Data, Logic, and Computing: Winter 2024

General information

Lecture Time and Location:	MWF 11:00 am- 11:50 am; Olson Hall 6
Discussion sessions:	Mon 12:10 pm - 13:00 pm; Olson Hall 158 Wed 12:10 pm - 13:00 pm; Olson Hall 158
Instructor:	Prof. Patrice Koehl koehl at cs.ucdavis.edu This is the only email address that will be answered. Your subject line MUST include “ECS17″.
Course homepage:	http://www.cs.ucdavis.edu/~koehl/Teaching/ECS17
Office Hours:	Mon 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm, 3059 Kemper Fri 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm, 3059 Kemper
Midterm:	Midterm 1: Wednesday February 7 Midterm 2: Wednesday February 28
Final:	Tue, March 19, 3:30 pm - 5:30 pm, Olson Hall 6
Information sheet:	Word document or PDF file

Overview

Computer Science is not just about programming. This course explores the logic behind how we solve problems with computers, how we prove that our "algorithms", i.e. the methods we use to solve those problems, are sound and efficient, and how we reason about problems.

Highlights:

How do we communicate with a computer?
The logic behind computer operations
What is a proof? What types of proof are valid?
Programming by examples: design, and correctness
Ethics: Computers and Society

from xkcd

Being responsible for your grades

Regrading Policy

Regrading requests, if any, should be done within a week after the announcement/distribution of the graded papers. All requests may be submitted in writing by email, or directly in office hours. Those requests need to explain why additional credit is requested. Reevaluation may result in a decrease as well as an increase or the grade and is not limited to the specific question addressed by the student.

Late policy

If you turn in your homework late, you will only receive partial credit. If it is less than 24 hours late, you will receive 50% credit; if it is between 24 hours to 48 hours late, you will receive 25% credit; if it is more than 48 hours late, you will receive 0 credit. The only exception is when you bring me a doctor's note.

Grade breakdown

Homeworks	10%
Midterm 1	20%
Midterm 2	30%
Final exam	40%

Grades for homework and midterms will be posted one week after the due/exam date. Please go to https://canvas.ucdavis.edu/ to check your grades. It is very important you do check your grades.

Canvas (http://canvas.ucdavis.edu)

Homeworks must be turned on Canvas by 4:00 pm on the due date.
Course gradebook will be maintained on Canvas, it is your responsibility to ensure that the scores recorded there match the scores on materials passed back to you.

Academic Conduct

The rules for conduct in UC Davis classes can be summarized with three principles:

Be polite.
Don’t cheat.
Don’t lie.

Be polite

As adults meeting in a professional context, we should all behave professionally: this means being polite and respectful to everyone we deal with.

As the instructor, it is my responsibility to teach as well as I can and to be available, polite and respectful to you.

You are responsible for treating me and your fellow students politely and with respect.

Don’t cheat

As the instructor, it is my responsiblity to make tests and assignments that are fair, to grade fairly, to look for cheating, and to refer students who cheat to Student Judicial Affairs for possible sanctions. The English department made the largest number of referrals to SJA last year, but Computer Science was in the top 10.

As students, it is your responsibility to avoid cheating and to discourage other students from cheating.

Don’t lie

Cheating is one form of lies, but there are other. Manipulating data, false claim of ownership of an assignment/idea, plagiarism are all forms of lies. Do not lie to the instructor, and even more importantly, do not lie to yourself!