Course Objectives

 To understand the basic operation of computing systems. Upon completing this course, students should have a high-level understanding of the role played by each major component of the system, including compiler, operating system, assembler, instruction set, and hardware. Programming assignments will be conducted on the departmental PCs running windows. You may also perform these assignments on your own computers, but you will be responsible for your own installation of the software.

Student Evaluation

 Your performance in this class will be evaluated through homework assignments, programming assignments, and three exams. The weights of each of these components is listed below:

• Exams: #1 and #2 are 21.5%, #3 is 17%
• Best exam score: 20%
• Homework and Programming Assignments: 20%

• Exam 1: Thursday, October 4, 8-10pm. BUR 106
• Exam 2: Monday, November 5, 7-9pm. WEL 2.224
• Exam 3: Thursday, Dec 6, 8-10pm. BUR 106

Program listings AND disks will be turned in for grading in a manilla envelope. Once graded, your disk will be returned. The programs will be graded on correctness, readability, style, and documentation.

You have a "late account" of 3 days for the term which you can spend any way you choose, including both homework and programming assigments. For example, you can turn in three homework assignments one day late each, or one program assignment 2 days late and one hmwk assignment 1 day late, without penalty. Each assignment will specify the turnin deadline, and the maximum number of late days allowed for that assignment.  Once you have exhausted your late account, no late assignments will be accepted (just turn in what you have completed for partial credit). You are responsible for turning in your assignment to your discussion section TA. The departmental homework drop box in Taylor Hall 2nd floor entry will occasionally be used, so be sure to read the specific turnin requirements.

Student Collaboration Policy

You are free to discuss the course material with your classmates and are encouraged to form study groups for the exams. However, collaboration on homework or programming assignments is not permitted. Helping a friend understand the intent of a homework or programming assignment specification is permitted. Students who work together too closely (e.g. design their solution together) should be aware that this is a form of cheating called COLLUSION and is subject to academic penalties (a typical penalty will require you to retake the course).

The homework, programs, and exams must be the work of students turning them in. University policy (see Dean of Students' policies on academic integrity) will be followed strictly.

Acts that exceed the bounds defined by the approved collaboration practices will be considered cheating. Such acts include:

• Copying solutions, code, or programs from someone else or giving someone else your solutions, code, or programs
• Getting help in debugging an assigned program (see text pg xvi)
• Participation in a discussion group that develops a solution that everyone copies

Studying for tests together is permitted and encouraged. Please come talk to me if you are unsure about how to work together with your friend in a legal, helpful manner. Remember, it is always ok to "work together" with your professor or TA!

Your Responsibilities in This Class:

• I subscribe to the Code of Conduct for CS310 faculty, TAs, proctors, and students; please read and adhere to it.
• You are responsible for all material posted to the class web site(to make this easy on you, we will not post required information any later than 48hrs before an assignment is due or an exam). Ignorance of such material is no excuse.
• You are responsible for obtaining departmental computer accounts, either for the Linux laboratory or for the PC laboratory. You are also responsible for purchasing floppy diskettes for backing up your work on the PCs.
• You are responsible for all material presented in lecture and in discussion sections. Lectures will include some material that is not available elsewhere.  We advise you to attend all discussion sections so as not to miss out on material that will be covered in assignments and on exams.
• You are expected to attend the discussion section for which you are registered. This is important to allow all students equal access to the TAs. Furthermore, all assignments and exams will be returned in discussion sections by your TA.
• Your performance in this class will be determined be you! It will require a strong dedication to learning the material and may require a substantial time commitment to complete the programming assignments.
• You are responsible for turning in your own work on all assignments. Unauthorized collusion is not allowed and constitutes a violation of the university's policies on academic integrity. See above guidelines for more information on what is or is not allowed.
• You are responsible for protecting your work from being copied by others.

Feel free to attend any/all of the CS310 office hours.

Your TA will conduct 50 min. discussion sections on Thursday to provide extra time for
questions, to present additional examples of problem-solving techniques, to review the
assignments, and to present new material.

The grading of assignments and tests will be shared among myself, the TAs, and the proctors but your contact point for grades will be your TA.  Assignments and tests will be returned by your TA. Any grading problems should be turned in to your TA for resolution first, before appealing to me. You have one week to turn in a written appeal, after the TA returns the assignment.

Other General Information

 The programming assignments will require use of the Department of Computer Sciences instructional computing resources. All CS students who meet the prerequisites for CS310 are eligible for a CS departmental Microlab account (see the microlab homepage for more details).

You will perform you programming assignments on software that runs on PCs. This can either be done in the departmental microlab or at home on your own computer. The software will be made available for download later in the term.