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• CS 210-A Computer Systems, 2018S
• Mechanics

Mechanics

Contents

• Textbook
  
• Learning Activities
• Readbacks
  
• Class meetings
• Projects
• Exams
• Policies
• Academic honesty
• Accomodations
• Attendance
• Deadlines
  
• Getting help
• Grading
  

Textbook

Nisan and Schocken (2005). The Elements of Computing Systems. MIT Press.

It is not free, but it is cheap as textbooks go. The text has a companion web site at http://www.nand2tetris.org.

Learning Activities

This class meets three times per week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 8:00 - 8:50 a.m., in Olin 124.

Each chapter in the textbook corresponds to one implementation project, and we will aim to complete one project each week. Classes will roughly alternate between lecture/discussion to introduce new topics and lab days in which you will begin to implement what you have learned.

Because our time in class is limited, you should come prepared to each class. What does it mean to be prepared? First, check the schedule for each class meeting to find out what we will be working on.  Second, if there is a reading listed for today's class meeting, read it before class and answer the reading journal questions. Third, come to class on time, with paper and a writing instrument, ready to be an active participant. After class, you should review your notes, and possibly the reading as well, to gain their full benefit.

As well as practicing new concepts through their implementation, you will have the opportunity to demonstrate your learning through two in-class exams.

Readbacks

To help you prepare for class, most days will have a short pre-class "Readback" form for you to fill out. Your average score on Readbacks is worth 10% of the final grade.

You can find the Readback form on the class syllabus next to the reading for the day. Remember it's timestamped and is due at least one hour before the start of class. No late Readbacks will be accepted.

Survey.

Skim the material, especially the introduction, summary, and headings, to get the big picture and an idea of what is important.

Question

Formulate questions that you expect the reading to answer.

Read

Read thoroughly, with particular attention to how the questions are answered.

Recite

Check that you can answer the questions, in your own words, from memory.

Review

Go back over the whole, focusing on parts for which you can't answer the questions. Also note any questions you have that the reading doesn't answer or that you are still confused about, so that you can ask these questions in your readback or in class.

Class meetings

Class meetings will involve a mix of lectures, discussions, collaborative activities, and hands-on exercises. Each week, some class time will be used to get started on the week's project, and you should be prepared to do so. In short: You are expected to attend and actively participate in class. I am expected to make class worth attending. I encourage you to take notes with pen and paper during class.

• being present in class (physically and mentally),
• coming to class prepared and on time,
• asking questions when appropriate,
• making positive contributions to class discussion by volunteering and when called upon, and
  
• working effectively and respectfully with other students.
  

If your participation or non-participation is problematic, I will invite you to visit office hours to discuss the issue.

Projects

This is mostly a hands-on course, evolving around building a series of hardware (simulated) and software modules. Each module development task is accompanied by a design document, an API, an executable solution, a test script (illustrating what the module is supposed to do), and a detailed implementation plan (proposing how to build it). Most of this information can be found in your textbook. Some will come in the supporting projects directory in which you will do your work.

The projects are spread out evenly, so there will be no special pressure during the semester's end. Although the projects build on each other, you will always have a suitable basis to build on, so that difficulties in one project will not inhibit your ability to succeed in subsequent projects. Each project will be due at 11 p.m. the night before the class in which we start the next project. Projects will be submitted through a web form. The projects are worth 60% of your overall grade.

Wrappers. To help you monitor your learning, you will be required to complete a "wrapper" for most projects. As part of the readback on the day you read the project specification, you will estimate the amount of time you will need to complete the project and think about how it will challenge you. When you submit the project, you will reflect on your experience and what you learned.

Teamwork. Because students can often learn and accomplish more in teams, I encourage collaboration on projects. Moreover, teamwork is an important skill for hardware and software developers. However, good friends do not always make good collaborators. During the first week of class, we will assign a rota of team partners for the semester.

When you work with a partner, you must inform me in a comment at the top of your assignment the names of the two contributors to the homework.

A general structure. Because the projects are fully specified in our textbook, I won't be posting lengthy homework assignments on the course web site. Instead, find brief instructions for getting started and submitting your work.

Significant Bits presentation

There will be one midterm exam (in class on March 2) and one final exam. Each exam will cover roughly half of the course material.The two exams together will be worth 25% of your final grade.

Policies

Academic Honesty and Collaboration

Any form of falsification, misrepresentation of another’s work as one’s own (such as cheating on examinations, reports, or quizzes), or plagiarism from the work of others is academic dishonesty and is a serious offense.

Plagiarism occurs when a student, intentionally or unintentionally, uses someone else’s words, ideas, or data, without proper acknowledgement. College policy regarding plagiarism is more fully explained in the Whitman College Student Handbook. Each student is required to sign the Statement on Academic Honesty and Plagiarism. Cases of academic dishonesty are heard by the Council on Student Affairs.

Do your own work. Programming is hard. The only way to learn is to do it yourself. As such, while you may discuss general approaches to homework problems with anyone, you may discuss code only with your designated partner(s) and not with other students. You may also seek help as described below. You may discuss your code with others after the assignment deadline has passed.

When you work with a partner, you should not divide up the problems to work separately. You will not get the full benefit of the assignment if you divide the work. Instead, you should use a pair programming approach to work together on the problems.

All the work you submit to me is implicitly understood to be your own (unless otherwise attributed). If it is discovered that it is not, you will be prosecuted under the College's plagiarism guidelines. If you are tempted to plagiarize to complete a pressing assignment, instead, please talk to me about it.

I also expect you to abide by the textbook author' terms:

Attribute the contributions of others. When you explicitly work as part of a group or team, you need not identify the work of each individual (unless I specify otherwise). It is assumed that each of you contributed to all parts of the assignment. Any conceptual contributions by individuals not in your group should be acknowledged and attributed in your report. That is, you must give specific attribution for any assistance you receive. The suggested acknowledgment format is "[Person X] helped me to [do thing Y] by [explaining Z]."

Exams. Because I intend the exams to assess your own individual understanding of the material, collaboration on exams is not permitted. If you have questions about the exam, bring your questions directly to me. Of course, I encourage you to collaborate while studying for exams. 

I will offer a small amount of extra credit for turning in a one-page, 8.5"x11", single-sided "cheat sheet", handwritten by you, along with your exam. Preparing a "cheat sheet" serves at least three functions: First, it may save you time and uncertainty during the exam. Second, writing important information may help you to remember it, so that you don't even need to look at your cheat sheet. Third, and most importantly, preparing a "cheat sheet" requires you to reflect on what kinds of problems are likely to appear on the exam and what information will help you solve them.

Accommodations

If you are a student with a disability who will need accommodations in this course, please meet with either Julia Dunn, Associate Dean of Students (Memorial 325, 509-527-5213, dunnjl@whitman.edu) or Antonia Keithahn, Assistant Director of Academic Resources: Disability Support (Memorial 326, 509.527.5767, keithaam@whitman.edu) for assistance in developing a plan to address your academic needs. All information about disabilities is considered private; if I receive notification from Ms. Dunn or Ms. Frost that you are eligible to receive an accommodation, I will provide it in as discreet a manner as possible.

Attendance

Class is time for learning and practice which you cannot obtain by reading someone else's notes. Thus, 1.5% will be deducted from your overall grade for each unexcused absence.

I will excuse your absence if you have a legitimate reason to miss class and you manage your absence responsibly:

• If your absence is planned, as for travel to a conference, email me to make arrangements about a week in advance. Although we can talk in person, I will also need a written reminder of your plans, preferably via email.

• If your absence is unplanned, as for illness or in relation to a documented disability, email me as soon as you are able to do so. If you are ill, don't come to class—stay in your room and rest, and seek medical care as needed. If you are absent unexpectedly, I may call or email to check that you are okay. 

• To have your absence excused, you must communicate with me about your absence and complete any required make-up work. Whether your absence is planned or unplanned, it is your responsibility to consult with me after class about making up the missed class activities.
  

I understand that sometimes "things happen." Therefore, you will be granted one unexcused absence from class without penalty. However, this rebate is cancelled upon a second unexcused absence.

Deadlines

Readbacks are due one hour before class, without exception.

Projects will be due at 11 p.m. the night before the specified class date. Deadlines may be extended for individuals and groups in accordance with the attendance policies described above or, rarely, by negotiation between the instructor and the entire class.

Because I am concerned about your health and well-being, I will also accept late homework according to my "health and well-being" policy. You may invoke this policy under the following conditions:

• you start the assignment at least three days in advance of the due date;
• you expend a reasonable amount of effort to complete the assignment by the time it is due (at least 4 hours in total);
• you send me an email attesting to facts (1) and (2), including whatever work you've done so far, at the time the assignment is due;
• you go to sleep reasonably soon after sending me that email; and
• you schedule a meeting with me the very next day to talk about your difficulty with the assignment.

Getting help

I encourage you to come see me as soon as possible if you are having difficulties with the readings, class sessions, or homework. I also welcome discussions about course content and assignments, related current events, and your interests or career plans.

You are welcome to drop in during my official office hours, and you may knock any time my door is open. If your need is known at least 24 hours in advance, you are very welcome to schedule an appointment with me for a chat in my office, a walk, or lunch.

Math & CS Technical Specialist Dustin Palmer in Olin 166 can help with technology problems.

Please see me for everything else.

Grading

I will use the following scheme as an initial basis for assigning final grades:

Letter grades will be assigned according to the following scale:

I do not believe in grading on a curve; I would be thrilled to give you all As. However, I reserve the right to make adjustments if this weighting scheme produces grades which are lower than I believe are deserved. Any such adjustments will only raise your grade, never lower it.

John Stratton (strattja@whitman.edu) with thanks to Janet Davis and Albert Schueller