CSC 300, Turner
Fall 2008

How to Fail Turner's CSC 300 class at Cal Poly - any one of the following is sufficient:

1.  Do not cooperate with your lab team, fail to do your part of the lab team work. 

2.  Do not show up for your assigned presentation time expecting to get an automatic rain check.

3.  Begin research and writing for your termpaper the weekend before it is due.  (Suggestion: Start early, do casual readings very early and keep notes as to the interesting parts.) (Second suggestion: Begin to write early, turn in an early draft for review by Turner, it has to be turned in more than a week before it is due to get useful comments.)

4.  Fail to write your termpaper with good syntax and grammar, fail to make solid logical arguments.  (Suggestion: Read Strunk and White's "Elements of Style")  (Second suggestion: Print out the sample papers from the website.  Go to Turner's office and read one or two sample papers with good grades,  review the sample on the course website.)

5.  Fail to proofread your paper for spelling and logic errors. These alone can result in a failing paper (and failure for the course).  As a piece of code must meet strict syntactical rules to compile, your writing must be clear in order to be readable.  If your paper is hard to read or understand, all your intended semantics are wasted.)  

6.  Write a shorter paper than 6000 words, or count the bibliography (or title page or appendices) to get to 6000. (Alternately, use very long verbatim quotes, pictures with long headings to lengthen the paper.)

7.  Don't practice your presentation a few days before you are scheduled to give it.

8.  Don't send your presentation slides or prep material to Turner for review at least 2 days before you're scheduled to give the presentation.

9.  Give your presentation by reading notecards or your powerpoint slides verbatim.

10.  Don't take notes during class discussions to highlight the major discussion points and differing logical positions.

11.  Don't prepare for class: just quickly look at the readings (or ignore them) and answer questions in class with obvious or simple points to appear
to participate and be prepared.

12.  Don't work out the practice midterm and final exams with other  students in the class.

13.  Do all your research for your paper and presentation using internet search in one afternoon.

14.  Cite Wikipedia as an authoritative reference in your paper or presentation.

15.  Don't use Turner's grading guidelines to do your own self evaluation on your termpaper or your practice talk before they're due.

16.  Submit any written work that refers to facts or results of some other author without reasonable attribution of credit.