Data, Logic, and Computing: Winter 2025

General information

Lecture Time and Location:	MWF 3:10 pm- 4:00 pm; Teaching and Learning Complex (TLC) 3215
Discussion sessions:	Wed 12:10 pm - 13:00 pm; Teaching and Learning Complex 1218 Fri 12:10 pm - 13:00 pm; Teaching and Learning Complex 3214
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 5 Midterm 2: Wednesday February 26
Final:	Tue, March 18, 3:30 pm - 5:30 pm, Teaching and Learning Complex 3215
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.

Grade breakdown

Quizzes	15%
Midterm 1	20%
Midterm 2	30%
Final exam	35%

Grades for quizzes and midterms will be posted one week after the 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)

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!