevant code walk. This deadline is not modified by any assignment variables, and can only be retroactively extended via convincing proof that you were unable to sign up due to special unforeseeable circumstances out of your control.
We know that bad things happen sometimes. If something out of your control severely affects your ability to complete an assignment or attend an examination, don’t panic! There are various ways in which you can get some relief, depending on the particular assessment and situation.
Assignment Variables#
Each student can modify their assignment deadlines by using the assignment variables under their control, under the condition that the variables are assigned natural numbers whose sum is less than or equal to 3. Each assignment has its own variable, and the assignment deadline is pushed back by 24 hours times the assignment variable for that particular student.
Effectively, each student has three tokens to push back an assignment deadline by 24 hours each. This is primarily meant to smooth out some of the rougher edges of ANU policies with respect to extensions and give you some peace of mind in what may be a really stressful situation. ANU policies require you to submit extensions requests before the due date of the assignment. Assignment variables change the due date and as such extend the due date for extension requests.
We generally try to process extension requests that were submitted on time by Monday afternoon after the relevant deadline.
Key Uses for Assignment Variables#
The main intended uses of assignment variables are the following:
- For peace of mind while an extension request is pending. If you have leftover assignment variable capacity, you can essentially act as if the extension is going to be granted (at least up to assignment variable capacity). If it is, you won’t use up your assignment variables, and if it is not, you do, but could still submit the assignment normally.
- For rescuing otherwise-delayed extension requests. Extension requests need to be submitted before the due date of an assignment, by default the base assignment deadline. If you have evidence that you were unable to submit an extension request on time for good reason, you can submit an extension request later. Otherwise, you can potentially also use leftover assignment variable capacity to move the assignment due date such that you can still submit an extension request before the due date. Note that in this case, the extension is then calculated from the new due date, and the assignment variable is used up even if the extension is granted.
In general, we recommend that you use your assignment variables sparingly to have them available when you really need them.
Extensions, Extenuating Circumstances Applications, and Education Access Plans#
Extensions#
If special circumstances outside of your control (accidents, illness, etc.) prevent you from working on an assignment, you can apply for an extension. A key requirement is “appropriate supporting documentation” that allows your “claims to be verified” (see ANU policy and procedure). However, you can submit the extension request without documentation and submit the corresponding documentation later, for example if you are still waiting for a doctor’s appointment.
Note that ANU policy requires the circumstances to have a severe impact and must be relevant to the assessment type, and lists a number of reasons that are explicitly not allowed. For illnesses, such definitely inadmissible reasons include, but are not restricted to:
Mild illness – a cold, mild virus, minor illness in days preceding examination date, sore throat, cramping, mild gastro-intestinal infections, feeling out of sorts etc. on the day of the examination.
When you provide supporting documentation, it also needs to be sufficient evidence that no inadmissible reasons apply. For medical certificates in particular, we will only accept generic assertions of inability to work from the ANU health centre or from the ACT Health System (e.g. the Canberra Hospital or ACT Health’s community health centres). If you consult with another doctor, they will have to explicitly exclude inadmissible reasons in their certificate, state the relevance to the assessment type, and furthermore certify whether they obtained any sort of physical measurements as proof of your underlying condition.
Online doctor consultations are a good way to get immediate advice on how to treat any problems you might have. They are much less reliable as providers of trustworthy medical certificates for our purposes.
If you have ongoing health issues that affect your ability to work on assignments, you may need to apply for an Education Access Plan (EAP, see below).
Extenuating Circumstances Applications#
If special circumstances outside of your control (accidents, illness, etc.) prevent you from attending an exam, you can make an Extenuating Circumstances Application. These are outside of the control of the conveners, but ANU policy and procedure apply similar to extensions.
For the Final Exam, a typical outcome is a deferred examination, in which case you have to take the exam at a later date (often at the start of the following semester). For the Mid-Term Test, note that it is redeemable in the final exam, so deferred examinations don’t apply. However, the Mid-Term Test is also the default way to pass the Basic Competency Hurdle. In order to be able to pass the hurdle when you cannot take the Mid-Term Test, apply for an “alternate assessment” ECA for the Basic Competency Hurdle.
Education Access Plans#
If you have a disability or ongoing health condition, you may be able to get an Education Access Plan, which provides individualized relief depending on your condition. This may entail special exam arrangements, easier assignment extensions, and other things.
To get an Education Access Plan, you need to register with ANU Accessibility.
Working Code#
For all assessment items, you need to submit working code. This particularly entails code that compiles. Submitting code that does not compile means that by default the assessment mark is 0. We may, at our discretion, decide to apply simple fixes to your code where possible in order to make it compile, in exchange for appropriate mark reductions.
Distinction-Level Content#
25% of all marks obtainable in the course are reserved for distinction-level content, which is clearly marked as such. The 25% are evenly distributed between the Mid-Term Test, the Final Exam, and the Assignments as a whole, but unevenly distributed among the assignments. Where distinction-level content is present, you need to achieve 90% of the marks on non-distinction-level content in order for your distinction-level content to be assessed and its marks counted.
For assignments, you need to explicitly state that you want to be evaluated on distinction-level content at the time of registering for the code walk. You still also need to achieve at least 90% on the automated tests of non-distinction-level content in order for the code walk to be conducted on distinction-level content. You will be notified at the start of your code walk whether you are going to be evaluated on distinction-level content.
Language of Instruction#
English is the language of instruction at ANU. This particularly applies to assessments, which in this course also feature a large oral component. To avoid unfairness based on random tutor assignments, tutors are not allowed to engage with you in a language other than English in code walks, even if they speak other languages.
Should you need it, the university is offering to help with your English language skills in various ways.
Academic Integrity#
Honesty and integrity are of utmost importance.
These goals are not at odds with being resourceful and working collaboratively. You should be resourceful and you should discuss your work in this course with others taking the class.
The fundamental principle is that you must never misrepresent the work of others as your own.
If you have taken ideas from elsewhere or used code sourced from elsewhere, you must say so with utmost clarity. For each of the assignments you will be asked to submit a statement of originality. This statement is the place for you to declare which ideas or code contained in your submission were sourced from elsewhere.
Please read ANU’s official position on academic integrity. If you have any questions, please ask us.
When you do your assignments, carefully review the statement of originality which you must complete, and make sure it reflects reality.
Beware the offers of so-called tutoring services, cram schools, and the like. Using their services often amounts to contract cheating, which is a very severe form of academic integrity violation. If you need help with the course, make use of the class forum, workshops, and drop-in consultations!
Generative AI#
This course introduces fundamental concepts that could potentially be addressed by certain Generative AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT). Hence, the use of any Generative AI tools is not permitted in graded assessments within this course. Any use of AI tools in graded assessments will be considered a breach of academic integrity and handled accordingly.
We recommend that you set up any editors you use for the class to have any sort of generative-AI-assistance turned off. If you are using generative AI for other activities, try to use different editors for those activities.
Code of Conduct#
You have two primary responsibilities:
- Promote an inclusive, collaborative learning environment.
- Take action when others do not.
Professionally, we adhere to ACM’s Code of Ethics. More broadly, a course like COMP1110 involves reflection, collaboration, and communication. Computer science has a checkered history with respect to inclusion - in corporate environments, in our classrooms, and in the products we create. We strive to promote characteristics of transparency and inclusivity that reflect what we hope our field becomes (and not necessarily what it has been or is now).
Above all, be kind.
We reject behaviour that strays into harassment, no matter how mild. Harassment refers to offensive verbal or written comments in reference to gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, race, or religion; sexual images in public spaces; deliberate intimidation, stalking, following, harassing photography or recording, sustained disruption of class meetings, inappropriate physical contact, and unwelcome sexual attention.
If you feel someone is violating these principles (for example, with a joke that could be interpreted as sexist, racist, or exclusionary), it is your responsibility to speak up! If the behaviour persists, send a private message to your course convener to explain the situation. We will preserve your anonymity.
(This code of conduct was developed by Evan Peck of Bucknell University (now University of Colorado Boulder). Portions of this code of conduct are adapted from Dr. Lorena A. Barba)