CSE 111 - Great
Ideas in Computer Science
Fall 2002
Syllabus
Monday,
Wednesday, Friday -
Instructor Information:
Adrienne Decker
email:
adrienne@cse.buffalo.edu
Office: 329
Office Hours: TBA and by Appointment
Teaching Assistants
TBA
Recitations
|
L1 |
Monday |
|
143
Park |
|
L2 |
Wednesday |
|
143
Park |
|
L3 |
Tuesday |
|
143
Park |
|
L4 |
Tuesday |
|
143
Park |
|
L5 |
Thursday |
|
143
Park |
|
L6 |
Monday |
|
143
Park |
|
L7 |
Wednesday |
|
143
Park |
|
L8 |
Friday |
|
143
Park |
Where to get information for this course:
Course
Webpage:
http://www.cse.buffalo.edu/faculty/adrienne/FA2002/cse111
Textbooks:
Required: Available
at the Bookstore is a shrink-wrapped pack containing the following books (ISBN:
0131824902). All of the books in the pack are required.
George Beekman. 2003.
Computer Confluence (Standard Edition), Prentice Hall, (ISBN: 0130661880)
Keith Mulberry. 2002. Essentials of
Word Level 3, Prentice Hall, (ISBN: 0130928070)
Lawrence Metzelaar
& Marianne Fox. 2002. Essentials of Excel Level 2,
Prentice Hall, (ISBN: 0130927651)
Linda Bird.
2002. Essentials of PowerPoint Level 1, Prentice Hall (ISBN: 0130927740)
Optional:
Tom Negrino
& Dori Smith. 2001. JavaScript for
the World Wide Web: Visual Quick Start Guide, Peachpit
Press, (ISBN: 0201735172)
Lawrence Metzelaar
& Marianne Fox. 2002. Essentials of Excel Level 1, Prentice
Hall, (ISBN: 0130927678)
Against the Clock: Microsoft Front Page 2002: Creating and Managing the Web
Sites. 2002. Prentice Hall, (ISBN: 0130674478)
Course Description:
This course is
designed to satisfy the mathematics core requirements for non-FNSM majors.
Students will study algorithmic problem solving techniques, and will gain an
appreciation for some of the most interesting and significant results of
Computer Science, as well as its intellectual and social significance. The
course has both a mathematical and laboratory component.
Prerequisites: Willingness to learn new things, to put
forth effort in learning, and willingness to work hard to understand new
concepts and ideas.
Course
Policies:
We will follow the
University Policy on Academic Integrity, detailed in the Undergraduate Catalog.
For more information, see Article 5A of the Student Conduct Rules, University
Standards and Administrative Regulations and the UB Teaching and Learning
Resources Student Conduct Rules web page. A good application of these rules to
computer science is given on the department's web page, and this is the policy
we will follow. Please read the policy
and understand the implications.
Anyone caught in
violation of the policies on academic dishonesty on any assignment will
immediately be given a grade of F in the course. For especially flagrant
violations, formal proceedings will be initiated. Such proceedings can call for
harsher sanction including expulsion from the University.
We have recently
acquired access to an electronic means of cheating detection that make it
possible to check the entirety of class submissions with ease. All submissions for this class will be run
through the analyzer. Nearly every semester,
I have seen assignments for which there is strong evidence of academic dishonesty. There is always proper sanction taken against
these violations. Academic dishonesty
will not be tolerated.
Example Infractions of Academic Integrity
Examples of conduct
considered in violation of the policies on academic integrity include but are
not limited to:
Writing code is a
lot like writing an essay for an English class.
While everyone might have to write an essay on the same topic, each
person would not write a paragraph of the essay and then turn in the resulting
paper. There is a lot of room for
individuality, even when writing on a topic - coding a solution to a problem is
the same.
We will follow the
UB Undergraduate Catalog Statement on Incomplete Grades, outlined in the
Undergraduate Catalog. Take the time to familiarize yourself with the contents
of this page.
Generally,
incomplete ("I") grades are not given. However, very rarely,
circumstances truly beyond the student's control prevents him or her from
completing work in the course. In such cases the instructor can give a grade of
"I". The student will be given instructions and a deadline for
completing the work, usually no more than 30 days past the end of the semester.
University and department policy dictate that "I" grades can be given
only if the following conditions are met:
· An Incomplete will only be given for missing
a small part of the course.
· An Incomplete will only be given when the
student misses work due to circumstances beyond his/her control.
· An Incomplete will only be given when the
student is passing the course except for the missed material.
· An Incomplete is to be made up with the
original course instructor within the time specified by the appropriate
University regulation (see appropriate document above), and usually within the
following semester.
· An Incomplete will not be given to allow the
student to informally retake the entire course, and have that grade count as
the grade of the original course.
Incompletes can not
be given as a shelter from poor grades. It is the student's responsibility to
make a timely resignation from the course if he or she is doing poorly for any
reason.
Regrading of Work
Any questions about
the grading of a piece of work must be raised within 1 week of the date that
the work was returned by the teaching assistant or the instructor. In other
words, if you do not pick up your work in a timely fashion, you may forfeit
your right to question the grading of your work. Please note, we reserve the
right to regrade the entire assignment brought to our attention, possibly
leading to a reduction in the overall assignment grade.
Disabilities
If you have a diagnosed
disability (physical, learning, or psychological) and are registered with the
Office of Disability Services, please inform the instructor during the first
two weeks of the course. Do not assume
that the instructor has received any paperwork about it. It is the student's responsibility to make
sure that the instructor receives the paperwork as soon as possible from
Disability Services.
Obstruction or disruption in the classroom
The University recognizes
that faculty members are responsible for effective management of the classroom
environment to promote conditions which will enhance student learning. Accordingly, instructors should set
reasonable rules for classroom behavior and must articulate these rules, in
writing, in materials provided to the students at the start of the semester.
Fortunately, student
obstructions or disruptions in UB classrooms are rare and seldom lead to
disciplinary actions. The term
"classroom disruption" means behavior that a reasonable person would
view as substantially or repeatedly interfering with the conduct of a
class. Examples could include persistently
speaking without being recognized, continuing with conversations distracting
the class or, in extreme cases, resorting to physical threats or personal
assaults.
Lawful, civil expression of
disagreement with the instructor or other students is not in itself
"disruptive behavior" and is not proscribed under these or any other
regulations. However, when student
conduct interferes with or prevents the conduct of classes or other university
functions or when the safety of members of the campus community is endangered
by threats of disruption, violence, or violent acts, the administration has
approved the following course or actions:
·
If a student is
disruptive, he/she should be asked to stop and warned that continuing such
disruptive behavior can result in academic or disclipinary action. Many
students may be unaware that their behavior is disruptive so that a private
conversation with the student is often effective and preferable as an initial
step.
·
Should the
disruptive behavior continue, the faculty member is authorized to ask the
student to leave the classroom or site.
·
A student may be
dismissed from the course for the remainder of the semester, subject to Student
Conduct Regulations and due process proceedings, as appropriate.
·
If a student
refuses to leave the area after being instructed to do so, the student should
be informed this refusal is a separate violation subject to additional
penalties.
·
If, in the
instructor's best judgment, the behavior creates a safety risk or makes it
impossible to continue class or function, the instructor should contact Public
Safety to assist in removal of the student and/or may dismiss class for that
day.
Behavioral Expectations
To prevent and respond to
distracting behavior faculty should clarify standards for the conduct of class,
either in the syllabus, or by referencing the expectations cited in the Student
Conduct Regulations. Classroom
"etiquette" expectations should include:
·
Attending class
and paying attention. Do not ask an
instructor to go over material you missed by skipping class or not
concentrating.
·
Not coming to
class late or leaving early. If you must
enter a class late, do so quietly and do not disrupt the class by walking
between the class and the instructor. Do
not leave class unless it is an absolute necessity.
·
Not talking with
other classmates while the instructor or another student is speaking. If you have a question or a comment, please
raise your hand, rather than starting a conversation about it with your
neighbor.
·
Showing respect
and concern for others by not monopolizing class discussion. Allow others time to give their input and ask
questions. Do not stray from the topic
of class discussion.
·
Not eating and
drinking during class time.
·
Turning off the
electronics: cell phones, pagers, and beeper watches.
·
Avoiding audible
and visible signs of restlessness. These
are both rude and disruptive to the rest of the class.
·
Focusing on class
material during class time. Sleeping,
talking to others, doing work for another class, reading the newspaper,
checking email, and exploring the internet are unacceptable and can be
disruptive.
·
Not packing
bookbags or backpacks to leave until instructor has dismissed class.
Grading Policy:
The following table
indicates the grade breakdown which I will use in assigning grades in the
course. I reserve the right to make adjustments to the breakdown if I feel it
is necessary.
10% - Quizzes
15% - Attendance
30% - Lab (programming) assignments
45% - Exams
Attendance
Policy:
Attendance is
required for all lectures and recitations.
Attendance will be taken 15 (fifteen) times randomly throughout the
semester. Days that attendance will be taken will not be announced.
You will receive 1 (one) attendance point for being present when attendance is
taken and no points if you are not present.
Students who do not
attend class regularly generally do not do as well in the course as those who
do. If for any reason you can not attend
a lecture, it is the student's responsibility to make up the missed work. Neither the Teaching Assistants nor the
instructor will take time out of our office hours to reteach material to
students who did not attend class. If
you are absent, get the notes from someone.
All handouts, lab
assignments, important announcements, and other printed course material
(including this syllabus) are always available on the webpage, so if you need
to be absent, you can get the materials you missed. Attendance at the exams is mandatory.
Examination Grading:
There will be two
in-class exams held during class time.
Each exam will be worth 15% of your grade.
Exam 1 - Friday, October 4th
Exam 2 - Friday, November 1st
There will be a
final exam held during exam week that will be worth 15% of your grade.
Please be on time
for the exams. After the first person
completes the exam, turns in the paper and leaves the exam room, no late
arriving people will be permitted to start the exam.
If you do not attend
an exam, you will receive a grade of 0 (zero) for the exam. An exception to
this rule will be made only in the case of a documented medical or family
emergency. You must bring your UB Card to the exams.
In order to receive
a passing grade in the course, you must have a passing exam grade. In other
words, your average over the three exams must be a grade of at least 50% in
order for you to receive a passing grade in the course.
The following table
indicates the number to letter grade mapping I will use to assign final grades
at the end of the course.
|
Percentage Score |
Letter Grade |
|
90 -100 |
A |
|
85 - 89 |
A- |
|
80 - 84 |
B+ |
|
75 - 79 |
B |
|
70 - 74 |
B- |
|
65 - 69 |
C+ |
|
60 - 64 |
C |
|
55 - 59 |
C- |
|
50 - 54 |
D |
|
0 - 49 |
F |
Labs:
There will be weekly
labs for this course. Labs are
programming assignments designed to complement the lectures, and sharpen the
programming skills of the students. They
are graded and worth 30% of your final course grade. There will be approximately 10 assignments
this semester. Lab assignments will not
be given out in hard copy, but will be available on the web. Due dates for the labs are stated directly on
the assignment. Late labs will receive a
25% penalty per day late. Any lab handed
after three days will be given a grade of zero.
If the solution to a lab is given in class, NO LATE LABS WILL BE ACCEPTED.
In order to receive
a passing grade in the course, you must have a passing lab average. In other
words, your average over all the labs must be at least 50% in order for you to
receive a passing grade in the course.
Homework:
Homework assignments that are assigned will be posted. If an assignment is submitted late, there
will be a 50% penalty imposed per day late.
Schedule:
A tentative course
schedule is available on the course website.
This schedule is subject to change based on the flow of the class. We may spend more time on some topics and
less on others dependant on how fast students grasp the material.
Disclaimer:
I reserve the right to change
this syllabus and the contents herein if circumstances of the class/semester
require me to do so. These changes will
be announced and posted to the class website.
Student Portion: Signature form - Student Copy
I agree to all of the terms
and conditions presented in the syllabus for the University at
I also understand the
definition of academic integrity as outlined by the syllabus, and understand
that if I violate the University at
I also understand that I am
required to have successfully completed the assigned pre-requisites for this
course. I understand that if I do not
have the required pre-requisites, that I can be forcibly dropped or resigned
form the course.
I have read the above
statement and have read the syllabus and understand what the expectations are
in this course.
CSE 111: Great Ideas
in Computer Science Fall
2002
Student Portion: Signature
form
I agree to all of
the terms and conditions presented in the syllabus for the University at
I also understand
the definition of academic integrity as outlined by the syllabus, and
understand that if I violate the University at
I also understand
that I am required to have successfully completed the assigned pre-requisites
for this course. I understand that if I
do not have the required pre-requisites, that I can be forcibly dropped or
resigned form the course.
I have read the
above statement and have read the syllabus and understand what the expectations
are in this course.
Student Name
(print): _____________________________________________________
Signature:
_______________________________________________________________
Date:
________________