ECE 3724
Microprocessors
Class Policy (Fall 2006)

 

Bob Reese
Simrall 337 , 325-3154
Office Hours Simrall: Open door policy, see me anytime that I am in there. Call first if you want to check if I am in the office. I am not available on T/Thursday from 3:30 to 5:00 as that is Senior Design class time.
Email address: reese@ece.msstate.edu

WWW Class Page (http://www.ece.msstate.edu/~reese/ece3724)

Laboratory WWW Page (http://www.ece.msstate.edu/~reese/ece3724/labs)

Textbooks: I teach this course from the PowerPoint slides posted on the class WWW site and integrated circuit datasheets. The textbook for this course is Microprocessors: From Assembly to C with the PIC18xx2, by R. Reese. This book follows the PowerPoint slides posted on the class WWW site. The textbook is non-optional, I will assign homework questions from the textbook.

It is always good to have another viewpoint on the material, an optional text you may want to consider is Embedded Design with the PIC18Fxx2 by John Peatman. This book is taught from an assembly language emphasis and not a C emphasis, but it does give you another viewpoint on the various PIC18 hardware subsystems.

Prerequisites: ECE 3714 (Digital Devices) with C or better, CS 1233 (C Prog.) or CS 1284 (Intro. to Computer Programming)

Grade Determination:

4 Exams

60 %

1 Final (can also replace lowest test grade)

15 %

Labs

25 %

 

100%

Grade assignment is on a 10-point scale.

Homework, Weekly Quizzes, Attendance Policy

A weekly quiz is given each Friday during the last 15 minutes of class. Each weekly quiz is worth 10 pts. If you have greater than a 60% quiz average at the end of the semester, then the quiz average * 10 pts is added to the test point pool directly as bonus points. This means that you could earn up to 10 extra points on a test grade.

Homework will be assigned on most weeks. Homework is due at the beginning of the class period. No late homework is accepted. Homework on multiple pages must be stapled prior to being handed in, and must be done in pencil or typed. Each homework will be graded on a 100 pt basis. If you have greater than a 60% homework average at the end of the semester, then the homework average * 10 pts is added to the test point pool directly as bonus points. This means that you could earn up to 10 extra points on a test grade.

Attendance is worth 5 pts added to the test point pool; you can only have one unexcused absence in order to qualify for this bonus. Attendance will be taken after the first week of class. Attendance is taken in the first 10 minutes of class, if you show up after you will not be allowed to sign the attendance sheet. It is impolite and unprofessional to be tardy for class as you disturb your classmates and the lecturer when you enter.

You can earn up to a possible 25 pts added to the test point pool via the attendance, homework, and weekly quizzes bonuses.

60% Pass/Fail Policy

If you are in enrolled in ECE 3724, then you have a laboratory assignment each week. You MUST achieve at least a 60% average for your Lab assignments in order to achieve a 'D' grade in this course, REGARDLESS of how well you do on the other material (in-class tests, homework, etc). This is to prevent a student from simply disregarding the lab assignments and concentrating solely on the lecture. You MUST get at least a 60% average for your combined Tests and Final in order to achieve a 'D' grade in this course, REGARDLESS of how well you do on the lab and homework assignments. A student who cannot achieve a passing grade on in-class material cannot pass this course.

Weekly tests will be given on non-exam weeks in the last 15 minutes of the period; on Thursdays for Tu/Th classes, and on Friday for MWF classes during Fall/Spring semesters.

During Fall/Spring semesters, I like to give regular tests at night so that you have longer to work on them, we will discuss this during the first week of class. For summer semesters, tests are given at the regularly scheduled class period and last two hours.

Calculator Usage

You are expected to use calculators on Tests #3, #4, and the Final (calculators are not allowed on Tests #1, #2). However, it can only be either a simple 4-function, non-programmable calculator, like the type you buy for $5 in the grocery check out lane, or a non-programmable scientific calculator. This is because the latest calculators from TI, HP and others manufacturers are essentially small form-factor PCs, that can store documents that could be referred to during the test. If you have doubt about your calculator meeting the requirements, let me look at it at least one week before the test. If you use a calculator that does not meet these requirements during the test, then I have the option of assigning you a 0 grade for that test.

ACADEMIC DISHONESTY

Occasionally, we have a problem in this course with Academic Dishonesty. Academic Dishonesty is when you present some other person's work as your own. The following constitutes academic dishonesty:

You may DISCUSS external homeworks, and verbally answer questions about homeworks from other students. You may not SHOW your homework to another student, or provide a copy from a previous example as an example!!!!

If I find a student guilty of academic dishonesty, then I will file an academic dishonesty claim with the office of Student Affairs and recommend a F grade for the course.