CS 473: Homework Policies

The course staff must critically examine several thousand pages of homework submissions this semester! We desperately need your help to make sure homeworks are graded and returned quickly. If you have any questions or concerns about these policies, please don't hesitate to ask in lecture, during office hours, or on Piazza.

I apologize in advance for the length of this document. Most of this stuff is obvious to almost everybody, but after teaching algorithms for a couple of decades, I've seen a lot of strange things.


We will not accept late homework for any reason.


“I don't know”


Deadly Sins

We've identified a small number of bad writing (and thinking) habits that are strongly correlated with poor performance in algorithms courses, but are easy to avoid. Homework and exam solutions that commit any of these sins will receive an automatic zero. Yes, really.

Form: How to write

Please make it easy for the graders to figure out what you mean in the short time they have to grade your solution. If your solutions are difficult to read or understand, you will lose points.

Be Honest

Be Clear

Be Concise


Content: What to write