Instructor: Dr. Shyamal Mitra
Office Hours: MWF 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM by appointment
Location: Zoom on Canvas
E-mail: mitra@cs.utexas.edu
Do not send mail on Canvas.
Student Assistant: Carlos Ovalle
E-mail: carlos.ovalle21@utexas.edu
Office Hours: MF 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM, TWTh 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Location: Zoom on Canvas
Student Assistant: Soham Patel
E-mail: sohampatel@utexas.edu
Office Hours: MF 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM, TWTh 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Location: Zoom on Canvas
Required Text: Python 3 and Data Structures
Authors: Bailey, Lysecky, Vahid
Publisher: Zyante
Section 84825
zyBook Code: UTEXASCS313EMitraSummer2020
ISBN: 978-1-394-03364-5
Cost: $77
We will learn how to analyze and design software. We will learn how to create reusable software components and to compose programs from already available components. We will learn about some basic data structures and algorithms and how to match the data structures and algorithms to problems. We will test and evaluate programs for their functionality and their performance.
We will be following the required text book closely. I will provide notes in class that will be posted on the web for topics that are not covered in the book. Unlike the traditional lecture format, our classes will be a venue for solving problems, writing programs, and exchanging, ideas. Attendance to the lectures is mandatory. If you are not there for any lecture you need to send me an e-mail explaining why.
There will be programming assignments that you can complete remotely in the CS public Labs. But most likely you will choose to use your own computer to work on these assignments. If you work on your home computer, you will have to download and install Python 3. There is a graphical development environment (IDLE) that comes with Python that you can also install. You can also use PyCharm.
The only way to learn programming is to program. Doing the programming assignments is crucial to performing well in class. There will be on the average two assignments every week. The assignments will be due on Mondays and Fridays. Each assignment will have a clearly stated due date and time. Assignments start out being easy but get harder over the semester. If you are having considerable difficulty with Assignments 2 and/or 3, please see the Instructor immediately.
The assignments will require a substantial time commitment over several days (an average of 10 to 12 hours per week should be expected). Be sure to budget sufficient time to complete assignments before the deadline.
Turn in your assignments on time. This permits grading to start promptly after the submission deadline so that assignments maybe returned promptly. If you do not finish an assignment by the deadline you have a maximum of two days to turn your assignment in. However, there is a penalty of 10 points (out of a 100 points) per day. Your assignment is one day late until the midnight of the day after it is due, two days late from then until midnight of the second day. We will accept your assignment after two days if there is a compelling reason.
We are moving all assignment submissions to HackerRank. Bear with us as we make this transition. Do watch this video HackerRank Tutorial. Here are important things to bear in mind:
If you want us to debug your program, come to us during our office hours on your laptop and we will go through the program with you. Do NOT just e-mail the program to us for debugging. We will not respond to e-mails that have full length programs that have to be debugged.
Grade Dispute: Scores for assignments will be posted on Canvas. You have one week from the date the assignment grade is posted to dispute your grade. The student assistants will be grading the assignments. Visit the TAs and see if you can resolve your differences. If you cannot resolve your differences, you may visit me to explain the situation. We will not entertain any grade disputes after one week.
Assignment Identification: All assignments must be submitted with the proper header, containing your name (as registered), your unique section number, and the assignment number at the top of the assignment. The format for the header will be specified in the assignment. That specification will over ride any other header specification. If you are doing pair programming with a partner, you must have your partner's name and UT EID in your header. Your partner must have your name and your UT EID in his or her assignment header.
There will be assigned readings from the text and exercises that follow the readings. You must do the readings and exercises by the due date and time. There are no extensions to the reading assignments.
There will be in class quiz every day. There will be one or two questions in a given quiz. The questions will be from the reading assignments or the material discussed in class the previous day. The quizzes will be hosted on Canvas. The quizzes are multiple choice questions. There are no makeup quizzes. I will drop the lowest of your three quiz grades. This number (three quizzes) is non-negotiable. This drop will take care of any absences that you may have or any electronic mishaps that you may have with your smart phone or laptop.
There will be three tests and no final examination. The tests are short computing problems similar to the homework problems. You will have to write the solution to those problems in Python by hand. All three tests will be on Fridays starting at 6:00 pm. The tests will be on HackerRank.
Test | Date | Time |
---|---|---|
Test 1 | Fri, 26 Jun | 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM |
Test 2 | Fri, 24 Jul | 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM |
Test 3 | Fri, 14 Aug | 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM |
Make-up tests will be given only for the following reasons. In all cases you must provide some form of documentation.
Think of the tests as being timed take home tests. You may use your notes and books but you may not communicate in any way with another human being regarding the test (other than asking the TAs questions for clarification). We will ask you to electroncially sign an honor code that the work that you submitted was solely your own.
Questions concerning test grades should be given to me in writing along with your test within the next class day that the test is handed back. We will not entertain any disputes after that time.
All scores will be entered on Canvas. Check your scores regularly on Canvas to make sure that we have entered them correctly. Remember the average score as shown on Canvas is not correct. It does not weight the average with weights as shown above. Your final grade will be assigned after we obtain the weighted average according to the weights as given above. Your grade will be based on the traditional scheme:
You can earn 5 points extra credit on the total sum of the three tests for filling out the electronic evaluation for the class. To obtain those extra credit points you must take a screen shot of the fact that you completed the survey and then upload the screen shot to the appropriate slot in Canvas.
We will be using Piazza for general discussion of class related questions rather than the discussion board on Canvas. Please do not post solutions or code to any home work assignment problems on Piazza.
Helping a friend understand the intent of a homework or programming assignment specification is permitted. Students who work together too closely (e.g. design their solution together) should be aware that this is a form of cheating called COLLUSION and is subject to academic penalties. Penalties for academic misconduct include a failing grade in this course.
The homework, programs, and exams must be the work of students turning them in. University policy (see Dean of Students' policies on academic integrity) will be followed strictly. We will be running a sophisticated program on all submitted assignments to detect plagiarism. If we do detect any cases of academic dishonesty, we will assign a grade of F to all students involved and refer the cases to the Dean of Students.
Acts that exceed the bounds defined by the approved collaboration practices will be considered cheating. Such acts include:
Students with disabilities who need special accommodations should contact the Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) Office (471-6259 or 471-4641 TTY).