Recommended text: A. McAndrew, Introduction to Cryptography with open-source software, CRC Press, 2011

• Exams
  There will be two 50-minute in-class tests (dates are in the syllabus). There will be no final exam.
• Working Groups
  The class is divided into three-member teams for the Kyptos cipher competition.
• Homework
  There are 5 homeworks (due dates are in the syllabus). Each group submits only one copy of the homework. Each group member should substantially contribute to possibly all the problems. Late homework will not be accepted for grading.
• Quizzes
  There are several quizzes (dates are in the syllabus). These will be open notes, but are taken individually (not in groups). The questions are on statements of definitions, theorems, algorithms, and solving ciphers. They are designed to ensure that you are keeping up and studying the material covered.
• Project
  As part of the project-based knowledge initiative at USNA, each student should write, submit, and present a project of their choice (due dates are in the syllabus). This is mandatory, as are all the tests. Each student picks the topic of their project. The project is entirely developed by the student only (not the instructor or other individuals). The content should not overlap with class material or with previously submitted projects. The project should be technical and not historic (historic background can comprise no more that 10% of the entire paper). The final paper should have at least 3,000 words. The paper should have references of the sources used. Each student will present their project twice - once in draft form and the other as a final presentation. Start thinking about the project as soon as possible!

  2000 words will be due at the 12 week grade point. The project can be handed in as a pdf. Preferably done in LaTeX (see here and here). The presentation can be handed in as a pdf and prefereably created in Beamer (see here). (Beamer is pre-loaded on at least some of the machines in the Linux Lab - ask about getting an account).

• Software
  On the first day of classes please
  1. access the following site, download, and install on your home machines the free program Sage (installation instructions for Windows can be found here and here) , or
  2. create an account using one of the online versions (at alpha.sagenb or the www.sagenb.org site).
  3. Factor the year of your graduation in Sage as your first assignment. It is due at the beginning of the 3rd day of class. You can submit it as a printout.
  4. Using Sage will make the homework a lot easier and our cryptology calculations less trivial and more interesting. Also, computers are an essental component to modern cryptography. Each student make sure that they have Sage installed or an account by the beginning of the second class.
  Grading:
  • 2 Hour-Tests: 20%.
  • Homework: 30%.
  • Quizzes: 20%
  • Project: 30% (Paper 20%, presentation 10%).
  URL for this webpage : http://www.usna.edu/Users/math/wdj/_files/documents/teach/sm473/sm473-policy.html
  URL for class webpage: http://www.usna.edu/Users/math/wdj/teaching/capstone%20courses.php

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  2013-01-07, wdj