Syllabus

Instructor

Instructor: Chintan Patel

Textbook

C How to Program by H.M. Deitel and P.J. Deitel, Prentice Hall, 3rd edition

Course Homepage

The homepage for this course can be found at:

http://www.cs.umbc.edu/courses/undergraduate/104/fall01

We will be using slides found under the Lectures link at

http://www.cs.umbc.edu/courses/undergraduate/104/fall01/cpatel2

You may find it helpful to get a printed copy of the lecture slides before the class in which they will be used. I will show you how to get printed copies of the slides when I take you to the computer lab. Until that time, I will bring printed copies to class for everyone.

Course Description

This course will give the student an overview of Computer Science focusing on problem solving and algorithm development. The C programming language will be introduced by covering the beginning chapters of the textbook. The following is a list of the topics that will be covered:

Introduction to Computer Organization and Architecture
Data Representation and Memory Usage
Introduction to Operating Systems
Problem Solving and Algorithm Development
Introduction to Software Engineering Using Top-Down Design
Compilation, Linking, and Execution
Basic C Programming
Reuse Based on Algorithm Selection and Design Techniques

Grading

Your final grade will be broken down as follows.

     6 Projects         =  40%

     Written Report     =   5%

     Pop Quizzes        =   5%

     2 Exams (25% each) =  50%

                  Total = 100%

Final letter grades will be determined as follows.

     90% <= A <= 100%
     80% <= B <   90%
     70% <= C <   80%
     60% <= D <   70%
      0% <= F <   60%

Final grades will NOT be curved. Do not ask.

A grade of "I" (Incomplete) will only be given in the case of a verifiable medical emergency or other such dire circumstance. See Taking Responsibility below.

Taking Responsibility

Attendance

You are expected to attend all classes. If you miss a class, you are responsible for getting the notes and any verbal information given during class from a fellow classmate. Also you will lose the points for a pop quiz given in the class, if you don't attend that class. (If handouts were given out, you may come to my office to get them.)

Tardiness

Please be on time! Class begins at the scheduled time. Being late is disruptive to the class. Habitual tardiness will not be tolerated.

Responsibility for Class Material

You are responsible for all material covered in lecture, even if it is not in the textbook. You are responsible for the material in the readings, even if they are not covered during lecture. The readings are listed in the Lecture Schedule.

Questioning a Grade

You have exactly one week from the time that you receive any grade to discuss it with me. After that time period, the grade remains as is.

Requesting a Grade of "I" (Incomplete) for the Semester

A grade of "I" (Incomplete) will only be given in the case of a verifiable medical emergency or other such dire circumstance. This is for circumstances that occur at the last moment in the semester only.

E-mail

Use e-mail in an appropriate and mature manner. See Making the Most of E-mail below.

Projects

Project Submission and Grading

The critical programming skills cannot be learned simply by attending class. You should budget enough time to work on the projects as well. Programming projects will be graded based on the following:

Logically correct and neatly formatted psueodocode (if pseudocode is required)
Adherence to the CMSC 104 C Coding Standards
Adherence to the CMSC 104 Indentation Standards
Correctness of program output
Format of program output

All projects must:

compile, and
produce reasonable output.

If a project does not compile and produce reasonable output, it will receive a zero. "Reasonable output" will be explained in class. If you ever have a doubt as to whether or not your project produces reasonable output, ask your instructor before submitting it.

All projects must compile on the linux computer under the "gcc" compiler (linux.gl.umbc.edu). This is the compiler that the grader will use to compile your program.

All projects are due by midnight on the date listed in the Lecture Schedule. No late projects will be accepted.

Be aware that the linux system may go down from time to time. You are given ample time to complete your projects, so such downtimes, no matter how long and when, are no excuse for your project being late. For those using the network via ResNet, ResNet being down is no excuse for a late project either. If ResNet goes down, get to a computer lab and complete your project.

You will be turning your projects in electronically. Details will be explained in class before you need to submit your first project.

Your Project Must Be Yours

All projects must be completed by your own individual effort. You should never have a copy of someone else's project either on paper or electronically under any circumstance. Also, you should never give a copy of your project, either on paper or electronically, to another student. This also means that you cannot "work" on the project together. Cases of academic dishonesty will be dealt with severely.

If your project is turned in by someone else, both you and the person copying your project will receive a zero for that project. This includes "substantially similar" projects.

Exams

The exams will be closed-book and closed-notes. The test dates for the exams are listed in the Lecture Schedule. In the case of a verifiable medical excuse or other such dire circumstance, arrangements must be made with your instructor immmediately for a makeup exam. You are responsible for initiating these arrangements, not your instructor.

The date and time for your final exam is listed in the Lecture Schedule. Make a note of it now. I have no plans to give any early or makeup exams.

General Academic Dishonesty

Academic dishonesty is serious and will be dealt with severely, including the possibility of being reported to the University's Academic Misconduct Committee. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to:

Cheating in any manner on a quiz or test.
Sharing projects either partially or wholey (see Your Project Must be Yours above).
Discussing quizzes or tests that you have already taken with students in other sections of 104

For a more complete description of academic dishonesty, refer to the UMBC Student Handbook.

Making the Most of E-mail

E-mail is a great way to communicate. It can save both of us a lot of time and also allows you to receive answers to questions outside of class. Realize, however, that it is not always the most appropriate way to communicate with me. Some topics are best discussed during my office hours or an appointment.

Using E-mail Wisely

Before you send an e-mail to anyone, it is a good idea to ask yourself the following questions.

Would you say what you have said in the e-mail directly to the person?
Do you want what you have said in the e-mail permanently recorded and possibly distributed to others?
Do you want anyone and everyone to read what you have written?

If your answer is "no" to any one of these questions, it is probably best not to send the e-mail.

Using E-mail For This Class

In order to facilitate communication, please observe the following rules.

Include your name, course number, and section number in the body of the e-mail.
Make sure that the e-mail's subject line clearly identifies its content.
Use your real name. I get a lot of junk e-mail (spam). So, e-mail from "Hot Stuff" or some other unidentifiable source gets deleted without being read.
Write your message in the e-mail's text box. Do not include it as an attachment.
Do not attach a programming project or any portion of a programming project unless I request you to do so.

Any e-mail that does not follow these rules will be returned unanswered. It is up to you to determine which rule was not followed. Any e-mail that is disrespectful, offensive, or threatening will receive no reply.

In addition, please do not send me e-mails expressing "tales of woe." If you have such a situation, please see me during an office hour, make an appointment with me, or give me a call. If I receive a "tale of woe," I will instruct you to handle it in one of these manners rather than by e-mail.

I do my best to answer my e-mail in a timely and thorough manner. But backups do occur, especially around project due dates. Also, do not expect a reply on weekends, over holidays, or late in the evening. And do not hold up turning an assignment in because you are waiting for a reply to your e-mail.

When I reply to your e-mail, I will reply to the address from which it was sent. However, if I initiate an e-mail, it will be sent to your gl account. So, be sure to check your gl account regularly and frequently.

For your benefit, hold on to all e-mails concerning policies and grades.