CSC 300, Turner
Winter 2007

How to Fail Turner's CSC 300 class at Cal Poly (or at least lower your
grade a whole lot!)

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.)

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: 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 12 page paper with wide margins and large font rather than 
a 20 page paper in proper form. 

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.