Syllabus

Overview

Welcome to CS 137: Algorithm Analysis!

This is a class about problem solving. At the end of the course, you should:

1. Be able to identify and formalize computational problems;
2. Understand and apply various algorithmic techniques to solve computational problems in both CS and other areas; and
3. Be able to analyze the accuracy and efficiency of different types of algorithms.

Throughout this course we will mainly analyze the material using a formal and mathematical approach. That said, don’t be fooled—everything we will be doing is directly relevant to programming. We will also ensure to talk about the application of computers science, and in particular algorithmic thinking, to a variety of other fields. By the end of the course you should be well equipped to handle difficult computational problems that may arise in other CS classes, in fields outside of CS and in real-life settings. This material is very beautiful and absolutely requires you to think. Enjoy the challenge—you will learn a lot from it!

Check out the Schedule page for a detailed survey of the topics covered in the course.

Textbook

The textbook for the course is provided for free by Cowles Library in an electronic format. The text we will be using is:

• The Algorithm Design Manual
  Third Edition
  Steven S. Skiena, 2020.

We will be referring to the textbook regularly.

You can find assigned readings on the Schedule page. If you have trouble accessing the textbook, please reach out to your instructor as soon as possible.

Another useful resource (but totally optional) is:

• Introduction to Algorithms
  Third Edition
  Cormen, Leiserson, Rivest and Stein, 2009.

Although I will not be assigning readings out of CLRS, I highly recommend it for your bookshelf; it’s a wonderful reference!

Activities / Grading

Your grade in this course is determined by:

Daily Exercises	20%	Midterm Exams	20% (each)
Assignments	20%	Final Exam	20%
Participation	±5%

The grading scale for the course is as follows.

A	93–100%	C+	77–80%
A-	90–93%	C	73–77%
B+	87–90%	C-	70–73%
B	83–87%	D	60–70%
B-	80–83%	F	0–60%

NOTE: Grades will not be curved in this course; however, I reserve the right to change the above scale in your favor. This is to avoid punishing students for making an exam too long, etc.

Grades for exercises, assignments, and exams will be posted on Gradescope rather than Blackboard. You will set up your Gradescope account while working on Assignment 1.

Daily Exercises

Almost every class day of the semester will have a corresponding daily exercise. These daily exercises are designed to help guide you through the course material and provide regular opportunities to reflect on your work.

Each daily exercise consists of three parts:

1. Submitting your answer. Each daily exercise is due before class on its corresponding day.
2. Seeing the solution. At the beginning of class on the day of the deadline, we will go over the solution to the exercise together.
3. Reflection. After seeing the in-class solution, students must fill out a short questionnaire, reflecting on ways to improve their solution. You are encouraged to complete the reflection on your own submission shortly after class while the solution is still fresh in your mind. Each reflection is due before the next class period.

Check the Schedule page to see when daily exercises are due and their corresponding reflections.

Exams

There are two 75-minute midterm exams scheduled on the following dates. These can also be found on the Schedule page.

• Midterm Exam 1: Monday, October 11, 2021
• Midterm Exam 2: Monday, November 22, 2021

NOTE: The dates of the exams may change if Drake University combines Fall Break and Thanksgiving Break.

There is also a cumulative 110-minute final exam during the final examinations week at the end of the term. The date and time of the exam will be announced later in the course.

Assignments

Several assignments will be given during the semester. Assignments can be completed individually or with a partner of your choice. You can find the due dates on the Assignments page and the Schedule page.

Participation

Your participation in the course is key to you fully grasping the material. Thus, your participation grade will be calculated based on the following factors:

• coming to class on time,
• coming to class prepared,
• asking questions when appropriate,
• making positive contributions to class discussion,
• staying on task during in-class exercises, and
• working effectively in groups.

Attendance

Class attendance is extremely important for your learning. If you cannot attend class for any reason, please let me know in advance or as soon as possible.

Most class periods will be recorded and posted on Blackboard.

Course Policies

Deadlines

Deadlines in this course are firm, and late submissions will generally not be accepted. Please plan your week accordingly and start your assignments early!

NOTE: I do recognize that there are exceptional circumstances due to family emergencies, sickness, etc., and I am willing to work with you through these situations. Please reach out to me immediately if such a circumstance arises, and I will consider granting an extension.

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

Drake University is committed to providing equitable access to learning opportunities for all students. The Disability Services office (107 Old Main) collaborates with students who have disabilities to provide and/or arrange reasonable accommodations. If you have, or think you may have, a disability (e.g., mental health, attentional, learning, autism spectrum disorders, chronic health, traumatic brain injury and concussions, vision, hearing, mobility, or speech impairments), please contact

• Michelle Laughlin
  Student Disability Services Coordinator (x1835)
  michelle.laughlin@drake.edu

to arrange a confidential discussion regarding equitable access and reasonable accommodations.

Academic Integrity

Drake University has high standards for academic integrity, and you are expected to read the Academic Dishonesty Policy from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Below is a particularly relevant excerpt from the statement:

Academic dishonesty is an all encompassing term involving any activity that seeks to gain credit for work one has not done or to deliberately damage or destroy the work of others. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, plagiarism, cheating, fabrication, and knowingly helping another to commit an act of academic dishonesty.

Below are some examples of how Drake’s policy applies to this course:

• You may discuss concepts described in the readings or during class with anyone.
• All the work you submit must be your own or that of your group. If your work is part of a group, you need not identify the work of each individual in the group.
• You must acknowledge and attribute any conceptual contributions by individuals not in your group or from online sources. That is, you must give specific attribution for any assistance you receive. (This includes the instructor.) The suggested acknowledgment format is: “[Source X] helped me to do [thing Y] by [explaining Z].
  • However, you may not cite explicit solutions for assigned problems. As a result, actively searching the internet for a solution to an assigned problem is a violation of this policy.
• You are responsible for safeguarding your work from being copied by others.
• You are required to completely understand any solution that you submit, and, in case of any doubt, you must be prepared to orally explain your solution to me. If you have submitted a solution that you cannot verbally explain to me, then you have violated this policy.

Getting Help

Instructor

Feel free to reach out to me at any time. The quickest way to get a hold of me is to message me on Microsoft Teams. You may also schedule an appointment with me on Calendly.

To handle individual appointments safely, my office hours will be held virtually on Zoom. They will also be generally held 2:30–4:30 PM on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Use the Calendly link to schedule an appointment.

NOTE: If you cannot make any of the times listed, feel free to message me on Microsoft Teams or send me an email.

Academic Success Resources

Check out the Academic Success website. It includes a page for Skills for Success with excellent tips for management classwork. You may also find the following resources useful:

• Structuring Study Time
  • Notecards
  • Preparing for and Taking Exams
• Time Management
• Avoiding Burnout
• Online Learning Strategies

COVID-19 Policies

Wearing Masks

In class, we will all wear masks to minimize the likelihood of the spread of COVID. Doing so is not only a requirement in my class, but is also a campus-wide policy. I will ask those who choose not to wear a mask to leave the classroom and, following guidance from the Provost’s office, I will alert the dean of students’ office. As a last resort, if a student without a mask refuses to leave class, I will contact Drake Public Safety.

Self-Monitoring

Students should email Contact Tracing at contacttracing@drake.edu regarding the following:

1. Any symptoms currently considered to be associated with COVID-19 as indicated by the CDC including a temperature of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or higher,
2. A personal diagnosis of COVID-19, or
3. Close personal contact (defined as being within 6 feet for 15 minutes or longer) with anyone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19.

Any student who experiences COVID-19 symptoms should contact the Drake Student Health Center to be seen during clinic hours. To schedule an appointment, please call 515-271-3731. If you seek testing off campus and receive a positive test result, immediately share that information with contacttracing@drake.edu.

Additional Information

Please visit https://drake.edu/coronavirus, which houses a repository of campus updates and messages pertaining to the COVID-19 pandemic and provides answers to many frequently asked questions.

The Quarantine and Isolation FAQ may also be useful.