References:

There is no required textbook for the course. There will be a number of books on reserve at the library. Handouts and copies of relevant publications will be available on the course website: http://www.paradise.caltech.edu/ist4 Homeworks will follow closely the lectures.

Course Grade:

There will be homework sets, all weighted equally. (There is no midterm, and no final.) The numerical average grade of the homeworks will then be converted to a letter grade as follows:

    96-100 : A+
    86-95 : A
    76-85 : B
    66-75 : C

Collaboration and Open-Book policy:

Collaboration, in the sense of discussing how to solve the homework problems, is allowed on most, but not all, homework sets. A homework set will include a specific statement whether collaboration is allowed or not.
For all homeworks, you should write the final solutions of the homeworks alone and understand them fully.
For all homeworks: Books, papers and notes can be consulted, but not copied from.

Late Policy:

Homeworks are to be submitted in class. They are due at the start of class on the due date. Late homeworks lose 20% of their value immediately and lose 100% of their value a week after the due date (except in institute-established cases of illness or emergency). So if you're not done, and class is about to start, just turn in what you've done so far; you have a week to finish the rest at 80%.