Math 31: Topics in Algebra

Summer 2013

Homework Collaboration

The following are examples designed to help give you a better idea of my feelings on collaboration. The scenarios in the first two examples would both be considered acceptable.

• Bob and Alice decide to work on this week's homework together. Neither student has looked at the first problem yet. They come up with a sketch of a proof together, and then they each write up their own version of the complete proof. Alice states in her solution that she worked with Bob, and vice versa.


• Bob and Alice have both worked on the second problem, but they are somewhat stuck. Alice knows how to start, but she runs into trouble about halfway through the solution. She explains what she has done to Bob, and he figures out how to finish the problem. They then write up complete solutions separately, with Bob giving Alice credit for the first part of the argument, and Alice citing Bob for the second part.

The next two examples would be deemed unacceptable.

• Bob and Alice come up with a solution to problem 3 together, and they write up a full proof on the board. They both copy down the proof, giving the appropriate citations to each other, and hand it in. (This would have been acceptable if each student had simply gone home and written up their own versions of the proof, giving the appropriate citations.)


• Neither student has looked at the fourth problem. Upon reading it, Alice immediately sees how to to it, and she proceeds to write up a full solution on the chalkboard. Bob copies down the proof and hands it in, and mentions that he obtained his ideas from Alice. (Again, this would be acceptable if Bob simply went home and wrote up his own proof instead, using the ideas that he got from Alice.)