CSE 141 (Spring 2007) - Course Syllabus

Course Topics

Computer System Performance
Single-Cycle Processors
Multi-Cycle Processors
Pipelining
Caches

Grading

Your grade will be based on the weighted average of your scores on written homework, quizzes, one midterm and one final. Class participation also accounts for a portion of your grade.
The final grade will be weighted as follows:

Homework - 10%
Class Participation - 10%
Quizzes - 20%
Midterm - 25%
Final - 35%

You have exactly 7 days after the return of graded quizes/exams to ask for a regrade. The request must be submitted, in writing, to the TA. After one week, the grade becomes final. Because of the relatively small weight, there will be no regrades on homeworks.

The Book

The book is useful and easy to read (though verbose). You should do the reading covered by the lecture before attending class. The lecture will not cover everything in the book and visa versa. Both the book and lecture are fair game for homeworks, quizzes and exams.

Quizzes

Quizzes will be given (nearly) every week on days when you do not have hw. Quizzes are designed to help you check whether you are grasping material presented in class. They will cover material already discussed in class or assigned on homework. You are responsible for being on time for the quiz, as there will be no retakes.

Homework

A very small number of written (usually non-coding) homework will be assigned, mostly from the questions following each chapter. While you must solve the assigned problems ON YOUR OWN, I highly encourage you to work on and discuss non-assigned problems with others in the class. There will be, on average, one homework assigned per week. Doing just the assigned problems will probably not be sufficient to prepare you for the quizzes and tests. You should plan to do all the suggested problems as well to ensure that you are prepared. Homework will be graded on a statistical basis. That is to say that only a certain (unannounced) subset of the required problems will be graded.

Exams

There will be one midterm exam at a time and place to be announced. The final is scheduled for Thursay June 14, 11:30am-2:30pm in a room TBD. Exams will be inclusive of all course material--including material presented in class but not in the book. Exams will be closed book, closed notes.

Academic Integrity

You must work independently on your homework and exams.

However, you are HIGHLY encouraged to study in groups. Explaining problems to others is one of the best ways to learn. I know. I do it for a living.

Use of solutions manual and/or web or others' material:
A solutions manual, meant only for instructors, exists for this text. Obtaining or using this or other materials (such as other faculty's posted solutions to book problems) IS CHEATING. We know what the solution manuals' answers look like. We will be able to tell if you copy them or use them to guide your answer. Don't. Homework is only 10% of the grade and only exists to help you study for tests and quizzes.

Cheating WILL be taken seriously. It is not fair to honest students to take cheating lightly, nor is it fair to the cheater to let him/her go on thinking that is a reasonable alternative in life.

Penalties: Anyone copying information or having information copied during a test will receive an F for the class and will not be allowed to drop. They will be reported to their college dean. If you can prove non-cooperative copying took place, your grade may be restored, but you must prove it to the dean--I don't want to be involved. Anyone caught cheating or falsely representing the work of others on the homework will not be allowed to turn in further homework. Your grade will be based exclusively on the tests with a penalty of 25% OR GREATER applied.