Learning resources

Details about CS core course resources.

There are several features of this class of which you should be aware, if you are to make the most of this journey.

Tour guides

We have four of them:

Dr. Bob Frederking	instructor
Jessica Mink	TA
Andrew McGuier	TA
David "Magic" Huston	TA

We are all here to help you understand... Please take advantage of us!

Self-study section

Our tour is designed for newcomers to computing. There are a few who have done a fair bit already, however. As the rest of us examine programming in the classroom, they'll enter the ``self-study section.'' During these first two weeks, they will go directly to the computer clusters, going a little deeper into programming, at their own pace, guided by TAs. For the last two weeks, they will rejoin the rest of us as we survey more exotic pieces of computer science.

Assignments

There will be three assignments, due each Monday. Each assignment will have two parts: a written part and a programming part. You'll find that the assignments are the most valuable part of the experience! Please take them seriously.

You will work on the written part individually and will submit your paper in a box in the towers. On the written assignment, feel free to collaborate with fellow tourists as you work on it together! And take advantage of the tour guides! But your solution must be written (or typed) on your own, and you should credit your collaborators on your paper.

You may choose to work in a team of 1, 2, or 3 people for each programming assignment. You will submit your programs via the course Web page (of which more anon).

Start early on the assignments! They're challenging! The computer science assignments are due on Monday, because programming takes a fair amount of time, and because the clusters tend to get overfull and understaffed if everybody waits to the last minute. If you begin early, you'll find that your guides are much more patient with you.

Cluster hours

Sometimes announced, sometimes unannounced, the course staff will be in the clusters to help you. We know how to avoid you in the clusters. If we're there, it's because we want to help!

Quiz

There will be a short quiz on the final Friday. I'll tell you more about this as it comes closer, but basically it's not worth a lot of worry.

Web page

Here it is: www.cs.cmu.edu/~ref/pgss If it's ever down, email me.

Lecture

This is pretty self-explanatory. Just make the most of it: Ask questions; don't let yourself become confused!