CS192 Information

Instructors:
Debbie Bartlett
Office: ComSc Room 272
Office Hours:
Friday 10:00 - 10:50 [ComSc 120]
Email: bartlett@cs.colostate.edu

Elaine Regelson
Office: ComSc Room 278
Office Hours:
Friday 10:00 - 10:50 [ComSc 120]
Email: regelson@cs.colostate.edu
Lecture:
Mon & Wed 10:00 - 10:50 ComSc 215
Extra lab time:
Fri 10:00 - 10:50 ComSc 120

Course Policies

Course Description

This course seeks to welcome you to CSU, to introduce you to the many resources available to you here, to ease your transition into college, and to help you decide whether computer science is the right major for you and if not what is. We also want to help you to as quickly as possible form a community with people with whom you work well and have fun working. We will introduce you to courses and research areas in the computer science program at CSU, explore some important issues relevant to computing, and introduce to you a variety of careers that you could pursue. This is not a programming class. A number of programming languages will be introduced. Additionally, the major project will allow you the opportunity, should you choose this path, to learn a programming language (e.g. Python, C++, perl, etc.).

Specific objectives and activities include:

  • Determine if computer science is the right major for you, and if not what is.
    1. Learn about computer science (or other specific discipline-relevant) classes and research at CSU
    2. Produce a tentative plan of study to get your degree.
    3. Learn about some of the major employers of computer science students in the Fort Collins and Colorado area. Non-CS majors will be offered an opportunity to explore major employers in their fields as well.
    4. Students who are not confident about their choice of major are encouraged to work with our Career Center advisor as part of their major project to learn more about themselves, alternative majors, and which major is right for them.
  • Develop the knowledge and skills to be successful at CSU
    1. Improve skills related to time management, written and oral communication, teamwork, and following instructions (evaluation and execution)
    2. Become familiar with campus resources (i.e. Career Center, Tutoring services, Counseling Center, etc.)
  • Form a community with people with whom you work well and enjoy working.
    1. Get to know fellow students
    2. Do many kinds of in-class projects with other students.
    3. Learn about clubs that might be of interest to you.

Expectations:

The typical expectation for a college course at CSU is that students will work at least 2-3 hours outside of class per class credit hour. Therefore, a 2 credit class will require you to work more than 6 hours per week! This course requires significant homework!

A key objective of this course is that, by the end of the semester, every student has chosen a major that is right for them. Students who come to class, do the assigned work (including getting extra help as needed), and participate can get an A whether or not Computer Science is the right major for them. Note that this also means that getting an A in this class is not an indication that Computer Science is a good major for any particular student. Talk to the instructors, learn, and find the right place for you to be.

Grading Policy

Weighting of Points

The course requires demonstration of a student’s grasp of the concepts as follows:

Category Points Percent of Final Grade Due Date (Subject to change. Check ramCT.)
In class lecture: attendance and assignments 305 ~30% Throughout Semester
Lab assignments 150 15% Throughout Semester
Lab quizzes 45 4.5% 2/20, 3/27, 4/17
"Final" (last quiz) 100 100 10% 5/08
Major project proposal 50 5% 2/08
Major project status reports 50 each 10% 3/08, 4/12
Major project complete & demonstrated to an instructor 75 7.5% 5/10
Major project final report 25 2.5 5/10
One to two page paper (50 points) 50 5% 3/01
Degree Plan 100 10% 4/05
Total 1000 100%

Assignment of Final Grades

The assignment of letter grades will be made as follows:

Letter Grade Point Range
some kind of A 90-100%
some kind of B 80-89.9%
some kind of C 70-79.9%
D 60-69.9%
F Below 60%

Turning in work and late work:

For schedule information, see the Calender on BlackboardRamCT. Each assignment must be submitted via Blackboard RamCT (unless otherwise stated) by the deadline time given in Blackboard RamCT. Because we believe each of the assignments in this class is of value to you, we accept late work under the following conditions. You may write to request an extension with no grading penalty PRIOR to the due date. If you do not negotiate an extension before the due date, we will accept late assignments up to one week late with a 25% penalty. To request an extension you must negotiate with us in writing at least twenty-four hours before the assignment is due. Your request must explain why you are requesting the extension and when the assignment will be completed. We will email you back, letting you know IF your request will be granted.

The last day to turn in any assignments, including negotiated late assignments, is the last day of classes before finals begin. All papers and reports MUST include the date, student's name, class number (CS192), and section number or time.

Attendance

Because this is a seminar course, attendance is particularly important. Attendance sign-in sheets will be put out before each class begins and picked up at the start of class. There will be regular in-class lecture and lab assignments. Students are expected:

  • to be on time to class and stay until the class is complete (points will be subtracted for late arrival or unexcused early departure!);
  • to sign in when you arrive;
  • to be alert and attentive;
  • to participate in class meetings.
  • to have cell phones turned off unless you have gotten prior permission from one of the instructors;
  • to keep laptops turned off unless you have gotten prior permission from one of the instructors;
  • and to turn off monitors during lectures unless the instructor requests that they be turned on.

Excused absences are handled in accordance with CSU policies. If you are ill please let us know right away. CSU requires verifiable proof (e.g. a note from the health center) for students who wish not to be penalized for missed classes and work. It is always wise to email us if you can not make it to a class, but we likely will require such proof to excuse missed attendance, especially for repeated occurrences. We also do not want you to come to class ill. Because of this, we will give you one free absence should you need it, although make up work will need to be explicitly negotiated in writing. The objectives include: getting students to class; not spreading illness; and making sure students who are ill receive appropriate treatment promptly.

The material in this course (including learning to come to class and stay awake) is important. Excessive absences will impact your grade. We may choose to deduct as much as 2.5% from your grade for each unexcused absence.

Because this is a seminar class, there is no final during finals week. Instead, there will be a final quiz on the last regular day of class.

Collaboration

We encourage you to talk with other students about your assignments and questions, but make sure you do your own homework. You may not copy another student's program or other work (either with or without their knowledge), nor write code or other work for them. Team projects often work very well in this class, but you must submit a written agreement explaining the plan, with our written reply approving it.

Professional Conduct

All students are expected to conduct themselves professionally. We (the instructors and GTAs) assume you are familiar with the policies in the student information sheet for the department. Additionally, you are computing professionals, albeit perhaps just starting. You should be familiar with the code of conduct for the primary professional society, ACM. You can read the ACM Code of Conduct HERE.

We work to maintain an environment supportive of learning in the classroom and laboratory. Towards that end, we require that you be courteous to and respectful of your fellow participants (i.e., classmates, instructors, GTAs and any tutors). In particular:

  • Please turn off the ring on your cell phone. If you are expecting an emergency call, sit near the door and slide out discretely to take it.
  • In class use of electronic devices in general, and laptops specifically, is permitted as a courtesy so that you may better participate and learn. If at any time the instructor judges that an electronic device is becoming a distraction the student may be asked to to turn it off and put it away.
  • All exams and quizzes are to be done without the aid of notes of any kind. Laptops and all other electronic devices must be shut and put away during exams and quizzes.

CSU Honor Pledge

Exams, quizzes, and projects will be done individually and grades assigned on an individual basis. Further, students not already familiar with the CSU Honor Pledge should review this clear and simple pledge and always adhere to it.