CMPE 491/691 Collaboration Policy

Courtesy of Professor Bevan Baas
There is a fine line between working together and copying. Working with others, asking questions, and explaining concepts are important steps in the learning process and are strongly encouraged. Copying someone else's work or allowing your work to be copied does not promote learning, is unfair to others, and is not allowed in this course. The remainder of this document attempts to make the separation between encouraged collaboration and unpermitted collaboration as clear as possible.

If in doubt, play it safe and ask the instructor first!

Encouraged collaboration

These things are encouraged and are allowed at all times.

Permitted collaboration, but only if documented

When you engage in more detailed discussions of assignments, you must include the name of the person(s) who assisted you and properly credit their contribution to your work. This is akin to acknowledging a reference in a research paper. These cases include:

Unpermitted collaboration

The overall guideline for unpermitted collaboration is that you must submit work which represents your original, independent effort. It should not be based on, influenced by, or copied from anyone else's work--including people not enrolled in the course.
This policy is based on the collaboration policy for CS 106X at Stanford.

Last update: March 7, 2005