---
# System prepended metadata

title: Instructions for MTH 350 Problem Sets
tags: [mth350, ' problemset']

---

---
tags: mth350, problemset
---

# Instructions for MTH 350 Problem Sets 



The purpose of Problem Sets is to give you opportunities to demonstrate your mastery of the course objectives involving **problem solving** and **communication**. Whereas Weekly Practice sets tend toward mid-level tasks like justifying steps in proofs and working out definitions, Problem Sets involve taking a proposition and writing proofs from the ground up, in a correct and clearly-expressed way.

## Team and Individual Problems 

Each Problem Set has two parts: 
+ **Team Problems**. Some of the problems on each Problem Set are intended to be worked out with a team of other students. You are allowed to work freely with the other members of your team -- in fact you will be expected to do so, meeting with each other regularly to discuss the problem and how to write up the solution. You will then separate, and each write up your own version of the solution. Then, before submitting the separate versions, you will come back together and critique each of the other writeups, ensuring that all of the specifications are met for an acceptable solution. 
+ **Individual Problems**.  There will also be  individual problems that are to be done with no collaboration whatever. Additionally, some of those problems will have a star ($\star$) next to them, indicating that the problem is eligible to be included in your Proof Portfolio at the end of the semester. 

### The workflow for Team problems

The teams for the Team problems will be assigned in advance. You are to work *only* with the members of your team; cross-team collaboration will be treated as academic dishonesty. 

As stated above, your team should arrange to meet together early to ideate and work on the Team problems. Once you have discussed the solutions, you are to separate and each write up your own version of the solutions. *Team members may not simply copy from each other.* Once the separate writeups have been done, you are to meet again to read through and critique each others' work (but again, *do not copy from each other*). The ultimate goal is to ensure that each team member has expressed the team's solution in their own words and in such a way that the expectations for acceptable work are met. Then, each person submits their solution for the team problems, along with their individual problem solutions, in one single writeup. 

I (Talbert) will randomly select one member from each team and grade their writeups for the Team problems. *The work of that randomly selected member will be used to grade each team member's Problem Set*. So, you will want to make sure that each team member is producing work that is of the highest quality.

:::success
**Example**: Alice, Bob, Charles, and Darlene are on a team. They have met together to discuss the Team problems, then split up and written up separate solutions. Unfortunately Charles has a solution that has a lot of omissions and logical holes, and has not been written up in a neat and professional way. The team decides to skip meeting together to look at and critique each others' work. Prof. Talbert [picks a number between 1 and 4](https://numbergenerator.org/randomnumbergenerator/1-4) and Charles is selected. Because Charles' work has significant issues, **the entire team will receive a mark of P (Progressing) on their Problem Sets** (see "How Problem Sets are graded" below.) **even if the other three members have acceptable solutions**. For how the team and its members can revise and resubmit the work, see below. 
:::

In the event that one of your team members does not do all the Team problems or does not do them all up to standards, the Team needs to notify me *before* the grading begins (which is generally the day following the deadline). Please note, the *team* needs to notify me, not single members of the team. This notification should only take place when one team member has not done acceptable work, the rest of the team knows it because they have met and discussed their separate writeups, and the entire rest of the team is in agreement. **This option is not to be used to "gang up on" or ostracize people in your team.** Once notified, I can remove that Team member from consideration so that the other team members are not harmed. The team member who is removed will be contacted to discuss next steps.



## Expectations for Problem Sets 

The following are required on all problems in a Problem Set and in the Problem Set as a whole: 

+ Unlike Weekly Practices, **Problem Sets must be typed up** using $\LaTeX$ or a word processor utilizing an equation editor for all mathematical notation. Handwritten work, in whole or in part, will not be accepted. The Problem Set as a whole has to be neatly organized and professional in appearance. 
+ Problem Sets are to be saved as PDF files --- not Word, RTF, ODT, etc. files --- and uploaded to the appropriate assignment area on Blackboard in the *Problem Sets* tab. Email submissions are not accepted unless there is a technical issue uploading to Blackboard. 
+ All solutions for problems must be clearly expressed and free of significant computational, logical, semantic, and grammatical error. Remember that a solution to a problem is **an explanation that makes your reasoning clear and easy to follow**. 
+ **All problems on a Problem Set must have a complete attempt at a solution that represents a good-faith effort to provide such an explanation.** You may not leave all or parts of a solution out, or give speculative solutions or guesswork. 




## How Problem Sets are graded 

Each *Problem Set as a whole* receives a grade of **E**, **M**, **P**, or **X** using [the rubric described in the syllabus](https://hackmd.io/@rtalbert235/HyqkgcE0P#How-are-individual-assignments-graded). The *separate problems* on each Problem Set are evaluated using similar criteria, but the separate problems don't receive a grade -- they will get written or verbal feedback instead, if there is anything that can or should be improved. 





In addition to the criteria shown on the EMPX flowchart in the syllabus, here are the specifications for each level of marking on Problem Sets: 

| Mark: | Specifications: | 
|:-----: | -------- | 
| E | The entire Problem Set meets the [expectations described above](https://hackmd.io/K_t8pP2dSPyddM2d45xsyg#Expectations-for-Problem-Sets), and each separate problem (both Team and Individual) has a solution that fits the description of **E** level work in the EMPX rubric. 
| M | The entire Problem Set meets the [expectations described above](https://hackmd.io/K_t8pP2dSPyddM2d45xsyg#Expectations-for-Problem-Sets), and each separate problem (both Team and Individual) has a solution that fits the description of **M** level work in the EMPX rubric. 
| P | Some aspect of the Problem Set fails to satisfy the [expectations described above](https://hackmd.io/K_t8pP2dSPyddM2d45xsyg#Expectations-for-Problem-Sets); or, there is at least one solution from either the Team or Individual parts that would earn an **P** if graded using the EMPX rubric. 
| X | There are significant issues with the the [expectations described above](https://hackmd.io/K_t8pP2dSPyddM2d45xsyg#Expectations-for-Problem-Sets) in the overall Problem Set, including major omissions of all or part of a solution; or, at least one of the problems in the Team or Individual parts would earn an **X** if graded using the EMPX rubric. 

## Revision and resubmission of Problem Sets 

As [stated in the syllabus](https://hackmd.io/@rtalbert235/HyqkgcE0P#How-do-I-revise-and-resubmit-my-work), each Problem Set may be revised **once per week**. To revise your work, simply reflect on the feedback that’s given, make corrections or rewrites to the original, and then upload the work again to Blackboard.

If you receive a grade of M, P, or X due to issues with a *Team* problem, then you need to convene a meeting of your team to discuss the feedback on the problem(s) that had issues and brainstorm ways to make corrections. Then **each individual must submit a separate revision of each of the problems that had issues.** Those revisions can (and should) be included in the same revision writeup as Individual problem revisions. 

:::success
**Example, continued:** The team of Alice, Bob, Charles, and Darlene all earned marks of **P** on a Problem Set because of Charles' writeup of the Team problems. Each team member will submit a separate revision of the Team problems that had issues (as indicated by the feedback on the work) along with any Individual problems that needed revision as well. This works out well for Alice, Bob, and Darlene as they are confident that *their* writeups of the Team problems were fine to begin with, so they will just copy and paste their original solutions into a new document to submit. Charles on the other hand will be responsible for fixing the issues that his writeup introduced; the team can, and should, help him in this process. 

**Side note:** Probably what should have happened is that Alice, Bob, and Darlene should have contacted the professor beforehand to notify him about Charles' writeup.  
:::

## Academic honesty and collaboration on Problem Sets

The [syllabus](https://hackmd.io/@rtalbert235/HyqkgcE0P#Collaboration-and-academic-honesty) states that on Problem Sets, 

>...your work must represent your own understanding in your own words. You may not use solutions, directly or indirectly, from any sources — including other students, past students, online sources, or other textbooks.

**For Individual problems, this is the rule.** 

For **Team** problems, you are allowed and expected to collaborate within your team. However,

* **Cross-team collaboration is not allowed**, and 
* **Access or use of solutions, directly or indirectly, from any sources — including past students, online sources, or other textbooks, is not allowed** as per the main syllabus policy. 

Note especially that even *accessing* solutions, for example looking up solutions on the internet or even allowing yourself to be exposed to them, is considered just as much academic dishonesty as copying. 


[![hackmd-github-sync-badge](https://hackmd.io/K_t8pP2dSPyddM2d45xsyg/badge)](https://hackmd.io/K_t8pP2dSPyddM2d45xsyg)
