COMP 180: Computing and Data Analysis for the Sciences

Course Resources

Textbooks

No textbooks are required for this course. Rather, we will be using resource materials available online. It’s important to keep in mind that your most valuable resource by far should be google, but these are helpful at the early stages or if you find time for yourself to read.

Comparing and contrasting languages

Python

Python.org’s Python tutorial
Python.org’s links to more python tutorials (generally for programmers)
Python language reference (for very specific info)
Python Exercises

R

UBC’s Data Analysis in R (may be a bit advanced)
University of Georgia’s R Tutorial
Tutorials Point R Tutorial
R-blogger’s entry on Paths to learning R

Octave/Matlab

GNU Octave tutorial
Jacobs University intro to Octave
Cambridge intro to Octave [pdf]
Freiberg Intro to Octave tutorial slides
Octave and Matlab programming differences in the Matlab programming wikibook

Free Tutoring Assistance

Computer Science Department:
- Department Drop-in Tutoring Schedule: http://www.luc.edu/cs/schedules/tutoringhours/.
- All tutoring by Computer Science TAs (generally first-come-first-serve) will be held at Doyle Center Garden Level.
- In general all tutors can help with most of the course topics, although most of them tend to be more familiar with Python.
The university supports an official Tutoring Center in the Sullivan Center.
- Their phone extension is 8-7708. Their web site is http://www.luc.edu/tutoring.
- You may need to make appointments in advance for university tutoring. When consulting the university tutoring center hours, remember that, at most, tutors for COMP 180 are only available during some of those times, due to the personal schedule of the tutors. In general, COMP students have done better with the department’s tutoring service.

Campus Network, Rights and Responsibilities

As a user of the campus network, you should be aware of your rights and responsibilities in http://www.luc.edu/its/itspoliciesguidelines/policy_acceptableuse.shtml.

Special Circumstances--Receiving Assistance

Students are urged to contact me should they have questions concerning course materials and procedures. If you have any special circumstance that may have some impact on your course work, please let me know so we can establish a plan for assignment completion. If you require assignment accommodations, please contact me early in the semester so that arrangements can be made with Services for Students with Disabilities (SSWD) (http://www.luc.edu/sswd/).

Student Support Resources

ITS HelpDesk

helpdesk@luc.edu

773-508-4487

855.603.6988