Take-Home Test Instructions

For Dr. Hewett’s Tests

General Rule:

Work every problem (or question) yourself from memory and keep your test papers confidential. (You are allowed to look up only standard tabulated data while working a problem.)

In other words:

1. Research the problem freely: Before working the problem, you may discuss the problem with anyone (Dr. Hewett, other professors, fellow students, etc.), you may research the problem in any book (the class text, other text books, in library, etc.), and you may take as many notes as you desire. In short, you are free to learn how to work the problem any way you can. The only exception to this rule is that you are not allowed to look at the actual test paper of another student (or a photo copy of that paper).

Also, you are not permitted to memorize just the answers to a problem. If you do memorize an answer, you must also memorize the solution and actually go through the solution while working the test.

2. Do your own work: Once you have researched the problem and feel you are ready to work the problem on the test, put all notes and books aside and work the problem from your memory. The only things you are allowed to look up after starting the problem are fundamental constants and other standard tabulated information (such as integral tables, tabulated functions of the spherical harmonics, tabulated radial wave functions of the hydrogen atom, etc.)

3. Start over if necessary: If you get stuck while working the problem or find out later that you worked the problem wrong, you may discard your previous attempt and start over. This means putting your previous solution completely aside (no copying) and starting the problem from the very beginning on a clean sheet of paper.

4. Keep your test paper confidential: You may discuss your solution with other students and even show them your study notes. (You may even allow them to copy those notes if you want to.) But you are not to show them the paper you intend to hand in or give them the answers you intend to submit. (The purpose of this rule is to guarantee that each student organizes his own solution from the knowledge within his own head rather than simply copying or memorizing someone else's exact solution or answers.)

5. Turn in your test on time: Once you have finished a problem, set it aside in a secure place and work the other problems. Once you have finished the test, arrange the problems in proper sequence and send them to me. Whether you finish the test or not, send me your result before the specified deadline. Late work will not be accepted because I have already given you ample time to do the test.