Course Intro

CSCI 1913 – Introduction to Algorithms, Data Structures, and Program Development
Adriana Picoral

Outline

  • About me and our staff
  • Class overview

Who am I?

  • Adriana Picoral (PhD)
    • you can call me Adriana, if you want to be formal call me Dr. Picoral (Not Ms. or Mrs.)
    • Assistant Teaching Professor
    • apicoral@umn.edu
    • Office: 300A Lind Hall
    • office hours (drop in):
      • Monday 12pm to 2pm
      • Tuesday 1pm to 3pm

Staff

In this course we a head TA and undergraduate TAs.

The TAs are responsible for:

  • Helping you, the students, succeed
  • Grading assignments, quizzes, and exams
  • Helping students on office hours

Talk to a neighbor

Introduce yourself!

Share your

  • Name
  • Program/Major (why you chose that major)
  • What makes you human?

Course overview

CSCI 1913 – Introduction to Algorithms, Data Structures, and Program Development

  • Second semester course in computer programming
    • You should know C/C++/Java

3 parts

  • Python and the study of Algorithms
  • Java and the study of Object Oriented Programing
  • The design and implementation of Data Structures

Readings (5/100)

  • Zybooks digital textbook
  • Weekly low-stakes assignment (easy points)
  • Gives you a background and introduction to topics.
  • Due Monday at 11:59pm
  • Using a zybook through canvas
  • No late work accepted

Readings (5/100)

  • ZyBooks is our interactive online textbook. Make sure you have access to the book specific to our section
  • You can access the textbook by going through the link on any of the Zybook assignments on canvas.
  • There will be required exercises from the textbook: Participation Problems and Challenge Problems
  • You will have unlimited attempts
  • Optional sections of the text book are not a part of any assignment, but may provide extra practice or information on more topics

Labs (15/100)

  • Weekly 2 hour programming session with TA support
  • Weekly out-of-class homework
  • Turned in through gradescope for credit
  • You must attend all but 4 of your labs pass the class
  • Late work accepted

Labs (15/100)

  • Labs can be done in groups
  • You can talk to anyone in the class about the labs
  • Each gradescope submission can be for up to 3 people

Projects (20/100)

  • Three substantial (about 3 weeks) programming projects.
  • Each is associated with one of the modules of the course.
  • Goals:
    • to practice material holistically
    • learn complications of large-scale
    • build something actually interesting/useful
  • These are many students’ favorite part of the class / These are many students’ least favorite part of the class
  • Late submissions are accepted (as long as you contact me before the deadline)

Gradescope Attendance

Through Canvas (this is important, so you sign in through the university website), go to Gradescope and answer the attendance question

Note that my staff and I are not available after 7pm, so if you make the unwise decision to work on assignments close to the deadline you won’t be able to get any help from us. We cannot accept technical/computer issues as a legitimate reason for late or incomplete work. You need to make sure you are working on the assignments with enough time to figure out these issues.

Academic Integrity

You yourself do the work

  • The goal is not to complete assignments for the sake of completing them, it’s to train your brain
  • You don’t bring a forklift to the gym
  • The goal is to also find joy in computer science and coding – why do people still learn how to play chess if a computer is capable of beating a human in the game?

Academic Integrity

  • Don’t search for the problem on the internet
  • In general, if it’s not something that you could find in the Python reference guide or Java Docs, you shouldn’t be googling it
  • Please be sure to review the Scholastic Conduct section of the syllabus

Academic Integrity

  • Don’t post the problem on the Internet
  • Don’t work with other students, unless specified that you are allowed to
  • Don’t use generative AI unless specified that you are allowed to
  • If you’re not sure, ask!

Academic Integrity

  • Similarity reports will be ran on projects
  • You must be able to explain what you wrote

Academic Integrity Penalty

zero on project, one letter grade will be dropped from your final grade

Quizzes (20/100)

  • 10-minute in-class on-paper weekly quizzes (it takes on average 5 minutes to complete)
  • heavily based on labs, zybook exercises, and in-class exercises
  • will help you prepare for the midterm exams (repeated questions)
  • I will drop the two lowest quiz grades

Exams (40/100)

  • Two in-person in-class on-paper midterms exams (10/100 midterm 1, 14/100 midterm 2)
  • In-person on-paper final exam (16/100)
  • 1 page of double sided notes and a scientific calculator are allowed

Accommodations

  • The Disability Resource Center (DRC) is the campus office that works with students who have disabilities to provide and/or arrange reasonable accommodations. You should visit the DRC website to learn about how to get accommodations for a disability or medical condition.

Accommodations

  • Register with Disability Resource Center
  • Talk to me early in the semester to discuss accommodations
  • Email Me (apicoral@umn.edu)

Illness

  • The rule is simple: If you are sick stay home
  • Do the following:
    • Textbook readings
    • Read lecture slides
    • Contact course staff so for project extensions