Spring 2013
Contact Information
Announcements
Discussion Forum (LMS)
Syllabus
Learning Outcomes
Prerequistites
Grading Criteria
HW Grading Criteria
References
Optional Textbooks
Web Resources
C++ Development
Misc. Programming Info
Memory Debugging
Getting Help
Tutoring
Advice from TAs
Advice from Students
Calendar
Lecture notes
Lab materials
Homework
Test reviews
Weekly Schedule
Office Hours
Lab Times
Homework
Due Date and Time
Late Day Policy
Compilers
Electronic Submission
Grading Criteria
Your final grade in this class combines your performance on the lab exercises, homeworks, and exams as follows:
- Labs: 15%
- Homeworks: 35%
- Tests: 30%
- Final: 20%
All components of the class are graded on a curve. What does this mean? The homeworks and exams will contain challenging problems and the grade breakdown will likely be lower than the typical 90%=A, 80%=B, etc. We will give approximate grade breakdowns for the homeworks & exams as the course progresses so you may gauge your performance. Note: Grades will not be available through LMS.
You must have a passing average on each component (labs, homeworks, and exams) in order to pass the course.
Lab Assignments
There will be a total of 14 labs, one each week. Labs are graded on a scale of 0-3, depending on the amount and quality of work completed. Labs are designed so that students who work diligently can earn all 3 points. Students must attend their assigned lab sections unless prior arrangements have been made with the graduate TA for your lab section (see Schedule). To receive credit for the lab exercises, the work must be completed in lab and approved by the lab TA before the end of lab (10 minutes before the hour). TAs are available in lab to answer your questions as well as check off your work. Don't wait until the end of lab to ask questions or show your work.Lab instructions and a subset of the lab problems will be posted on the course website on Tuesday afternoon/evening. Students are encouraged to read through the materials and get started on the exercises before their assigned lab section. Additional problems will be distributed at the start of the lab. Students should bring their laptop, reference textbook, and recent lecture notes to lab.
Internet access during labs is restricted to lab file downloads and standard programming reference material only. Reading or sending email, instant messages, social media, text messages, cell phone use, playing video games, etc. is disallowed during lab. Students who violate the policy will receive a 0 for the lab and be asked to leave.
Homeworks
There will be 10 homework assignments, one each week, except for weeks when a test is scheduled. Homework assignments will be made available via the course web site just before the previous assignment is due. Assignments will be submitted electronically and are due on Thursdays by 11:59pm.See the Homework page, the Academic Integrity page, the HW Grading Criteria, and the Programming Advice from TAs page for more information.
Exams
Three tests will be given during the semester, with 10% of the semester average assigned for each test. The cumulative final, given during finals week, will be worth 20%.The course material is cumulative and students should strive to improve their performance on each subsequent test. When a student "beats" their previous test score, the previous test score will be replaced with the average of the two scores. For example, if a student gets a 70 on Test 1 and an 82 on Test 2, the first test score will be replaced by the average of Tests 1 & 2 = 76. If the student then earns an 88 on Test 3, the second test score will be replaced with the average of 82 and 88 = 85. (Note that we don't go back and re-adjust Test 1). And similarly, the score for Test 3 will be adjusted if the student's performance on the final improves upon their performance for Test 3.
Note: We will not provide a makeup exam unless the absence is
excused by the Student Experience
office.