CSCI A125-004 Intro to Computer science Fall 2023 (3 credit hours)

Instructor: Yilian Zhang
Email: yilianz@usca.edu Telephone: (803)641-3796
Meeting Time: TTH 9:25am - 10:40am, Penland 232
Course Website: https://blackboard.usca.edu/
Office Hour: MTWR 1:45-2:45pm, Penland 230

COURSE CATALOG DESCRIPTION: This course is designed to help students with no prior exposure to computer science or programming learn to think computationally and write programs to solve real-life problems. The course focuses on problem analysis and the development of algorithms and computer programs in a modern high-level language. This course is for students who want to pursue a major in computer science.

PREREQUISITES:  Placement above MATH A104, or MATH A104 with a grade C or better, or consent of department.

Education Resources:

• How to Think Like a Computer Scientist? Learning with Python 3 by Peter Wentworth, Jeffrey Elkner, Allen B. Downey, and Chris Meyers. The free online version is at https://python.camden.rutgers.edu/python_resources/python3_book/index.html.
• Python.org A good collection for Python beginners. https://www.python.org/about/gettingstarted/
• The official Python Tutorial https://docs.python.org/3/tutorial/index.html
• Python Language Reference The ultimate guide for Python 3 https://docs.python.org/3/
• Google is your friend!

COURSE OBJECTIVES:  This is a first computing course for future CS majors. Emphasis will be placed on big ideas of computer science and problem solving skills. At the end of the class, students will

• Have a broad exposure to principal area of study within Computer Science.
• Be able to think algorithmically and write Python program to solve problem efficiently.
• Be an effective self-learner who can search resources and find the right solution independently.
• Develop effective oral and written communication skills.

GRADING POLICY: Midterms: 45% Assignment\Class work\Quiz\Participation: 45% Final project: 10%

GRADING SCALE: 90-100 A, 87-89 B+ 80-86 B, 75-79 C+ 68-74 C, 65-67 D+ 60-64 D, 0-59 F

COURSE DELIVERY & ORGANIZATION: CSCI125 is a technology-based course in which practically all of the content and interactions will be accessed through the Blackboard course. Attendance is mandatory. And students are expected to log into blackboard, participate in discussion, work on in-class exercises, answer online polls.
If you have a general course related questions, please always check whether it is already answered in Questions and Answers board. If not, then please post it in the board with detailed information. Email is only reserved for specific questions. Reply times may vary from 24-48 hours but I may answer you sooner if I am available. Any questions after Friday afternoon may have to wait until the following Monday morning.

Homework and Late Homework Policy: Assignments will be posted on blackboard. No late work will be accepted, however the lowest homework grade will be dropped. Both written exercises and code exercises are included.
How to submit assignment and in-class work:

• You may host all your homework files on GitHub/Google drive/Other cloud drives, and then put the shared links in blackboard. If you prefer a private github repository to host all programming files, please add @yilianz as collaborator.

Midterms: There will be three midterm tests. Grades are not curved. Extensions and makeup exams will only be given in documented cases of serious illness or other emergencies.

Final Project: Student will form into a small team with two or three members. The team members will pick a project that fits their interest. Final project presentation will be held on December 14, 2023  from 8:00am-11:00am  .

Participation: This portion of grade will be based on your consistent attendance at the lectures and lab sessions, and on your participation in the activities for each class. You will be graded on your participation, not on the correctness of your answers.

NOTES:

1. Computer and Communication
   • Each student must have regular access to a computer with a video camera and microphone; these may be required daily or only on occasion depending on mode of instruction or health status of student or faculty.
   • All students must be able to access and use Blackboard.
   • Each student must have internet access to receive notifications about the class and to complete assignments, if required by the instructor.
   • Students must check their university email and Blackboard announcements each day.

2. USCA Syllabus Addenda

   The University of South Carolina Aiken reserves the right to change, adjust, and/or cancel any campus operation, including but not limited to, mode of instruction, delivery of services, or use of campus facilities, whenever the campus administration determines in its sole discretion that circumstances warrant the operational change.

3. Get Help
   • If you have a general question about the course, please post it in Questions and Answers.
   • If you'd like to meet me face-to-face to ask a question, please drop in my office hour on campus.
     Or you may go to https://zoom.us/join directly and enter the Meeting ID(299 727 0983) and Passcode(647186).
     
   • If you have some specific questions about your grade/attendance/etc, please email me.

4. Attendance Policy
   • Class attendance is required. It is highly recommended that you do not miss any class. You cannot readily make up the material missed if you are absent. More than 4 unexcused absences may result in a grade of F for the course. Excused absences will be granted for documented incapacitating illness, Covid-19 related situation, official representation of the University, death of a close relative, religious holidays, jury duty, or subpoena to appear in court.  Arriving late or leaving early will count as 1/2 absence.

5. Special Circumstance

   If you have a physical, psychological, and/or learning disability that might affect your performance in this class, please contact the Office of Disability Services, B & E 134, (803) 643-6816, as soon as possible. The Office of Disability Services will determine appropriate accommodations based on documentation.

6. Academic Integrity

   Please read and review the Academic Code of Conduct relating to Academic Integrity located in USC Aiken Student Handbook . If you are found to be in violation of academic integrity, a grade of F(0) may be given for the work. Additionally, a grade of F may be assigned for the course and/or further sanctions may be pursued. To avoid cheating via collaboration, do not show any other classmates your code, and certainly don't send anyone an electronic copy, even of a draft of your program. If a classmate consults you for help after attempting to run his or her program, you may assist in determining why his or her code doesn't work, but don't write it for them based on your own code. Do not lead your classmates into temptation: guard your print-outs. Don't even take the risk.

   
   
7. USCA Code of Conduct

   Students will conduct themselves in class in accordance with the standards noted in the USCA Student Handbook. From the USCA Student Handbook: It is the instructor's right to remove from the classroom any student who disrupts or disturbs the proceeding of the class. If the student who has been ejected causes similar disturbances in subsequent meetings of the class, he/she may be denied admittance to the class for the remainder of the semester and assigned a grade of F.

8. Mental health concerns

   Mental health concerns or stressful events may lead to diminished academic performance or reduce a student's ability to participate in daily activities. Confidential and free services are available to assist you with addressing these and other concerns you may be experiencing. You can learn more about mental health services available on campus and in the community via the Counseling Center website (https://www.usca.edu/counseling-center) or by calling 803-641-3609. If you are having a mental health emergency, you may call the Aiken County HELP LINE at 877-648-9900.

9. CELL PHONES/PAGERS

   As a courtesy to the class, cell phones and pagers should be placed in such a mode that they will not disturb the class.

Course Schedule:

This is a tentative schedule.  The schedule dates may vary depending on the pace of the class, at the instructor's discretion.

Date	Topics
08/24	Syllabus, Course Logistics.
08/29	Computer Science - System, Programming Language, Algorithm.
08/31	Computer Science - Networking, Database, Machine Learning.
09/05	Security - the first look.
09/07	More about security.
09/12	Introduction to programming. Python Basics.
09/14	Math, Strings, and Variables.
09/19	Basic Input and Output
09/21	Midterm I
09/26	Repetition Structures - for
09/28	Repetition Structures - for with list
10/03	Introduction to Turtle
10/05	Control Structures - If
10/10	Control Structures - If elsif
10/12	Control Structures - Logical operator / Nested If
10/17	Function
10/24	More about function
10/26	Function with List -- Event driving Programming
10/31	Midterm II
11/02	Repetition Structures - while
11/07	File Input and Output
11/09	More about file processing
11/14	List, Tuple, Dictionary
11/16	Object-oriented programming
11/21	Python Application
11/28	Python Application
11/30	Midterm III
12/05	Parallel computing and Heterogeneous computing
12/07	Wrap up for final project