Modern software development relies on open source code and the benevolent sharing of answers to common problems. The internet has made the act of learning code far more accessible that in decades past. However, with the endless availability of tutorials and example code, where do we draw the lines between original work, using pre-existing code as an ingredient, finding help to get you over a hurdle, and plagiarism?
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Attribution. Processing and p5js are open source tools. Within these ecosystems, there are libraries and add-ons that expand the abilities of your programming environment. These tools, as a whole, give you superpowers, and you're encouraged to use them. For the purpose of this class - and in a professional sense - it's always best to credit the tools (and their authors) that you've used, whether using them outright or creating a derived piece of work. This is part of being a good open source citizen.
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Peer instruction is highly encouraged and an important part of gaining a deeper understanding of code. Some of us will be better suited to explain programming concepts than others, and every peer of yours will provide a different perspective when working through software problems. Please help each other better understand the class material, and be supportive of each others' current abilities. Code comes far more naturally to some of us than others. Helping someone solve a problem that they don't fully understand yet, but lets them get unstuck and move forward with a larger project, is very much encouraged. We don't always fully understand every line of code that we use, and that's okay.
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Algorithmic originality is a subject of intense debate, largely when it comes to claiming that a well-defined algorithm, left largely alone, is a piece of "art". For the purposes of this class, we're far more concerned cultivating your understanding of the underlying concepts than copying-and-pasting someone else's code (which can itself be a difficult task). The journey towards deeper understanding of the craft is essential in order to grow as a software developer. This is where the line is easily blurred between using pre-existing tools and making original work.
*Borrowed from Recurse Center and CMU's IACD
These rules are intended to be lightweight, and to make more explicit certain social norms that are normally implicit. Most of these social rules really boil down to “don't be a jerk” or “don't be annoying.” Of course, almost nobody sets out to be a jerk or annoying, so telling people not to be jerks isn't a very productive strategy. That's why our social rules are designed to curtail specific behavior known be destructive to a supportive, productive, and fun learning environment.
An obstacle we try to remove is fear. We think this is one of the most pernicious impediments to education. In most of the world, but especially school and work, people are afraid of looking stupid. This fear frequently keeps us from asking important questions like “how does that work?” or even just “why?” Worse, it keeps us from saying “I don't understand.” That means many of us muddle on with a half-baked or entirely incorrect understanding of core concepts. This is particularly bad with programming, because these misunderstandings compound, and over time become harder and more embarrassing to admit to and address.
Did you know there's a well-documented phenomenon in which highly qualified people go through life feeling like they're a bunch of frauds and don't deserve the things they've achieved? It's common in work (“I can't believe I made it past the interviews. Surely someone will figure out I'm wildly incompetent and fire me soon!”) and school (“Everyone here is so much smarter than me. I got in on a fluke.”). This is called impostor syndrome.
This is why saying “I don't know” or “I don't understand” is a positive thing. It's an opportunity for you to learn something new, and for someone else to help you with it (or vise versa).
The first rule means you shouldn't act surprised when people say they don't know something. This applies to both technical things (“What?! I can't believe you don't know what the stack is!”) and non-technical things (“You don't know who RMS is?!”). Feigning surprise has absolutely no social or educational benefit: When people feign surprise, it's usually to make them feel better about themselves and others feel worse. And even when that's not the intention, it's almost always the effect. This rule is tightly coupled to our belief in the importance of people feeling comfortable saying “I don't know” and “I don't understand.”
A well-actually happens when someone says something that's almost – but not entirely – correct, and you say, “well, actually…” and then give a minor correction. This is especially annoying when the correction has no bearing on the actual conversation. This doesn't mean our classroom isn't about truth-seeking or that we don't care about being precise. Many well-actually's are about grandstanding, not truth-seeking.
If you overhear people working through a problem, you shouldn't intermittently lob advice across the room. This can lead to the “too many cooks” problem, but more important, it can be rude and disruptive to half-participate in a conversation. This isn't to say you shouldn't help, offer advice, or join conversations. On the contrary, we encourage all those things. Rather, it just means that when you want to help out or work with others, you should fully engage and not just butt in sporadically.
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As a matter of public health and safety, all members of the CU Boulder community and all visitors to campus must follow university, department and building requirements and all public health orders in place to reduce the risk of spreading infectious disease. CU Boulder currently requires COVID-19 vaccination and boosters for all faculty, staff and students. Students, faculty and staff must upload proof of vaccination and boosters or file for an exemption based on medical, ethical or moral grounds through the MyCUHealth portal.
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All students enrolled in a University of Colorado Boulder course are responsible for knowing and adhering to the Honor Code academic integrity policy. Violations of the Honor Code may include, but are not limited to: plagiarism, cheating, fabrication, lying, bribery, threat, unauthorized access to academic materials, clicker fraud, submitting the same or similar work in more than one course without permission from all course instructors involved, and aiding academic dishonesty. All incidents of academic misconduct will be reported to the Honor Code (mailto:honor@colorado.edu); 303-492-5550). Students found responsible for violating the academic integrity policy will be subject to nonacademic sanctions from the Honor Code as well as academic sanctions from the faculty member. Additional information regarding the Honor Code academic integrity policy can be found on the Honor Code website.
The University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder) is committed to fostering an inclusive and welcoming learning, working, and living environment. CU Boulder will not tolerate acts of sexual misconduct (harassment, exploitation, and assault), intimate partner violence (dating or domestic violence), stalking, or protected-class discrimination or harassment by or against members of our community. Individuals who believe they have been subject to misconduct or retaliatory actions for reporting a concern should contact the Office of Institutional Equity and Compliance (OIEC) at 303-492-2127 or email cureport@colorado.edu. Information about OIEC, university policies, reporting options, and the campus resources can be found on the OIEC website.
Please know that faculty and graduate instructors have a responsibility to inform OIEC when made aware of incidents of sexual misconduct, dating and domestic violence, stalking, discrimination, harassment and/or related retaliation, to ensure that individuals impacted receive information about their rights, support resources, and reporting options.
Campus policy regarding religious observances requires that faculty make every effort to deal reasonably and fairly with all students who, because of religious obligations, have conflicts with scheduled exams, assignments or required attendance. In this class, please notify us at least two weeks prior to any conflicts. See the campus policy regarding religious observances for full details.