There are two sections of CS 357:
Section N: In-person, TR 12:30pm - 1:45pm CT, CIF 0035
Section M: Online, TR 12:30pm - 1:45pm CT (no assigned classroom)
ALL students will have to complete the SAME assessments via PrairieLearn: homework, quizzes, group activities, machine problems. CS 357 is a flipped course, thus all course content will be delivered via pre-recorded videos. There will be no difference regarding course material or evaluation between these sections.
The only difference between these sections is the scheduling and location of the weekly group activities:
Section N: students will complete all group assessments in the classroom, during lecture time on Tuesdays. Classroom attendance is required.
Section M: students will complete all group assessments on Tuesdays anytime between 12:30pm to 10pm, however they will be highly encouraged to complete the group assessments during class time (12:30pm to 1:45pm). Student groups will select the location to meet: they can complete the assessments remotely via Zoom, or they can select their favorite location to meet in-person. Since section M runs completely asynchronous, students in this section do not have any attendance requirement.
You must read the Lectures page to get additional information regarding these group activities.
Your grade is composed by the following assessments, all delivered via PrairieLearn.
| Assessment | Contribution | Info |
|---|---|---|
| Final exam | 15% | Delivered via PrairieLearn, schedule and location to be announced later in the semester. |
| Bi-weekly quizzes | 35% | Delivered via PrairieLearn; students will alternate taking quizzes at the CBTF (asynchronously with self-registration) and remotly using their own devices (synchronously during class time). Read more here. |
| Homework | 25% | Submitted weekly via PrairieLearn. |
| MP | 10% | Submitted 5 times during the semester via PrairieLearn. |
| Group Activity | 11% | Section N: Tuesdays 12:30pm-1:45pm CT at CIF 35; Section M: Tuesdays, groups select time and location (read more here). |
| Pre-Lecture Activity | 4% | Pre-recorded videos available via PrairieLearn on Tuesdays and Thursdays with corresponding short questions |
All your grade components will be added up with the percentage weights indicated and result in a single number. This number will determine your letter grade, according to the following scales:
| Grade | Point Range |
|---|---|
| A | [93, 100) |
| A- | [90, 93) |
| B+ | [87, 90) |
| B | [83, 87) |
| B- | [80, 83) |
| C+ | [77, 80) |
| C | [73, 77) |
| C- | [70, 73) |
| D+ | [67, 70) |
| D | [63, 67) |
| D- | [60, 63) |
| F | < 60 |
The top 5% students will receive an A+ (assuming that they all have 97 points or above, otherwise, all students with total points above 97 will receive an A+).
Any questions, concerns, or misgivings regarding a specific grade must be raised within one week of the due date or the date the grade is released. After one week has passed, the assigned grade is considered accepted and no further complaints will be considered.
We will be using Python with the libraries numpy, scipy and matplotlib for in-class work and assignments. No other languages are permitted. Python has a very gentle learning curve, so you should feel at home even if you’ve never done any work in Python.
For the homework assignments and quizzes, the coding can be done directly on PrairieLearn. Class demos will use Python 3 in a Jupyter notebook.
You don’t need to install Python on your own device, since we will be providing a Jupyter notebook from inside PrairieLearn, so you can complete all your assignments. However, if you wish to install Python and the Numpy+Scipy+Matplotlib stack, you are free to do so in any way that works. We recommend using Anaconda, which is a (free) Python distribution that includes Numpy+Scipy+Matplotlib. In addition, you should use Python 3.
The course staff has created a short Python tutorial that is available as a PrairieLearn assessment, for students that have not worked with Python before, or need some brushing up.
You will complete two weekly pre-lecture assignments, corresponding to the Tuesdays and Thursdays lectures, which will appear in PrairieLearn with the label L#. You can find all the topics listed on the Schedule page.
Each assignment will consist of short to medium size videos, and short questions corresponding to the video content. These are short activities that should be completed on the day they are open (Tuesdays and Thursdays), but they can be completed for 100% credit by the following Tuesday at 12pm CT. This schedule will ensure students complete watching the relevant material for the group activity on Tuesdays.
If you don’t complete the pre-lecture activities before the Tuesday deadline, you have two other late deadlines for reduced credit:
You can find all the due dates directly in PrairieLearn. You are strongly encouraged to complete all your pre-lectures by the 100% deadline, to ensure you are ready to participate in the Tuesday group activities.
The 4 lowest scores will be dropped. The remaining assignments combined will count towards 4% of your final grade.
First week of classes: The first two lectures will be offered synchronously in hybrid format. Attendance is not required, but students from both sections are encouraged to attend (students from section N attending in-person from CIF 35 and students from section M attending online via Zoom).
Students will be placed in groups of 2-3, and they will work together to complete an assignment delivered via PrairieLearn with the label GA#. Groups will be only formed starting from week 3, and students will have the opportunity to create their own groups during the first two weeks. Make sure to not miss the first two weeks of classes, so you can meet students during class before selecting your teams!
Students in section N (in-person) will complete this activity on Tuesdays in the classroom during lecture time, and attendance is required. Students in section M (online) will complete this activity remotely, at a time and location o their choice. We will have a virtual classroom (via Zoom) during class time, to support student that need assistance with the activity. However, attendance is not required. You can find more information about the group activities in the Lectures page.
The lowest score will be dropped. The remaining assignments combined will count towards 11% of your final grade.
During quiz weeks (see Schedule page), half of the students will be taking the quiz online using their own devices during class time (see Quizzes page).
On the other weeks (without quizzes), we will use the lecture time as Optional Study Hours.
Note that we will not be covering new content during these classes (new content is only introduced during the asynchronous online recorded pre-lectures). We will be using IPython (Jupyter) notebooks to implement the numerical methods covered in the pre-lecture videos. The notebooks are available in PrairieLearn (labeled with WS#), so that students can learn from them at their own time. We will make weekly annoucements on CampusWire, to let students know if the Optional Study Hour will happen online or in-person. Students from both sections will be able to participate in both formats (i.e., students from section N can join the Zoom link and students from section M can come to the classroom at CIF).
The homework sets will be assigned via PrairieLearn with the label HW#.
The due dates are indicated both in PrairieLearn and also in the Schedule page
(the schedule may be subjected to changes during the semester).
Each homework is due at 11:59pm CT on the due date. Note that office hours will only go until 8pm, and course staff will not be actively responding messages on CampusWire after 8pm. If you want to make sure you get assistance with your homework, you must not plan to complete it within the few hours before the deadline.
You will have at least one week to complete your homework for 100% credit. In addition, you will have two late deadlines for reduced credit:
You can find all the due dates directly in PrairieLearn. You are strongly
encouraged to complete all your HWs by the 100% deadline.
The 2 lowest scores will be dropped. The remaining HWs combined will count towards 25% of your final grade.
There will be a total of 5 MPs assigned via PrairieLearn with the label MP#. These are longer programming assignments.
The due dates are indicated in the Schedule page (the schedule may be subjected to changes during the semester).
Each MP is due at 11:59pm CT on the due date. Note that office hours will only go until 8pm, and course staff will not be actively responding messages on CampusWire after 8pm. If you want to make sure you get assistance with your MP, you must not plan to complete it within the few hours before the deadline.
You will have at least one week to complete your MPs for 100% credit. In addition, you will have two late deadlines for reduced credit:
You can find all the due dates directly in PrairieLearn. You are strongly encouraged to complete all your MPs by the 100% deadline.
There will be a total of 5 individual MPs, combined they will count towards 10% of your final grade. There is no drop of MP scores.
Throughout the semester, you will take 6 quizzes (50-minute) that will have a mixture of short questions and short coding questions (similar to the questions that appear in your HW, L, GA and practice assessments).
Quizzes will count towards 35% of your final grade and the lowest score will be dropped.
Students will alternate taking quizzes at CBTF or remotely using their own devices.
The Quizzes pages show the week designated for each quiz and additional information about the alternate schedule. Make sure to read the CBTF policies here.
You will have a Practice Quiz opening the week prior to each quiz. Your actual quiz will be generated using the same question pool used to generate the practice quizzes, with the exception of the coding questions. The practice quizzes will become unavailable on Thursdays of the quiz week at 12pm.
Students that have DRES accommodations will need provide their letter of accommodation to CBTF by the end of week 2. You can find more information at the CBTF website.
Check the Quizzes page for more information.
These quizzes will follow the CS honors code and UIUC Academic Integrity policies. You will be expected to comply with the Student Code, and the rules of CBTF.
In addition, you must not communicate with anyone about quiz content during the quiz period, staring from Monday at 9am CT until Thursday at 2pm CT. No questions should be posted on CampusWire, or any other digital space, discussing quiz content.
When you finish your quiz, you will see the correct answers and your score on the quiz. You will not have access to the quiz once your assigned quiz period is finished. If you want to talk about the quiz with the instructor or TA, you must wait until the quiz period is over, and then you can ask questions on CampusWire, or office hours.
The final exam schedule and location will be announced later in the semester.
I often get this question from students: “How can I study for this course?” I will give here my recommendation, based on observations, my own experience as student, and feedback received over the years. Of course, every student is different, and the recommendations below may not apply to you.
1) Watch the pre-recorded videos and complete the short questions (PrairieLearn pre-lecture activities). Some students prefer to read instead of watching videos. If that is your case, you can take a look at the pre-lecture slides and/or notes from the Resources page.
2) Start the homework AFTER you go over the course content and have a good understanding of the material. Use the homework to test your knowledge. Go back and review the concepts when you get questions marked as incorrect. I know it can be tempting to just keep trying until you get the question marked as correct (the so desirable PrairieLearn green badge!), but you will be missing the opportunity to actually learn from your mistakes.
3) Watch the pre-recorded videos before the corresponding group activities. You will have more productive and interesting conversations with your team mates if you know the content.
4) When preparing for the quizzes, take a look at the review questions from the Resources page. They may help you figuring out what you know and what you still need to learn. Go back to the videos, slides and/or notes from concepts that you have not mastered yet.
5) You will have access to the Practice Quiz the week before the Quiz. Don’t start creating your Practice Quizzes until you completed the steps above. This is a great opportunity to really see how well you have learned the material before you take your actual quiz.
You must not discuss any aspect of the quizzes and final exam until all students complete the assessment.
You can discuss your approach with your peers. All parts of each homework set or machine problem must be your own work. You must have typed/written every part of your homework yourself. It is okay to copy code/pieces of work provided by the instructor and available on the course website (however, to keep good practice, you must acknowledge the source).
Here is your opportunity to learn, teach and interact with your peers! Exchange ideas, get creative, and make sure you carry your share of the work load.
Students that violate any of the course policies will face penalties as provided by campus rules regarding academic honesty.
Academic integrity infractions, harassment, and discrimination of any kind will not be tolerated. See the University’s Student Code, Article 1, Part 4. Please see the Students’ Quick Reference Guide to Academic Integrity for more details.
Please see the departmental Honor Code for details on integrity and procedures.
We have created a very flexible assessment schedule, with late deadlines and drops. As such, we will not give extensions to HWs, MPs and pre-lectures.
Students can submit a request for excused absence (equivalent to a score getting dropped) if they are not able to attend the GAs or CBTF quizzes under the following circumstances:
A. Illness
B. Personal crisis (e.g. car accident, required court appearance, death of a close relative).
C. Required attendance at an official UIUC activity (e.g. varsity athletics, band concert).
In all cases, you must fill out the excused absence request form and upload the appropriate documentation.
In cases (A) or (B) an official excuse letter from the (Dean on Duty) must be uploaded with the form within 2 weeks of the due date of the missed assessment, no later than reading day. In cases of extended or unusual illness, late submission of excuse documentation will be considered.
In case (C) an official letter from the designated university official must be uploaded at least one week prior to the due date of the missed assessment.
All approved excused assessments will be dropped from the final grade calculation.
If you have accommodations identified by the Division of Rehabilitation-Education Services (DRES), please submit your DRES letter using the following form:
Submit your Letter of Accommodation here.
If you have accommodations for quizzes (e.g extended time), you MUST contact CBTF directly.
Diminished mental health, including significant stress, mood changes, excessive worry, substance/alcohol abuse, or problems with eating and/or sleeping can interfere with optimal academic performance, social development, and emotional wellbeing. The University of Illinois offers a variety of confidential services including individual and group counseling, crisis intervention, psychiatric services, and specialized screenings at no additional cost. If you or someone you know experiences any of the above mental health concerns, it is strongly encouraged to contact or visit any of the University’s resources provided below. Getting help is a smart and courageous thing to do – for yourself and for those who care about you.
Counseling Center: 217-333-3704, 610 East John Street Champaign, IL 61820
McKinley Health Center:217-333-2700, 1109 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, Illinois 61801
All members of the Illinois Computer Science department - faculty, staff, and students - are expected to adhere to the CS Values and Code of Conduct. The CS CARES Committee is available to serve as a resource to help people who are concerned about or experience a potential violation of the Code. If you experience such issues, please contact the CS CARES Committee. The instructor of this course are also available for issues related to this class.