UMBC CMSC 104
UMBC CMSC 104 Spring 2001 CSEE | 104 | current 104

Syllabus

Instructor

Instructor: Michael A. Grasso, Ph.D.

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/spring01

Note that there is a link on the homepage to the lecture slides that will be used in class. 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.

There is also a link on the 104 homepage for this section of CMSC 104. This is where your assignments, grades, and any announcements relevant to this particular section will be posted.


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:


Grading

Your final grade will be broken down as follows.
Exam I = 20 %
Exam II = 20 %
Final Exam = 20%
Projects = 40 %
Final letter grades will be determined as follows.
A = 90% or better
B = 80% or better
C = 70% or better
D = 60% or better
F = below 60%

Final grades will NOT be curved. Do not ask.

A grade of "I" (Incomplete) will only be given as described under University Policy. See Taking Responsibility below.


Taking Responsibility

Contacting The Instructor

The best way to reach is by email at grasso@csee.umbc.edu . You may try to call my UMBC office phone, but because I work off-campus during the day, I most likely will not there except during scheduled office hours. Keep in mind that I have a full-time job in addition to my responsibilities at UMBC. Therefore it is important that you do not attempt to call me at work, to call me at home, or to page my cell phone under any circumstances.

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. (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:

All projects must:

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 linux1 computer under the "gcc" compiler (linux1.gl.umbc.edu). This is the compiler that the grader will use to compile your program.

All homework and projects are due at the beginning of class, within the first 15 minutes of class on the date listed in the Lecture Schedule. Assignments will be accepted up to one day late with a 10% reduction in grade. To receive partial credit, late assignments must contain proof that they were submitted within one day of the due date. Written assignments must therefore be handed to me or to the TA in person, or they must be signed and dated by an instructor or staff member in ECS 210 and left in my mailbox. No other late assignments will be accepted, except as specified under the University Policy. No makeup exams will be given, except as specified under the University Policy.

You will be turning your programming 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 0 for that project. This includes "substantially similar" projects. Furthermore, all parties concerned will have their prior projects checked for cheating. So, if you cheat on Project 4, you can lose all the points from Projects 1 through 3 as well, even though you may have done all the work and just "let" other people copy from you.


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

If you are found guilty of any single incident of academic dishonesty, you will receive an "F" for the course. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to:

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.

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.

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.



Last Modified: Thursday, 15-Feb-2001 12:14:13 EST