Each assignment is assigned a weight which reflects its overall importance in determining your grade. Your base grade is computed as a weighted average. An Excel spreadsheet which will help you track your grade can be downloaded from the web site. Your base grade can be raised or lowered based on factors such as attendance, tardiness, deportment, class participation, etc. Penalty assignments are assignments which, when not completed by the due date, result in points off your final course average.
Some penalties result in automatic course failure.
Filling out the student information form and registering your email address are examples. The CPF has an extensive section that explains what I expect you to turn in with your labs and the criteria I use for grading labs. The number one criteria is whether the lab meets its specifications. Resist the temptation to modify the specifications without permission. I also look at design quality, testing thoroughness and code readability.