CSE 241 Electronic Homeworks

CSE 241 uses electronic submission for all homeworks. This means that your homeworks will be composed, turned in, and graded electronically -- just like your labs. Electronic submission is required for all 241 students.

Why Do You Require Electronic Submission?

Given the large size of the CSE 241 class and the volume of work that must be completed, turned in, graded, and returned, we believe that electronic submission is the best way to track and provide timely feedback on your work. Here are some reasons that electronic homeworks benefit you:

1. You can produce better results in less time. Many years ago, you probably wrote papers and essays by hand. You don't do that anymore -- partly because electronic composition makes your work easier to read, and partly because it is much easier and faster to revise and edit your work before it is submitted. You can realize the same benefits from composing your CSE homeworks electronically.
2. Your homework won't get lost. You will upload your homework to Blackboard for grading, where it will automatically be marked with your ID and stored for the graders to review. There will be no mislaid papers, no papers without names, and no problems that the I or the TAs forgot to grade.
3. You won't have to hunt for your homework. After grading, you will be able to view the graders' feedback right on your homework document in Blackboard, and you will be able to download the marked-up document as a PDF. There will be no more hunting for Pendaflex folders or digging through a pile of homeworks if you don't have a Pendaflex.
4. You can turn in homework from anywhere in the world. If you can access Blackboard, you can turn in your homework -- even if you have to miss class or are out of town.
5. You'll learn a valuable skill. Everyone who expects to work in a STEM field should be able to compose documents that include the same kinds of content that appear in your homeworks. That includes simple mathematics, diagrams, and graphs.
6. It's good for the environment -- and your wallet. Electronic turn-in saves both paper and printing costs.

But I Don't Have the Software to Compose CSE Homeworks Electronically!

There are multiple cross-platform software packages out there with strong support for composing documents with math and simple diagrams. Examples include (but are not limited to)

• any recent version of Microsoft Word (2007+ for Windows, 2011+ for Mac);
• OpenOffice or the closely related LibreOffice;
• Google Docs, a browser-based editor;
• The LaTeX typesetting system.

Investing time now to learn how to effectively use one of these tools will pay big dividends in time saved throughout the rest of your academic career and beyond.

How Do I Get Started?

First, pick a tool to compose your homeworks. You can learn how to get any of the tools mentioned above and read about how to use them in my tips for composing e-homeworks.

Second, follow the course's e-homework guide to prepare your homework and upload the finished product to Blackboard.