CS 101: Introduction to Computer Science

An introduction to programming using Java

An introduction to theoretical problems in computer science

1. CS 101
Today’s class will start 5 minutes late

2. CS 101
Introduction to Computer Science
Aaron Bloomfield
University of Virginia
Spring 2007

3. 3
Who we are

Aaron Bloomfield: CS 101

Office: Olsson 228D

Office hours will be posted on
the website

Email:

Michele Co: CS 101-E

Office: Olsson 228A

Office hours will be posted on
the website

Email:

4. 4
Who they are

Both instructors also accept appointments

We have 16 undergraduate teaching assistants

And 1 graduate teaching assistant

Their information and hours will be posted on the
website

5. 5
What this course is

An introduction to programming using Java

An introduction to theoretical problems in computer
science

We’ll start seeing these next time

6. 6
What this course is not

We do not talk about (in any depth):

Applications of computing

Other programming languages (C, C++, Matlab, etc.)

History of computing (well, not much)

How to use Microsoft office or create a web page

7. 7
Course objectives

Understand fundamentals of programming such as
variables, conditional and iterative execution, methods, etc.

Understand fundamentals of object-oriented programming,
including defining classes, invoking methods, using class
libraries, etc.

Gain exposure to the important topics and principles of
software development.

Have the ability to write computer programs to solve
specified problems.

Be able to use a software development environment to
create, debug, and run programs.

8. 8
Honor Policy

Honor Policy: The University of Virginia Honor Policy is in
effect in this class. As a student in the course you also
agree to follow the following principles.

Unless otherwise specified, the only allowed collaboration for the
homeworks and labs is the discussion of ideas; no collaboration is
allowed on the exams and lab quizzes.

No code or solutions are to be distributed to other students either
electronically (i.e. e-mail) or on paper. If you are looking at another
student's code, you are in violation of this honor policy.

Unless otherwise noted, exams and individual assignments are
pledged: you promise that you have neither given nor received
unauthorized help.

When there is doubt regarding the honorability of an action, you will
ask before doing it.

9. 9
Honor Policy

Honor Policy: The University of Virginia Honor Policy is in
effect in this class. As a student in the course you also
agree to follow the following principles.

You are not allowed to describe problems on an exam or quiz to a
student who has not taken it yet. You are not allowed to show exam
papers to another student or view another student's exam papers
while working on an exam.

You are not allowed to debug your fellow student's code – there is
ample teaching assistant support, and they can help debug code.
This will be discussed in more detail once we start getting into
writing (and debugging) Java programs.

You may not use another students 'clicker' during lecture (we will be
discussing clickers shortly).

10. 10
Honor Policy
If you find yourself looking at somebody else's
code, and doing such was not explicitly allowed,
then you are in violation of this policy!
Any honor violation or cheating will be referred to
the honor committee, and will result in an
immediate failure for the course, regardless
of the outcome of the honor trial or your
other grades.
No exceptions!

11. 11
Website

At http://www.cs.virginia.edu/~cs101

The syllabus is there (with most of the info in this
slide set)

And all the lecture notes

I will try to post all slide sets on the website the
night before lecture

But will probably be editing them that day

Don’t bother writing down what’s on the slides!

There will also be videos of 101 lectures

12. 12
Textbook

Starting Out with Java 5
from Control Structures to
Objects

Tony Gaddis

We’ll be covering the first 6
chapters and chapters 8
and 9

This is not the same
textbook that was used last
semester!

13. 13
Clickers

These are RF “remote
controls”

Allow me to ask questions
during class and get
responses from
everybody

Very useful in large
lecture halls…

The bookstore has them
(or will shortly)

It is required: there will
be a grade penalty if you
do not get one

14. 14
Keeping the class interesting
Humor breaks

Actually helps with attention span!

Not surprisingly, most of it will be computer humor!

15. 1515
Motivational postersMotivational posters

16. 1616
Today’s demotivatorsToday’s demotivators

17. 17
Grading criteria
10% – Laboratory participation
However, if you miss more than 2 labs, you are subject to failure for
the course

More on this in a bit…
10% – Laboratory programming quizzes
30% – Homework assignments
30% – Midterms

21 February, 28 March, 25 April
20% – Final exam
Scheduled time is Friday, 4 May from 7 pm. to 10 pm
We will discuss conflicts as the semester progresses

APMA 310, MATH 111, 114, 121, and 122, and STAT 110
Will be following the standard 10-point curve scale

18. 18
Grades

All grades will be kept online

Viewing your grades will be gone over in the first lab

All electronically submitted assignments (labs,
HWs, lab quizzes) will be graded electronically

They are still graded by a human, of course

You will receive an e-mail about your grade

Only the exams will be graded via paper

19. 19
Grading critera

We reserve the right to modify the weighting,
especially if attendance drops off significantly

Any such change will be announced in lecture

20. 20
Regrades
When an assignment is graded, the grading
guidelines will be posted
If you feel you deserve more credit, you need to
submit a regrade

Paper-based for the exams
Electronically for labs, HWs, and lab quizzes
Regrades must be submitted within 10 (ten) days
More on regrades in the first lab
We reserve the right to possibly institute a
“penalty” on “whiny” regrades

21. 21
Homeworks
These are programming homeworks
We estimate 9 or so of them

Are due at 10 a.m. on Friday

Late policy:

1 second late to 24 hours late: -25%

24 hours and 1 second late: -100%

22. 22
Labs
Will have one each week

Total of 11 (or so) throughout the semester
Lab attendance is REQUIRED

If you miss more than 2 labs, you are subject to course failure for
the course

If you show up to a different lab section without permission, it
counts as missing that lab

There ARE labs this first week
Lab grading will be discussed in the first lab
If you don’t finish the lab during lab period, you can finish it within the
next 24 hours

More details on this in the first lab
If for a valid reason you are unable to do your lab, there will be a
make-up lab on Sunday night, provided that you get permission prior to
your scheduled lab

23. 23
Lab scheduling problems

I expect about some students will switch into CS 101-E

Using last spring semester as a guide

That will free up space in all the lab sections

I then have to course action in the lab section 10 people

We will get everybody registered for a lab section that fits
their schedule

If you are not registered for a lab section this week, you
can go to any lab

But only if you aren’t registered for any lab section!

24. 24
Exams

There will be three midterms, all pledged

21 February, 28 March, 25 April (all are Wednesdays)

There will be three lab quizzes, all pledged

During lab sections the week of the midterms

The tests are going to be hard!

Final exam

Scheduled time is Friday, 4 May from 7 pm. to 10 pm

We will discuss conflicts as the semester progresses

APMA 310, MATH 111, 114, 121, and 122, and STAT 110

25. 25
Home directory service

All assignments and lab files must be kept on your
home directory

http://www.virginia.edu/homedir

26. 26
My philosophy: hard but fair

Fairness is a challenge in a class of 375 students

If you feel something is not fair, you need to let me
know

I will do my best to correct it

If you think that this course is not hard, let me
know

I will do my best to correct it

27. 27
Who to contact
I am not always the best person
I easily get inundated with emails, as I have hundreds of
students

The TAs can often answer a question just as easily as I
can, and much quicker

There will be a dedicated graduate TA for grading issues
Any administrative requests should be e-mailed to
[email protected], not the instructors or
TAs

Lab section switches, homework questions, etc.
Anything that does not need to be answered by the
instructors

28. 28
Office hours

Office hours will be posted on the website

Note that changes to an individual week will be posted
there as well

Please check it before you head off to office hours!

There will be a lot of TA office hours

We expect to provide over 50 office hours during a given
week

Please utilize them!!!

29. 29
Feedback

It’s a very good thing!

Feel free to leave us feedback

Can be done anonymously, if you wish

Via the Toolkit or the CS dept website

It’s hard for the instructors to know what the
students think of the course…

30. 30
Learning the material
There are a number of ways we provide to help you learn
the material

Lecture
Lecture videos
Slides on the website

Programming homeworks

Labs

Textbook

Previous years’ tests

TAs (during labs or office hours)
Professors (office hours)

Fellow students
Find what works best for you and use it

31. 31
Sections

CS 101

Students have little or no programming experience

Mandatory scheduled closed labs

Meets three times a week (M/W/F 3:00-3:50)

CS 101-E

Students with programming experience

Open labs that are to be completed by a scheduled time

Meets two times a week (M/W 2:00-3:15)

CS 101-X

Is being run separately from 101/101-E

101 & 101-E students take same quizzes and tests, and do the same
assignments

The 10-point curve is the same for everybody

So helping your fellow students out does not hurt you

32. 32
Differences with 101-E

Labs are done by all 101-E students on their own time

If you miss more than 2, you are still subject to failure

Labs due 8:30 p.m. on Sunday

Optional lab session for 101-E students Sunday at 5 p.m.

Pace through the textbook is the same

They may go through it in more detail, though

The following is assumed for students in 101-E

You have taken a course in programming

Thus, you know the basics of programming

You will need to sign a pledge stating this

You did not get a 4 or a 5 on the AB level AP computer science
exam, or a 5 on the A level AP exam

33. 33
Should you be in 101-E?

If you have had a semester’s worth of
programming, then yes

Stay to the end of this lecture, then start going to
the other section next time

Meets in MEC 205