Like English prose, computer programs can be presented clearly and elegantly. Part of the course is to develop your stylistic judgment and teach you how to write clean, crisp, and correct code. The guidelines here, although by no means complete or authoritative, give you a place to start.
A program is not merely a set of instructions to the computer. It is also a means of communication among people. In real life--as opposed to Computer Science courses--programs are written by many people over months or even years. It is critically important that others can easily understand your work. The overall format, comments, and the choice of names all contribute to the clarity of your work and deserve close attention.