Introduction to Computer Science using Python

Announcements

  • Welcome to CS21!
  • Lab 12 [Optional] is due Saturday night (May 2)
  • Lab 11 is due Saturday night (Apr 25)

Course Information

Section 3: TR 9:55–11:10, Sci Cntr 256 (the Birds' nest)
Professor: Andrew Danner
Piazza: CS21 Q&A forum
Office: Sci 247
Office hours: You can stop by whenever my door is open, or email me for an appt.

Other Sections: Jason Waterman (MWF 10:30am–11:20pm) | Jeff Knerr (MWF 11:30–12:20

Introduction:

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 CS31 or CS35.

Textbook:

Introduction to Computation and Programming Using Python by John V. Guttag
ISBN: 978-0262525008
We are using the revised and expanded edition
(a copy will be on reserve at Cornell Library)
guttag book

See the Schedule for each week's reading assignment.

Here are a few other useful online python resources:

Goals for the course:

By the end of the course, we hope that you will have developed the following skills:


Schedule

This is a tentative schedule; it may change as we go.
WEEK DAY ANNOUNCEMENTS TOPIC & READING LABS     
1

Jan 20

  Introduction to Python and Unix
For loops
Sections 2.1, 3.2. Skip 2.1.3
In class
Lab 00

Jan 22

 
2

Jan 27

  Numbers and Strings
Sections 2.3, 3.4
In Class
Lab 01

Jan 29

Drop/add ends (Jan 30)

3

Feb 03

Quiz 1

Booleans, If/else
Sec. 2.2
In Class
Lab 02

Feb 05

 
4

Feb 10

  While loops
Sec. 2.4
In class
Lab 03

Feb 12

 
5

Feb 17

Quiz 2

Graphics, using objects
In Class
Lab 04

Feb 19

 
6

Feb 24

  Functions, objects
Sec. 4.1, 4.2
In class
Lab 05

Feb 26

 
7

Mar 03

  Top Down Design, File I/O
Sec. 4.6, Chapter 6 In class
Lab 06

Mar 05

Quiz 3

 

Mar 10

Spring Break

Mar 12

8

Mar 17

  More Top Down Design
Lab 07 P1

Mar 19

 
9

Mar 24

Quiz 4

Searching, Analysis of Algorithms
Sec. 9.1, 9.3.1-9.3.3, 10.1
Lab 07 P2

Mar 26

CR/NC/W Deadline (Mar 27)

10

Mar 31

  Sorting, Analysis of Algorithms
Sec. 10.2
Lab 08

Apr 02

 
11

Apr 07

Quiz 5

Recursion
Sec. 4.3
Lab 9

Apr 09

 
12

Apr 14

  Defining new classes
Chapt. 8
handout
Lab 10

Apr 16

 
13

Apr 21

Quiz 6

Linked lists Lab 11

Apr 23

 
14

Apr 28

  Wrap up  

Apr 30

 
 

May 07

Final Exams Begin

May 16


Grading Policies

Grades will be weighted as follows:
40%Lab assignments
30%Quizzes
25%Final Exam
5%Class Participation

Quiz policy

Quizzes will be given at the beginning of class on the days posted on the Schedule. Please look over these dates carefully and contact the professor in advance if you cannot be in class for a quiz.

Lab Policy

This course features weekly lab assignments which are the largest component of your course grade. Lab attendance is required by all students, unless you have already completed and submitted the lab assignment for the week. You must attend the lab session for which you are enrolled:

Weekly Lab Sessions
CS21 A 1:05—2:35pm Tuesdays Danner Science Center 240
CS21 B 2:45—4:15pm Tuesdays Knerr Science Center 240
CS21 C 1:15—2:45pm Wednesdays Waterman Science Center 240
CS21 D 3:00—4:30pm Wednesdays Waterman Science Center 240

Lab assignments will typically be assigned in class at the beginning of the week and will be due before midnight on Saturdays. You are strongly encouraged to start early and to attend the study sessions for extra practice.

You will submit your assignments electronically using the handin21 program. You may submit your assignment multiple times, and a history of previous submission will be saved. You are encouraged to submit your work regularly.

Late assignments will only be accepted if you contact the professor at least a day before the deadline with a legitimate reason for needing extra time, such as an illness or needing to leave campus.

Even if you do not fully complete an assignment, you should submit what you have done to receive partial credit.

The cs labs are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for you to use for CS21 lab assignments.


Academic Integrity

Academic honesty is required in all your work. Under no circumstances may you hand in work done with (or by) someone else under your own name. 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, but is not limited to, obtaining solutions from students who previously took the course or code that can be found online. You may not share solutions after the due date of the assignment.

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. 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 indicates on which parts of the assignment you received help, and what your sources were.

Failure to abide by these rules constitutes academic dishonesty and will lead to a hearing of the College Judiciary Committee. According to the Faculty Handbook: "Because plagiarism is considered to be so serious a transgression, it is the opinion of the faculty that for the first offense, failure in the course and, as appropriate, suspension for a semester or deprivation of the degree in that year is suitable; for a second offense, the penalty should normally be expulsion." Be aware that we will be routinely running plagiarism detection software on the lab solutions of students from all sections of CS21.

Please contact me if you have any questions about what is permissible in this course.


Student Support

Lauri Courtenay is the CS Department's Academic Support Coordinator. She will be working closely with our student mentors, also known as Ninjas, to help you learn how to program and think like a computer scientist. The CS21 Ninjas will assist me in class and run evening study sessions in the birds' nest (Sci 256). The CS21 Ninjas (student mentors) are: Dee Ahima, Rachel Diamond, Izzi Baskin, Alex Simms, Daniel Redelmeier, Nader Helmy, Shaina Lu, and Mayank Agrawal.

Study Sessions

You are invited -- and encouraged -- to participate in Ninja evening study sessions to prepare for quizzes, to discuss programming concepts, and to get friendly assistance in working on lab assignments. Our CS mentoring team is dedicated to helping students, who have no prior knowledge of computer science, learn to program in Python while keeping their senses of humor intact. As an added bonus, free snacks will be provided at the sessions. The sessions are held:

Weekly Evening Ninja Sessions
Mondays 7—9pm Sci Center 256
Wednesdays 7—10pm Sci Center 256

Accessing the CS labs after hours

You can use your ID to gain access to the computer labs at nights and on the weekends. Just wave your ID over the microprox reader next to the lab doors. When the green light goes on, just push the door to get in (the door knob will not turn). If the green light doesn't go on, then we need to enter your microprox number into the system. Email local-staff@cs.swarthmore.edu (or see Bridget) if you have problems with this. If the building is locked, you can use your ID to enter the door between Martin and Cornell library. For this class, your ID will give you access to the labs in rooms 238, 240, and 256.

Academic Accommodations

If you believe that you need accommodations for a disability, please contact Leslie Hempling in the Office of Student Disability Services (Parrish 113) or email lhempli1 to arrange an appointment to discuss your needs. As appropriate, she will issue students with documented disabilities a formal Accommodations Letter. Since accommodations require early planning and are not retroactive, please contact her as soon as possible. For details about the accommodations process, visit the Student Disability Service website.

To receive an accommodation for a course activity, you must have an Accommodation Authorization letter from Leslie Hempling and you need to meet with me to work out the details of your accommodation at least one week prior to the activity.

You are also welcome to contact me privately to discuss your academic needs. However, all disability-related accommodations must be arranged through Leslie Hempling in the Office Of Student Disability Services.


How to Succeed in CS 21


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:

Also, look over the Python Code Style Guide for more details and some examples of good code style.


Links that are related to the course may be posted here. If you have suggestions for links, let me know.

Python Tutor
Vi Quick Reference
Python style guide From Prof. Tia Newhall
Using Unix
Basic Unix Commands
Python Documentation (Note: we are using v2.7)
Graphics reference
How To Think Like a Computer Scientist: Python for Software Design
Dive Into Python
(A Semi-Official) Python FAQ Zone
NodeBox
pythonchallenge
emacs beginner's guide