CIT 593 Syllabus

Class Timming
Textbooks
Grading
Academic Integrity
Homework/lab turn-in procedure
Questions or Comments

Class Timming

M 1:30-3:00 in DRLB 4C4

T 4:30 - 6 in Moore 207 (linux lab)

R 4:30-6 in Towne 311

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Textbooks

Note: Although course topics will not follow the book chapters but book will be useful through the course sequence (CIT593-595)

Required

Introduction to Computing Systems from bits & gates to C & beyond
Author: Yale N. Patt and Sanjay J. Patel
ISBN: 0072467509 (2nd Ed)
Errata  Preface

• Problem Solving and Program Design in C by Jeri R. Hanly and Elliot B. Koffman OR
• Practical C Programming - by Steve Oualline (also can be found on Safari Online Textbooks through Penn Library)

Supplemental books On Reserve in Engineering Library:

1. Structured Computer Organization – 5th Edition by Andrew S. Tanenbaum
2. Principle of Computer Architecture by Miles J. Murdocca and Vincent P. Heuring

Online Resources: A lot of online material throughout the course can be found under the Resources section.

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Grading

1. Course grades depends on class persformance. Hence 90% or above is not necessarily an A.


2. Assignments (50% of grade)
   • Non-programming assignments should also be preferably be typed
   • There are total 5 grace days for the entire semester
     • Maximum 3 days can be used for an assignment
     • 20% penalty per day deduction after grace days
   • If the lab exercises cannot be completed during lab time, I encourage you to finish them on your own time
     • You may be asked to submit some of them for homework.
     • Helping each other during the lab is encouraged


3. Two exams (45% of grade)
• Midterm (20%) & Final (25%)
• Exams are closed book and notes


4. Participation(5 % of grade)
   • Participation means coming to class and taking part in discussion, coming on time to lab and working on lab assignments.

Important: 

Credit for work will be recorded only as reported by the TA in the Gradebook on Blackboard. It is your responsibility to make sure that your work has been properly recorded in the Gradebook.

Make sure you call any problems with missing records to your TA's attention immediately; the grade entries on the Blackbaord will be considered permanent after one week subsequent to their posting. Similarly, make sure you address problems with grading – either on your homework or on an exam – immediately following the return of your work.

Our TA will be responsible for adjudicating these problems – the instructor will only be involved as a possible court of last appeal in case there is some truly difficult decision to make (i.e., in most cases, I will not be willing to second guess the TA ’s decisions). To submit a request to the TA for a review of a credit assignment on an exam or problem set you must submit an email to the TA , stating the nature of the problem and the remedy you desire. You must submit this adjustment request within one week of the return of the material in question. I have instructed the TA not to consider any requests for grade adjustments that are submitted later than this one week grace period.

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Academic Integrity

You are expected to submit your own for homework assignment. If you are caught with work submitted that is completely copied from some other source (including current or former CIT 593 students), or that has been prepared by somebody other than you, you will face severe discipline by the university.

Assignments are to be completed individually unless stated on the homework. You may talk to fellow classmate regarding the assignment but keep in mind what is appropriate and inappropriate about your collaboration:

Appropriate:

• Person A doesn't understand what exactly the problem is asking. E.g. writing actual C code vs. psuedocode. He/She discusses this with Person B to arrive at one or the other.
• Person A does not understand a particular concept. Person B explains the concept using an example, other than one asked on the homework.

Inappropriate:

• A attempts half the problem, and B attempts the other half. A and B copy the solutions to half the assignment that the other person wrote.
• Together, A and B work out each homework problem on chalk/white board; then they separately copy down their work and turn it in.
• Person A completed a programming assignment and just before turning it in, he deleted his program - oh no!!!. In desperation, he/she asks Person B if he can turn in a copy of his/her program.

Note: When in doubt always ask Instructor or TA first, to avoid any potential collabration that can lead to academic dishonesty.

You can further read Penn's Code of Academic Integrity page on this subject matter.

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Homework turn-in procedure

You will turn-in all programming assignments using Digital Dropbox on Blackboard. Follow the steps below to open the Digital Drop Box page.

1. Log into Blackboard
2. Open your Course.
3. Click Course Tools under the Tools Menu
4. Select Digital Drop Box.

1. When you submit your assignment, make a folder called pennID_HwX (where X is homework number), put your file to be submitted in the folder. Use zip program to create archive of folder. .
   • On Windows: select the folder, right click and select "Send To" and then "Compressed (zipped) folder
   • On Mac: select the folder, use the ctrl key + right click and select "Create Archive of ".
   • In CETs lab, use StuffIt program


2.  Give the zip file name the same name as folder name. E.g. My username at penn is palsetia, hence I will submit archive file called palsetia_HwX.zip, which contains the folder palsetia_HwX and file I need to submit.. If submitting exercise then naming convention would be palsetia_ExX.zip, where Ex stands for Exercise


3. Upload the archive file using Add File option. Give an approriate title in the Name field and put down any comments you have in Comments field) .


4. REMEMBER to click Send file to send the file to the instructor.


5. You can submit your work more than once, but make sure you mention that in comments section when you resubmit your work.


6. When you submit the file, BlackBoard will show the date and time file received. Note: The date and time displayed in each instance is not the date and time on the user’s machine, rather, it is the date and time on the Blackboard Academic Suite server.

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Questions or Comments

Your feedback is valuable and we want to do our best to address your questions and comments. Use the discussion board on Blackboard

• About course material (concepts, homework, labs, logistics): Post a message on the bulletin board under appropriate forums. Please do not email the TA's or professor about these topics.
  • Note that you can also post anonymously
• About special circumstances (e.g. lab/exam conflict): Email your professor.

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