CS223 Laboratory Policies

We are going to carry out CS223 laboratory work in two stages. In the first stage, you will physically build and test a number of assignments in the laboratory using simple digital integrated circuits. In the second stage you are going to use the Xilinx design environment for simulating and implementing more complicated circuits in a Computer Aided Design (CAD) environment.

Lab Partner Policy: Most of the laboratory assignments will be carried out by groups of two people. You must find a partner and register your group with the assistants at the beginning of the first lab session. These groups will be valid for the first 3 lab assignments. If you cannot find a partner, the assistants will find one for you. Labs #4 and #5 are done individually, and the remainder of the labs are done in groups of two.

Attendance Policy: Attendance in the laboratory sessions is mandatory. For each lab that you fail to attend without a valid excuse (such as a medical report), you will receive the grade of 0.  Failure to attend more than 2 of the labs will directly cause an FZ from the course. Leaving early or coming late can be cause for giving the 0 grade.  Both partners in a lab group must stay until the lab is completed and checked by the TA, or till the end of the lab time, whichever comes first.

Preliminary Report Policy: Each group is required to prepare a preliminary report before coming to the lab. The preliminary report should contain your circuit designs (or simulation programs) together with any other information required in the assignment. Therefore you should meet together with your lab partner during the week or on the weekend before the lab, in order to solve the given problem and decide on your logic circuit (or simulation programs). You must submit your preliminary report to the lab assistant before starting the laboratory work, at the start of the lab. You should therefore make a copy of it, to use during the lab session. On the first page, you should write the names, ID numbers, and section numbers of both members of the lab group, in the upper right corner. The report should be stapled in the upper left corner if it is more than one page, and not paper-clipped, pinned, or folded together. Turn in just the report, without a folder or cover.

Lab Demo Policy:  Using the photocopy of the Preliminary Report, groups should implement their design, test and debug it. Of course, it is possible that during the lab session, you will find that your preliminary design was flawed and that you need to make changes in order to get a correctly working circuit (or simulation model). If errors are found in the demo, and if time allows, the TA may give the group more time to fix the errors and a 'second chance' to be graded. But in any case, all groups must demonstrate their working (or partially working) circuits to the TA before the lab time finishes, or else receive a grade of zero.

Grading Policy: You will be graded according to your preliminary report, your final implementation of the lab (circuit or program) that you demonstrate, and your participation in the lab. The percentages of each are given on the Webpage posted in advance of each lab.

Makeup Policy: Missing a lab for an excused reason will allow you to make up that lab.  Make-up opportunities will be either in the same week at the end of the semester. Students who miss lab must therefore contact us as soon as possible with the reason for the absence, so that make up opportunities can be arranged.