CompSci 101, Spring 2022
Syllabus

Pre-Lecture Work: Reading/Videos/Quizzes

You will be assigned reading from How to Think Like a Computer Scientist and/or Videos to watch before each lecture. Readings and Videos will be posted on the calendar page for each lecture on the course website. In general, you should read the text to be prepared to participate actively in class. If you've looked at material before it's discussed in class you'll get much more out of the class discussion.

There will be a quiz in Sakai based on the reading and/or videos that is due when lecture starts, at 10:15am on the day of lecture. These quizzes will be listed on the course website if there is one due. That means that you must SUBMIT the quiz by 10:15am, or you will not be able to submit it.

Exception: Due to drop/add, the first five quizzes QZ01-QZ05 will all turn off on Jan. 20 at 10:15am. You get up to 3 tries on each quiz and we use your highest score. You cannot makeup missed quizzes! We do drop some quiz points at the end of the semester.

There will also be some Sakai quizzes on the programming assignments. They will each have different deadlines.

Lecture

Lecture is on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10:15am-11:30am. This lecture will have class participation activities called WOTOs (WOrking TOgether) that must be completed during lecture.

If you are absent, even if you have a valid excuse, you must complete the class participation activities such as WOTO forms by 11:30pm the next day.

We assume you may have to miss a few lectures, so we will drop a few WOTO points at the end of the semester. Missing more than a few lectures may impact your grade.

NOTE DUE TO COVID: The first three lectures through January 13 will be on zoom. The zoom link will be posted in the Sakai site.

Grading

The table below shows how the categories of work done in class are used to calculate your grade in Compsci 101. Grading is done on an absolute, but adjustable scale. This means that there is no curve. Anyone earning 90% or more of the total number of points available will receive a grade in the A range with 94% cutoff for A; 80% = B range, 70% = C range, 60% = D.

Special Accommodations for Exams

If you get special accommodations for exams (for example extra time), then send your letter to Ms. Yesenia Velasco yvelasco@cs.duke.edu DO NOT SEND YOUR LETTER to Prof. Rodger.

FINAL EXAM:

Your FINAL EXAM is Wednesday, April 27 9am-noon

Labs on Fridays

You are required to attend the lab for which you've registered in taking Compsci 101. You will work with a partner during lab. You will submit lab work electronically. Each lab UTA takes attendance.

You will submit the lab work, either alone or as part of a pair as dictated by the lab. You must submit your lab work by the first Sunday 11:30pm that follows the lab day. Thus, if you do not finish during the lab, you have two days to finish it.

If you cannot attend your lab section in a given week, you are expected to still complete the material on your own and submit the lab by the end of the Sunday that follows the lab day for partial credit. No lab submissions will be accepted after Sunday. It is important to do each lab as they provide practice for the concepts you will be learning.

If you miss lab, you should still do the lab for partial credit and fill out the online form by Sunday. No lab submissions will be accepted after Sunday.

Each group submits the lab work by completing the online form for that particular lab. To get credit for your work in lab, your name must appear in the online form. If you did not attend lab or your team determines that you did not participate during the period, your name should not be included in the final submission.

APTS

Algorithmic Problem-solving Testing problems (APTs) will be given throughout the semester. You will be given a description of a problem and asked to write code to solve it. You can test the code online and see the results of the automated tests. You will submit the code for grading when you decide you are ready. We do not look at the source code when grading in terms of providing feedback, we run it and test it. However, we may discuss alternative solutions to help you be effective programmers. If your source code simply checks the input with a sequence of if statements, it will receive no credit.

APTs should be submitted by 11:30 pm on the due date. A 24 hour grace period allows you to turn in APTs the next day. Late APTs are not accepted. Keeping up with APTs ensures you understand the topics we are discussing in class.

APT Quizzes

APT Quizzes are your own work. There will be two APT quizzes during the semester. When you start an APT quiz, you will have a block of time to complete it. You will have at least a three-day window to complete APT quiz problems.

If you have a SDAO letter that allows for more time on the quiz, you must submit it to Ms. Yesenia Velasco before the APT quiz so you can have the extra time.

[Discussing the quiz] You cannot discuss the quiz with anyone except the course staff until we announce that it is okay to do so. If you have a question, you can ask it as a private post on Piazza. The staff may convert it to a public post if it is appropriate. However, keep in mind as a quiz the staff cannot help you with it beyond clarification questions. Also we are not on at all hours of the day, so we cannot guarantee we will be able to answer your question.

[Protect yourself when taking the quiz] Your quiz work must be your own and must not be seen by others. Therefore, we recommend finding a secure place (stay in your room and lock the door) where no one can see your work nor do you risk talking to someone while taking the quiz.

Programming Assignments

Assignment 6 and Assignment 7 are both due the last week of class. Assignment 6 has only one grace day and cannot be turned in after that. Assignment 7 has three grace days and cannot be turned in after that.

Points on assignments will vary. Assignments typically take more time and require more thought and analysis as the semester progresses.

We use Gradescope to offer automatic testing for your assignments while you are working on them. These tests are a work in progress and constantly being improved. However, these tests are checked before they are released and considered reasonably stable. Therefore, if your submission gets an error on Gradescope, you must confirm with a Grad TA or the Teaching Associate that the error is caused by Gradescope, not the submitted code. Only after getting this confirmation will your grade get special handling when it is moved from Gradescope to Sakai. The best way to do this is through Ed Discussion or office hours.

If you are having trouble, be sure to see a UTA/TA or Professor as far before the due date as possible. Do not give up. PLEASE ask for help.

Extensions on APTs and Assignments

A 2-day extension (two days beyond the grace day) will be granted for medical reasons (see the Short-term Incapacitation Notification policy), athletes travelings, pandemic related, or other circumstances beyond your control.

• If you are sick, fill out our extension form and also fill out the incapacitation form.
• If you are an athlete traveling, (we should have a letter from you), fill out our extension form.
• If you need an extension due to the pandemic, you must email your Dean and cc our Teaching Associate Ms. Yesenia Velasco (email is yvelasco@cs.duke.edu ), AND fill out our extension form.

  You may take up to 3 two-day pandemic extensions total. If you need more than 3, you must setup a meeting with Ms. Yesenia Velasco.