CMPUT 275 Lecture Summary: Course Administration & Evaluation

Lecture Identity

File/lecture name: intro.pdf (Course Syllabus & Intro) Main theme: Course logistics, evaluation breakdown, slip day policies, and communication channels. Prereqs assumed by slides: None (Introductory level). What this lecture enables you to do:

• Understand the grading weight distribution for the course.
• Manage your "slip days" effectively to handle deadlines.
• Know the procedure for excused absences and weight shifting.
• Identify the correct communication channel (Ed Discussion Forum).

Big Picture Map (High-Level)

1. Course Introduction: Welcome message, instructor details, and course description context.
2. Evaluation Breakdown: Detailed percentage weights for Assignments, Morning Problems, Midterm, and Final.
3. Assignment Slip Days Policy: Total allowance, duration per day, and per-assignment limits.
4. Slip Day Usage Examples: Scenarios illustrating valid and invalid usage of slip days.
5. Excused Absences: Conditions for granting excused absence and how weights are shifted.
6. Communication: Instructions on using the Ed Discussion Forum for all questions.

Key Concepts & Definitions

Core Mechanics / How-To

How to use Slip Days Safely

1. Check Availability: Ensure you have enough slip days remaining before using them.
2. Limit Per Assignment: Do not use more than 3 slip days on a single assignment (Max 72 hours extension).
3. Email Notification: You must send an email to use your slip days for an assignment (Details in syllabus).
4. Strategic Allocation: Do not use them frivolously; save them for future deadlines or illness.
5. Unused Days: It is okay if slip days go unused; they do not expire automatically but cannot be banked for a single assignment beyond the 3-day limit.

How to Apply for Excused Absence

1. Identify Reason: Must be incapacitating mental/physical illness, severe domestic affliction, or other compelling reasons.
2. Apply: Submit an application for the excused absence.
3. Weight Shift: If granted, the weight of the missed assessment is shifted to other assessments (Assignments to other Assignments, Morning Problems to other Morning Problems, Midterm to Final).

How to Communicate

1. Join Forum: Receive an email to join the Ed Discussion Forum.
2. Post Questions: All questions should be posted to the discussion forum.
3. Check Canvas: Link to join will be posted on Canvas and included on the syllabus.

Code Patterns & Idioms (if any)

Not covered in these slides.

• Note: This lecture focuses on administrative policies rather than C++ code patterns.

Pitfalls, Edge Cases, and Debugging

• Slip Day Exhaustion: Using 3 slip days on Assignment 1 leaves 5 days. If you use 2 on Assignment 2, you have 3 left. If you use 3 on Assignment 3, you have 0 left for Assignment 4.
• Slip Day Cap: Attempting to use 8 slip days on one assignment results in only 3 being applied; remaining days are wasted.
• Email Requirement: Forgetting to send the email to use slip days means the extension is not granted.
• Weight Shift Misunderstanding: Assuming a missed assignment is dropped (0%) rather than shifted to other assignments.
• Forum Usage: Posting questions on Canvas instead of the Ed Discussion Forum (violates course policy).
• OCR Errors: Text like "eightslip days" means "eight slip days"; "aiction" means "affliction".
• Final Exam Weight: Midterm weight shifts to the Final if excused, not dropped.
• Slip Day Limit: Maximum 72 hours extension per assignment (3 days * 24 hours).
• Unused Slip Days: Cannot be carried over to a single assignment beyond the 3-day limit.
• Course Credit: Cannot obtain credit if already have credit for CMPUT 174, 175, or 201 (except with permission).
• Studio Style: Lectures and labs are blended into 3-hour sessions, twice a week.
• Enrollment: Limited by capacity of combined lecture/lab facilities.
• Course Sequence: This is Part 2 of a 2-sequence intensive introduction to Computing Science.
• Instructor Contact: Email rhackman@ualberta.ca; Office Athabasca Hall 3-39.
• Assessment Weights: Assignments (25%), Morning Problems (10%), Midterm (30%), Final (35%).
• Slip Day Total: 8 total slip days available.
• Slip Day Duration: 24 hours per slip day.
• Excused Absence Types: Incapacitating mental/physical illness, severe domestic affliction, other compelling reasons.
• Communication Channel: Ed Discussion Forum is primary; Canvas is secondary for links.
• Syllabus Reference: Join link included on syllabus.
• Course Code: CMPUT 275 - Introduction to Tangible Computing II.
• Units: 3 units (fi 6).
• Faculty: Faculty of Science.
• Term: Winter 2025.
• Instructor: Rob Hackman.
• Course Description: Expands to add object-oriented programming, C++, complex algorithms, data structures, shortest paths, divide and conquer, dynamic programming, client-server computing, recursion.
• Prerequisites: Not explicitly listed in slides, but implied by course sequence.
• Lecture/Lab: Blended into 3 hour sessions, twice a week.
• Credit Restriction: Cannot obtain credit if already have credit for CMPUT 174, 175, or 201.

Exam-Style Questions (with answers)

1. Q: How many total slip days are provided for the course? A: 8 slip days.
2. Q: What is the maximum number of slip days allowed on a single assignment? A: 3 slip days (72 hours).
3. Q: If a student uses 3 slip days on Assignment 1, 1 on Assignment 2, and 2 on Assignment 3, how many slip days remain for Assignment 4? A: 2 slip days (8 - 3 - 1 - 2 = 2).
4. Q: What happens to the weight of a missed assignment if an excused absence is granted? A: The weight is shifted to the other assignments.
5. Q: Can a student use all 8 slip days on a single assignment? A: No, maximum 3 per assignment.
6. Q: What is the primary means of communication for the course? A: Ed Discussion Forum.
7. Q: What is the weight of the Midterm in the evaluation scheme? A: 30%.
8. Q: If a student misses the Midterm due to illness and gets an excused absence, where does the weight shift? A: To the Final exam.
9. Q: What is the maximum late extension for an assignment using slip days? A: 72 hours (3 days).
10. Q: What must a student do to use slip days for an assignment? A: Send an email (more details in syllabus).
11. Q: Can a student get credit for CMPUT 275 if they already have credit for CMPUT 174? A: No, except with permission of the Department.
12. Q: What is the course format? A: Studio-style, where lectures and labs are blended into 3 hour sessions, twice a week.

Quick Reference / Cheat Sheet

• Total Slip Days: 8
• Slip Day Value: 24 hours each
• Max Per Assignment: 3 days (72 hours)
• Email Required: Yes, to use slip days
• Assessment Weights:
  • Assignments: 25%
  • Morning Problems: 10%
  • Midterm: 30%
  • Final: 35%
• Excused Absence Weight Shift:
  • Assignment -> Other Assignments
  • Morning Problem -> Other Morning Problems
  • Midterm -> Final
• Communication: Ed Discussion Forum (Primary)
• Instructor: Rob Hackman (rhackman@ualberta.ca)
• Office: Athabasca Hall 3-39
• Course: CMPUT 275 - Introduction to Tangible Computing II
• Units: 3 units (fi 6)
• Term: Winter 2025

Mini Glossary

1. Slip Days: Extension days provided for late assignment submission.
2. Excused Absence: Official permission to miss coursework due to illness or compelling reasons.
3. Weight Shifting: Redistribution of grade weight when an assessment is excused.
4. Morning Problems: Weekly assessments worth 10% of the grade.
5. Ed Discussion Forum: Primary communication platform for the course.
6. Studio-style: Blended lecture and lab sessions.
7. Instructor: Rob Hackman.
8. Canvas: Learning management system used for links and syllabus.
9. CMPUT 275: Introduction to Tangible Computing II.
10. Faculty of Science: Department offering the course.
11. Winter 2025: Academic term for the course.
12. Athabasca Hall: Location of the instructor's office.
13. Assignment: Coursework worth 5% each (Total 25%).
14. Midterm: Assessment worth 30% of the grade.
15. Final: Assessment worth 35% of the grade.
16. Credit: Academic units earned for the course.
17. Department: CMPUT Department (for permission exceptions).
18. Syllabus: Document containing course details and links.
19. Email: Method to request slip day usage.
20. Illness: Reason for excused absence (mental or physical).

What This Lecture Does NOT Cover (Boundary)

• C++ Syntax: Specific C++ syntax, operators, or data types are not covered in these slides (Course Description mentions C++ but slides focus on admin).
• Algorithms: Shortest paths, divide and conquer, dynamic programming are mentioned in the course description but not detailed in these slides.
• Object-Oriented Programming: OOP concepts are mentioned in the course description but not detailed in these slides.
• Client-Server Computing: Mentioned in course description but not detailed in these slides.
• Recursion: Mentioned in course description but not detailed in these slides.
• CMPUT 274 Content: Slides may reference CMPUT 274 context, but specific content from that course is not covered here.
• Lab Exercises: Specific lab tasks or exercises are not detailed in these slides.
• Canvas Interface: Specific navigation of Canvas is not detailed (only mentioned as a link source).

Slide Anchors (Traceability)

• Instructor Details: (Slide 2 / Meet your Instructor) "Email: rhackman@ualberta.ca", "Office: Athabasca Hall 3-39".
• Evaluation Weights: (Slide 3 / Evaluation) "Assignments - 25%", "Morning Problems - 10%", "Midterm - 30%", "Final - 35%".
• Slip Days Total: (Slide 4 / Assignment Slip Days) "You will be given a total of eight slip days".
• Slip Days Duration: (Slide 5 / Assignment Slip Days) "Each slip day used on an assignment extends its due date for you by 24 hours."
• Slip Days Limit: (Slide 5 / Assignment Slip Days) "You may not use more than 3 slip days on a single assignment".
• Slip Days Email: (Slide 5 / Assignment Slip Days) "You will have to send an email in order to use your slip days".
• Slip Day Example 1: (Slide 6 / Assignment Slip Days - Examples) "Tanisha has a cold... uses 3 slip days... uses one on assignment 2...".
• Slip Day Example 2: (Slide 6 / Assignment Slip Days - Examples) "Tian uses no slip days... wants to use all eight slip days... can only use three slip days".
• Excused Absence: (Slide 7 / Excused Absences) "A student who misses coursework... due to incapacitating mental or physical illness...".
• Weight Shift Scheme: (Slide 7 / Excused Absences) "The weight of a missed assignment is shifted to the other assignments".
• Discussion Forum: (Slide 8 / Discussion Forum) "We will be using an Ed Discussion forum as our primary means of communication".
• Course Description: (Intro Block) "CMPUT 275 - Introduction to Tangible Computing II", "3 units (fi 6)", "Faculty of Science".
• Course Content: (Intro Block) "object-oriented programming, with C++, and more complex algorithms".
• Course Format: (Intro Block) "studio-style, where lectures and labs are blended into 3 hour sessions, twice a week".
• Credit Restriction: (Intro Block) "Credit cannot be obtained for CMPUT 275 if one already has credit for any of CMPUT 174, 175, or 201".