WebWorK, Math 309 Fall 2015

WebWorK (WW) is a computer generated and graded homework system.  It allows you to open a homework set at a scheduled time, print a hardcopy to take away, and submit solutions online later up until the due deadline. When you submit an answer, WW immediately tells you whether your answer is correct.  If not, you can resubmit answers to any question as often as you like, without penalty, up until the deadline for that assignment. This procedure allows you to try to figure out what you did wrong and (I hope) to understand the question better.  

Here are some general comments; detailed instructions for using WW are linked at the bottom of this page.

WeBWorK should be a tool to help you practice the more computational ideas in the course. It can also quiz you on some of the theoretical ideas. You may help each other with ideas or hints on the problems. In the end you are supposed to solve the problems yourself and submit your own work.  But  ultimately, WW functions on an "honor system."  Notice that
  • getting an answer from someone else just intereferes with an opportunity to learn. There's no time pressure to find the solution (if you don't put things off to the last minute).  When you miss a problem, you can try again later.
  • WeBWorK problems usually differ numerically from person to person so that just "knowing the answer somebody else got" usually won't help.  
  • some exam questions are closely related to WeBWorK problems, so it's worth the investment to figure them out for yourself in the more relaxed WeBWorK setting
  • finally, getting a boost of a few points in your WebWorK score doesn't contribute that much to your overall course grade anyway. 
If there are indications (from the computer system, or otherwise) that you are not finding and submitting your own WeBWorK solutions, this may constitute an academic integrity violation.

Here's the pattern for most of our WebWorK assignments:
  • Each WW assignment becomes available online at 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday.  
    Example: WW1 will open at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, 8/26.  
    The first WeBWorK assignment will be a little shorter than usual since not much material will have been covered and part of its purpose is to get you comfortable with WebWorK.
  • Each WW assignment closes (answers due online!) at 11:59 p.m. the following Tuesday, and the next WW assignment opens online two minutes later.
    Example: answers for WW1 must be submitted online by 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, 9/1,
     Don't cut the deadline too close; the time shown on your watch is probably not perfectly synced with the computer system's clock -- you might find yourself "shut out" even though your watch reads 11:55 p.m.  WW2 will open at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, 9/2. 
  • At the end of the semester, your WeBWorK scores will be converted to %'s, the two lowest discarded, and the average all of the remainder will be your WebWorK score = WWSCORE and will count for 10% of your grade in the course. Your WebWorK scores recorded during the semester can only be viewed from inside your WebWorK account; a WW total score will be moved into the Grading Center in Blackboard at the end of the semester.
Once you're working on a particular question within a WebWorK assignment, there's an option to send me messages.  If you are still having difficulty with a particular problem after several attempts it's best to use this option to message me rather than regular email -- when your message gets to me from inside WW, it lets me directly open up to your particular problem in  \your personalized WW problem set.

Contact me right away if your name does not appear in WebWork when you login to get your first assignment; I will add you to WebWorK's list as quickly as I can so you don't lose too much time.  Include your name, WU ID number and email address in your message,


Detailed WeBWorK instructions
WebWorK FAQ for Students
How to write mathematics using an ordinary keyboard

When you think you're ready, you can go to the WebWorK page, bookmark it on your computer, and change your password. Then you can get started on the first assignment, WW1,