CPSC 217: Course outline spring 2021

Technical requirements for students in the distance learning version of this course (paraphrased version from what was provided by the university).

• A reasonably new computer with the newest operating system (Windows 10), it's unlikely that those with a slightly older version of Windows will have problems but no guarantees are provided.
• A reliable high speed Internet connection.
• (It goes without saying that you should strongly reconsider registering in a remote learning version of this course if you can't meet these technical requirements because you won't get special considerations if you cannot work on your assignments and submit them properly).

• For operating systems other than Windows: If you have problems or questions then we will do what we can to help. However, you need to keep in mind that we are limited to the resources we have available. (The university won't provide me with a MAC computer for instance so I can only use educated guesses or web searches to find answers).

• New: this term some of my Teaching Assistants have a preference for MAC while some have a preference for Windows. Under "tutorial information" you can see the operating system that specific TAs will be using to produce their tutorial videos. If you want to get operating system specific information then you can view the videos of a teaching assistant who supports the O/S you use. Also if you have operating system specific questions then you can try asking your question in the CT session staffed by someone who is familiar with your operating system.

Index (shortcut to major sections of the webpage)

• Lecture and important grading information, textbooks
• Tutorial information (teaching and help tutorials)
• Main grid: course schedule notes for the lecture, assignment information

Information about the programming language (python) you will learn

• All evaluation components must be completed by writing a program using Python version 3.x (not version 2.x)
• Official website:
  • Top level URL (last visited 2021): http://www.python.org
  • Getting started with the language  (last visited 2021): https://www.python.org/about/gettingstarted/
• Information about installing and accessing python on your computer: [Tam's quick guide, PDF] [Tam's quick guide, PowerPoint]

Lecture and important grading information

Tutorials (teaching and help tutorials)

Teaching tutorials (material will be available starting the week of May 9 - 15) and will be available via a Zoom link (look under 'content' in D2L and under the appropriate week for the tutorial you will find a separate folder for each tutorial)

• Tutorials include mandatory information for the course. In addition to following the lecture material you need to be utilizing the material provided by the Teaching Assistants. Time will be spent on the following: TA's teaching new skills, discussion of assignment requirements.

 

Tutorial	Instructor name	Contact information: if you have questions it's best to reach the TA during the CT time but you can email them for relative short and simple questions. Israa is the Teaching Assistant you should first contact via email. (You can of course contact the course instructor who teaches the lecture).
T01	Amir Aminbeidokhti (Windows tutorial)	amir.aminbeidokhti@ucalgary.ca
T02	Amir Aminbeidokhti	amir.aminbeidokhti@ucalgary.ca
T03	Yajurv Bhatia (MAC tutorial)	yajurv.bhatia@ucalgary.ca
T04	Yajurv Bhatia	yajurv.bhatia@ucalgary.ca
T05	Sonali Keshava Murthy Naik (MAC tutorial)	sonali.keshavamurthy@ucalgary.ca
T06	Sonali Keshava Murthy Naik	sonali.keshavamurthy@ucalgary.ca

    Extra help for the distance learning version: Israa

In addition to the Teaching Assistants who are assigned to teach a particular tutorial, for the distance learning version of this course funding was provided for an additional resource person: Israa Farouk. This person will be staffing many of the help tutorial times (Continuous Tutorial/CT) as well answering many of the email questions. Before you contact your TA email your question first to Israa: israa.farouk1@ucalgary.ca. You can of course contact the course instructor for the lectures. [Course instructor's contact information]

Help tutorials = Continuous tutorials (or CT for short) where you can go for help outside of class: commence the week of May 3 - 9. 

• These sessions will typically be staffed by the tutorial instructors but they are not mandatory for students and are provided so that you can get help
• Each TA will have a separate Zoom link.
• You are NOT restricted getting help from the CT session staffed by the person whose tutorial you are registered in (you can go to any TA for help).
• Only one person will be admitted in the Zoom room at a time. The rest will be held in the virtual waiting room until a spot is free. [If you don't know how a Zoom waiting room looks/works]
  • To reduce the anticipated wait time: Some shift may have two TAs staffing the same day/time.
• If you have questions then it's best to ask them during the CT but if you need to email a TA outside of CT time then the contact TA for all tutorials: Israa Farouk

Continuous tutorial schedule: [CPSC 217 schedule for spring 2021]

Main grid: lecture & tutorial schedule, assignment information

Approximate time each topic will be covered in lecture	Lecture topics & schedule	Relevant textbook chapters: "Starting Out with Python" (Gaddis T) Addison-Wesley. eText ordering Accessing the eText after you have an access code. Other sources of help includes the (free) online library website: [Safari]	Graded component due during the week: Note that all assignments are due at 4 PM	Tutorial topics
	How to work from home etc.. A portion will be covered in tutorial later in the term term, other resources are available for your reference: [Orientation link]   Searching for help using Google (note this is meant to supplement and but not act as a replacement for lecture and tutorial lessons). [PDF notes] [PowerPoint notes]	Not applicable	A0  (submitting files using D2L and checking submissions, not graded) closes off submission on Tuesday May 11.
May 2- 8 (there is only 'one' lecture this week).	Introduction to the course, administrative about how the course will be run such as grading information:  [PDF notes] [PowerPoint]   Introduction to computer programming Part 1: [PDF notes] [PowerPoint notes] [Examples]	Introduction to programming: Chapter 1 & 2, Appendix A (additional information for installing Python on your own computer)		No tutorials this week
May 9 - 15	Introduction to computer programming Part 2 (input, formatting output): [PDF notes] [PowerPoint notes] [Examples]   Introduction to computer programming Part 3 (Named constants, documenting programs, prewritten python functions, common programming errors, programming style: layout and formatting of your program): [PDF notes] [PowerPoint notes] [Examples]   Branching Part 1 (IF, IF-Else, Logical-AND, Logical-OR, Logical-NOT): [PDF notes] [PowerPoint notes] [Examples]		Full A1 Friday May 14	Student exercise: A0 Getting and installing python Using the Windows command line (cmd) to run programs (e.g. python) Going over the A1 requirements Conventions for naming variables and constants. Unnamed constants Getting input via input() Formatting output via escape codes and format specifiers Common operators & order of operation Errors: syntax, runtime & logic Documentation Backups & versioning Link to the examples Link to the exercises
May 16 - 22	Branching/decisions: logic and branching, multiple IFs, the IF-ELIF structure, nested branches, the  IF-IN operator, using an epsilon. [PDF notes] [PowerPoint notes] [Examples] Looping/repetition, Part 1: while-loops, for-loops, sentinel controlled loops.[PDF notes] [PowerPoint notes] [Examples] Looping/repetition, Part 2: nesting branches and loops, the break instruction and why it generally shouldn't be used,  infinite loops, testing loops.[PDF notes] [PowerPoint notes] [Examples] Looping/repetition, Part 3: Usability heuristics for user friendly program design.[PDF notes] [PowerPoint notes] Extra resource, nesting and loops: [PDF notes] [PowerPoint notes]	Branching: Chapter 3 Loops: Chapter 4	Mini-A2 Friday May 21	Going over the mini-A2 requirements Going over the A2 requirements Branching structures: IF, IF-ELSE, multiple IFs, IF-ELIF, using the logical AND, OR operator in conjunction with branching. Repetition: While -loop, using logic in conjunction with WHILE-loops. Nesting loop and branches. Generating random numbers via randrange() Link to the examples Link to the exercises
May 23 - May 29 (Monday May 24 is the Victoria Day holiday: no office hours or CT sessions)	Functions/decomposition Part 1: defining functions, calling functions you have defined, scope (local and global), declaring variables locally, benefits of declaring variables locally. [PDF notes] [PowerPoint notes] [Examples] Functions/decomposition, Part 2: Parameter passing, function return values, function specific style requirements, documenting function. [PDF notes] [PowerPoint notes] [Examples]	Functions: Chapter 5 (don't worry about the material in Section 5.9, 5.10 yet)	Full A2: Tuesday May 25 Mini-A3a: Friday May 28	Going over the mini-A3a requirements Going over the  mini-A3b requirements Going over the A3 requirements Debugging tips Defining and calling simple functions (no parameters or return values). Declaring variables that are local to a function. Defining and calling functions with parameters. Scope of identifiers: local vs. global. Defining and calling functions with return values. Defining Boolean functions. Link to the examples Link to the exercises
May 30 - June 5	Functions/decomposition, Part 3: return to scope, what level/where to declare variables, Boolean functions, splitting up long functions, common errors with functions, program design & testing functions. [PDF notes] [PowerPoint notes] [Examples] Composites - lists, Part 1: declaring list variables, accessing a list vs. elements in a list, passing list as parameters, methods of parameter passing. [PDF notes] [PowerPoint notes] [Examples]	Composites: Lists & Tuples: Chapter 7 Composites: Strings Chapter 8	Mini-A3b: Monday May 31, Full A3 Friday June 4	Going over the mini-A4a requirements Going over the mini-A4b requirements Going over the A4 requirements Basics of lists vs. strings. Creating fixed sized lists, creating lists dynamically & randomly. List references and passing lists as parameters. Using the chr function and ASCII codes. 2D lists Link to the examples Link to the exercises
June 6 - 12	Composites - lists, Part 2: [PDF notes] [PowerPoint notes] [Examples] Introduction to problem solving: Composites - lists, Part 2: [PDF notes] [PowerPoint notes] [Examples] Files & exceptions]: [PDF notes] [PowerPoint notes] [Examples] Composites - strings & tuples, Part 3: [PDF notes] [PowerPoint notes] [Examples]	Files: Chapter 6	Mini-A4a: Monday June 7 Mini A4b: Wed June 9, Full A4 Friday June 11	Going over the mini-A5 requirements Going over the A5 requirements Files and exceptions. Reading from files into dynamically created lists. Link to the examples
June 13 - 19 (17th is the last day of the term).	Introduction to computer science: [PDF notes] [PowerPoint notes] Computer history  [PDF notes] [PowerPoint notes]		Mini-A5: Monday June 14, Full A5: Thursday June 17	No tutorial material for this week, TAs have covered all the python concepts required fro the assignments.