Course policies
Coursework and grading scheme
The class schedule highlights assignment due dates so that you can plan your work for the quarter accordingly. The table below summarizes the kinds of work you will be asked to do and their contributions to your course grade.
| Category | % of course letter grade | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly assignments | 35% | • Eligible for four late passes • Complete at least six out of eight |
| Midterm exam | 30% | |
| Final exam | 35% |
Deadlines and late submissions
Assignment deadlines are listed in the course schedule to enable you to effectively plan and balance your academic work and other commitments. Despite the best planning, however, we know that life happens! So:
- You are permitted 4 “late days” for your assignments. In other words, there would be no penalty if you submitted one of the assignments four days late, or four of the assignments one day late, etc.
- Beyond that, your grade for an assignment goes down by 7 points (e.g., 90% to 83%) for every 12 hours the assignment is late, up until a week after the deadline, at which point the assignment will receive a grade of 0%.
- HW4 and HW8 have no late days, which will allow us to post solutions before the midterm and final exams. If submitted after the deadline, HW4 and HW8 will receive a grade of 0%.
Dropping lowest homework grades
Your final grade for the weekly assignments will be based on your six highest assignment grades, out of eight total. For example, if you complete all eight assignments, your lowest two grades will be dropped. If you only turn in six out of eight assignments, your grade will only depend on the six assignments you turned in.
The Honor Code
Please familiarize yourself with the Stanford Honor Code; violations will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the (Stanford) law.
Course policies for use of generative AI
While artificial intelligence (AI) tools can be valuable in certain contexts, in this course it is important that students develop their own skills and abilities to reason probabilistically. To maximally gain from the intentionally designed learning experiences in the course, it will be crucial that all members of the course community rely on personal efforts rather than use of AI tools. In fact, in many cases, it will be the effort itself (not the product) that is most valuable! As such, you cannot use large language models (like ChatGPT) and submit the output as your own. Doing so in this course is a violation of the Stanford Honor Code.
Extended absences
Despite our efforts to take precautions and protect ourselves and those around us, it is possible that one or more of us in the class will get sick, will need to give care to someone sick, or for other reasons will require an extended absence during the quarter.
If a student requires an extended absence before more than 70% of coursework is completed, there might be opportunities to Withdraw from the course or develop a schedule for making up and submitting coursework later in the quarter. Students in this situation should talk to a staff member at the Office of Accessible Education and to the professor as soon as possible.
If a student requires an extended absence after at least 70% of coursework is completed at a passing grade or higher, students may request an Incomplete. Incompletes do not award any credit and can drop students below the minimum required unit load. This could negatively impact academic progress, graduation, NCAA and Veteran’s certifications, and financial aid. Students in this situation should talk to the professor to discuss options.
Course privacy statement
As noted in the University’s recording and broadcasting courses policy, students may not audio or video record class meetings without permission from the instructor. Students may keep the recordings that the course staff releases only for personal use and may not post recordings on the Internet, or otherwise distribute them. These policies protect the privacy rights of instructors and students, and the intellectual property and other rights of the university. Students who need lectures recorded for the purposes of an academic accommodation should contact the Office of Accessible Education.
Academic accommodations
Stanford is committed to providing equal educational opportunities for disabled students. Disabled students are a valued and essential part of the Stanford community. We welcome you to our class.
If you experience disability, please register with the Office of Accessible Education (OAE). Professional staff will evaluate your needs, support appropriate and reasonable accommodations, and prepare an Academic Accommodation Letter for faculty.
Once you have an Academic Accommodation Letter, we invite you to share it with us. Academic Accommodation Letters should be shared as soon as possible so we may partner with you and OAE to identify any barriers to access and inclusion that might be encountered in your experience of this course.
Students who are immunocompromised should register with the OAE as soon as possible.
Student-athletes who anticipate challenges in being able to participate in class or submit assignments on time should speak to a course instructor or course assistant as soon as possible about available alternatives or allowances.
Disruptions
Stanford as an institution is committed to the highest quality education, and as your teaching team, our first priority is to uphold your educational experience. To that end we are committed to following the syllabus as written here, including through short or long-term disruptions, such as public health emergencies, natural disasters, or protests and demonstrations. However, there may be extenuating circumstances that necessitate some changes. Should adjustments be necessary, we will communicate clearly and promptly to ensure you understand the expectations and are positioned for successful learning.