We encourage you to discuss course content with your friends and classmates, and you are welcome to work with other students on homework assignments. No matter what your academic background, you will definitely learn more in this class if you work with others than if you do not. Ask questions, answer questions, and share ideas liberally.
Having said that, you must write up your own solutions and acknowledge the names of all collaborators on the first page of your assignment or at the top of your code script. Keep in mind that you will not be able to collaborate on the exams.
Make a serious attempt at every assignment yourself. If you get stuck, read the textbook/notes and go over the lectures and lab discussion. After that, go ahead and discuss any remaining doubts with others, especially the course staff. That way you will get the most out of the discussion.
It is important to keep in mind the limits to collaboration. As noted above, you and your friends are encouraged to discuss course content and approaches to problem solving. But you are not allowed to share your code or answers with other students. Doing so is considered academic misconduct, and it doesn't help them either. It sets them up for trouble on upcoming assignments and on the exams.
In addition, posting course content such as homeworks, projects, and exams on any 3rd party websites or submitting your own answers on outside sites/forums is considered academic misconduct.
You are also not permitted to turn in answers or code that you have obtained from others. Not only does such copying count as academic misconduct, it circumvents the pedagogical goals of an assignment. You must solve problems with the resources made available in the course. You should never look at or have in your possession solutions from another student or another semester.
When you need help, reach out to the course staff (come to OH, post on the course's discussion forum), in office hours, and/or during labs. You are not alone in this course. Instructors and staff are here to help you succeed. We expect that you will work with integrity and with respect for other members of the class, just as the course staff will work with integrity and with respect for you.
Finally, know that it's normal to struggle. Berkeley has high standards, which is one of the reasons its degrees are valued. Everyone struggles even though many try not to show it. Even if you don't learn everything that's being covered, you'll be able to build on what you do learn, whereas if you cheat you'll have nothing to build on. You aren't expected to be perfect; it's ok not to get an A.
Students may be held accountable for committing or attempting to commit a violation of Code of Student Conduct or for assisting, facilitating, or participating in the planning of an act that violates this Code (or an act that would be in violation of this Code if it were carried out by a student). Violations include the following types of misconduct:
All forms of academic misconduct or research misconduct, including, but not limited to, cheating, fabrication or falsification, plagiarism, multiple submissions or facilitating academic misconduct which occurs in academic exercises or submissions.
For the purposes of Academic Integrity, the following definitions apply:
Cheating includes, but is not limited to, the use of unauthorized materials, information, or study aids in any academic exercise; the alteration of any answers on a graded document before submitting it for re-grading; or the failure to observe the expressed procedures or instructions of an academic exercise (e.g., examination instructions regarding alternate seating or conversation during an examination).
Fabrication includes, but is not limited to, falsification or invention of any information or citation in an academic exercise, including Fabrication or Falsification of Research.
Fabrication of Research is making up data or results and recording or reporting them.
Falsification of Research is manipulating research materials, equipment or processes, or changing or omitting data or results such that the research is not accurately represented in the research record.
Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to, the use of another person's work (including words, ideas, designs, or data) without giving appropriate attribution or citation. This includes, but is not limited to, representing, with or without the intent to deceive, part or all of an entire work obtained by purchase or otherwise, as the Student's original work; the omission of or failure to acknowledge the true source of the work; or representing an altered but identifiable work of another person or the Student's own previous work as if it were the Student's original or new work.
Unless otherwise specified by the faculty member, all submissions, whether in draft or final form, to meet course requirements (including a paper, project, exam, computer program, oral presentation, or other work) must either be the Student's own work, or must clearly acknowledge the source.
Multiple submissions includes, but is not limited to, the resubmission in identical or similar form by a student of any work which has been previously submitted for credit, whether at our institution or any other school, college, or university in one course to fulfill the requirements of a second course, without the informed permission/consent of the instructor of the second course; or the submission for credit of work submitted for credit, in identical or similar form, in concurrent courses, without the permission/consent of the instructors of both courses.
Facilitating academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, knowingly helping another student commit an act of academic dishonesty.
Threatening personal or professional repercussions or discipline against an instructor to coerce the instructor to change a grade or otherwise evaluate the Student's work by criteria not directly reflective of coursework.
Unauthorized collaboration means working with others without the expressed permission of the instructor on any submission, whether in draft or final form, to meet course requirements (including a paper, project, take-home exam, computer program, oral presentation, or other work). Collaboration between students will be considered unauthorized unless expressly part of the assignment in question, or expressly permitted by the instructor.
Forgery, alteration, or misuse of any University document, record, key, electronic device, or identification, or submission of any forged document or record to the University.
Other forms of dishonesty, including, but not limited to, fabricating information or knowingly furnishing false information or reporting a false emergency to the University.