CS111 Course Information

Course Overview

CS111 is an introduction to the problem solving foundations of computer science. Computer science is the study of imperative (how to) knowledge, which is at the heart of any problem solving activity. Imperative knowledge is expressed via algorithms, which are descriptions of computational processes that can be encoded as programs written in a programming language. Programs communicate imperative knowledge between people; they can also be executed by computers.

In this course, you will learn big ideas about solving problems, developing algorithms, and organizing programs. These ideas include:

• problem solving strategies: divide-and-conquer, recursion, iteration;
• abstraction: capturing common patterns and hiding information;
• modularity: expressing programs as the composition of mix-and-match parts;
• programming language components: primitives, means of combination, means of abstraction.

You will get hands-on experience with these ideas by reading, modifying, debugging, designing, writing, and testing programs. Example programs will involve graphics, user interfaces, and text manipulation.

CS111 students must register for and attend a weekly laboratory. Programming is skill best learned by doing.

The course uses the Java programming language to explore these ideas. Although you will learn a lot about Java along the way, our focus is on the big ideas. You will really be learning and practicing techniques for solving problems — techniques that apply to any programming language, and, indeed, to any discipline.

Instructors and Teaching Assistants

Instructor	Office	Phone	Email	Office Hours
Lecturers: Mark Sheldon	SCI E106	x3062	msheldon@wellesley.edu	T 2:30–4:00, Th 1:30–3, by appt.
Lecturer: Franklyn Turbak	SCI E126	x3049	fturbak@wellesley.edu	M 3–5pm, W 4–6pm, F 3–5pm, by appt. (hours in red modified as of 9/08/06)
Lab Instructor: Sohie Lee	SCI E127	x3123	slee@wellesley.edu	M 11:00am-12:20pm , Th 11:00am-12:20pm and by appt. (hours in red modified as of 12/01/06)

There are four teaching assistants who will hold drop-in hours, help out in lab, and grade problem sets: Amy Dai, Zaza Kabayadondo, Ayla Solomon, Miranda Stumpf.

CS111 drop-in teaching assistants are available in E101 on the following nights and times:

Class Meetings

There are two 70-minute lectures each week, which will introduce the main content of the course. Each week there is also a mandatory 2-hour laboratory session.

This semester, both lectures are being team taught by Franklyn Turbak and Mark Sheldon. Each of us will give half the lectures.

Lectures (SCI E111)	Lecturers
Lec 01: Tuesday/Friday 9:50am - 11:00am	Mark and Lyn
Lec 02: Tuesday/Friday 11:10am - 12:20pm	Mark and Lyn

Labs (SCI E101)	Lab Instructor	Lab Teaching Assistants
Lab 01: Wednesday 8:30am - 10:20am	Sohie Lee	Amy
Lab 02: Wednesday 10:30am - 12:20pm	Sohie Lee	Zaza/Ayla
Lab 03: Thursday 1:30pm - 3:20pm	Sohie Lee	Miranda

Textbook and Other Course Materials

Grading

At the end of the semester, we will compute a weighted average for each student and assign letter grades. In general, the mapping from numerical score to letter grades looks like this: >= 93.33 is an A, >= 90.00 is an A-, >= 86.67 is a B+, >= 83.33 is a B, >= 80.00 is a B-. >= 76.67 is a C+, >= 73.33 is a C, >= 70.00 is a C-, >= 60.00 is a D and < 60.00 is an F.

Depending on the overall performance of the class, we may adjust this mapping.

Laboratory

The mandatory, weekly, 2-hour laboratory sessions consist of additional instruction and both written and online problem-solving exercises. The exercises provide hands-on practice with new material and with problems similar to the weekly homework assignments. In lab, students work at their own pace and can get help from the lab instructor and a teaching assistant. Although lab problems are similar to homework problem, lab is not a place to work on homework.

Homework

Almost weekly problem sets will help you develop a working knowledge of the concepts presented in class. Assigments are due at the start of class on their due date. By that time, you should submit both (1) a hardcopy of your assignment and (2) a softcopy (i.e., electronic copy) of all your code to the appropriate drop folder. More detailed instructions for submitting assignments are included in each assignment.

Instructions for turning in each assignment will be included with the assignment. We ask you to keep track of the time you spend on each problem to help us design problem sets for future semesters. Each problem set will come with a header sheet on which you can report the times you spent on the problems.

The amount of time required to complete each assignment varies from student to student and from assignment to assignment. For many students, most assignments take roughly 10 hours.

In order for us to grade and return assignments promptly, we cannot accept late assignments. If you have not completed an assignment, you should still turn in whatever you have for partial credit. In extenuating circumstances (e.g., sickness, personal crisis, family problems, religious holidays), you may request an extension.

Many of the assignments will be challenging. Keep in mind that programming often consumes more time than you think it will. Start your problem sets early so that you have time to think about the problems and ask questions if you hit an impasse. Waiting until the last minute is a recipe for disaster.

Also, keep in mind that computers do break down and that, outside of laboratory hours, you may have to compete with other students for a computer. Plan accordingly (and back up your work often)!

Software

FirstClass

The class conference on FirstClass is "Wellesley Conferences/Courses/CS/CS111-F06". There are 2 folders of interest in the conference: Announcements and Q&A. You should read both of these regularly.

Announcements
In this folder, the course staff will post important course annoucements about topics ranging from help with homework problems to time-changes of exams and office hours.

Q&A
You are encouraged to post questions or comments in the Q&A folder that are of genearl interest to people in the course. Also, you are encouraged to respond to questions posted by other students. In addition, the instructors and TAs will read this folder on a regular basis and post answers to questions found here. This is a good place to find people to join a study group or ask questions about the course or about homework (please do not post any Java code here — all homework discussions should be at a high-level English description).

Finding Help

If you have any questions at all about the class (whether big or small, whether on labs, problem sets, lectures, reading, or whatever) please contact one of the lecturers, lab instructors or TAs. That's what we're here for!

Simple questions can often be answered via the FirstClass conference Q&A folder or via email to an instructor. Questions of general interest (e.g. clarifying ambiguities in an assignment, wondering why posted programs don't work as expected) should be posted to the Q&A folder.

If you have a complex question or need help in understanding the material, you are encouraged to see the instructors or a CS111 teaching assistant. The best time to see us in person is during our scheduled office hours and drop-in hours (listed at the top of this document). If these times are not convenient, we can schedule an appointment for some other time. You can schedule an appointment in person, via phone, or via email.

Drop-in teaching assistants are available to answer your questions during certain hours. The names and schedules of the drop-in teaching assistants are given above.

Some hints on working with teaching assistants:

• Drop-in teaching assistants tend to get the most questions near the end of the of their time slot. Try to arrive in E101 early so that you can ask questions in the first part of their shift.
• Just like you, drop-in teaching assistants have lots of work and very tight schedules. It is not reasonable to expect them to help you after their official tutoring hours are over.
• Teaching assistants tend to see less traffic far in advance of the problem set due date. Start your work early so that you can take advantage of all the available drop-in hours.
• Please sign the log book every time you get help from a teaching assistant. The log book is a record of how much demand there is for teaching assistants, and affects how many teaching assistants we can have in future semesters.

Students with Disabilities

Students with disabilities who are taking this class and who need disability-related accomodations are encouraged to work with Barbara Boger, Director of Programs, the Learning and Teaching Center (for learning or attention disabilities), or Jim Wice, Director of Disability Services (for physical disabilities), to arrange accomodations. Their offices are in Clapp Library.