Computer Science

This page summarizes the content and various policies of the CS 270 course:

• COVID-19 policy
• Course contents & Schedule
• Evaluation
• Assistance & Office hours

COVID-19 policy

Reporting requirements

• Important information for students: All students are expected and required to report any COVID-19 symptoms to the university immediately, as well as exposures or positive tests from a non-CSU testing location.
• If you suspect you have symptoms, or if you know you have been exposed to a positive person or have tested positive for COVID, you are required to fill out the COVID Reporter (https://covid.colostate.edu/reporter/). If you know or believe you have been exposed, including living with someone known to be COVID positive, or are symptomatic, it is important for the health of yourself and others that you complete the online COVID Reporter. Do not ask your instructor to report for you. If you do not have internet access to fill out the online COVID-19 Reporter, please call (970) 491-4600. You may also report concerns in your academic or living spaces regarding COVID exposures through the COVID Reporter. You will not be penalized in any way for reporting. When you complete the COVID Reporter for any reason, the CSU Public Health office is notified. Once notified, that office will contact you and, depending upon each situation, will conduct contact tracing, initiate any necessary public health requirements and notify you if you need to take any steps.
• For the latest information about the University's COVID resources and information, please visit the CSU COVID-19 site: https://covid.colostate.edu/.

Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Teams will be used for CS270 communication.

Helpdesk and general questions, will be in Teams. Here is the link to the CS270 team: CS270 Teams Link. Use your CSU address (eid @colostate.edu) and eID password to log in to Teams.

Course contents & Schedule

General & Scheduling information

• Links to all lecture slides, assignments recitations and due dates can be found in the schedule on the 270 web page.
• All assignments and recitations for the week will be available starting on Sunday and due when specified on the schedule.
• Lecture videos will be made available in Canvas.

Textbook

Computer Organization (Required):

• The book Introduction to Computing Systems by Patt and Patel is required for this class in edition 2 or 3. Edition 2 can be found for a reasonable price used or online.
• Some content for quiz questions will only be covered by the readings.

Prerequisites

To see the prerequisites for classes in CS click on the "Find CS Course Prerequisites" link in this webpage: compsci.colostate.edu/courses/

Evaluation

Assignments

• Assignments are challenging and will require significant effort. Start working early!
• Assignment solutions are submitted on Checkin. Guidance is available in the Checkin page in the CS270 website (login required).
• There is a one day late period for 20% off. Also, your lowest assignment score will be dropped.

Recitations

• Video introductions for the recitations are available in Canvas.
• Recitations cover a simpler version of the homework assignment which should be helpful to prepare you for the assignment.
• Recitation quizzes and assignments are due at 11:59pm the day they are assigned. There is no late period, but you can start ahead of the recitation.
• Your lowest two recitation scores will be dropped.

Quizzes

• Quizzes are held in Canvas. They cover content found in the book and in lecture. All quizzes will have 5 attempts.
• There is a one day late period for 20% off; your lowest two quiz scores will be dropped.

Exams

• There will be three exams for the class.
• All exams will be completed in the Respondus lockdown browser.
• You will need a webcam for the exams.
• You will be able to take an exam anytime during the day of the exam

Grading

Activity	Weight	Description
Assignments	20%	C and LC3 programs, logic designs
Recitations	16%	Attendance and Completion
Quizzes	16%	Canvas
Midterm	16%	First Midterm
Midterm	16%	Second Midterm
Final Exam	16%	Final

If you believe you have been graded unfairly, please notify the instructor in Teams using the following instructions.

• Start a private chat
• Explain why you believe you were graded unfairly.

Grades complaints will be considered only for two weeks immediately following when the assignment grade appears on Canvas!

• Assignments will be done individually. As required by the department, we will check for collaboration using a software tool, so do your own work!
• Recitations participation is strongly encouraged. Part of the class grade comes from successfully finishing the assigned lab work.
• Quizzes will be done individually on Canvas as homework.

The assignment of letter grades will be made as follows. The percentage / point values may be adjusted down, but they will not rise.

Letter Grade	Points
A	≥90%
B	≥80%
C	≥70%
D	≥60%
F	<60%

Assistance & Office hours

Instructor

The instructor holds the lectures and also holds office hours.

Phil Sharp
sharpp@colostate.edu

Office Location: CSB 248

Office and Help Hours: See TA Schedule link in Canvas.

Teaching assistants

Teaching assistants are physically present in recitations, and on office hours in the CSB 120 lab. They also hold online help hours on Microsoft Teams.
Check the TA schedule for online and in-person help hours.

Students can interact and share their screens directly with TAs through Teams to work through questions; students can also post questions in Teams that can be answered by other students, or the TAs.

The etiquette for both online and in-person help hours is as follows:

• (Online only) The TA will post a message in the "Online Help hours" section of the CS270 Teams space. To ask a question, reply to this message and wait. The TA gets back to you when they are done with the questions before yours.
• If the assignment is due soon, there are often lots of questions, and therefore long waiting queues. To avoid getting stuck in the queue, start working early!
• TAs do not write code in your place, and do not check code for correctness. Be specific about what you would like the TA to look into when giving code.