CSE 1111       Spring 2003                                download

 

Course:            CSE 1111   Introduction to Computer Science and Engineering

 

Section:	002
Time:	Thursdays  4:00 – 4:50pm
Room:	100 Nedderman Hall
Instructor:	Dr. Lynn Peterson
Office:	307 Nedderman Hall (or 625 Nedderman)
Phone:	(817) 272-3609  or  5503 (voice-mail)
E-mail:	peterson@uta.edu
Class web site:	crystal.uta.edu/~cse1111

 

Catalog description:

 

CSE 1111, 1 hour credit.  Topics include problem solving, ethics, and contemporary issues in computer science and engineering.  Students will demonstrate competence in word processing, spreadsheets, research and library skills.   Emphasis is placed on team building, oral and written communication skills.  Primarily for students pursuing a degree in the Computer Science and Engineering Department.

 

Course Objectives:

 

1)       To make students aware of ethical and other contemporary issues in computer science and engineering (CSE), in an environment in which they are asked to think about the issues, form opinions backed up by reasons, and discuss / defend those opinions.

2)       To allow students to work with problem solving (critical thinking) techniques, and the application of those techniques to a variety of problems.

3)       To give students the opportunity to demonstrate competence in word processing, spreadsheets, research and library skills.  These topics are not taught in the course, but materials are provided so that students who are not already proficient in these areas can work to gain the required competence.  Successful demonstration of these competencies is necessary to complete this course, but these topics will not enter into computation of the course grade. 

4)       To give students the opportunity to gain experience in working in teams as well as preparing individual portions of required work.  The intention is to allow entering students an opportunity to work with groups of CSE students whom they will meet in other courses.

 

 

Prerequisites:  None.  However, the course is intended for students pursuing a degree in the Computer Science and Engineering Department.

 

Textbooks:  

None.  Reading assignments will be made from internet-accessible materials.   Optional but useful text: D. Johnson, Computer Ethics (3rd edition), Prentice-Hall, 2000. 

 

Grading:

Grades will be letter grades ‘A’ through ‘F, or ‘X’ until requirements are complete.  The course grade is made up as follows: 

Homework / laboratory / workshops: 20%                   Oral presentation(s): 40%

Quizzes: 20%                                                    Final exam: 20%

 

Unless arranged for in advance, there will be no make-ups for missed work.

 

Computer Use Proficiency requirements:

Computer Use Proficiency (CUP), as required by the University, is demonstrated for CSE department majors in CSE 1111.  Therefore, demonstration of proficiency in (1) word processing, (2) spreadsheets, (3) library skills, (4) use of the internet and (5) email are required for satisfactory completion of the course, but measurement of these skills will not enter into the computation of the final grade.  See handout on Computer Use Proficiency for details.  Beginning about Week 2 of the course, teaching assistants (TAs) will be available at specific hours to allow students to demonstrate the ability to do word processing using Word and manipulate a spreadsheet using Excel.  Then, there will be an assignment in which there will be an opportunity for finding information on the internet and sending e-mail.  Later, instruction will be provided on how to demonstrate proficiency in using the UTA Library on-line resources for research.

 

Student Ethics:

CHEATING on quizzes or exams, PLAGIARISM, or COLLUSION will not be tolerated at UT Arlington [Student Handbook p. 92].  A Statement of Ethics for the College of Engineering will be provided for you to read, sign, return, and follow. 

 

§         “Plagiarism” is the unacknowledged incorporation of another's work into work which the student offers for credit.

§         “Collusion” is the unauthorized collaboration of another in preparing work that a student offers for credit.

§         In many classes, written assignments incorporate information gathered from books, journals, or the Internet.  The source of that information must be acknowledged when quotes or facts are used in your work.  In this class, it will be important to cite sources when appropriate.

§         In programming classes, students are encouraged to discuss programming assignments with other students in the class and other classes.  However, the actual coding should be done individually.  Sharing your code with another student, even temporarily, is considered collusion.  Copying code (e.g., from a tutor or from a previous semester) is considered plagiarism.  In this class, students are encouraged and even required to work together on certain assignments.  Yet in some assignments the work to be handed in is to be done by each student individually. 

§         In this class as in all classes, it is important to understand for each assignment what is expected.  If you are not sure of the instructions, you should confer with your instructor for specific instructions.

 

If academic dishonesty is suspected, your instructor may call you in for discussion and this may lead to referral to the VP for Student Affairs for resolution. Students who violate University rules on scholastic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary penalties, including the possibility of failure in the course and dismissal from the University.  Since dishonesty harms the individual, all students, and the integrity of the University, policies on scholastic dishonesty will be strictly enforced.

 

You have a computer account for access to campus computers.  The account is to be used only by the person assigned and only for work related to your courses.  Allowing another person to use the account or using the account for any purpose other than the work assigned in class is grounds for having the account withdrawn, as well as being a criminal offense.

 

Contacting the Instructors:

Email will be the best way to communicate with Dr. Peterson outside of class.  For this communication, use the email address provided. There will also be several teaching assistants (TAs) available to work with this class.  Email for TAs will be provided as needed.

 

Homework and Computer Use Proficiency requirements should be submitted to the email addresses specified for each assignment.   Credit will only be given for work submitted to the correct address.

 

Time to be devoted to CSE 1111:

In general, 1 hour of class time and approximately 3 hours of out-of-class time are planned for each week (reading, working as a team, laboratory work).