Most lab work assigned will be performed with the help of the software package called Mathematica. Mathematica should be installed in all ITSS labs, both Mac and PC. Mathematica is available on other platforms as well.
You are strongly encouraged to do labs with a partner. If you do so, you should turn in only one lab for the pair. Both lab partners should be involved in all parts of the lab. For example, one person doing the Mathematica session and another adding the comments is not acceptable. Discussing and comparing results with your partner, other students, your TA, and your instructor are all encouraged, but copying Mathematica sessions and/or results is, of course, unacceptable. The following statement should be true for all partners on any one lab, and all partners should sign the statement on the lab writeup: I have contributed to this lab, read it in its final form, and understand all the stated results.
Lab reports should be organized, neat and well-labelled and self-contained. You should treat the writeup as an essay for a writing course. The report should make it clear what problems were being solved and what steps were taken to solve them. In particular, all lab reports should include the following, either typed with a word processor, typed within Mathematica, or written neatly by hand:
GRADING: Lab grading will take into account all of the above. Part of the grade will be based on how required "tasks" were performed. Part of the grade will be subjective, based on the general organization and presentation of the lab report. Grading shorthand to be used: Goals (G), Procedures (Pro), Mathematica tasks (Ma), Conclusions (C), Presentation and Organization (P+O).