Recitation Comments:

About Recitations: Recitations are for your questions and to help clarify material that is confusing. I will have some material prepared, but recitation works best when it is driven by the students. Please do not think that any question is too basic to ask in recitation--chances are several of your classmates want to ask the same question, and you will be doing them a favor. Also, I have class conflicts with (almost) every lecture, so I will be counting on you to tell me what was confusing, and to let me know if Prof. Galvin did something differently than how I do it.

Office Hours

Wednesdays 12:00-1:00, Thursdays, 10:30-11:30. DRL 3E3A (my office). If these times do not work for you, we can try to set up an appointment.

Note: Office hours are for YOUR benefit, not mine. It is in your interest to make use of them!!

Homework Policy

Homework is due promptly before 5pm on Fridays, at which time the Math Department office closes for the weekend. Turn in homework either

1. to me personally in recitation or during office hours;
2. to Prof. Galvin in lecture;
3. in my mailbox in the main department office;
4. under my personal office door; DO NOT PLACE HOMEWORK IN MY DOOR BOX (this is because unscrupulous students in the past have stolen homework from out of the doorbox)
5. front and center on my personal office desk; or
6. by special arrangement approved in advance by me (for example, you might need to email me a homework if you are detained in another city).

Homework must be neat, well-organized, and legible. In addition, it must be STAPLED (no paper clips, folding over the top-left corner, or anything like that). As I said in the first recitation, I will only grade those pages of homework which are stapled to the first page. Please write in paragraphs, sentences, and English words (oh my!) when they are called for. I should not have to decipher what you are doing--you should tell me if it is not absolutely clear from the problem.

Each homework will be graded out of 20 points. I will pick three problems and grade those problems on everyone's assignment--they will be worth 5 points each. 5 additional points will be available for general completion of the assignment.

Quiz Policy

In each recitation, from September 15th onward, we will have a quiz in recitation, which will consist of one or two core problems from the homework. It will be given in the last 5 minutes of recitation (**:15-**:20). There are no make up quizzes, unless you have a good excuse and notify me PRIOR to the quiz. Because of this policy, your lowest two quizzes will be dropped.

Exam Policy

Major premise: Exam policy is generally the province of faculty.

Minor premises: I am not faculty and Prof. Galvin is.

Conclusions: You should go to Prof. Galvin with any questions you may have about exam policy, not to me. Also, make arrangements for alternate exam times through Prof. Galvin, not through me.

Final Course Grades

See Prof. Galvin about how the various assignments get merged together to form a final grade. If you don't like your final grade, Prof. Galvin is the only one able to consider grade adjustments. Likewise, talk to Prof. Galvin about taking an incomplete.

Academic Dishonesty

I will tolerate no cheating, plagiarism, or other forms of academic dishonesty. I will report cheating to Prof. Galvin and, if we deem appropriate, to the Office of Student Conduct. See the Pennbook for the relevant University policy, and consult with me or Prof. Galvin to clarify any ambiguities.

Some useful links

Prof. Galvin's Math 114 page

Department's Math 114 page:    general information for Math 114