Principles of Data Abstraction (2320)
Course Outline [Fall 2003]

Dr. Thomas E. Hicks
Computer Science Department
Trinity University

Overview

Principles of Data Abstraction (CSCI 2320) is Trinity University's attempt to prepare professional computer scientists for both the "real world and graduate school; it is a blend of both theory and practical applications. CSCI 2320 is a three hour computer science course which surveys the C++ object-oriented implementations of lists, binary trees, threaded trees, advanced sorting and searching, indexing, tables, and storage management. This course combines applies the theory to actual applications. All programming assignments will be submitted and graded using Microsoft Visual C++.
 

Required Textbooks

    Introduction To Algorithms - Second Edition - McGraw Hill - [ISBN=0-262-03293-7]
    by Cormen, Leiserson, Rivest, & Stein
 

Tentative Exam Schedule
 

Exam 1

  10/3 150 points

Exam 2

 11/7 150 points

Exam 3

 12/13 200 points

 

Surprise Quizzes [Almost Every Friday]

There will be unannounced 15 point quizzes given as needed.  There will be no make-up quizzes given unless you have left campus representing the university in some capacity! Questions on the quiz will generally pertain to reading assignments, labs, and lecture during the previous two weeks. There will be times when I place a quiz warning on the class schedule page or E-Mail you a warning.

Lab Assignments / Projects

Laboratory assignments will be assigned regularly throughout the semester. These labs will be collected in wire-band binders. The wire-band binders will generally be kept 1 - 2 weeks for grading and then returned.

Projects and Labs generally total 300-500 points. Computer Science is a "participant sport".  A sizable portion of your grade is related to your usage of computers! In order to do well in this course, most of you should plan on using the computer about eight-nine hours a week.

Grade Breakdown 
 

Exams

   500 points

Quizzes

 100 - 200 points

Projects

 300 - 500 points

The Final Grade will be calculated by dividing the Points Earned By The Points Possible. Each student should retain and organize all quizzes and graded assignments from the entire semester. It is the responsibility of the student to maintain the number of points they have earned so that they can do a current grade calculation at any time. 

Grading Scale
 
A     93% - 100% 
A-   90% - 92.9% 		 B+     87% - 89.9% 
B       83% - 86.9% 
B-     80% - 82.9%		 C+     77% - 79.9% 
C       73% - 76.9% 
C-      70% - 72.9%		 D+     67% - 69.9% 
D       63% - 66.9% 
D-      60% - 62.9% 		 F     0% - 59.9% 

Students will receive at least the grades indicated by the scale above.

Attendance Policy

Attendance is required and expected. Students that come do better! Each of you will probably have two really valid reasons for missing class. You will be representing the university on a sporting team, presenting papers at a conference, family emergency, need to catch a flight,  illness, etc. There will be a two percentage point deduction for each absence starting with the third! This means that if you have a 91% average and three absences, you can expect to get a B+ instead of an A-. Exceptions may be granted for extreme circumstances, such as two weeks in a hospital, having a baby, etc.; come talk to me.

Attendance will be taken during at the start of class. If you are not there when attendance is taken, but come in during the first 10 minutes of lecture, you are late. You may be late one time. There will be a one percentage point deduction for each late penalty starting with the second. If you have a problem with other instructors letting you out on time, talk to both me and them.

Materials Required

  1. 10-12 Floppy disks
  2. 2 Letter Size Wire-Band Report Covers (3 if you plan to turn in late assignments)
  3. 2 Disk Accessory Insert [3-ring binder zipper insert or 3-ring floppy disk pouch] (3 if you plan to turn in late assignments)
  4. 12 Notebook dividers (about two packs)


Lab Assignments & Projects In Wire-Band Report Covers Only

All assignments must be in wire-band report covers. No assignments will be accepted unless they are punched and inserted into the wire band report covers. Make sure that all disks are in a plastic pouch; do not tape them in the binder or insert them loose. All loose disks and loose paper assignments will be discarded!

All labs are to turned in at the beginning of lecture on the date scheduled.  Labs submitted after the beginning of class are late!  Do not come to class late or skip class in order to complete your assignments, this will put you behind on the new material!

Where To Submit Late Lab Assignments For Grading

Place all late labs in my mail box [Halsell 201].

Late Lab Assignments Will Be Accepted

Late Written Homework will be accepted. The penalty for 1 day late shall not exceed 20%. The penalty for 2 class late shall not exceed 40%. Written Homework turned in more than three days late shall receive little, if any, credit. Written homework assignments are to be hand written in pencil or ink, not typed!

Late Labs will be accepted.  Because one little character can prevent a program from executing, there is more flexibility in late penalty for laboratory programming assignments. The penalty for 1 day late shall not exceed 10%. The penalty for two days late shall not exceed 20%. The penalty for three days late shall not exceed 30%. The penalty for four days late shall not exceed 40%.  Labs turned in more than 10 days (two weeks) late will generally receive very little credit (if any)!

There will often be several assignments due on the same date. In order to avoid late penalties on all labs, students may submit a portion of the labs, in one binder, on time and submit the remaining late labs in a separate binder later.

What if the Lab is Down For A Period Of Time?

Should university access to computer facilities significantly effect your ability to complete an assignment, due dates will be appropriately adjusted; these dates will not be altered if a lab is down for only part of an evening. It is not necessary to call Dr. Hicks if the network goes down. Labs should be done as scheduled!
 

Wire-Band Report Requirements

All assignments will be professional in appearance and professional in quality! No assignments will be accepted unless they are bound in the wire-band binders. Each assignment will be punched and properly inserted into the wire-band binder. Do not submit a pocket folder! Do not submit a three ring notebook! Think ahead; you have one week to get this together!

  1. The wire band binder will have a label, with your name, course number, and class time on the outside.
  2. The first item on the inside will be the disk accessory insert and any necessary floppy disks; all disks placed in this folder must be labeled. Place your Name on each disk!
  3. A notebook divider will be immediately after the disk accessory insert.
  4. Each lab must have the lab assignment sheet in the front; these are available on the Internet.!
  5. The labs shall be inserted into the wire-band folder in the order that they appear on the schedule!
  6. Remove all graded assignments from the report folders and keep the graded assignments until the end of the semester.
  7. Some assignments will be team assignments. Most assignments will be individual assignments. You need turn in only one copy of a team assignment.


Having difficulties?

  1. Check your mail!
  2. Seek help from group members.
  3. Bring printed copies of information that will help us detect your problems without going on-line!


Can you send me email?

Yes! I try to check my e-mail M-F but I am sometimes detained by students. I do answer many short questions. I do not debug programs mailed to me!


thicks@trinity.edu

Website For Dr. Thomas E. Hicks

http://carme.cs.trinity.edu/thicks    or   http://www.cs.trinity.edu/~thicks


When Seeking A Letter Of Reference 

  1. bring an informal transcript
  2. a letter listing work experiences, awards, scholarships, etc.
  3. a placement form to add the recommendation to your file (if applicable)
  4. stamped and addressed (typed) envelopes (if applicable)
  5. hard copies of significant programming efforts that I have not seen (computer science majors)

Academic Integrity:

Some assignments will be team assignments. Most assignments will be individual assignments. With the exception of fellow team members, working on a team assignment, each student is to complete his/her own work. All exams shall be done individually by each student. It is this professor's feelings that those students who sacrifice their own integrity by falsely representing their work, or who knowingly aide others in doing so, have no place in higher education.

The general policy for cheating is an automatic "F" in the course, a letter submitted to student affairs, and the proper following of Trinity University academic integrity policy.

Take great care to erase all labs from university computers so that others may not submit your work as their own!  Do not loan any lab or project to a fellow student! Do your own work!

Before you resort to turning in someone else's work as your own, let's talk. If you are under undue pressure to aide other students in such a way that your own security is threatened, let's talk.  It is not worth failing a three hour course and risking your entire academic future!
 

Office Hours:-  Halsell 339A   [First Come- First Serve]
 

Day

From

 To

Monday

  8:00 AM 11:30 AM

Wednesday

  8:00 AM 11:30 AM

Friday

  8:30 AM 11:30 AM

I am almost always in my office or helping a student in a lab during office hours; if I must miss my office hours, I generally post a note on the door and/or send mail to my students and/or notify students in lecture. If  I am not physically in the office, I will have most often gone to one of the Halsell Labs to help one of my students. If  I am not in my office, check the CS Majors Lab [Halsell 340], check the Classroom/ lab [Halsell 228], the Virtual Reality Lab [Halsell 200] or the University Lab [Halsell 226]. Please let me know that you are waiting to see me.