CMSC 106 is an introduction to computing and program development in the C programming language. This includes a brief introduction to basic computer concepts, an understanding of the UNIX operating system sufficient for writing class programming assignments, studying the syntax and semantics of the basic control structures of C, learning C's fundamental data types and structures, understanding the design and methodical construction of computer programs, learning how to test and debug programs, and lastly, practice in these through creating several programs in C.
Visit this link to find the prerequisites and restrictions for this course. The course Piazza page is your best source for getting course information. TA office hours, additional resources and essential course information will appear on Piazza, and all course-related questions will also be answered on Piazza to ensure all students have equal access to the information.
| Title | Authors | ISBN | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| C Programming, 2nd edition | K.N. King | 9780393979503 | Required |
We will be using (Piazza) for class communication. You will not be able to register to Piazza yourself. Your instructor will register you using the e-mail you have in the school system.
Your grades will be computed according the following weights:
| Evaluation Components | Percentage |
| Projects | 25% |
| Quizzes, Lab Work, In-Lecture Exercises | 10% |
| Exam 1 (Date: October 12, Monday) | 15% |
| Exam 2 (Date: November 16, Monday) | 20% |
| Exam 3 (Final) (Date: December 18, Friday, 1:30-3:30pm (Standard Final Exam Schedule)) | 30% |
Note that academic dishonesty includes not only cheating,
fabrication, and plagiarism, but also includes helping other
students commit acts of academic dishonesty by allowing them to
obtain copies of your work. In short, all submitted work must be
your own. Cases of academic dishonesty will be pursued to the
fullest extent possible as stipulated by the Office of
Student Conduct.
It is very important for you to be aware of the consequences of cheating, fabrication, facilitation, and plagiarism. If the student is found to be responsible of academic dishonesty, the typical sanction results in a special grade "XF", indicating that the course was failed due to academic dishonesty. If you have any doubt as to whether an act of yours might constitute academic dishonesty, please contact your TA or the course coordinator.
The CS Department takes academic integrity seriously. Information on how the CS Department views and handle academic integrity matters can be found at Academic Integrity.
On any graded project or lab, you are NOT allowed to collaborate or exchange code. We compare each student's code with every other student's code to check for similarities. Every semester, we catch an embarrassingly high number of students that engage in cheating and we have to take them to the Honor Council.
We encourage students to talk about course material and help each other out in group chats. However, this does NOT include graded assignments. Talking about release tests is NOT okay.
There have been a couple instances in the past where students have posted pictures/source files of their code, or earlier sections have given away exam questions to later sections. Not only did this lower the curve for the earlier section because the later one will do better, the WHOLE group chat had to pay a visit to the Honor Council. It was an extremely ugly business.
Creating collaborative study guides on Google docs is OK. Encouraged, even. Just do this before the exam, and don't bring the study guide to the exam. Don't add exam questions to the study guide after the early section's midterm.
Totally cool. Highly encouraged to co-create and share (with same caveats as study guides).
The following are a few examples of academic integrity violations:
Additional information can be found in the sections titled "Academic Integrity" and "Code of Student Conduct" available at Course Related Policies.
In case academic accommodations are needed, you must provide a letter of accommodation from the Office of Accessibility and Disability Services (ADS) within the first TWO weeks of the semester. For details, see the section titled "Accessibility" available at Course Related Policies.
If you miss an exam for reasons such as illness, religious observance, participation in required university activities, or family or personal emergency (such as a serious automobile accident), you will be excused so long as the absence is requested in writing at least 2 days in advance via the illness report feature in the grade server, and the student submits (via email) documentation that shows the absence qualifies as excused; a self-signed note is not sufficient as exams are Major Scheduled Grading Events.
For medical absences, you must furnish documentation from the health care professional who treated you. This documentation must verify dates of treatment and indicate the timeframe that the student was unable to meet academic responsibilities. In addition, it must contain the name and phone number of the medical service provider to be used if verification is needed. No diagnostic information will ever be requested. Note that simply being seen by a health care professional does not constitute an excused absence; it must be clear that you were unable to perform your academic duties.
It is the University's policy to provide accommodations for students with religious observances conflicting with exams, but it is the your responsibility to inform the instructor in advance of intended religious observances. If you have a conflict with one of the planned exams, you must inform us prior to the end of the first two weeks of the class.
For missed exams due to excused absences, the instructor will arrange a makeup exam. If you might miss an exam or quiz for any other reason other than those above, you must contact the instructor in advance to discuss the circumstances. We are not obligated to offer a substitute assignment or to provide a makeup exam unless the failure to perform was due to an excused absence.
Projects will be assigned with sufficient time to be completed by students who have a reasonable understanding of the necessary material and begin promptly. However, in cases of serious illness of lengthy duration or other protracted, emergency situations, the instructor may consider extensions on projects, depending upon the specific circumstances. If you miss a project due to such reasons, you must contact the instructor by at least 2-days before the due.
If you experience difficulty during the semester keeping up with the academic demands of your courses, you may consider contacting the Learning Assistance Service in 2201 Shoemaker Building at (301) 314-7693. Their educational counselors can help with time management issues, reading, note-taking, and exam preparation skills.
For additional information, see the section titled "Attendance, Absences, or Missed Assignments" available at Course Related Policies.
The department and faculty take student feedback seriously. At the end of the course visit https://www.courseevalum.umd.edu/ to complete your course evaluations.
All course materials are copyright UMCP, Department of Computer Science © 2020. All rights reserved. Students are permitted to use course materials for their own personal use only. Course materials may not be distributed publicly or provided to others (excepting other students in the course), in any way or format.
Although every effort has been made to be complete and accurate, unforeseen circumstances arising during the semester could require the adjustment of any material given here. Consequently, given due notice to students, the instructor reserves the right to change any information on this syllabus or in other course materials.