CMSC 100, Fall 2009
Course Schedule
revised 8/3/09


Please note: This is a tentative schedule, and is subject to change.
Class Day Date Topic Reading
(must be done by
the following class)
Comments
1 Tue 9/1
Course Overview: Grand Challenges for Computer Science HW 1, survey out; Slides
2 Thu 9/3
Deconstructing Google: Search and Information Retrieval on the Web Brookshear, Chap. 0
(Google bibliography to be distributed as supplemental reading)
Survey due (use this link to submit); Slides
3 Tue 9/8 Deconstructing a Computer: What's Inside? HowStuffWorks entry on "What's inside my computer? Research project handout; Guest deconstructor: Mr. John Park
4 Thu 9/10 From the Bottom Up: It's All Just Bits Brookshear, Chap. 1.1-1.6, 1.8-1.9 HW 1 due; PA 0 out; Slides
5 Tue 9/15 A Little Math: Huffman Codes and Finite State Machines Optional: wikipedia entries on finite state machines and Huffman coding HW 2 out; in-class exercise
6 Thu 9/17 Programming with Alice Dann, Chap. 1 PA 0 due; PA 1 out; student feedback survey; binary-to-decimal conversion algorithm; Guest mini-lecture: Stuart Schwartz, CUERE (Center for Envt. Research & Education)
7 Tue 9/22 Algorithmic Problem Solving Brookshear, Sects. 5.1-5.4 Topic proposal due; example algorithms handout; Slides; Dr. desJardins out of town; Guest lecturer Ms. Susan Mitchell
8 Thu 9/24 Programming with Alice II Brookshear Chap. 6.1-6.3; Dann Chap. 2-3 PA 1 due; PA 2 and 3 out; Animal Hop Alice world; List of research topics; Dr. desJardins out of town; Guest lecturer Dr. Carolyn Seaman; modified animalHop world
9 Tue 9/29
Algorithms Review; Computer Organization Brookshear Chap. 2 Slides
10 Thu 10/1 Algorithms and Efficiency Brookshear Sect. 5.6; Dann Chap. 4-5 HW 2 due; HW 3 out; Graph of complexity classes
11 Tue 10/6 Making them Usable: Operating Systems Brookshear Chap. 3 Sample Your Turn slide; Slides
12 Thu 10/8 Connecting them Together: Networks Brookshear Chap. 4 PA 2 due; midterm study guide ; slides
13 Tue 10/13 Review & Catchup Your Turn slide and bibliography due
14 Thu 10/15 Your Turn: Project and Research Topic Sharing
15 Tue 10/20 MIDTERM HW 3 due; exam covers all lecture material and reading through Class 13
16 Thu 10/22 Midterm Review Brookshear Sects. 8.1-8.4 PA 3 due; HW 4 out
17 Tue 10/27
Data Abstractions Brookshear Chap. 9 Slides
18
Thu
10/29
Movie Day   Algorithms extra credit
19 Tue 11/3 Databases   Slides; Guest mini-lecture: Dr. Maricel Kann, Bioinformatics
20 Thu 11/5 AI Overview Brookshear Sect. 11.1, 11.3; John McCarthy, What is Artificial Intelligence? HW 4 due; HW 5 out; Slides
21 Tue 11/10 Search and Game Playing Slides
22 Thu 11/12 Multi-Agent Systems: Game Day
Report outline due; (slides: see 11/10)
23 Tue 11/17 Graphics: Hollywood, Games, and Virtual Reality Brookshear Sects. 10.1-10.4, 10.6 Guest lecturer: Dr. Penny Rheingans; Slides
24 Thu 11/19 The End of the Math: Theory of Computation and Algorithmic Complexity Brookshear Sects. 12.1-12.5 HW 5 due
25 Tue 11/24 Secure Computing (Chap. 4.5, 7.6, 7.9, 9.4, 12.6) Draft slides due; Slides
Thu 11/26 NO CLASS; ENJOY YOUR TURKEY!

26 Tue 12/1 Out on the Fringe: Nanotechnology, Quantum Computing, and the Next Killer App TBA Slides
Final slides due WEDNESDAY 12/2!!
27 Thu 12/3 Research Paper Presentations I Presentation order
Report draft due. Review form
28 Tue 12/8 Research Paper Presentations II
29
Thu
12/10
Review, Wrap-Up, and Catch-Up Report review due

Tue 12/22, 1-3pm
Final exam Final report due. Cumulative exam: Covers all lecture material and assigned reading