CPSC-101: Administrivia

Texts:

• Exploring Microsoft Word 97, Robert T. Grauer and Maryann Barber, Prentice Hall.
  This text will be basis of the labs
• The RIT WebBook, various authors, Calvin College
  This text will serve as a reference.

Weekly schedule:   Each evening session will comprise:

• an opening lecture in SB-382 (40-50 minutes)
• a lab exercise in SB-372 (the remainder of the session) - The lab exercises will be due at the end of the evening session (i.e., by 9:30). I will look them over very briefly; their primary purpose is to get you ready for the project. The week's project will then be assigned and will be due by the beginning of the next week's session.

Grading:  I will compute your final grade as follows:

• 50% Weekly labs and projects;
• 30% Quizzes;
• 20% The final project;

Exemption: Those who have an "intermediate" level of practical and theoretical understanding of computing may wish to be exempted from CPSC-101, which is a prerequisite for all of the other introductory CPSC modules (i.e, CPSC-105 through CPSC-140). To do this, you can take the CPSC 101 exemption test, which will be administered upon request during the first week of each the semester or at midterm. Passing the exemption test grants you an exemption for CPSC-101. This means that you don't receive course credit for 101, but you are allowed to go on and take the other modules. Your exemption will appear on your transcript. The registrar's office imposes a $15 fee for an exemption test.

Attendance:   I will not grade you on class attendance, but try to be faithful in attendence nevertheless. Because each week's topic builds on the topics of previous weeks, it is very difficult to catch up once you fall behind.

Disabilities:   Calvin will make reasonable accommodations for persons with documented disabilities. Students should notify a Coordinator of Services to Students with Disabilities located in Student Academic Services, HH455. You should also notify me within the first two weeks of class.

Incompletes:  I will give an incomplete grade (I) only in unusual circumstances, and only if those circumstances have been confirmed by the Student Life office. Procrastination does not qualify as an unusual circumstance.

Late Work:  I will clearly indicate a due date for all assignments. Anything submitted up to one week after that date is late, unless you have made prior arrangements with me. For each late paper, you will be charged 10% for each day that you are late. I will not generally accept papers more than one week late, nor will I accept late papers at all if you have attended the in-class discussion of the solution. Please come and talk to me if there are exceptional circumstances, and we'll work something out.

Responsible Use of Technology:   All students are expected to abide by the conduct code set forth in the "Responsible Use of Technology at Calvin College" document. Enrolling in this course means that you agree to abide by the guidelines set forth in this document. (If you do not have a copy, see http://www.calvin.edu/it/services/ethics/ ).

Working together:

• On the lab exercises, I encourage you to work together. This can make the labs more interesting and can help you understand the material more fully. Just make sure that each group member understands what is going on.
• The projects, however, must be done individually. Sharing ideas is ok, but your solutions must be your own.

Plagiarism:   Copying another student's work is theft. As specified in the Student and Faculty Handbooks, detected duplication of work , plagiarism, or other dishonesty may result in a failing grade (F) for all work in involved -- and for the entire course, if appropriate -- for all students involved.

Keith Vander Linden ©Calvin College 2001