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How to Get Help

The students that do well in this course typically start assignments early and get help early.

Keep in mind that we prioritize helping you learn. We cannot tell you what's wrong with your code, debug, or fix it for you. Learning to troubleshoot your code and fix it is a critical learning objective of this course.

Clarification​

If you need a clarification, whether that's for the course's policies, an assignment's requirements, or course content:

  1. Post a public question to the course discussion forum.

    I try to respond or endorse answers within 1 business day, during business hours (Monday-Friday, 9am-4pm).

    Important

    Only the instructor may clarify assignment instructions/requirements or course content. The instructor will respond or endorse all clarification questions; course/teaching assistants (or students enrolled in the course) do not have the authority to clarify requirements or course content.

  2. Attend the instructor's office hours.

    I am happy to clarify any questions you have about the course content or assignments. View the office hour schedule for current instructor office hour availability.

  3. Do not email info4340@cornell.edu, the instructor, or the course/teaching assistants for clarifications.

    The course email administrator is unable to help you with any clarification requests.

Help with an Assignment or Project​

If you need help with an assignment or project:

  1. Plan ahead.

    tip

    Most assignments are released a week in advance of their deadline. Assistance is often unavailable immediately before course deadlines.

    Professionalism is important, learn to start tasks early and seek help early. Your future employers will expect you to be proactive and resourceful.

  2. Ask a peer in the course for help.

    Working with your peers is one of the best ways to get help in this course. Reach out to your accountability partner, a classmate, or a peer in the course to ask for help. You may also form study groups with your peers.

  3. Attend office hours.

    Office hours are the best way to seek help on an assignment in this course. Current office hours are posted to the office hour schedule.

    info

    Additional office hours can be made available by request. Email info4340@cornell.edu with at least 1 business day notice to request additional office hours. We will do our best to accommodate your request, but we cannot guarantee that we will be able to schedule additional office hours.

    You are encouraged to make regular use of office hours and work with your peers during office hours.

    note

    The learning objectives in this course include troubleshooting and fixing your own code. We will help you troubleshoot your code, but we will not tell you what's wrong with your code nor debug or fix it for you.

    The course/teaching assistants cannot help you debug AI generated code. The course/teaching assistants are also not able to "pre-grade" your work or tell you if your work is correct; course/teaching assistants do not have the authority to endorse solutions, provide clarifications, or regrade your assignment.

  4. Post a public question to the course discussion forum.

    If you need help with an assignment/project, seek help with a peer or visit office hours. We want to help you, but it's often difficult for us to effectively help you in online forum.

    We typically respond to your questions within 1 business day, during business hours (Monday-Friday, 9am-4pm). We answer questions exactly twice a day, once before noon and again before 4pm, Monday-Friday.

    warning

    Do not post any code or code snippets to the discussion forum. Sharing your code (or a screenshot of your code) in the discussion forum might be considered a violation of the Code of Academic Integrity. Don't chance it.

  5. Attend the instructor's office hours.

    I am happy to help you with any problem, large or small. View the office hour schedule for current instructor office hour availability.

    Additional office hours are available by appointment. Email kyle.harms@cornell.edu to schedule one.

  6. Use caution when using generative AI tools, like ChatGPT for help.

    ChatGPT often provides misleading and incorrect help for the course material. It's best to utilize the provided resources when seeking assistance.

  7. Do not email info4340@cornell.edu, the instructor, or the course/teaching assistants for assignment help.

    In the interest of fairness to all students, we do not provide assignment help via email. We also cannot guarantee a timely response to your email request for help.

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