CIT 594 Using Piazza and Canvas
Spring 2013, David Matuszek

We have three sources of online information for this course: The course web page, Piazza, and Canvas. There is also email. We don't want to post everything in every place! This page discusses the use of each, so that you will know where to look for information.

The course web page

Assignments, and corrections and updates to assignments, will be posted here. When doing your assignments, you should check this page frequently. You should also check this page just before submitting an assignment.

Other major announcements will be posted here.

Regular office hours, for myself and the TAs, will be posted here. However, temporary changes will be posted on Piazza.

Canvas

Canvas is designed as a complete, do-everything web site. I do not intend to use it this way--it may not even be available next year. I like to keep old courses available.

Canvas will be used for submitting assignments, and for checking assignment grades.

Piazza

Temporary changes in office hours, and similar announcements, will be posted here.

Piazza is designed as a place where students can ask and answer questions about the course. When used properly, students find it very helpful. Here's how to use it properly:

• Check Piazza frequently. Read all the postings and questions.
• Notice the difference between a "Posting" (you are providing something that may be helpful to other people) and a "Question" (you would like help with something), and choose accordingly.
• To start a new topic, use the "Posting" or "Question" button. Don't introduce a new topic in the discussion of a previous topic, because that makes it hard to find.
• When someone asks a question that you can answer, do so. Help other people. Providing good answers will not directly contribute to getting a good grade, but it does help me notice who the better students are.
• When you have received a good answer to a question you have asked, please mark it "Resolved."
• Don't post solved assignments, or significant parts of a solved assignment.
• You can post anonymously if you wish. However, please avoid posting privately to instructors. That isn't a good way to get quick responses and doesn't encourage class participation. Especially, don't post questions privately to instructors when other students might also benefit from the answers. Email is usually better for truly personal questions.
• Treat Piazza as professional communication, and use standard spelling and grammar. It doesn't have to be perfect, just reasonable. u kn rite like this to ur friends if u wanna, but that style doesn't belong here.
• Be polite.

Email

Use email to the instructors for personal questions, not for questions of general interest.

Your assignment grades will be posted on Canvas, but the reasons for those grades (deductions, late penalties, etc.) will be emailed to you. Usually we try to do these simultaneously, but if you see a grade on Canvas without getting an email, please give us a day or two before asking about it.