Instructor: Dr. Durell Bouchard
Office Hours: by appointment or open door
Office: Trexler 365-C
E-Mail: bouchard@roanoke.edu
Phone: 375-4901
Course Objectives
This course introduces scientific through the creation of programs to visualize and analyze data. Students will develop skills to write programs, format and manage data, conduct statistical analyses, and visualize data. Students will use these skills to create and tell a story about a large data set.
Intended Learning Outcomes: At the end of the course the successful student will be able to
write programs to solve problems.
correctly format and manage data.
report and interpret the results of data analyses.
Other Intended Outcomes: I hope that by working hard throughout the semester you will:
have fun solving complex problems using deduction and logic
celebrate failure as an opportunity to learn
feel like there is no system too complex for you to learn
Course Content
This course is probably different than other classes you have taken. It is project-based, which means that from the first day of the class to the last, you will be working on a hands-on scientific data project of your design. All of the topics that are covered, the readings you do, the assignments you complete, are designed to help you develop the skills necessary to complete the project. Because programming is a skill that is best learned by doing, most class time will be devoted to programming activities and working on your project. The absence of lectures means that doing the before-class readings are particularly essential for getting the most out of the in-class programming activities, which will help you complete your project.
Prerequisites: There are no prerequisites for this course.
Text: How to Think Like a Computer Scientist: Learning with Python: Interactive Edition, by Bradley Miller and David Ranum, Runestone Interactive, 2015.
Activities: Programming activities during class give the student a structured experience in software design, implementation, and debugging and increase the student’s ability to use and understand the tools available for software development. The activities connect the reading and lectures to the practice of programming and prepare students for assignments. Activities not completed during class are due the next class.
Assignments: Regular small programming assignments are designed to reinforce class concepts. You are encouraged to start on them immediately when assigned and get help from the instructor as needed. Assignments are due before the beginning of class. Late assignments will receive no credit.
Project: The focus of the course is a semester-long, hands-on scientific data project of your design. This project is designed to allow you to put together all of the problem-solving and programming skills you have learned.
Quizzes, Tests, and Exams: Short quizzes will be given to make sure you understand the concepts and are keeping up with the course work. Quizzes will be at the beginning of class. No make-up quizzes will be given. Three tests and one comprehensive final exam will be given.
| Test Dates: | Test #1 | Wednesday, September 25 |
| Test #2 | Monday, October 28 | |
| Test #3 | Friday, November 22 | |
| Final Exam | Tuesday, December 10 (2:00PM-5:00PM) |
Co-curricular: The Department of Mathematics, Computer Science, and Physics is offering a series of lectures designed to engage the campus community in discussions of ongoing research, novel applications, and other issues that face these disciplines. You are invited to attend all of the events but participating in at least two is mandatory. Within one week of attending an event you must submit a one page, single-spaced, paper (to Inquire) reflecting on the discussion. If you do not turn the paper in within the one week time frame you may not count that event as one you attended.
Grading: Course grades are assigned based on the following weights and scale:
| Grade Weights: | quizzes…12% | activities…12% | project…12% | assignments…12% | co-curricular…2% |
| test 1…….5% | test 2……..10% | test 3…..15% | final exam…….20% |
| Grade Scale: | 93-100 | A | 83-86 | B | 73-76 | C | 63-66 | D | |||
| 90-92 | A- | 80-82 | B- | 70-72 | C- | 60-62 | D- | ||||
| 87-89 | B+ | 77-79 | C+ | 67-69 | D+ | below 60 | F |
Course Policies
Attendance Policy: Class attendance is vital to your success in this course; material covered during missed sessions is the responsibility of the student. Conversations held in class illuminate the published class materials and are subject to evaluation on subsequent tests and quizzes. If you anticipate being unable to attend class, email me before class to be excused.
Make-up Policy: Everyone is expected to take tests and the exam at the scheduled time. If you have an excused absence, email me to arrange for a make-up. Unexcused absences will result in receiving no credit for missed tests and exams.
Late Assignment Policy: Unless otherwise specified, assignments are to be turned in before the start of class on the due date. If you anticipate being unable to meet a deadline, email me before the deadline to request an extension. Unexcused late work will receive no credit.
Academic Integrity: It is accepted that you have read and understood the standards for academic integrity at Roanoke College. All tests and exams are to be the work of the individual student. You are encouraged to get help from the instructor if you need help with any aspect of the course, including programs and assignments. Student assistants, tutors, and classmates may help you understand course concepts but may not show you how to do any particular aspect of an assignment. Students may discuss work and help each other out, but in all cases, the work you turn in must be your own. Copying someone else’s work or turning in someone else’s work is NEVER allowed. Using someone else’s work or ideas as your own is plagiarism and an academic integrity offense. Examples of academic integrity violations include copying a program or part of a program (even one line) from someone else, writing code for someone else, telling someone else how to solve a problem or having someone tell you how to solve a problem. Discussion among students about programming projects should be limited to general concepts, not specific aspects of how to complete the work.
Computer Use Policies: All students must abide by the Computer Use policies of Roanoke College. Failure to do so will result in involuntary withdrawal from the course.
Electronic Devices: All cell phones must be silenced and stored out of sight during class. The use of any electronic device during a test or quiz is prohibited. This includes cell phones, personal media players, personal digital assistants, and laptops. Any use of such a device during a test or quiz will be considered a breach of academic integrity.
Subject Tutoring: Subject Tutoring, located on the lower level of Fintel Library (Room 5), is open 4 pm – 9 pm, Sunday – Thursday. We are a Level II Internationally Certified Training Center through the College Reading and Learning Association (CRLA). Subject Tutors are highly trained Roanoke College students who offer one-on-one tutorials in a variety of general education and major courses such as: Business, Economics, Mathematics, INQ 240, Modern Languages, Lab Sciences, INQ 250, and Social Sciences (see all available subjects at www.roanoke.edu/tutoring). Tutoring sessions are available in 15, 30, or 45-minute appointments. Feel free to drop by for a quick question or make an appointment at https://www.roanoke.edu/tutoring for a longer one-on-one appointment. For questions or concerns, please contact us at 540-375-2590 or subject_tutoring@roanoke.edu.
Accessible Education Services: Accessible Education Services (AES) is located in the Goode-Pasfield Center for Learning and Teaching in Fintel Library. AES provides reasonable accommodations to students with documented disabilities. To register for services, students must self-identify to AES, complete the registration process, and provide current documentation of a disability along with recommendations from the qualified specialist. Please contact Laura Leonard, Assistant Director of Academic Services for Accessible Education, at 540-375-2247 or by e-mail at aes@roanoke.edu to schedule an appointment. If you have registered with AES in the past and would like to receive academic accommodations for this semester, please contact Laura Leonard at your earliest convenience to schedule an appointment.
Diversity: I consider this classroom to be a place where you will be treated with respect, and I welcome individuals of all ages, backgrounds, beliefs, ethnicities, genders, gender identities, gender expressions, national origins, religious affiliations, sexual orientations, ability – and other visible and nonvisible differences. All members of this class are expected to contribute to a respectful, welcoming and inclusive environment for every other member of the class.
Preferred Name/Pronoun: I will gladly honor your request to address you by an alternate name or gender pronoun. Please advise me of this preference early in the semester so that I may make appropriate changes to my records.
Course Schedule
This course expects you to spend at least 12 hours of work each week inside and outside of class.
| Week of | Topic |
|---|---|
| Aug 28 | Introduction to Computer Science, Linux, and Python |
| Sep 2 | Variables, Expressions, and Statements |
| Sep 9 | Loops |
| Sep 16 | Modules |
| Sep 23 | Functions |
| Sep 30 | Scope |
| Oct 7 | Conditionals |
| Oct 14 | Fall Break |
| Oct 21 | Strings |
| Oct 28 | While Loops |
| Nov 4 | Strings |
| Nov 11 | Lists |
| Nov 18 | Aliasing |
| Nov 25 | Thanksgiving Break |
| Dec 2 | Projects |