CS21:Intro to Computer Science, Fall'08
(section 3, knerr)
Class Info | Schedule | Grading | Study Sessions | Style | Tips for Success | Integrity | LinksIntroduction
Welcome to CS21. This course will introduce fundamental ideas in computer science while also teaching you how to write computer programs. We will study algorithms for solving problems and implement solutions in the Python programming language. Python is an interpreted language that is known for its ease of use. We also introduce object-oriented programming and data structures. A deeper coverage of these topics will be presented in CS 35.
This course is appropriate for all students who want to learn how to write computer programs and think like computer scientists. It is the usual first course for computer science majors and minors. Students with advanced placement credit or extensive programming experience should place out of this course and instead begin with CS 33 or CS 35.
Goals for the course
By the end of the course, we hope that you will have developed the following skills:
- Given a program, be able to simulate on paper how a computer would execute the program, and show the results that would be produced.
- Given a problem, be able to design a clear, concise, and correct pseudo-code algorithm to solve it.
- Given a pseudo-code algorithm, be able to successfully implement it in Python.
- Be able to use top-down design to sub-divide a large problem into reasonably-sized modular sub-problems.
- Given several algorithms for solving the same problem, be able to analyze which algorithm would be more efficient in terms of running time.
- Develop debugging and unit testing skills. Consistently use these skills while implementing programs.
- Learn to work as part of a team to solve problems starting from design and continuing through to implementation.
Class info
Room: Science Center 240Time: MWF 11:30am–12:20pm
Text: Python Programming: an Introduction to Computer Science by John Zelle
Instructional Staff
Instructor: Jeff KnerrOffice: Science Center 238A
Phone: (610) 690-5758
Office hours: by appointment, or just drop by. Also see Weekly Lab Office Hours below.
Student Support: Betsy Horner
Office: Science Center 257
Phone: 610-957-6062
Student Mentors (Ninjas): Maria Kelly and Jake Baskin
Ninja sessions: Sunday and Wednesday nights from 7-9pm (see below)
Other Sections: Tia Newhall
(MWF 9:30-10:20) and
Andy Danner (TR 9:55am-11:10am)
Schedule
| WEEK | DAY | ANNOUNCEMENTS | TOPIC & READING | ASSIGNMENTS |
| 1 | Sep 01 | Using Unix: Tue 8pm, Wed 7pm | Introduction to Python and Unix Chapt. 1-2 |
Assign: lab 0 Assign: lab 1 |
| Sep 03 | ||||
| Sep 05 | ||||
| 2 | Sep 08 | Numbers and Strings Chapt. 3-4 (skip 4.6) |
Assign: lab 2 |
|
| Sep 10 | ||||
| Sep 12 | Add/Drop ends; QUIZ 1 PDF | |||
| 3 | Sep 15 | Booleans Chapt. 7 |
Assign: lab 3 |
|
| Sep 17 | ||||
| Sep 19 | ||||
| 4 | Sep 22 | Graphics Quick Reference Page | Graphics, objects Chapt. 5 |
Assign: lab 4 |
| Sep 24 | ||||
| Sep 26 | QUIZ 2 PDF | |||
| 5 | Sep 29 | Functions, objects Chapt. 6 |
Assign: lab 5 |
|
| Oct 01 | ||||
| Oct 03 | ||||
| 6 | Oct 06 | Loops, Top Down Design Chapt. 8, 9 |
Assign: lab 6 |
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| Oct 08 | ||||
| Oct 10 | QUIZ 3 PDF | |||
Oct 13 |
Fall Break |
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Oct 15 |
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Oct 17 |
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| 7 | Oct 20 | Top Down Design, Loops Chapt. 8, 9 |
Assign: lab 7 |
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| Oct 22 | ||||
| Oct 24 | ||||
| 8 | Oct 27 | Searching, Analysis of Algorithms Chapt. 13.1 |
Assign: lab 8 |
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| Oct 29 | ||||
| Oct 31 | QUIZ 4 PDF | |||
| 9 | Nov 03 | Recursion, Sorting Chapt. 13.2-13.3 |
Assign: lab 9 |
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| Nov 05 | ||||
| Nov 07 | ||||
| 10 | Nov 10 | Dictionaries, Sorting Chapt. 11.6 |
Assign: lab 10 |
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| Nov 12 | ||||
| Nov 14 | QUIZ 5 PDF | |||
| 11 | Nov 17 | Defining new classes Chapt. 10 |
Assign: lab 11 |
|
| Nov 19 | ||||
| Nov 21 | ||||
| 12 | Nov 24 | Object Oriented Design Chapt. 12 |
Assign: lab 12 |
|
| Nov 26 | ||||
Nov 28 |
Thanksgiving Break |
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| 13 | Dec 01 | Linked lists handout |
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| Dec 03 | Assign: lab 13 |
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| Dec 05 | QUIZ 6 PDF | |||
| 14 | Dec 08 | Wrap-up | Assign: lab 13 |
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Dec 19 |
Final Exam (2pm-5pm) room SciCntr 101 |
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Grading
Grades will be weighted as follows:| 40% | Homework assignments |
| 30% | Quizzes |
| 5% | Class Participation |
| 25% | Final Exam |
Homework policy
Programming assignments will typically be assigned in class at the beginning of the week and will be due before midnight the following Tuesday night. You are strongly encouraged to start early and to attend the study sessions for extra practice.
You will submit you assignments electronically using the handin21 program. You may submit your assignment multiple times, but each submission overwrites the previous one and only the final submission will be graded. Late assignments will not be accepted except in extreme situations and only if you contact me before the deadline. Even if you do not fully complete an assignment, you should submit what you have done to receive partial credit.
Weekly Lab Office Hours
CS21 faculty will staff part of our office hours in the robot lab (252 Science Center). Any CS21 student is welcome to attend any session.| Time | Professor | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Mondays 3:30-4:30 | Newhall | Science Center 252 |
| Mondays 4:30-5:30 | Danner | Science Center 252 |
| Fridays 2-3 | Knerr | Science Center 252 |
Study sessions
Several student mentors will assist us in class and run study sessions in the main lab (Science Center 240) on the following evenings.
| Day | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Sunday | 7-9pm | Sci Center 240 |
| Wednesday | 7-9pm | Sci Center 240 |
You are invited and encouraged (free food) to participate in these study sessions (free food) to prepare for quizzes, to discuss programming concepts, and (free food) to get friendly assistance in working on homework assignments. Our CS mentoring team is dedicated to helping you learn to program in Python, while keeping your sense of humor intact. As an added bonus, free food is usually provided at the sessions.
Programming Style
Programming is not a dry mechanical process, but a form of art. Well written code has an aesthetic appeal while poor form can make other programmers and instructors cringe. Programming assignments will be graded based on style and correctness. Good programming practices usually include many of the following principles:
- A comment at the top of the program that includes
- Program authors
- Date or Dates
- A brief description of what the program does
- Concise comments that summarize major sections of your code
- Meaningful variable and function names
- Function comments that include: (1) description of what function does; (2) description of input values (parameter values); (3) description of return value(s)
- Well organized code
- White space or comments to improve legibility
Also, look over the Python Code Style Guide for more details and some examples of good code style.
How to Succeed in CS 21
-
Read the material before you come to class.
Don't worry about total comprehension, but at least get a feel for what we will be covering that week. If you have some understanding of the material coming into class, it will be easier for you to ask questions during class, rather than later when help may not be available. Additionally, we often do lab exercises during class. This is an important part of the learning process, as these exercises give you immediate experience with the material we are covering. If you read the book before you come to class, you'll be able to complete these exercises more easily. -
Ask questions if you don't understand.
This means both during class and while doing your homework. This class continually builds on previous material, so if you don't understand something one week, it will continue to be a problem the next week, and the week after that, and so on. If you need help, ask your classmates (make sure you have read the "Academic Integrity" section below first), attend the study sessions, come talk with me during my office hours, or email me your question. -
Start the homework assignments early.
I realize this one is not always easy to do, but if you can get in the habit of doing this, you will be much better off. If you get stuck early (i.e., not two hours before it is due), there will be time to look for help. In addition, if you start early enough, you can take a break, go do something else, and come back later. I find I always have at least a few new ideas when I come back to a problem after a break. If you wait until the last minute, you can't do this. -
Practice, practice, practice.
The only effective way to learn the material and pass the quizes and exams is to consistently do the homework. Finish all of the assigned programs (and do some extras, for fun!). Even if you don't get them done on time, they will still help you learn the material. -
Seek help early and often.
Because course material builds on previous material, it is essential to your success in this class that you keep up with the course material. If you are having difficulty with a programming assignment, if you didn't follow something covered in lecture, if you feel you need some extra help understanding or practicing some of the course material, or if you just want to discuss something from a lecture, an assignment, or the text, please come to my office hours. -
Attend CS21 Study Sessions.
The CS 21 Student Mentors (Ninjas) hold evening study sessions each week. You are encouraged to participate in these sessions. The Ninjas will help you prepare for quizzes, will provide additional instruction in programming concepts, and will provide friendly assistance on your homework assignments.
Academic Integrity
Academic honesty is required in all work you submit to be graded. With the exception of your lab partner on lab assignments, you may not submit work done with (or by) someone else, or examine or use work done by others to complete your own work. Your code should never be shared with anyone; you may not examine or use code belonging to someone else, nor may you let anyone else look at or make a copy of your code. This includes sharing solutions after the due date of the assignment.
All code you submit must be your own with the following permissible exceptions: code distributed in class, code found in the course text book, and code worked on with an assigned partner. In these cases, you should always include detailed comments that indicate on which parts of the assignment you received help, and what your sources were.
Discussing ideas and approaches to problems with others on a general level is fine (in fact, we encourage you to discuss general strategies with each other), but you should never read anyone else's code or let anyone else read your code. You may discuss assignment specifications and requirements with others in the class to be sure you understand the problem. In addition, you are allowed to work with others to help learn the course material. However, with the exception of your lab partner, you may not work with others on your assignments in any capacity.
"It is the opinion of the faculty that for an intentional first offense, failure in the course is normally appropriate. Suspension for a semester or deprivation of the degree in that year may also be appropriate when warranted by the seriousness of the offense." - Swarthmore College Bulletin (2008-2009, Section 7.1.2)
Please see me if there are any questions about what is permissible.