Miscellanea

• Staples are your friend.
• The spell checker is also a friend, albeit a frequently deceptive one. Rely on it with caution.
• Gauss was a real person, so things derived from his name should be captialized. E.g., Gaussian distribution, Gauss-Jordan elimination, Gauss integral, etc. Similarly, Markov, Laplace, Dirichlet, etc. should all be properly capitalized.
• Plots should always be fully labeled -- both axes, and a title indicating content. If the plot contains more than one data set, please distinguish the different data sets by symbol or line type (e.g., `+' vs `o' or ':' vs '-') and include a legend that names each. Finally, be sure to distinguish discrete from continuous data in your plots. E.g., if you have a sample of 10 measured points, do not simply draw a curve through them. At the very least, indicate the location of each point with a discrete symbol, such as a cross or square, superimposed on the curve. Better to omit the curve altogether as it implies the presence of unmeasured points. (Unless, of course, you have good reason to draw such a curve, and make it clear that it's interpolated rather than measured.)
• I expect proper grammar, spelling, punctuation, etc., on all assignments. And it wouldn't hurt to brush up on it in email too. ;-) Being a computer hacker does not excuse you from natural language skills!