| Section 1 | |
| Professor: | Renzhi Cao |
| Office: | MCLT 248 |
| Email: | caora@plu.edu |
| Phone: | 253-535-7409 |
| Office hours: | Online Schedule |
This course is going to introduce basic computer programming and problem-solving using real datasets from a variety of domains such as science, business, and the humanities. It also introduces the foundations of computational thinking, modeling and simulation and data visualization using the Python programming language and R statistical package. It is intended for students with NO prior programming experience. Prerequisite: basic high school mathematics or equivalent.
The following textbook is required for this course. The lecture slides and other materials provided by the instructor are also important as the secondary reference.
Data Science from Scratch - First Principles with Python. O'Reilly Media, 2015.
R Programming for Data Science. Roger Peng. 2016. (Electronic version is available)
Section 1: Tuesday, Thursday 11:50-13:35, Morken #203
Previous computer programming experience is NOT a prerequisite for this course!
The official prerequisite for this course is four years of high school math or MATH 140 or equivalent.
Note that this course is a great opportunity for students to explore the possibility of majoring or minoring in computer science, data science, and also quite useful other majors.
Even if you never write a computer program again, the skills and experience you gain in this course may well be of benefit to you regardless of your chosen major. However, you should realize that the course is both challenging and fairly time consuming. You may need to spend time for reading, homework, quizzes, exams, and class.
We will be making use of the following programs as key parts of the coursework:
Each of these programs is available on our classroom computers. You may download/use them on your personal computer as well (versions are available for both PC and Mac). Instructions on how to install them will be provided in class.
You are expected to attend all lectures. There will be quizzes, group exercises, assignments given regularly. You are responsible for all material covered during the class. If you must miss a class, you will want to contact someone in your section for his or her notes. Expect that missing classes may result in a lower grade, directly or indirectly.
The handouts, assignments and other helpful information is available from the class home page (https://www.cs.plu.edu/~caora/ds133/) and occasionally I will make announcements on the class Sakai site. I strongly recommend you check the home page and Sakai regularly. I may also contact you via email (using your PLU email address) with important class information, so you should check your email regularly as well. Please feel free to email me with any questions you might have or to set up an appointment if you need to meet with me outside of office hours.
The department operates several laboratories in the Morken Center. Morken 210 serves as a closed lab for CS 270, CS 144, and CS 131, as well as for other classes on occasion. It serves as an open lab all other times during the week and in the evenings and you are welcome to use it during those times. The lab opens with a card-swipe lock so be sure to bring your PLU ID in order to be admitted. The lock will only work for IDs of students on the "admit list". Please let me know right away if you if your ID card does not work. If the 210 lab is full or being used by another class you may use the machines in Morken 227.
As members of the PLU community, it is all of our responsibility to provide a safe, inclusive classroom environment that is considerate of others, encourages exploration of ideas and allows opportunities for everyone to fully engage in classroom discussions, activities, lectures, etc. To accomplish this, I ask that each of us refrain from conduct that is disrespectful and/or distracting to others in the classroom. It is amazing how playing Internet games, checking out facebook/blogs or holding private conversations during class can distract the most focused of students (or instructors!).
Regarding the use of ChatGPT, directly copying and pasting solutions is prohibited. However, you're permitted to use ChatGPT on our official course Discord channel, provided it's utilized for enhancing your understanding of concepts rather than seeking direct answers. The Discord channel dedicated to ChatGPT interactions is public, so all students can view the posted questions and answers. Therefore, refrain from sharing any private information in that space.
Examples of classroom misconduct includes:
Your grade will be based on the following:
| Component | Weight | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Mid-term exam | 15% | There will be one mid-term exam, counting 15% of your final grade. Students will only be allowed to take a make-up exam in the event of an emergency, illness, or absence due to a university sanctioned activity such as a sporting event or music performance. If you must miss the exam, you must contact instructor via e-mail or voice mail before it, in order to schedule an alternate test time. |
| Quizzes and homeworks | 40% | There will be about 5-10 scheduled quizzes or homeworks throughout the semester. Make-up will not be given. You may drop your lowest quiz grade. |
| Projects | 20% | There will be around two or three small projects throughout the semester. Each assignment will clearly indicate the submission deadline. It could consist of report, program, and/or presentation. Late assignments will be docked 10% per day (every 24 hours). |
| Final Exam | 15% | There will be one final exam. Make-up will not be given. |
| Innovation project and daily work | 10% | The innovation project is a project that you or your group proposed and implemented using the knowledge learned from this class and considering Ethics in your project. It can be used to analyze data in any field, and it's your responsibility to submit the final report before the deadline. There are daily homeworks in this course, these are usually due at beginning of class, and any missed class work due to an unexcused absence will receive a grade of 0.. |
Your final grade will be based on your weighted average using some approximation of the following table:
| Overall Score | Grade |
| 100% -- 90% | A / A- |
| 90% -- 80% | B+ / B / B- |
| 80% -- 70% | C+ / C / C- |
| 70% -- 60% | D+ / D / D- |
| 60% -- 0% | E |
The grading scale is a general guideline only. I may adjust your grade depending on various factors including class participation, attitude, and timeliness (turning in assignments, attendance etc.).
In computer science courses, we recognize that interactions with classmates and others can help facilitate the learning process. However, there is a line between enlisting the help of another and submitting the work of another. The following is intended to help clarify that line as it applies to this class. If in doubt, ask your instructor before receiving or giving the assistance.
All work that you submit must be your own. The following lists include examples that indicate the kinds of collaboration that are acceptable and unacceptable in this course. These lists are not exhaustive. If you are unsure about a behavior, ask your instructor.
Be carful when providing help to your fellow students. Refer other students to class resources (lecture examples, the text- book, the web site, or emailing an instructor). You must not share your solution with others. You must also ensure that your work is not copied by others by not leaving it in public places, emailing it others, posting it on the web, etc.
Make sure to call ahead to confirm whether class is meeting if you have any concerns about snow accumulations or icy roads that would make travel to campus unsafe. You can call the University's hotline after 6 a.m. (535-7100) or access the PLU website to see if school has been cancelled. If the university is open, but this class needs to be cancelled, that information can either be found on Sakai or will be emailed to you. Students are urged to use caution and personal discretion and avoid undue risk and personal danger when making travel decisions during extreme weather conditions.
Students with medically recognized and documented disabilities and who are in need of special accommodation have an obligation to notify the University of their needs. Students in need of accommodation should contact the Office of Disability Support Services (http://www.plu.edu/dss/, x7206). If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, if you have emergency medical information, or if you need special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please make an appointment with your instructor as soon as possible.
Students are also reminded that they are responsible for notifying instructors of any conditions that may impair their academic performance. Without advance warning, such difficulties cannot be used later as a basis for requesting make-up exams or reconsideration of grades.