CSCI 103 Course Syllabus (Fall 2012) 1 CSCI 103: Survey of Computer Science Instructor Information Name and Contact: Assistant Professor Michael Verdicchio Department of Mathematics and Computer Science The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina 171 Moultrie Street; Charleston, SC 29409 Office Location: Thompson Hall 226 Office Phone: 843.953.6987 E-Mail: mv@citadel.edu Note: Emails that are written unprofessionally or sent without a proper subject line may not be read and may not receive a response. Office Hours: Tuesday/Thursday 09:30AM-11:00AM and 03:30PM-04:30PM Wednesday 10:00AM-12:00PM Other times by appointment just ask http://www.mathcs.citadel.edu/office_hours.html Course Information Title: CSCI 103: Survey of Computer Science Class Meets: Tuesday/Thursday 02:30PM to 03:20PM Thompson Hall 203 Credits: 2 credit hours Prerequisites: None. CSCI 103 is required for all CSCI courses beyond 202. Website: Textbook: (required) E-mail: Gmail: http://macs.citadel.edu/verdicchiom/103/ Computer Science Illuminated, 5th Edition Dale/Lewis ISBN: 9781449672843 Jones & Bartlett (Rental and E-book options are available for this title) http://www.coursesmart.com/9781449684587 Each student must have a robust, professional email address. It is the student s responsibility to make sure all email sent to the citadel.edu account is accessible. Gmail and Google Apps will be used extensively for collaboration and assignment submission. All students must have an active external @gmail.com account, which is different than your campus email simply using the Gmail client. Dropbox: Cloud storage may be used to submit assignments. If you do not have an account on Dropbox, use the following link and sign up (free). http://db.tt/1ebj6b5 Important Dates: Please check the course calendar regularly. It will be kept current with important course dates, though it may not be exhaustive.
CSCI 103 Course Syllabus (Fall 2012) 2 Course Description Catalog Description: Course Outcomes: Tips for Success: The computer is examined as a machine, problem-solving tool, and information repository. An overview of the discipline of computer science is presented. Students will receive hands-on experience with the computing facilities at The Citadel, and they will learn how to research technical topics and present the results in written form. Major Topics: Operating systems, The Von Neumann architecture, Data storage, Binary number system, Algorithms, Programming languages, Networking and the Internet, Software engineering, Database systems, Artificial intelligence, Ethical and social issues in computing, Searching, evaluating and reporting on computer literature Upon successful completion of this course, a student will be able to Identify and describe several of the areas that comprise the science of computing including the areas of expertise of the faculty Run application software supported by the department Search, evaluate and report on computer related literature Discuss the ethical responsibilities of a computer science professional One does not learn by reading a book alone; practice is essential. Students who are most successful read the upcoming sections in the text book ahead of time to first introduce terms and concepts, attend every class and participate actively (taking notes and asking questions), read and begin assignments immediately and ask questions early, go to office hours or use online discussion when help is needed, study past homework, quizzes, handouts and lecture notes, and practice problems and writing code in preparation for exams. In contrast, many of the students who find themselves unsuccessful read their books only the night before an exam (which is seldom useful), do not attend class regularly (or are distant, distracted, or sleeping), never ask questions when they don t understand something, never practice problems or write a line of code they are not forced to, and begin homework assignments one or two days before they are due. These habits result in poor performance and many late nights. Making small, seemingly insignificant choices to take the right actions towards your goals, over time, will turn in to massive success and set you apart from the common lot. Classroom Policies Attendance is mandatory and will be taken daily Show up on time, alert, and with a good attitude Nothing can be made up without a documented medical excuse Late assignments are never accepted. Start early and seek help often. Take notes and ask questions; notes may not be posted Create the right environment where everyone can learn Communicate like an adult/professional Turn your phone off (vibrate is not off) or don t bring it You can use computers or tablets in class for academic purposes only Recording Lectures: No part of any lecture may be recorded, transmitted, or stored in any retrieval device without the prior consent of the instructor. Notes may be taken strictly for personal use; however these notes may not be given to anyone who is not enrolled in the current section of the course. Notes, or any record of the class proceedings are also not permitted to be sold, used, or licensed to any company or organization, especially those designed for the redistribution of said materials.
CSCI 103 Course Syllabus (Fall 2012) 3 Academic Integrity Student Collaboration: Students are encouraged to discuss the course and assignments with one another on an appropriate level. Discussion of problems and approaches is perfectly acceptable, but discussion of solutions is not. Please see the next section to help determine the particulars. Academic Integrity: Cheating is contemptible and those who cheat are reprehensible. The Citadel Honor Code requires each student to act with honesty and integrity and to respect the rights of others in carrying out all academic assignments. This official policy can be found here: http://www.citadel.edu/honor/. There are a number of actions that constitute a violation of this policy. These actions include, but are not limited to: practicing any form of academic deceit; referring to materials or sources or employing devices (e.g., audio recorders, crib sheets, calculators, solution manuals, or commercial research services) not specifically authorized by the instructor for use during tests, quizzes, homework, and/or class activities; acting as a substitute for another person in any academic evaluation or using a substitute in any academic evaluation; possessing, buying, selling, or otherwise obtaining or using, without appropriate authorization, a copy of any materials intended to be used for academic evaluation in advance of its administration; depending on the aid of others to the extent that the work is not representative of the student s abilities, knowing or having good reason to believe that this aid is not authorized by the instructor; providing inappropriate aid to another person, knowing or having good reason to believe the aid is not authorized by the instructor; submitting the ideas or work of another person or persons without customary and proper acknowledgment of sources (i.e., engaging in plagiarism); permitting one's own ideas or work to be submitted by another person without the instructor s authorization; attempting to influence or change any academic evaluation or record for reasons having no relevance to class achievement School policy allows for cheating sanctions ranging from zero credit for an assignment to expulsion (without expectation of readmission) from the College. Any student who is found to have violated the Honor Code in this course, no matter how minor the violation, will at a minimum receive a failing grade by reason of academic dishonesty in the course (permanent record). This policy is intended to create a fair evaluation system for students who choose to abide by the standards for academic integrity by eliminating from consideration the grades of those who choose not to.
CSCI 103 Course Syllabus (Fall 2012) 4 Assignments and Assessment (subject to change) Grade Distribution: Your course grade will be based on the distribution below. Each item is elaborated upon in the following sections. Shotguns (unannounced quizzes) 10% Homework (frequent) 10% Writing Assignments (one term paper, other shorter prompts) 30% Midterm Exams (two, 15% each) 30% Final Exam (new material + comprehensive material) 20% Exam Dates: Midterm 1 Thursday 27 September 2012 02:30-03:20PM Midterm 2 Thursday 01 November 2012 02:30-03:20PM Final Exam Monday 13 December 2012 01:00-04:00PM Letter Grades: Letter grades will be assigned according to the table below. The percentages represent the lowest grade guaranteed for that percentage. If necessary, final grades may be scaled or adjusted, potentially allowing a higher grade than dictated by the table, but one cannot earn a lower grade than dictated. For example, if you earn 80%, you will get at least a B for your final grade. Grades are never rounded. A B C D F 90% 80% 70% 60% <60% Shotguns: Homework: Writing Assignments: Exams: Final Exam: Shotguns are pop-quizzes and may come at any time. They may range from being a glorified attendance credit, to a quick concept review, to a short exercise. They may be easy, or they may be tricky. There are an unspecified number of shotguns during the semester. Homework assignments are assigned frequently and may involve writing code. Since the content will likely appear on exams, make sure you understand the correct answers. Solutions will not be posted, but you can come in for help. Writing assignments are formal, professional reports, essays or papers of various lengths on topics assigned by the instructor. Spelling, grammar and formatting will be strictly graded. There will be at least one longer paper, and there may be a few shorter writing assignments. There will be two midterm exams (not counting the final exam) given during the term and the dates are given in this syllabus. The exams will be comprehensive in the sense that they build upon concepts covered in previous exams, but not in the sense that there will be repeat questions. Exams may consist of multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, short answer, written programming, computer programming problems, etc. Exam dates are not negotiable. The final exam is comprehensive in the sense that there may be repeated questions and concepts from past exams, quizzes and shotguns in addition to any new material covered after the most recent midterm exam. The final exam date is set by the registrar and cannot be altered for any reason.
CSCI 103 Course Syllabus (Fall 2012) 5 Grading Appeals: Submission: Reading: Handwritten Work: Extra Credit: Any discrepancy or disagreement in grading must be presented to the instructor in writing within one week of your receipt of your graded materials; otherwise no grade change will be made. Detailed instructions for submission will be given with each assignment. Email is never an acceptable form of submission unless explicitly requested. A lecture schedule will be posted. Students are encouraged to read ahead of time and after lectures to familiarize themselves with and then review the concepts to be covered in lecture. After this, the text makes a great reference book to use while you practice programming by physically typing your own programs on the computer. In other words, you cannot learn to program just by reading the book. Please make certain that any work submitted for grading written by hand (such as shotguns, quizzes and exams) is completely legible. Indecipherable handwriting will be assumed to be describing an incorrect answer. In general, extra credit will not be offered or given a focus. However, extra points on assignments may be presented from time to time, and any extra points earned will be tracked. The factoring of these points into the final grade may be contingent upon students earning (or unlocking ) extra credit privileges through merit or other prescribed methods. These will be described as needed. Resources Honors: Disability: Students wishing to take the course under the Honors Program need to approach the instructor during the first week of class. If you anticipate issues related to the format or requirements of this course, please meet with me. I would like us to discuss ways to ensure your full participation in the course. If you determine that formal, disability related accommodations are necessary, it is very important that you register with the Academic Support Center (117 Thompson Hall, 843-953-5305) and notify me of your eligibility for reasonable accommodations. We can then plan how best to coordinate your accommodations. http://www.citadel.edu/academicsupportcenter/disabilities.html