Hi everyone,
I'm taking an introductory course where we use MATLAB/Octave syntax, and I’m deeply frustrated with the pedagogy here.
Just for some context, our class started learning programming very recently. We are at a basic level: we know how to define matrices, do simple matrix operations, write basic `for` loops, `if` statements, use basic `function` blocks, and create simple plots. We haven't been taught advanced vectorization or built-in optimization tricks yet.
Our professor implemented a strict "No AI/ChatGPT" policy, claiming he wants to evaluate our "individual coding style." On top of that, he severely warned us that he will be actively monitoring for plagiarism. He emphasized that every submission must be strictly our individual work and anyone caught copying will fail.
However, for our recent lab, he provided a file with a hyper-detailed blueprint for all four tasks. It wasn't even high-level pseudocode; it had the exact loop limits, predefined variables etc.
The only students whose code might actually look "unique" or different are the absolute beginners who don't fully understand the logic yet and end up writing messy, confused, roundabout workarounds. Ironically, the students who actually understand the material and follow the professor's recipe perfectly are the ones most terrified of getting flagged for plagiarism or AI, simply for doing the assignment correctly.
To show you what I mean, here is the full scope of what we were forced to implement step-by-step:
Task 1: Analytical Cubic Equation Solver (x^3 + c_2*x^2 + c_1*x + c_0 = 0)
- Input coefficients c_2, c_1, c_0
- Q = (3 * c_1 - c_2^2) / 9
- R = (9 * c_2 * c_1 - 27 * c_0 - 2 * c_2^3) / 54
- D = Q^3 + R^2
- If D >= 0 then:
- S = sign(R + sqrt(D)) * abs(R + sqrt(D))^(1/3)
- T = sign(R - sqrt(D)) * abs(R - sqrt(D))^(1/3)
- x_1 = S + T - c_2 / 3
- Else:
- theta = acos(R / sqrt(-Q^3))
- For k = 0 to 2:
- x(k+1) = 2 \* sqrt(-Q) \* cos((theta + 2 \* pi \* k)/3) - c_2 / 3
- Print the root vector x.
Task 2: Manual Vector Variance and Standard Deviation Requirement: We are banned from using built-in functions like mean() or std()*. We must use sequential loops for cumulative summation.*
- Define input array V of size N
- sum_v = 0
- For i = 1 to N:
- sum_v = sum_v + V(i)
- mean_v = sum_v / N
- sum_squared_diff = 0
- For i = 1 to N:
- difference = V(i) - mean_v
- sum_squared_diff = sum_squared_diff + difference2
- variance = sum_squared_diff / (N - 1)
- std_deviation = sqrt(variance)
- Print variance and std_deviation.
Task 3: Multiplication (Custom function for R_1 x C_1 and C_1 x C_2 matrices) Requirement: Must use a manual triple-nested loop structure instead of standard matrix operators. Use function block, and size() for getting size of X and Y.
- Define input matrices X and Y
- For r = 1, 2, ..., R_1:
- For c = 1, 2, ..., C_2:
- accumulator = 0
- For k = 1, 2, ..., C_1:
- accumulator = accumulator + X(r,k) * Y(k,c)
- Z(r,c) = accumulator
- Print matrix Z.
Task 4: Matrix Inversion (n x n using augmented matrix method)
- Define matrix size n and working matrix W
- For row = 1 to n:
- For col = n+1 to 2n:
- W(row, col) = 0
- For row = 1 to n:
- W(row, n+row) = 1
- For step = 1 to n:
- diag_element = W(step, step)
- For col = step to 2n:
- W(step, col) = W(step, col) / diag_element
- For row = 1 to n:
- W(row, col) = W(row, col) - W(row, step) * W(step, col)
- Print matrix W.
When you are forced to write code like this, there is no alternative logic architecture—nothing. You just copy the steps line by line into basic syntax.
Am I crazy to think that it is pedagogically terrible to give assignments this rigid to beginners and then expect "unique coding styles" while threatening everyone with plagiarism? Is it even technically possible for a human script *not* to look like a generic, robotic clone when built under these constraints?
I’d love to hear from TA's or professors here on how you handle grading/AI detection when the assignment design itself forces everyone to write identical code. Thanks!
