Python Programming Fall 2020
Course Description
Python is a general-purpose programming language that is used in many application areas, including web development, scientific computing, graphical user interfaces, systems programming, gaming, rapid prototyping, data mining, and more. This course provides a thorough overview of the Python 3 language with an emphasis on writing idiomatic code in Python and object-oriented design patterns and is suitable for students with prior programming experience. We will develop an understanding of the core features of the languages and gain exposure to commonly used standard-library, third-party modules, data structures and algorithm analysis.
The following information below about the course is subject to change.
Course Staff
Instructors
Email: lamonts@cs.uchicago.edu
Office: Remote for the Quarter
Office hours: Thursday 1:30pm-3:30pm CT. Check Piazza for signup
TA
Email: Contact on Piazza
Office hours: Monday 5pm-7pm CT. Please sign up on Piazza.
Course Information
| Lectures | Online videos will be posted on Thursday evenings |
| Discussions | Monday 2:00pm–3:00pm CT, (Zoom meetings) |
| Communication |
All forms of communication such as important class announcements, general discussion, course material,
etc. will be done on Piazza. With the transition to online learning for Fall 2020, it is crucial that you regulary check Piazza. You are required to check it at least twice a day! Piazza is also the best place to get help quickly. The TA's and I will monitor Piazza as frequently as possible and often be able to answer immediately. Students are encouraged to help their peers on Piazza by contributing when it is convenient.
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| Textbook |
While there are no required textbooks for this course, the following books may be useful for reference:
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| Course Software |
At least Python 3.7: https://www.python.org/downloads/ Git: http://git-scm.com/downloads/ Visual Studio Code (suggestion, not required): https://code.visualstudio.com |
| Getting Help |
I will be available during office hours. The pace of this course is rapid, so please email me or come to office hours if you feel you're falling behind or need help. |
Course Content
Topics that will be explored in the course will include (but not limited to) the following:- Python Basics: types, variable, operations, control flow, iteration
- Functions, recursion, generators and scope
- Classes and objects
- Decorators and dynamic attributes
- Python Data Model
- Modules, packages, & distribution
- Data structure design and analysis (lists, stacks, hash tables, queues, trees)
- Scientific computing and data manipulation (pandas, numpy, etc)
- Designing larger applications (Object-oriented analysis and design, program decomposition techniques)
- Intro to concurrency in Python (if time permits)
A detailed description of when each topic will be discussed is on the course schedule page.
Course Content Distribution (Fall 2020)
As we transition to online learning for Fall 2020, the way in which lecture material and course content will be delivered will change. The course lectures will be provided in two ways:- Asynchronous content (i.e., pre-recorded videos ): Each week before our normal class time, you will be required to watch pre-recorded videos and do readings. The videos will include lecture content that would be normally covered in a traditional lecture setting (i.e., non-remote setting). These videos will typically range between 1 hour to 2 hours and be posted a few days before our scheduled time. Feel free to watch them at your convenience. However, I will assume you watched and done the readings when we do meet live.
- Synchronous content (i.e., live zoom meetings) : Each week during our normal class time, we will
meet
via Zoom from 2:00pm - 3:00pm and do the following
- Follwup on the material covered in the videos. This may include going into further details about the content.
- Provide additional course content not covered in the videos.
- Allow you to ask questions about the content provided in those videos.
- Have live coding sessions/activities with everyone.
Please note these live zoom meetings will be recorded if you cannot make these sessions.
Coursework
The course will include weekly homework, final project, and one exam. The weekly homework will contain practice programming problems to help enforce the concepts learned via the course content sessions. Please look at the homework page to check the assigned and due dates for each assignments.
Late submissions
All students may use up to two 24-hour extensions for the programming assignments during the quarter. These extensions are all-or-nothing: you cannot use a portion of an extension and have the rest “carry over” to another extension. If extraordinary circumstances (illness, family emergency, etc.) prevent a student from meeting a deadline, the student must inform their instructor before the deadline. Please note that having a heavy workload in a given week does not qualify as an extraordinary circumstance. The purpose of the two extensions is precisely to give you some flexibility in weeks when you are busier than usual.Regrades
We sometimes make mistakes, and are happy to review any grading decision that you feel is unfair or unjustified. However, it is also your responsibility to make these requests in a timely manner. Requests for regrades must be submitted no later than one week after a graded piece of work is returned to you. After that time, we will not consider any requests for regrades, regardless of whether the regrade request is reasonable and justified.Process of Submitting a Regrade Request
- Post a private message on Piazza to all instructors.
- Make sure the subject states "Regrade Request for HW #N or Project #N", where N is the project or homework number.
- Regrade requests must be submitted on Piazza. No other form of requests (e.g., email) will be considered.
NOTE : The assigned and due dates for homework and projects are subject to change with notice.
Exams
There will be one exam in this course. The exam will be a mixture of coding exercises and short-answer questions. You will be given 4 days to complete the online exam.| Exam | Length | Exam Date |
|---|---|---|
| Quarter Exam | 90 minutes | Thursday November 19th 12:00pm CT - Monday November 23rd 12:00pm CT (Week 8) |
The exact details about how this exam will be adminstered will come as we approach the exam date.
Missed exams and late registrant policy
There are no make-up exams in this class. There also will not be any earlier exams taken unless due to extraordinary circumstances such as an medical emergency.
Grade Evaluation
The final grade is determined as follows:| Weight | |
|---|---|
| Homework | 60% |
| Quarter Exam | 25% |
| Final Project | 15% |
Grading Scale
Grades are not curved in this class. The follwing is set of grading boundaries for this course:- 95-100: A
- 90-94: A-
- 85-89: B+
- 80-84: B
- 75-79: B-
- 70-74: C+
- <70: Dealt on a case-b y-case basis
Policies
Academic Honest
You must adhere to The University of Chicago and the Masters Program in Computer Science policy on academic honesty:- University of Chicago Academic Honesty Policy
- Masters Program in Computer Science Academic Honesty Statement
- Masters Program in Computer Science Academic Honesty Guidelines
- Do not copy anyone's work.
- Do not allow your work to be copied by anyone.
- Do not submit work identical to another student's.
- Document all collaboration.
- Credit your sources.
To expand on the second rule, sharing completed or partially completed work in advance of its deadline in any way, including posting to the Internet, is expressly forbidden. We take academic honestly seriously and dishonest behavior will result in serious consequences.
Zoom guidelines
We will be using Zoom in this class. We expect your interactions via Zoom to be consistent with an in-person class experience. Respect the people you’re working with. Enter the Zoom meetings muted if possible (unfortunately, it will not be possible if you’re calling in), and unmute to speak. Raise your hand if you’d like to speak. [There’s a “Raise Hand” button on the participant page.] If your background is unusually noisy, use the chat channel instead of unmuting. We strongly encourage you to have your camera on during our Zoom sessions, but we’ll understand if some of you prefer to keep your video off.
Note that you can set your name in your Zoom profile, so you don’t have to go with whatever was assigned. We encourage you to include your pronouns in your name (if so, please include them after your last name).
Our Zoom class meetings will be recorded and saved to the cloud to allow students in this class to review the discussion, and especially to allow students who can’t participate the opportunity to benefit from class. We will not make these recordings available to anyone but class participants, we will not make them available after the quarter, and students will not be allowed to save copies. However, we have no way to guarantee that students will follow this policy. If you have FERPA concerns, please mask yourself accordingly, e.g., by turning off video and using an alias.
Diversity statement
The University of Chicago is committed to diversity and rigorous inquiry that arises from multiple perspectives. We concur with that commitment and also believe that we have the highest quality interactions and can creatively solve more problems when we recognize and share our diversity. We thus expect to maintain a productive learning environment based upon open communication, mutual respect, and non-discrimination. We view the diversity that students bring to this class as a resource, strength and benefit. It is our intent to present materials and activities that are respectful of diversity: gender, sexuality, disability, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, race, religious background, and immigration status. Any suggestions as to how to further such a positive and open environment in the class will be appreciated and given serious consideration. If you have a preferred name different from what appears on the class roster, or preferred gender pronouns you would like us to use, please let us know.Accessibility
The University of Chicago is committed to ensuring equitable access to our academic programs and services. Students with disabilities who have been approved for the use of academic accommodations by Student Disability Services (SDS) and need a reasonable accommodation(s) to participate fully in this course should follow the procedures established by SDS for using accommodations. Timely notifications are required in order to ensure that your accommodations can be implemented. Please meet with me to discuss your access needs in this class after you have completed the SDS procedures for requesting accommodations.Phone: (773) 702-6000
Email: disabilities@uchicago.edu
COVID-19 Policies
UChicago Health Pact
All students on campus are required to adhere to the guidelines in the UChicago Health Pact in order to promote a safe environment in the classroom.- Secure face coverings must be worn appropriately at all times at all times while in University buildings
- Maintain a distance of 6 feet from others
- Do not attend and in-person class if you feel unwell or are experiencing COVID-19 related symptoms The complete text of the UChic
Reporting COVID-19 Related Concerns
Any concerns over inappropriate PPE usage, physical distancing, cleaning/disinfection, or other COVID-19 related public health concerns should be directed to UCAIR. If there is an emergency, call 773-702-8181 or dial 123 on any campus phone.Reporting COVID-19 Exposure or a Confirmed Case
If you were potentially exposed to COVID-19 or your COVID-19 test results come back positive, reach out immediately to C19HealthReport@uchicago.edu.Recording and Deletion Policies for Academic Year 2020-1
The Recording and Deletion Policies for the current academic year can be found in the Student Manual under Petitions, Audio & Video Recording on Campus.-
- Do not record, share, or disseminate any course sessions, videos, transcripts, audio, or chats.
- Do not share links for the course to those not currently enrolled.
- Any Zoom cloud recordings will be automatically deleted 90 days after the completion of the recording.
Attendance
Students who have been exposed to or who are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 should contact UChicago Student Wellness immediately to be tested, and reach out to their area Dean of Students to request accommodations for classes until:- At least 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared and;
- At least 3 days (72 hours) have passed since recovery- defined as resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications and improvement in respiratory symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath).