6.004 (and, by implication, 6.001 and 6.002)
This course covers topics on the engineering of computer software and hardware systems: techniques for controlling complexity; strong modularity using client-server design, virtual memory, and threads; networks; atomicity and coordination of parallel activities; recovery and reliability; privacy, security, and encryption; and impact of computer systems on society. We will also look at case studies of working systems and readings from the current literature provide comparisons and contrasts, and do two design projects. Students engage in extensive written communication exercises. Enrollment may be limited. This course is worth 4 Engineering Design Points.
Grades in 6.033 are based on three components: section evaluation, design projects, and quizzes. They are weighted as follows:
Final Grade = 1/3 Section Evaluation + 1/3 Design Projects + 1/3 Quizzes
The section part of your grade reflects your overall level of participation in recitation and tutorial as well as a series of weekly hands-on projects that support recitation. Section instructors will base at least half of the evaluation on your communication skills: oral communication skills as observed in recitation paper discussions in class and written communication skills as evaluated by your instructor and your teaching assistant. (The writing evaluation staff will also report writing grades back to the 6.033 staff, and those grades will also be taken into account.) The remainder of your section grade is based on the quality and enthusiasm of your participation, your understanding of the papers, and on whether you handed in the assignments, since the exercises aid your ability to discuss the papers.
During most weeks, you will be expected to complete a hands-on experiment that requires a computer, usually an MIT server workstation, and sometimes using the Web. The idea is to reinforce some of the abstract concepts from the lectures or papers that week and find out how things really work. These assignments generally do not require programming.
As in 2004, in 2005, the design projects will be given more emphasis than in years before. The final result of each will be an extended paper in which you describe a detailed system design to solve a real-world problem. There will be two design projects, each of which will extend over roughly half the semester. The first will be an individual project; the second will be done in teams of three students from the same recitation.
The first design paper will be forwarded to the Communication Program and graded on writing, as described in the section on writing requirements.
One of the teaching assistants' primary roles is to tie the design projects into the topics covered in lectures and recitations. On most Fridays, they will be teaching "tutorials" to explain the design projects' requirements and some of the tradeoffs inherent in the projects. Like lectures and recitations, these tutorials are mandatory. Students are also welcome to ask questions about the design projects during TA office hours.
A couple of weeks into each design project, you'll be asked to hand in a short design proposal. We'll evaluate this to make sure you're on the right track and to suggest writing improvements, but it will only count against the project grade if you fail to hand it in. We'll also discuss common mistakes during tutorial. Both design project proposals will be forwarded to the writing program, and be graded according to the description in the writing requirements section.
Two quizzes are held during the term. A third quiz will be scheduled during finals week. Each quiz will focus on a third of the class's material, but keep in mind that later topics in 6.033 build heavily upon the earlier topics. All quizzes count equally towards the final grade.
Please note well: Although the formula to calculate your final 6.033 grade appears to be linear, there are some important non-linearities in the calculation. These non-linearities are the four ways in which you can be sure of getting an F in 6.033:
Our policy is simple, based on professional standards: on quizzes you should not collaborate. On all other assignments you are welcome to work with anyone else on ideas and understanding, but your writing should be your own and you should carefully acknowledge all contributions of ideas by others, whether from classmates or from papers you have read.
Lectures will be held on Mondays and Wednesdays from 2:00pm-3:00pm. Recitations are on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Five of your written assignments will be forwarded to the Writing Program for review:
The Writing Program will give detailed comments on all these assignments. They will also record letter grades for #s 2, 3, and 4 above, and these grades will play a role in your 6.033 grade. If on DP1 you receive a grade of B- or less from the writing staff, you will have to revise DP1 and submit the revised version to the writing staff for re-evaluation, repeatedly if necessary, until either the writing staff assigns a grade of B or better, or certifies to the 6.033 instructors that your case is hopeless (note: you are not required to rewrite other assignments). If you fail to meet this requirement, you will receive an F in 6.033.
Because 6.033 is a course that asks students to complete substantial written work, it has been designated a communication intensive in the major (CI-M) course by the MIT Communication Requirement. If you need to fulfill the new CI-M requirement, 6.033 will satisfy one of your two CI-M requirements. (You will take your second CI-M, 6.ThT, during your senior year.)
6.033 satisfies CI-M for Course 2A, 6-1, 6-2, 6-3, 6A, 18-General, 18-Theory, 18-Applied, and 18-C. If you are not in these programs, 6.033 does not currently satisfy the CI-M requirement for you.
If you still fall under the old writing requirement, Phase II, you will complete the same assignments as CI-M students. Your work will be assessed under the Phase II requirement.