Enriched version of CS 246.
(Description of CS 246:
Introduction to object-oriented programming and to tools and techniques for software development. Designing, coding, debugging, testing, and documenting medium-sized programs: reading specifications and designing software to implement them; selecting appropriate data structures and control structures; writing reusable code; reusing existing code; basic performance issues; debuggers; test suites.)
Instructor's Name | Office Location | Contact | Office Hours |
Brad Lushman | DC 3110 | bmlushma at uwaterloo.ca | 10:00-11:30 W |
ISA | Office Location | Contact | Office Hours |
Spencer Whitehead | MC 4065 | cs246e@uwaterloo.ca | 3:00-4:00 MWF |
I (Spencer) will also be holding a CS 246 office hour in MC 4065, 4:00-5:00 on Monday. You may show up at this time but priority will be given to students from CS 246.
All timings are approximate.
Assignments | Number | Tentative Due Date | Marks | Totals |
0 | Sept. 13 (Thurs.) | 0 | ||
1 | Due Date 1: None Due Date 2: Sept. 21 (Fri.) | 8 | ||
2 | Due Date 1: Oct. 5 (Fri.) Due Date 2: Oct. 19 (Fri.) | 8 | ||
3 | Due Date 1: Nov. 2 (Fri.) Due Date 2: Nov. 9 (Fri.) | 8 | ||
4 | Due Date 1: Nov. 16 (Fri.) Due Date 2: Dec. 3 (Mon.) | 16 | ||
40 | 40 | |||
Tests | Midterm | October 25, 04:30-06:20Th, STC 0060 | 20 | 20 |
Final | December 15, 4:00-6:30pm, PAC Upper 9,10 | 40 | 40 (*, see below) | |
100 |
Note: you cannot get credit for assignments 1-4 until you have achieved 100% on assignment 0.
Note: (*) The weight of the final exam will be increased by 1/3 of the value of the marks lost on the midterm. This provides a "second chance" to earn up to one third of those lost marks back, with good final exam performance. This is the only adjustment to grades that will be made in the middle of the term. All other grade adjustments (if any) will be applied at the discretion of the instructors, at the end of the term.
Note: These due dates are tentative only, and are subject to change.
Note: The final assignment is a project to be done in groups of two. You may do the project individually, but you will be expected to produce the same output as a group of two. Be sure to work with someone whom you trust; we will not arbitrate disagreements. Part of the evaluation of your project will consist of a live demo in front of a TA. This is mandatory.
if ( testing_average < 50% or a1-a3_average < 45% ) then final_grade = MIN( weighted_testing_average, a1-a3_average, normally_calc_grades ) else final_grade = normally_calc_gradesIn other words, good assignment marks alone cannot get you a passing mark in this course. Neither can good exam or project marks alone.
Both the midterm test and the final exam are closed book.
A missed test/exam receives a mark of 0, unless there is a documented reason. If a documented reason is provided for missing the midterm, its weight is applied to the final exam. If a documented reason is provided for missing the final exam, a grade of INC MIGHT be given, and the final exam must be written at the end of the next term the course is offered. A copy of the documented reason must be given to and approved by the instructor.
Note: Marmoset is not a compiler! Do not submit C++ code to Marmoset, without first attempting to compile it yourself. For each problem on Marmoset where the deliverable is C++ code, if you have three or more submissions marked "Did not compile", a mark will permanently be deducted from your score on that problem.
The release test for a problem gives you the result of running your program on one basic test case (usually a case that appears in the assignment specification). The remaining test cases are secret tests, the results of which are revealed after the assignment is due. So be sure to test your code thoroughly, so that you pass as many of our secret tests as possible.
Note: The entire assignment or test is examined when remarking; therefore, the grade could decrease.
In order to maintain a culture of academic integrity, members of the University of Waterloo community are expected to promote honesty, trust, fairness, respect and responsibility. Check the Office of Academic Integrity's website for more information.
All members of the UW community are expected to hold to the highest standard of academic integrity in their studies, teaching, and research. This site explains why academic integrity is important and how students can avoid academic misconduct. It also identifies resources available on campus for students and faculty to help achieve academic integrity in — and out — of the classroom.
MOSS (Measure of Software Similarities) is used in this course as a means of comparing students’ assignments to ensure academic integrity.
Posting assignment, project, midterm, and final exam solutions in publicly-accessible locations is not permitted in this course. For more information, and for information on alternatives to posting publicly, see here.
Course materials and the intellectual property contained therein, are used to enhance a student's educational experience. However, sharing this intellectual property without the intellectual property owner's permission is a violation of intellectual property rights. For this reason, it is necessary to ask the instructor, TA and/or the University of Waterloo for permission before uploading and sharing the intellectual property of others online (e.g., to an online repository).
Permission from an instructor, TA or the University is also necessary before sharing the intellectual property of others from completed courses with students taking the same/similar courses in subsequent terms/years. In many cases, instructors might be happy to allow distribution of certain materials. However, doing so without expressed permission is considered a violation of intellectual property rights.
Please alert the instructor if you become aware of intellectual property belonging to others (past or present) circulating, either through the student body or online. The intellectual property rights owner deserves to know (and may have already given their consent).
A student who believes that a decision affecting some aspect of his/her university life has been unfair or unreasonable may have grounds for initiating a grievance. Read Policy 70 — Student Petitions and Grievances, Section 4. When in doubt please be certain to contact the department's administrative assistant who will provide further assistance.
A student is expected to know what constitutes academic integrity, to avoid committing academic offenses, and to take responsibility for his/her actions. A student who is unsure whether an action constitutes an offense, or who needs help in learning how to avoid offenses (e.g., plagiarism, cheating) or about "rules" for group work/collaboration should seek guidance from the course professor, academic advisor, or the Undergraduate Associate Dean. For information on categories of offenses and types of penalties, students should refer to Policy 71 — Student Discipline. For typical penalties, check Guidelines for the Assessment of Penalties.
Most students are unaware of the line between acceptable and unacceptable academic behaviour, especially when discussing assignments with classmates and using the work of other students. For information on commonly misunderstood academic offenses and how to avoid them, students should refer to the Faculty of Mathematics Cheating and Student Academic Discipline Policy.
A decision made or a penalty imposed under Policy 70, Student Petitions and Grievances (other than a petition) or Policy 71, Student Discipline may be appealed if there is a ground. A student who believes he/she has a ground for an appeal should refer to Policy 72 — Student Appeals.
The Office for Persons with Disabilities (OPD), located in Needles Hall, Room 1132, collaborates with all academic departments to arrange appropriate accommodations for students with disabilities without compromising the academic integrity of the curriculum. If you require academic accommodations to lessen the impact of your disability, please register with the OPD at the beginning of each academic term.