General Homework Guidelines

Locating homework
• Homework problems are available on your Math 104 BeachBoard page.

Timing of homework
• Problems from the appropriate topics are assigned during the activity classes.
• Weekly homework is collected in the beginning of each activity class.
• Find time in the activity classes to ask questions regarding homework.
• You are responsible for the accuracy and the correctness of these problems as homework problems
form a basis of the quizzes and exams.

Structure of your written work

• Write answers on your own paper, not on the problem descriptions.
• Staple all pages.
• Write your name, student ID, Seminar instructor’s name, Activity class time, and the
homework week number on the upper right corner of the first page. For example,
Joe Parker
012345678
Math 104 - Dr. Chang
Act: Mon 10 am
Homework: Week 2
• Write your work in a single column. Don’t, for example, fold your paper in half and write in two
columns.
• You are welcome to use a word processing software (e.g., Microsoft Word) to prepare your
homework. It will force you to be more thoughtful and mindful about the way you explain
things.
• Show all relevant work in your solutions. It is more important that you communicate how you
arrive at an answer than merely showing an answer.
• Make sure you write in a way so that anyone can read and understand your work from left to
right and top to bottom.

Getting help with your homework

• While you are in the activity class – instructor and peers.
• While you are not in the activity class – visit the following resources:
– Peers
– Seminar instructor’s office hours
– Activity class instructor’s office hours
– The Learning Center (TLC, located in the Student Success Center Room 160) during Math
104 designated hours and at the designated tables

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 General Homework Guidelines

Policy on homework submission

The time you spend immersing yourself in solving the problems from the homework will lead to a
deeper understanding of the course concepts and a higher overall grade.
Late homework is not accepted. If you know that you will need to miss class when a homework is
due, make arrangements with your instructor prior to when it is due.

The way homework is evaluated

Each homework assignment is worth 10 points. You will be awarded 10, 7, 4 or 0 points on each
assignment based on completion and quality, but mostly on completion. There will typically be
some leniency in grading, so it is still possible to get full credit even if there are errors or omissions.
Quality is determined according to the standards set below in the section titled Characteristics of good
explanations in mathematics.
When studying for exams, please be mindful that a score of 10 on your homework does not
necessarily mean that all of your solutions were correct. You are encouraged to go to student hours
and to The Learning Center to get any needed clarification on past or current homework problems.

Characteristics of good explanations in mathematics

In prior mathematics courses, perhaps you were able to turn in messy work as long as you drew a box
around the solution. That will not work in Math 104. Your instructors and graders read from left to
right, top to bottom. Your solutions should constitute a logical explanation of your solution process
that can be read left to right, top to bottom.
The following are characteristics of good explanations in mathematics1 :

1. The explanation is factually correct.

2. The explanation addresses the specific question or problem that was posed. It is focused, detailed,
and precise. There are no irrelevant or distracting points.

3. The explanation is clear, convincing, and logical. A clear and convincing explanation is charac-
terized by the following:

(a) The explanation can be used to teach another college student, possibly even one who is not
in the class.
(b) The explanation could be used to convince a skeptic.
(c) The explanation does not require the reader to make a leap of faith.
(d) Key points are emphasized.
(e) If applicable, supporting pictures, diagrams and/or equations are used appropriately and
as needed.
(f) The explanation is coherent.
(g) Clear, complete sentences are used.

1
Adapted from: Beckmann, S. (2011). Mathematics for elementary teachers with activity manual. Pearson.

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