CS 101 Syllabus

20 January 2016

Welcome to CS 101, a broad overview of the main areas of study in Computer and Information Sciences. Topics include computer organization, information processing, algorithms, and programming. The main ideas behind the theory and design of Operating Systems, Databases, and Computer Networks, along with current views on the theory and practice of Software Engineering, and the basics of Artificial Intelligence are also explored. The course highlights the uses of computing systems in business, the sciences, and other professional fields. This course is required for all students majoring in Computer Science or Information Systems. It is also suitable for majors in other disciplines who want to go beyond being casual users of computers to gain a deeper appreciation of some of the most important computing and information technologies developed over the last fifty years.

“Computation and algorithmic thinking have become essential components for solving problems in many different fields. As such, computer scientists are intimately involved in finding solutions to some of the most pressing social, economic, and scientific problems of our day” — Goldweber, Barr, and Patitsas, in SIGCSE 2013

When:
Monday, Wednesday 9–10:50 AM
Where:
LLC 207
Credits:
3
Prerequisites:
None

Contact Info

Instructor:
Prof. Christopher League, Ph.D.
Email:
— please include the course number (CS101) in the subject. I have several email addresses, but all messages end up in the same place, so use only one.
Google Hangout:
cleague@gmail.com
Office hours:
Monday 2:30–3:50, Wednesday 4–5:20 or make an appointment at https://liucs.net/bookme
Office phone:
+1 718 488 1274
Office location:
LLC 206, LIU Brooklyn

Resources

  • We will use several web resources:

    If you have a question or problem that might also apply to other students, please ask on Piazza rather than by email. Then the GA and other students can help you too, and the solution is available for all to see. Try to use email only for personal matters such as your grades.

  • The textbook is Computer Science Illuminated by Dale and Lewis (6th edition, ISBN 144-967-2841, http://amzn.to/1yksnd6). An older edition is fine, if that saves you some money! I created a table that correlates section numbers across editions 3–6: https://liucs.net/u562

  • Campus library resources tailored for computer science are available at https://liucs.net/u1

  • Additional office hours and tutoring are available from my graduate assistant, Janki Vasoya. Her hours are Thursday and Friday from 10–12. You can find her in the CS Department (LLC 206) or GA Room (beside the lab).

Requirements

Your grade will be computed based on assignments, exams, quizzes, and participation. There are a total of 1,000 points available, broken down as follows:

  • There will be 8 assignments during the semester. Assignments are worth 50 points each, for a total of 400 points.

  • There are 6 quizzes scheduled throughout the semester, to make sure you are following along with the lectures and online review resources. Quizzes are worth 20 points each, but I will drop the lowest two scores so only 4 will count, for a total of 80 points.

  • There will be 10 online ‘check-in’ opportunities scheduled, roughly one per week. These vary from week to week, but may involve responding to a survey, taking a brief online quiz, or participating in a discussion forum. Check-ins are worth 15 points each, but I will drop the lowest two scores so only 8 will count, for a total of 120 points.

  • There will be a midterm and final exam, worth 200 points each for a total of 400 points.

On the 1,000-point scale, you can expect the following letter grades:

   ≥ 870: B+ ≥ 770: C+ ≥ 670: D+
≥ 930: A ≥ 830: B ≥ 730: C ≥ 600: D
≥ 900: A–    ≥ 800: B–    ≥ 700: C–    else: F

In the end, I may choose to adjust the scale slightly to compensate for assignments or questions that turned out to be trickier than I intended. Such adjustments would never lower your grade from what is designated in the above table; if you achieve 930 points, you are guaranteed an A.

Policies

It is important to complete tasks on time, so you don’t fall behind. Missed check-ins and quizzes will receive a zero, and cannot be made up (but remember, the lowest two scores are dropped). If you need to miss an exam, try to notify me in advance so we can make other arrangements. Late assignments will be graded as follows.

This formula specifies a lateness factor \(f\) that is multiplied by your earned score to determine a late score. The variable \(h\) represents the number of hours the submission is late.

\[ f = \frac{8.5 - \log_2{\left(\frac{h}{24}\right)}}{10} \]

You can adjust the sliders beside the graph below to visualize the effect of this formula. The green slider at the left controls the score you would have received based on the content of the work. The red slider below controls how late the assignment was turned in. The red circle in the graph indicates the adjusted score.

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There will be no extra credit. Students usually ask for extra credit late in the semester after they have already squandered their original opportunities. Be sure to start your work early, so that we can detect and solve any problems before they can affect your grade.

Plagiarism is the use or presentation of ideas, words, or work that is not one’s own and that is not common knowledge, without granting credit to the originator. Plagiarism is a practice that is not only unacceptable, but which is to be condemned in the strongest terms possible on the basis of moral, educational and legal grounds. Under University policy, plagiarism may be punishable by a range of penalties from a failing grade in the assignment or course to dismissal from the School of Business, Public Administration and Information Sciences. All students are required to read the handbook on avoiding plagiarism by visiting https://liucs.net/u2

Cheating includes, but is not limited to the following: falsification of statements or data; listing sources that have not been used; having another individual write your paper or do your assignments; writing a paper or creating work for another student to use without proper attribution; purchase of paper or research work for one’s submission as his/her own work; using written, verbal, or electronic or other sources of aid during an examination (except when expressly permitted by the instructor, depending on the nature of the examination) or knowingly providing such assistance to aid other students.

In a course with programming assignments, it is usually okay to work with and learn from other students to some extent, but what you submit in the end needs to be your own. The most reliable way to do that would be to set aside whatever code you created together, and then recreate it from scratch on your own.

Showing up on time to class is extremely important. If you must be absent or more than 5 minutes late, please try to notify me in advance. I will be keeping track of whether you are in class, and when you arrive. A few missed classes will not count against you, but habitual absence will significantly hurt your grade. Additionally, there will be no make-up quizzes. I do not distinguish between ‘excused’ and ‘unexcused’ absence. Unless you miss an exam due to a severe medical emergency, I don’t want to see a doctor’s note. If you do miss an exam, the make-up exam will be different – and probably not easier.

Long Island University seeks to provide reasonable accommodations for all qualified persons with disabilities, whether psychological, neurological, chronic medical, learning, sensory, or physical. The University will adhere to all applicable federal, state and local laws, regulations and guidelines with respect to providing reasonable accommodations as required to afford equal educational opportunity. It is the student’s responsibility to register with Student Support Services as early as possible and to provide faculty members with the formal communication for suitable accommodations. Visit Pratt 410, call 718 488 1044, or visit http://www.liu.edu/Brooklyn/SSS

I participate in the LIU Safe Zone program. Representatives of the program serve as contacts for individuals on campus with questions or concerns related to sexual orientation and gender identity, whether of self or of a friend or family member. The goal of the program is to promote a safe and free campus for all students. Safe Zone areas can be identified by a sticker with the LIU Safe Zone logo.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) gives students control over the disclosure of their educational records. During this course you may have the opportunity to create accounts or register with certain public online services. In these cases, you need not make any personally identifying information public. You may use a pseudonym or online handle, as long as you identify yourself to the instructor.

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