This is the course home page of CSC101: Computer Science Without Programming, Fall 2006.
The URL is: http://www.cs.rochester.edu/u/ogihara/CSC101/home.html .
What is Computer Science all about? Should I be interested in Computer Science as a major? Can I explore Computer Science without having to program? This course offers an overview of computer science as a discipline. The course is built upon three major focuses: (1) fundamental concepts in computer science, including hardware, software, information representation, computer operation, algorithms, compilation, debugging, HTML, WWW, and searching on the Internet; (2) traditional topics in the field, including information security, artificial intelligence, human computer interaction, computer systems, and theory of computation; and (3) modern applications of computer science, e.g., bioinformatics, Internet search engines, virtual reality, and electronic commerce. No programming is required. The course has no prerequisite courses, but the students are expected to be able to browse the Internet and edit documents using a word-processor.
- There will be ten quizzes covering the sixteen chapters of the textbook. Quizzes are closed-book, but each student is allowed to bring in one "cheat sheet." This sheet should not be shared with other students. Each quiz will be graded in the scale of 0 to 5 points. The lowest grade of the ten quiz scores will be dropped. Thus, the total points from the quizzes will be 45.
- There will be two in-class, closed-book exams. The "one cheat sheet" in the above rule applies to both of the exams. Each exam will be graded in the scale of 0 to 50 points. Thus, the total points from the exams will be 100.
- There will be ten papers to be written. Five of them will be guest lecture notes. Either two or three of them will be on movies shown in class. Each paper is expected to be three to four pages long. Each paper will be graded in the scale of 0 to 10 points. As in quizzes, the lowest of the ten scores will be dropped. Thus, the total points from the papers will be iether 90.
- There will be one group research project (the maximum size of a group is 3). The topic of the project is yet to be decided. The project will evaluated based on a written group report and an in-class group presentation. Both report and presentation will be evaluated in the scale of 0 to 15. Thus, the total points from the projects will be 30.
- There will be no final exam.
Categories and Their Weights
Category Number Individual Weight Total Weight Quizzes 10 5 45 Exams 2 50 100 Papers 10 10 90 Project 1 15+15 30 The course letter grades will be determined based on the percentage of the total points earned to the total maximum of 260 or 270. The plan as of now is as follows:
Final Letter Grades
Percentage Letter Grade 85% or higher A 70% or higher B, B+, A- 55% or higher C, C+, B- 40% or higher D, D+, C- Less than 40% F
The course textbook is George Beekman and Michael J. Quinn, "Computer Confluence," Seventh Edition, Prentice Hall, 2005.