The recommended textbook for the course is Introduction to Computing using Python: An Application Development Focus, Second Edition, Ljubomir Perkovic, John Wiley & Sons, 2015. If you choose to purchase the text, make sure you have the electronic version since it contains case studies that we will be using. The electronic text has ISBN 978-1-118-89105-6. You can buy the ebook directly from the publisher if you so choose:

https://www.wiley.com/en-us/Introduction+to+Computing+Using+Python%3A+An+Application+Development+Focus%2C+2nd+Edition-p-9781118891056

Course assessments include lab exercises, programming homework assignments, and a midterm and final exam. The course grade will be computed as follows:

All students will be required to sign and submit an Academic Integrity pledge at the start of the quarter. The Academic Integrity pledge will be posted on the D2L site. The pledge must be signed and submitted as a part of the first homework assignment. Students who violate this agreement are violating the Academic Integrity policy of DePaul University. See the section on Academic Integrity below for more information about that policy and the penalties for violating it.

In order to do well in this class, you must participate in the class sessions regularly, complete all of the labs on time, complete class activities, understand the content in the chapters in the book as indicated in the homework assignment, start work on the assignments early, submit the assignments on time, and ask questions early and often. The answers to the programming assignments, the lab exercises, and the exam questions should be written in a way that is rigorous, clear, and concise.

Lab exercises

Every Wednesday you will have lab exercises available due at 10 pm. You are highly encouraged to attend the scheduled lab session which takes place  Wedmesdays at 10:10 am - 11:40 am in lab 819 of the CDM Center at 243 S. Wabash Ave. Students attending the lab in person will have priority for answers and help from the teaching assistant. If for whatever reason you cannot attend the lab sessions, you can log into a Zoom help session conducted by the TA. You can find the link for the Zoom lab sessions in the page describing lab logistics and grading posted to D2L as well as in the course calendar on D2L.

Labs submitted by the deadline will be graded for full credit. Labs submitted no later than 12 hours after the deadline automatically will lose 15% of the points. No lab submissions are accepted more than 12 hours after the deadline for any reason, including upload of the wrong file. 

Programming homework assignments

Each week you will have a programming assignment. You can consult with your instructor, the teaching assistant, and the CDM tutors, but you may not under any circumstances submit code that you have not written, nor may you consult anyone beyond those specified when completing your assignments.

Each programming homework assignment will have a posted deadline (typically the following Thursday before classtime), specified on the assignment. Assignments submitted by the deadline will be graded for full credit. Assignments submitted no later than 12 hours after the deadline automatically will lose 15% of the points. No assignments are accepted more than 12 hours after the deadline for any reason, including submission of the wrong file.

Midterm and final exams

The exams will take place in a lab. Both exams will require you to write Python code. The details about how the exams will be given will be shared later in the quarter and will be posted to D2L. No late exam submissions will be accepted for any reason.

Make-up exams will not be given. If you wish to petition for a make-up exam, you must notify me in advance and provide documented evidence of the emergency that will cause you to miss the exam. Failure to contact me in advance of the exam date and time will disqualify you from being allowed to take a make-up exam. If a make-up exam is granted, it will be of a form of my choosing.

You must have taken CSC 241: Introduction to Computer Science or an equivalent course that introduces problem-solving techniques and programming in Python and earned a passing grade (C- or better). I will also assume that:

• You know how to create, debug, compile, and run Python, and you use a reasonable coding style (i.e. your code is easy to read and relatively concise)
• You know Python's basic control structures and types
• You can solve basic computing problems
• You are comfortable with at least one Integrated Development Environment (IDE – such as IDLE, Jupyter Notebooks, Visual Studio Code, etc.

Note that CSC 242 is significantly more difficult than CSC 241.  Please make sure that you take the time to review the materials from CSC 241 and/or the review resources provided here in the content section.

Evaluations are a way for students to provide valuable feedback regarding their instructor and the course. Detailed feedback will enable the instructor to continuously tailor teaching methods and course content to meet the learning goals of the course and the academic needs of the students. They are a requirement of the course and are key to continuing to provide you with the highest quality of teaching. The evaluations are anonymous; the instructor and administration do not track who entered what responses. A program is used to check if the student completed the evaluations, but the evaluation is completely separate from the student's identity. Since 100% participation is our goal, students are sent periodic reminders over three weeks. Students do not receive reminders once they complete the evaluation.

The course adheres to the DePaul University's Academic Integrity Policy. For complete information about Academic Integrity at DePaul University, please see: http://academicintegrity.depaul.edu/.

Cheating is any action that violates university norms or instructor's guidelines for the preparation and submission of assignments. This includes, but is not limited to, unauthorized access to examination materials prior to the examination itself; use or possession of unauthorized materials during the examination or quiz; having someone take an examination in one's place; copying from another student; unauthorized assistance to another student; or acceptance of such assistance. Plagiarism involves the presentation of the work of another as one's own. Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to the following: the direct copying of any source, such as written and verbal material, computer files, audio disks, video programs or musical scores, whether published or unpublished, in whole or part, without proper acknowledgment that it is someone else's; copying of any source in whole or part with only minor changes in wording or syntax, even with acknowledgment; submitting as one's own work a report, examination paper, computer file, lab report or other assignment that has been prepared by someone else (including research papers purchased from any other person or agency or programs written using the assistance of an AI tool); the paraphrasing of another's work or ideas without proper acknowledgment; working so closely with another person other than those authorized so as to produce identical code.

All students are expected to abide by the University's Academic Integrity Policy which prohibits cheating and other misconduct in student coursework. The use of others' web/publication content (text, graphics, code) is regarded as plagiarism if credit is not given (see the above description of plagiarism). Using materials that the student prepared for other purposes (e.g., for another course or for his/her work) needs the course instructor's prior permission. Publicly sharing or posting online any prior or current materials from this course (including exam questions or answers), is considered providing unauthorized assistance prohibited by the policy.  Both students who share/post and students who access or use such materials are considered to be cheating under the Policy and will be subject to sanctions for violations of Academic Integrity.

A charge of cheating and/or plagiarism is always a serious matter. It can result in an automatic F in the course and possible expulsion.

Keeping our DePaul community safe is of utmost importance in the pandemic. Students, faculty and staff are expected to (1) wear a mask if required while indoors on campus; (2) refrain from eating and drinking in classrooms; (3) keep current with their COVID-19 vaccinations or exemptions; (4) stay home if sick; (5) participate in any required COVID-19 testing; (6) complete the online Health and Safety Guidelines for Returning to Campus training; and (7) abide by the City of Chicago Emergency Travel Advisory. By doing these things, we are Taking Care of DePaul, Together.

Please note that your instructor will be wearing a mask during class while he is unable to keep a safe distance.

The recommendations may change as local, state, and federal guidelines evolve. Students who do not abide by the mask requirement may be subject to the student conduct process and will be referred to the Dean of Students Office. Students who have a medical reason for not complying with any requirements should register with DePaul's Center for Student with Disabilities (CSD).