The Role of User-Consultants for Computer Science 153

Grinnell College Computer Services, in consultation with the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, provides consultants to help the college community with computing problems. However, in CSC 153, user-consultants may help in a very restricted context only. Specifically, a consultant is allowed to provide help only to:

1. explain the operation of workstations,
2. discuss the workings of the text editors,
3. interpret error messages,
4. clarify the format and meaning of Scheme programming statements,
5. locate minor arithmetic or logic errors, and
6. locate infinite loops.

Under no circumstances should a consultant be asked how to approach a problem or how to write a substantial piece of code. As a general rule, a section of code that is four or more lines long -- perhaps even less when the logic is particularly complex -- will be considered substantial. Help from user-consultants is not intended to replace the assistance available at regularly scheduled class periods or office hours. Therefore, the user-consultants may answer only short questions which have short answers.

Note: In accordance with Grinnell College regulations, all evidence of collaboration on required programs or supplemental problems must be submitted to the Committee on Academic Standing for actions, and several cases have been heard by that Committee in the past. (More information on academic honesty and on procedures for handling suspected academic dishonesty may be found in the Student Handbook.)

This document is available on the World Wide Web as

http://www.walker.cs.grinnell.edu/courses/153.sp06/ucs-in-153.shtml

created created 4 January 1998 last revised 28 December2005
For more information, please contact Henry M. Walker at walker@cs.grinnell.edu.