CSC403: Syllabus

(Click here for one slide per page)

From Wired Magazine: Code is far from a utilitarian means to an end. Like painting or sculpting, it's a medium with which you can create something. And as such, code can take many forms: beautiful or ugly, elegant or clunky.

• 20% Quizzes
• 20% Homework/Programming Assignments
  • To solve the homeworks and quizzes, you may find it useful to consult external resources at first. That is acceptable for this class. It is not an academic integrity violation.
  • However, it is your responsibility to repeat each problem until you can do it yourself, starting from scratch, in a reasonable amount of time (about five minutes).
  • Once you have ensured that you can complete the problem using the IDE, you must then ensure that you can do it on paper. This is a crucial part of the homework!
  • If you cannot produce the solution, on paper, without assistance, then you have not understood it. You will not do well on exams or job interviews.
  • Programming assignments that do not compile will receive zero points. You must type in the homework and ensure that your code runs. If you cannot complete one problem of the homework, comment out your failed solution and restore the stub function that was provided. You can find the original assignments in the Course Code ZIP Archive
  • If it's obvious that you didn't run or test your code, you will receive zero points for that assignment.
  • Always due at 5:45pm -- not a second later -- watch the clock!
  • Make sure you submit to the correct folder -- no credit for other folders!
  • No late homework will be accepted unless there are extreme circumstances substantiated by the Dean of Students' office.
  • You can submit as many times as you like -- I will always grade the last submission.
• 60% Exams
  • On exams, you must work alone, without any external resources.
  • Exams will be given on paper. You will be asked to write code on paper. You must also be able to draw diagrams just as we will do on the whiteboard during lectures.
  • Students in the in-person section must take the exam on the chosen day and time, as announced on the course schedule.
  • Students in the online section must register with a proctor for both exams. Students that require special accommodations for exams must also register ahead of time. See here.
  • Exams will be given in person. There are no online exams. You must appear physically in front of a proctor (either the instructor or someone else, as described in the policy linked above.)

I will drop one quiz and at least one homework assignment from your final grade.

DePaul's academic integrity policy

All students are expected to abide by the University's Academic Integrity Policy which prohibits cheating and other misconduct in student coursework. Publicly sharing or posting online any prior or current materials from this course (including exam questions or answers), is considered to be providing unauthorized assistance prohibited by the policy. Both students who share/post and students who access or use such materials are considered to be cheating under the Policy and will be subject to sanctions for violations of Academic Integrity.

Any submission for any assignment or exam in which there is evidence of an academic integrity violation is subject to sanction, up to and including failure of the course. At the very least, the student will receive a 0 for the assignment or exam in question. In the case of homework or quizzes, the student will receive a 0 for the assignment and the highest score for that category will be zeroed out. Additional sanctions may apply. Don't do it!

• Download the native Discord app for your computer and/or mobile device.
• Click here to join the Discord server for the class: Discord Discussion Forum

• Change your Server Nickname to be your first and last name. Use whatever firstname you prefer, but be sure that your last name is the same as it is in DePaul's Campus Connect.

  
• If you have a common last name, be sure to provide some indication of who you are so we can identify you.
• We have all types of students in class. Be sure to use appropriate language.
• Don't troll.

Course Homepage: https://reed.cs.depaul.edu/efredericks/ds2

• Course content, homework files, and most of the information you need will be available on this site.
• Lecture slides may not be available before class.
• Each week's content may change substantially before the in-person section meets. There may be old information that I have not yet updated, so do not rely on the course site for anything too far in the future.
• Homework assignments may not be accurate until they are presented and assigned in class.
• Lecture slides may change after class.

Course D2L Page: D2L

• Use D2L for homework submission, registering for exam proctoring, and for other information.

• NOTE: There is another person at DePaul with my name. Be sure you are emailing the correct person if you email me!
• Office hours are on Zoom on Wednesdays, from 4:45pm - 5:30pm and again at 9:15pm - 10:00pm. I will be available in person in the classroom before and after class, or virtually, on Zoom.
• If you would like to visit me for office hours, try to join me in-person if you can. It's easier for me to draw diagrams and help you visualize concepts in person. However, Zoom is an option if you need it.
• If you would like to talk outside of office hours, please send me a message on Discord or email me. Do not try to contact me by phone -- I do not have a DePaul phone that has voice mail!
• You can expect that I will respond to email and Discord messages within 24 hours on business days.
• Note that I work a full-time job in addition to teaching at DePaul CDM, so I may not be able to answer questions during the workday. Note also that I have commitments on weekends that may keep me away from my computer. You should plan to have all of your homework questions to me on Friday if you want to work on your homework over the weekend.
• You can expect grades to be posted within a week of the due date.
• This syllabus is subject to change as necessary during the quarter. If a change occurs, it will be thoroughly addressed during class, posted under Announcements in D2L and sent via email.

• Kathy Sierra and Bert Bates' "Head First Java" (Online version)
• Bruce Eckel's Thinking in Java, 4th Edition
• David Flanagan's "Java in a Nutshell" (Online version)
• Cay Horstman's "Big Java" (Online version)

• Incomplete Grades

  An incomplete grade is defined in the Student Handbook as follows (note that the policy in the undergraduate student handbook applies to both undergraduate and graduate students): A temporary grade indicating that the student has a satisfactory record in work completed, but for unusual or unforeseeable circumstances not encountered by other students in the class and acceptable to the instructor is prevented from completing the course requirements by the end of the term. Please see https://www.cdm.depaul.edu/Current%20Students/Pages/Grading-Policies.aspx for additional information.

• Retro-Active Withdrawal

  CDM understands certain extenuating circumstances can hinder one's ability for academic success and completion of course work. Please see https://www.cdm.depaul.edu/Current%20Students/Pages/Enrollment-Policies.aspx for additional information.

• Absence Notifications

  In order to petition for an excused absence, students who miss class due to illness or significant personal circumstances should complete the Absence Notification process through the Dean of Students office. The form can be accessed at https://offices.depaul.edu/student-affairs/support-services/academic/Pages/default.aspx. Students must submit supporting documentation alongside the form. The professor reserves the sole right whether to offer an excused absence and/or academic accommodations for an excused absence.

Synchronous lectures are recorded for access after class.

You will find the lectures on D2L