Course Syllabus

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Critical Information

Instructor: Professor Fengjiao Wang
Email: fengjiao.wang@utah.edu

Course Staff Contact through Piazza

Class Meetings

Mondays and Wednesdays 12:55-1:45pm in WEB L104. Students should come to class prepared and expect to practice solving problems individually and in small groups. See the course format for more information. 

Lab Sessions

Friday lab sessions in WEB L124. Lab attendance at your registered lab session is required and has graded work. 

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

All tests are in-person and cannot be missed except for documented emergencies. You should plan around the exam schedule accordingly.

  • Test 1 is on Wednesday,  February 7, 2024, during the class meeting.
  • Coding Midterm is on Friday, March 15, 2024, during the lab session.
  • Test 2 is on Wednesday, April 3, 2024, during the class meeting.
  • Final Exam is on Tuesday, April 30, 2024, from 1:00 – 3:00 pm. (date and location are Tentative)

Final Course Grade

Your final course grade is based on your point score that you earn by completing assessments in the course. See below for detailed information about student evaluation for this course.

Communication

This class will use Piazza for most communication-- emailing the course staff is discouraged, as those are difficult to track with such a large class. Please refer to the communication section below for more information, and the Contacting Course Staff page under the Course Resources module.

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

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 

Fair warning

The pacing in this class is brisk.  Students should spend a considerable amount of time reading, studying, and solving problems outside of class. Please refer to the How to Succeed In This Course page for more information on what to expect from this class.

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 notes, laboratory exercises, assignment specifications, and much more. 

Lecture Notes 

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

Python 

All programming in COMP1010 is in Python. Python is available for your use on the lab machines. Instructions for installing both on your personal computer is available on the class website in the Class Resources module.

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

Grading

Grades in this course will be determined by:

  • 30% Programming Assignments & Final Project
  • 30% Programming Concepts (10% Labs, 10% Reading assignments, 10% Participation and Quizzes)
  • 40% Exams (10% Test 1, 5% Coding Midterm, 10% Test 2, 15% Final)

Programming Assignments & Final Project

There are six 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. 

There are two additional programming assignments that together make up the final project for the course. The final project will tackle a real-world task using programming. The two programming assignments build on each other and utilize most of the concepts you have learned in this class over the semester. The instructions for each assignment and its due date will be posted on the class website roughly one week before it must be submitted. 

Late Assignments. There is a one-day grace period for late programming assignments (including the final project). Assignments turned in after the due date will receive a 10% 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! 

Programming Concepts

Labs

Students in labs generally work through online quizzes with the aid of the lab TAs. Labs will focus on additional material that is helpful for completing assignments. Additionally, labs are very beneficial for reviewing material covered in class -- attendance is expected.

Reading Assignments

This course will have assigned reading and exercises from the Runestone e-textbook. You will need to register on that site, enroll in this course, and do readings and exercises as given.  For more information, please refer to the page on using the course e-textbook under Course Resources.

The assigned exercise must be completed before class on Wednesday to count, and you must be logged in to the correct e-textbook with your account that uses your UID as the account name.

Participation 

Participation is an important component of this course because active engagement facilitates learning. If you choose not to be engaged during lecture and lab, you are harming your own experience with the material. The lectures will have active participation exercises that allow you to engage with the content at a higher level of learning, that you will participate 'Poll Everywhere' for credit. 

It is recommended that you create a 'Poll Everywhere' account using your UID (e.g., UID@utah.edu). This will aid us in making sure to give you credit for your participation in class.

Quizzes

Quizzes will be available on Canvas 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. You will have two chances to take the quiz, and will be able to see which questions you missed. 

Exams

Tests and Final Exam

There will be two in-class tests and a final exam.

  • Test 1 is on Wednesday, February 7, 2024, during the class meeting.
  • Test 2 is on Wednesday, April 3, 2024, during the class meeting.
  • Final Exam is on Tuesday, April 30, 2024, from 1:00 – 3:00 pm (Time and location are tentative). 

These exams will be paper-based and in-person. The final exam is mandatory for all students and cannot be missed except for a documented medical emergency.

Coding Midterm

The lab period on Friday, March 15, 2024, will be devoted to the practical coding midterm -- you will be given a series of programming problems that will be solved during the lab period for a score. This does not count as a droppable lab score. 

 

The three categories (Programming Assignments, Programming Concepts and Exams) are meant to assess achievement of the learning outcomes for the course. Programming-intensive Tasks gauge your capability of working with larger programs and adding your code to solve real-world tasks. Programming Concepts evaluate your level of understanding of the core concepts that are used in programming. Exams are meant to serve as comprehensive evaluation  to test your expertise with the content learned in the class.

Your weighted, cumulative course percentage score out of 100 is turned into letter grades using the following scheme:

87-89 B+ 77-79 C+ 67-69 D+
94-100 A 84-86 B 74-76 C 64-66 D 0-59 E
90-93 A- 80-83 B- 70-73 C- 60-63 D-

I do, however, reserve the right to adjust this scale if need be.

Regrades

Students desiring to appeal a score on an assignment, lab exercise, quiz, test, or final exam must do so via Gradescope and no later than one week after the score is published. We reserve the right to regrade the entire assignment when a regrade request is made.

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

Teaching assistants and help 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 Help hours are held on Zoom and in person in the CADE lab.

Communication For questions outside of class and help hours, students are required to use Piazza. The teaching staff will actively monitor all discussions, and we will often be able to provide a quick response that might be useful to many students. Be mindful of our cheating policy and do not post things such as solutions to homework assignments or code snippets from your solution. Regardless of communication medium, DO NOT SHARE THESE WITH ANOTHER STUDENT until after assignments have been graded and returned.

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. Emails of a more administrative nature (i.e., questions about grades, illness) can be sent directly to Professor Wang at fengjiao.wang@utah.edu. 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. 

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 everyone in the class (including the teaching staff) in a respectful manner.

The following resources are available to students for more information:

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 Information

 
 
COVID-19 Central @ The U

 801-213-2874
 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.

Academic Honesty, Plagiarism and Cheating

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

It is expected that students adhere to University of Utah policies regarding academic honesty, including but not limited to refraining from cheating, plagiarizing, misrepresenting one’s work, and/or inappropriately collaborating. This includes the use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools without citation, documentation, or authorization. Students are expected to adhere to the prescribed professional and ethical standards of the profession/discipline for which they are preparing. Any student who engages in academic dishonesty or who violates the professional and ethical standards for their profession/discipline may be subject to academic sanctions as per the University of Utah’s Student Code: https://regulations.utah.edu/academics/6-410.php

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 the use and distribution of class Content and materials. 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 safety information 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 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

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 and Access 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 and Access
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. Its 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
 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 and 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.)
200 S. CENTRAL CAMPUS DRIVE
UNION, ROOM 80 
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.)
200 S. CENTRAL CAMPUS DRIVE
UNION, ROOM 70
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/

https://ssc.utah.edu/tools-for-success.php

Course Summary:

Date Details Due