Course Syllabus


Course Basics

Course COMP1010: Programming for All 1
Credits 3
Pre-reqs None

Description This course is designed for students who are not intending to be Computer Science majors who desire a practical course for gaining basic computer programming skills. The course will use the Python programming language to develop skills in problem-solving, debugging, acquiring real-world data, processing data, and interacting with and visualizing solutions. The course will show the power in writing small programs that leverage existing code to create interesting applications. Examples from a variety of fields will be used to illustrate the utility of computers and programming. The goal for the end of the course is for students to feel confident in their ability to write useful, small-scale programs in their area of interest.

At the end of the course, students will be able to

  • write small functions and scripts in Python to accomplish desired tasks
  • use external Python code in their own programs to add functionality to their programs
  • debug and modify small programs
  • use object-oriented constructs within their programs
  • take a real-world task and see how to use programs to automate or analyze that task 

Lectures Lectures are delivered in the form of videos, which will be released weekly on Thursday morning.

Recitations Monday sessions online through Zoom. Recitations will be a mixture of in-class activities and Q&A. See the Canvas page for your section (12, 13, 14, or 18) to get links to the Zoom rooms for each recitation.

Lab sessions Wednesday sessions online through Zoom. Lab attendance at your registered lab session is required and has graded work. See the Canvas page for your section (12, 13, 14, or 18) to get links to the Zoom rooms for each lab.

Instructor Prof. Miriah Meyer
Instructor email miriah@cs.utah.edu 

Instructor Prof. Jason Wiese
Instructor email wiese@cs.utah.edu

Course staff email through Piazza

Textbook This course will use a variety of web resources, including readings and exercises from a free online, interactive textbook from https://runestone.academy/runestone/books/published/fopp/index.html

Important dates There is a midterm exam that takes place during your lab session on October 21. The final exam is from3:30-5:30 PM on December 7th. These dates cannot be missed except for documented emergencies and you should plan around them.

In-class participation Most recitations will have audience participation questions that you can answer using a web browser on a smart phone, tablet, or laptop (this can be the same as the device you use to attend through Zoom). These audience response questions will be through www.pollev.com/comp1010.  If you do not have a device to use during lectures please contact Prof. Meyer (miriah@cs.utah.edu) or Wiese (wiese@cs.utah.edu)

Course Materials

Website The class website is the Canvas course available through CIS. It will be updated throughout the semester with the class schedule, lecture videos and notes, laboratory exercises, assignment specifications, and much more. 

Lecture videos The instructors will post several short videos for each topic. Students should watch these videos, along with related suggested readings, prior to Monday recitations.

Recitation notes The instructors will often make use of slides and other documents during recitations. These documents will be posted on the class website following the recitation; however, such posted documents will not represent completely the material covered in class. Students who must miss class are strongly encouraged to check with a classmate or TA.

Lab videos The TAs will post a short, mini-lecture video prior to Wednesday labs. Students are expected to watch these videos before attending lab.

Python All programming in COMP1010 is in Python. Python is free to download. Instructions for installing it on your personal computer is available on the class website in the Class Resources module.

Student Evaluation 

Programming assignments The instructions for each assignment and its due date will be posted on the class website roughly one week before it must be submitted. Assignments are submitted online via the submission tool located beneath the instructions for each assignment. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure the successful and timely submission of each programming assignment — start early and follow the instructions carefully. Corrupted or missing files will not be grounds for extensions. Double-check your submissions, and save a digital copy of all of your work. 

LATE ASSIGNMENTS There is a one-day grace period for late assignments. Assignments turned in after the due date will receive a 20% deduction in the grade. No assignments will be accepted more than 24 hours late, at which point a 0% will be assigned. In general, you should use the dropped score (described below) as the way this course handles the problems we all face during the semester rather than asking for instructors' consent for late work. Longer term issues should be discussed with the instructors -- we are not trying to fail students! 

Lab exercises Students in labs generally work through online quizzes with the aid of the lab TAs. The lowest 2 lab scores will be dropped, which can help you manage unexpected (or expected) problems with attendance. Labs will focus on additional material that is helpful for completing assignments. Additionally, labs are very beneficial for reviewing material covered in lecture -- attendance is expected.

Topic quizzes We will be giving quizzes about every two weeks on the material covered in the topics. These quizzes are designed to be an assessment tool for yourself so that you know whether or not you have the expected understanding of the material. These quizzes will be available on Tuesdays, and you can take them any time during that day. You will have two chances to take the quiz, and will be able to see which questions you missed. The lowest quiz grade will be dropped.

Mid-term and final exam There will be one mid-term and a final test. The mid-term is during lab on October 21st. The cumulative final exam is Monday, December 7 from 3:30-5:30 PM. These tests cannot be missed except for a documented medical emergency.

Participation Participation is an important component of this course because active engagement facilitates learning. If you choose not to be engaged during recitation and lab, you are harming your own experience with the material. Participation will not be graded explicitly because we find that active participation is associated with success in other graded aspects of the course.

Final course grade: Assignments 55%, Mid-term and Final Exam 25%, Topic Quizzes 10%, Labs 10%

Your weighted, cumulative course percentage score is turned into letter grades using the following scheme:

[100-94] A, (94-90] A-, (90-87] B+, (87-84] B, (84-80] B-, (80-77] C+, (77-74] C, (74-70] C-, (70-67] D+, (67-64] D, (64-60] D-, (60-0] E

where [ ] means including that number and ( ) means up to but not including. 

Regrades Students who wish to appeal a score on an assignment, a lab, or a test must do so within one week of receiving the score. For assignments and labs please contact the TA that assigned your grade. For tests please contact the instructors.

Dropped scores Students may end up missing a deadline or a lab session for a reason that is not granted an exception (generally, documented medical reasons or official University activities). Therefore, to allow for such an occurrence, the lowest score earned on an assignment, the lowest score on a topic quiz, and the lowest two scores on lab exercises are dropped from the record of each student at the end of the semester. Students should plan to use the “drop scores” judiciously — there is only one for an assignment, one for a quiz, and two for a lab. These dropped scores are automatically applied. No test or final exam scores are dropped. 

Getting Help 

Instructor office hours See the Help Hours page in the Course Resources module. 

Teaching assistants and consulting hours See the Help Hours page in the Course Resources module. During consultation, use the TA Queue (also on the class website) to alert the TA on duty that you have a question. TA hours are held on Zoom.

Communication For questions outside of class and consulting hours, students are required to use Piazza

To send urgent messages to everyone in the class, such as corrections to assignments or changes in due dates, the course staff will make use of Piazza. Students are expected to check Piazza regularly. We recommend signing up for email notifications from Piazza as well. 

In general, we can often provide quick and detailed responses through Piazza and it is an excellent mechanism for getting feedback. See further instructions on the Contacting Course Staff page in the Course Resources module.

Course Guidelines 

Behavior during class activities All students are expected to maintain professional behavior, according to www.regulations.utah.edu/academics/guides/students/studentRights.html (the University of Utah Student Code). Students should read the Code carefully and know that they are responsible for the content. According to Faculty Rules and Regulations, it is the faculty responsibility to enforce responsible classroom behaviors, beginning with verbal warnings and progressing to dismissal from class and a failing grade. Students have the right to appeal such action to the Student Behavior Committee. 

Working together Students are encouraged to discuss assignments and laboratory exercises with fellow classmates, but each student is responsible for formulating and writing their own answer. Cheating is: sharing written or electronic work either by copying, retyping, looking at, or supplying a copy. Cheating is not: discussing concepts, answering questions about concepts or clarifying ambiguities, or helping someone understand how to use the class tools and software. 

Students may occasionally be required to work on assignments or lab exercises in pairs. Guidelines and rules for working together will be posted with such assignments. 

Cheating is taken very seriously and students must be careful not to collaborate on assignments. Further details about what constitutes cheating, and what the resulting actions by the course staff will be, can be found under Course Resources.

Submissions are routinely checked by the course staff for signs of unauthorized collaboration. 

There must be no collaboration during tests or the final exam. Please see the University of Utah Student Code for a detailed description of the university policy on cheating.

Any student found cheating will fail the entire course. 

We will adhere by the School of Computing policy on academic misconduct.

College of Engineering guidelines For information on withdrawing from courses, appealing grades, and more, see the College of Engineering guidelines at 

https://www.coe.utah.edu/students/academic-affairs/academics/semester-guidelines/

Inclusivity

It is our intent that students from all diverse backgrounds and perspectives be well-served by this course, that students' learning needs be addressed both in and out of class, and that the diversity that the students bring to this class be viewed as a resource, strength and benefit. It is our intent to present materials and activities that are respectful of diversity: gender identity, sexuality, disability, age, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, race, nationality, religion, and culture.

We also expect students to treat others in the class, including the teaching staff, with the same level of respect.

Your suggestions on how we can make the course more inclusive and welcoming are encouraged and appreciated. You can give us feedback in person during office hours, or through our anonymous form. (Links to an external site.)

U of U Office of Inclusivity (Links to an external site.)
Center for Ethnic Student Affairs  (Links to an external site.)
LGBT Resource Center (Links to an external site.)
American Indian Resource Center (Links to an external site.)
Office of Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action, and Title IX  (Links to an external site.)
Center for Student Wellness

Student names & personal pronouns Class rosters are provided to the instructors with the student’s legal name as well as “Preferred first name” (if previously entered by you in the Student Profile section of your CIS account). Please advise the instructors of any name or pronoun changes (and update CIS) so we can help create a learning environment in which you feel respected. If you need assistance getting your preferred name on your UID card, please visit the LGBT Resource Center Room 409 in the Olpin Union Building, or email bpeacock@sa.utah.edu to schedule a time to drop by. The LGBT Resource Center hours are M-F 8am-5pm, and 8am-6pm on Tuesdays.

NOTE: This syllabus is meant to serve as an outline and guide for our course. Please note that the instructors may modify it with reasonable notice to you. The instructors may also modify the course schedule to accommodate the needs of our class. Any changes will be announced in class and posted on Canvas under Announcements.

University Policies

COVID-19 Campus Guidelines

Students are required to self-report if they test positive for COVID-19. To report, please contact:

COVID-19 Central @ The U
 801-213-2874
 coronavirus.utah.edu (Links to an external site.)

To reduce the spread of COVID-19 on campus, face coverings are required in all in-person classes for both students and faculty. Face coverings are required to cover both your mouth and your nose. Please note that face shields alone are not an acceptable form of face covering unless also worn with a covering or mask for the nose and mouth.

Based on CDC guidelines, the University requires everyone to wear face coverings in shared public spaces on campus, including our classroom. As a reminder, when I wear a face covering, I am protecting you. When you wear a face covering, you are protecting me and all of your classmates. If you forget your face covering, I will ask you to leave class to retrieve it. If you repeatedly fail to wear a face covering in class, I will refer you to the Dean of Students for a possible violation of the Student Code.

Note that some students may qualify for accommodations through the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). If you think you meet these criteria and desire an exception to the face covering policy, contact the Center for Disability and Access (Links to an external site.) (CDA). Accommodations should be obtained prior to the first day of class so that I am notified by CDA of any students who are not required to wear a face covering.

If you believe you meet these criteria, contact:

Center for Disability & Access
 801-581-5020
 disability.utah.edu (Links to an external site.)
 162 Union Building
    200 S. Central Campus Dr.
     Salt Lake City, UT 84112

Everyone is encouraged to wash their hands, use hand sanitizer, and clean their desks with wipes, which will be available at classroom entrances and at “sanitizing stations” in multi-use buildings, including Marriott Library. Read more information about the building cleaning schedule on coronavirus.utah.edu.

Drop/Withdrawal Policies

Students may drop a course within the first two weeks of a given semester without any penalties.

Students may officially withdraw (W) from a class or all classes after the drop deadline through the midpoint of a course. A “W” grade is recorded on the transcript and appropriate tuition/fees are assessed. The grade “W” is not used in calculating the student’s GPA.

For deadlines to withdraw from full-term, first, and second session classes, see the U's Academic Calendar.

Plagiarism & Cheating

It is assumed that all work submitted to your instructor is your own work. When you have used ideas of others, you must properly indicate that you have done so.

Plagiarism and cheating are serious offenses and may be punished by failure on an individual assignment, and/or failure in the course. Academic misconduct, according to the University of Utah Student Code,

“...Includes, but is not limited to, cheating, misrepresenting one’s work, inappropriately collaborating, plagiarism, and fabrication or falsification of information…It also includes facilitating academic misconduct by intentionally helping or attempting to help another to commit an act of academic misconduct.”

For details on plagiarism and other important course conduct issues, see the U's Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities.

Course Materials Copyright

The Content is made available only for your personal, noncommercial educational and scholarly use. You may not use the Content for any other purpose, or distribute, post or make the Content available to others, unless you obtain any required permission from the copyright holder. Some Content may be provided via streaming or other means that restrict copying; you may not circumvent those restrictions. You may not alter or remove any copyright or other proprietary notices included in the Content.
 
Please see the Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities, Section III.A.5 regarding use and distribution of class Content and materials.
https://regulations.utah.edu/academics/6-400.php
Section III.A.5. prohibits the following:
Sale or distribution of information representing the work product of a faculty member to a commercial entity for financial gain without the express written permission of the faculty member responsible for the course. (“Work product” means original works of authorship that have been fixed in a tangible medium and any works based upon and derived from the original work of authorship.)

Safety at the U

The University of Utah values the safety of all campus community members. You will receive important emergency alerts and safety messages regarding campus safety via text message.

For more information regarding safety and to view available training resources, including helpful videos, visit safeu.utah.edu (Links to an external site.).

To report suspicious activity or to request a courtesy escort, contact:

Campus Police & Department of Public Safety
801-585-COPS (801-585-2677)
 dps.utah.edu
1735 E. S. Campus Dr.
     Salt Lake City, UT 84112

Wellness at the U

Your personal health and wellness are essential to your success as a student. Personal concerns like stress, anxiety, relationship difficulties, depression, or cross-cultural differences can interfere with a student’s ability to succeed and thrive in this course and at the University of Utah.

Please feel welcome to reach out to your instructor or TA's to handle issues regarding your coursework.

For helpful resources to manage your personal wellness and counseling options, contact:

Center for Student Wellness
801-581-7776
wellness.utah.edu
2100 Eccles Student Life Center
     1836 Student Life Way
     Salt Lake City, UT 84112

Women's Resource Center
801-581-8030
womenscenter.utah.edu
411 Union Building
     200 S. Central Campus Dr.
     Salt Lake City, UT 84112

 (Links to an external site

Addressing Sexual Misconduct

Title IX makes it clear that violence and harassment based on sex and gender (which includes sexual orientation and gender identity/expression) is a civil rights offense subject to the same kinds of accountability and the same kinds of support applied to offenses against other protected categories such as race, national origin, color, religion, age, status as a person with a disability, veteran’s status, or genetic information.

If you or someone you know has been harassed or assaulted, you are encouraged to report it to university officials: 

Title IX Coordinator & Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action
801-581-8365
oeo.utah.edu
135 Park Building
     201 Presidents' Cir.
     Salt Lake City, UT 84112

Office of the Dean of Students
801-581-7066
deanofstudents.utah.edu
 270 Union Building
     200 S. Central Campus Dr.
     Salt Lake City, UT 84112

To file a police report, contact:

Campus Police & Department of Public Safety
801-585-COPS (801-585-2677)
 dps.utah.edu
1735 E. S. Campus Dr.
     Salt Lake City, UT 84112

If you do not feel comfortable reporting to authorities, the U's Victim-Survivor Advocates provide free, confidential and trauma-informed support services to students, faculty, and staff who have experienced interpersonal violence.

To privately explore options and resources available to you with an advocate, contact:

Center for Student Wellness
801-581-7776
wellness.utah.edu
328 Student Services Building
    201 S. 1460 E.
     Salt Lake City, UT 84112

Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA)

The University of Utah seeks to provide equal access to its programs, services, and activities for people with disabilities.

All written information in this course can be made available in an alternative format with prior notification to the Center for Disability & Access (CDA). CDA will work with you and the instructor to make arrangements for accommodations. Prior notice is appreciated. To read the full accommodations policy for the University of Utah, please see Section Q of the Instruction & Evaluation regulations.

If you will need accommodations in this class, or for more information about what support they provide, contact:

Center for Disability & Access
801-581-5020
disability.utah.edu
162 Union Building
    200 S. Central Campus Dr.
     Salt Lake City, UT 84112

Diverse Student Support

Your success at the University of Utah is important to all of us here! If you feel like you need extra support in academics, overcoming personal difficulties, or finding community, the U is here for you.

Student Support Services (TRIO)

TRIO federal programs are targeted to serve and assist low-income individuals, first-generation college students, and individuals with disabilities.

Student Support Services (SSS) is a TRIO program for current or incoming undergraduate university students who are seeking their first bachelor's degree and need academic assistance and other services to be successful at the University of Utah.

For more information about what support they provide, a list of ongoing events, and links to other resources, view their website or contact:

Student Support Services (TRIO)
801-581-7188
trio.utah.edu
 Room 2075 
     1901 E. S. Campus Dr.
     Salt Lake City, UT 84112

American Indian Students

The AIRC works to increase American Indian student visibility and success on campus by advocating for and providing student centered programs and tools to enhance academic success, cultural events to promote personal well-being, and a supportive “home-away-from-home” space for students to grow and develop leadership skills. 

For more information about what support they provide, a list of ongoing events, and links to other resources, view their website or contact:

American Indian Resource Center
 801-581-7019
diversity.utah.edu/centers/airc
Fort Douglas Building 622
     1925 De Trobriand St.
     Salt Lake City, UT 84113

Black Students

Using a pan-African lens, the Black Cultural Center seeks to counteract persistent campus-wide and global anti-blackness. The Black Cultural Center works to holistically enrich, educate, and advocate for students, faculty, and staff through Black centered programming, culturally affirming educational initiatives, and retention strategies.

For more information about what support they provide, a list of ongoing events, and links to other resources, view their website or contact:

Black Cultural Center
801-213-1441
diversity.utah.edu/centers/bcc
Fort Douglas Building 603
     95 Fort Douglas Blvd.
     Salt Lake City, UT 84113

Students with Children

Our mission is to support and coordinate information, program development and services that enhance family resources as well as the availability, affordability and quality of child care for University students, faculty and staff.

For more information about what support they provide, a list of ongoing events, and links to other resources, view their website or contact:

Center for Childcare & Family Resources
801-585-5897
childcare.utah.edu
408 Union Building
    200 S. Central Campus Dr.
     Salt Lake City, UT 84112

Students With Disabilities

The Center for Disability Services is dedicated to serving students with disabilities by providing the opportunity for success and equal access at the University of Utah. They also strive to create an inclusive, safe, and respectful environment.

For more information about what support they provide and links to other resources, view their website or contact:

Center for Disability Services
801-581-5020
disability.utah.edu
162 Union Building
    200 S. Central Campus Dr.
     Salt Lake City, UT 84112

Students of Ethnic Descent

The Center for Ethnic Student Affairs offers several programs dedicated to the success of students with varied cultural and ethnic backgrounds. Their mission is to create an inclusive, safe campus community that values the experiences of all students.

For more information about what support they provide, a list of ongoing events, and links to other resources, view their website or contact:

Center for Ethnic Student Affairs
801-581-8151
diversity.utah.edu/centers/cesa/
 235 Union Building
    200 S. Central Campus Dr.
     Salt Lake City, UT 84112

English as a Second/Additional Language (ESL) Students

If you are an English language learner, there are several resources on campus available to help you develop your English writing and language skills. Feel free to contact:

Writing Center
801-587-9122
writingcenter.utah.edu

 (Links to an external site.)

2701 Marriott Library
     295 S 1500 E
     Salt Lake City, UT 84112

English for Academic Success (EAS) Program
 801-581-8047
linguistics.utah.edu/eas-program
 2300 LNCO
     255 S. Central Campus Dr.
     Salt Lake City, UT 84112

English Language Institute
801-581-4600
continue.utah.edu/eli (Links to an external site.)
540 Arapeen Dr.
     Salt Lake City, UT 84108

Undocumented Students

Immigration is a complex phenomenon with broad impact—those who are directly affected by it, as well as those who are indirectly affected by their relationships with family members, friends, and loved ones. If your immigration status presents obstacles that prevent you from engaging in specific activities or fulfilling specific course criteria, confidential arrangements may be requested from the Dream Center.

Arrangements with the Dream Center will not jeopardize your student status, your financial aid, or any other part of your residence. The Dream Center offers a wide range of resources to support undocumented students (with and without DACA) as well as students from mixed-status families.

For more information about what support they provide and links to other resources, view their website or contact:

Dream Center
801-213-3697
dream.utah.edu (Links to an external site.)
 1120 Annex (Wing B)
     1901 E. S. Campus Dr.
     Salt Lake City, UT 84112

LGBTQ+ Students

The LGBTQ+ Resource Center acts in accountability with the campus community by identifying the needs of people with a queer range of [a]gender and [a]sexual experiences and responding with university-wide services.

For more information about what support they provide, a list of ongoing events, and links to other resources, view their website or contact:

LGBTQ+ Resource Center
801-587-7973
lgbt.utah.edu (Links to an external site.)
409 Union Building
    200 S. Central Campus Dr.
     Salt Lake City, UT 84112

Veterans & Military Students

The mission of the Veterans Support Center is to improve and enhance the individual and academic success of veterans, service members, and their family members who attend the university; to help them receive the benefits they earned; and to serve as a liaison between the student veteran community and the university.

For more information about what support they provide, a list of ongoing events, and links to other resources, view their website or contact:

Veterans Support Center
801-587-7722
veteranscenter.utah.edu  (Links to an external site.)
418 Union Building
    200 S. Central Campus Dr.
     Salt Lake City, UT 84112

Women

The Women’s Resource Center (WRC) at the University of Utah serves as the central resource for educational and support services for women. Honoring the complexities of women’s identities, the WRC facilitates choices and changes through programs, counseling, and training grounded in a commitment to advance social justice and equality.

For more information about what support they provide, a list of ongoing events, and links to other resources, view their website or contact:

Women's Resource Center
801-581-8030
womenscenter.utah.edu
411 Union Building
     200 S. Central Campus Dr.
     Salt Lake City, UT 84112

Inclusivity at the U

The Office for Inclusive Excellence is here to engage, support, and advance an environment fostering the values of respect, diversity, equity, inclusivity, and academic excellence for students in our increasingly global campus community. They also handle reports of bias in the classroom as outlined below:

Bias or hate incidents consist of speech, conduct, or some other form of expression or action that is motivated wholly or in part by prejudice or bias whose impact discriminates, demeans, embarrasses, assigns stereotypes, harasses, or excludes individuals because of their race, color, ethnicity, national origin, language, sex, size, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, disability, age, or religion.

For more information about what support they provide and links to other resources, or to report a bias incident, view their website or contact:

Office for Inclusive Excellence
801-581-4600
inclusive-excellence.utah.edu (Links to an external site.)
170 Annex (Wing D)
     1901 E. S. Campus Dr.
     Salt Lake City, UT 84112

Other Student Groups at the U

To learn more about some of the other resource groups available at the U, check out:

getinvolved.utah.edu/

 studentsuccess.utah.edu/resources/student-support

Course Summary:

Date Details Due