Syllabus

Instructors:

• Dale Reed       
  email (remove spaces):  reed @ uic.edu                              
  Web:  bit.ly/dalereed  is a shortcut to sites.google.com/site/dalereed   
  Office: CDRLC 4431  (the new CS building)
  Schedule drop-in times here

• Baker Franke
  email (remove spaces):  bfranke @ uic.edu                              
  News article     

TAs (remove spaces inside the email addresses):

• • Tomas Malik   email (remove spaces):    tmalik6 @ uic.edu

Student drop-in Times (Office Hours): See CS 218 TA & Drop-in Times page.  We're also available immediately after class, or by appointment.

Prerequisites: 1. Basic math, 2. At least 30 credit hours into your major, 3. GPA at least 2.75

This course is intentionally designed for all UIC students.  You don't need to have a technical background to take this course, though we assume you know the basics of how to use a Mac or Windows computer.
For Finance students you must also have a major, minor, or concentration in one of the College of Business areas of study.

• 1. There is no textbook for this course, though there will be regular assigned readings and activities in preparation for each class.

  2. You will need a subscription to ChatGPT, which is [as of April '25] about $20/month.

  3. You will need a subscription to Google Colab, which is [as of April '25] about $10/month.

  4. We will have quizzes once or twice a week, most likely using Google forms.  Quizzes will be based on the assigned reading and activities done in preparation for each class.

  5. iClicker  Starting with the first class we will be using iClicker Cloud (a.k.a. remote access or REEF) for you to respond to in-class quizzes.  This is available to you for free through UIC's site license. You can install and run the iClicker cloud software on a laptop (Mac or PC) or on a phone (iOS or Android). Please contact your professor right away if you don't have a phone or computer to use for this purpose.

The installation instructions explain that you must:

• 5. • Create an iClicker online account using your UIC email (otherwise you'll have to pay for it).  Create your account by visiting the iClicker student web app or by downloading the mobile app from the App Store or Google Play.  Select Sign Up!

     • On the site or within the app, find our institution (University of Illinois at Chicago) and register yourself for our CS 218 class, at https://join.iclicker.com/ZJVQ

     • During class answer iClicker questions using the Web app or from your previously installed phone app.

  6. You should have gotten an email invitation to join Piazza, the online discussion board we will be using for this class. Rather than emailing questions to course instructors, post your questions on Piazza, which is specifically designed to get you help quickly and efficiently from classmates, the TA, and instructors. 
     We really do want to talk to you and want you to engage in conversation with each other.  We believe each of us has perspective and insights to share that can help others in the class, regardless of starting point or level of expertise.  Seeking help is normal and expected.  We encourage you to ask any question, but recognize that sometimes this is embarrassing, which is why your posts can be anonymous to other students.  
     To access Piazza follow the link in the navigation bar on this page.  In case for some reason you didn't get the Piazza invitation, find our class signup link at:      https://piazza.com/uic/fall2025/cs218

Grades will be credit / no credit for the course.  Grades will be updated regularly so you know where you stand in the course.  After the semester starts, see the grades link on the navigation bar on the course web site, where regular updates will be posted.

65%  Group Projects
    15%    Group Project 1
    15%    Group Project 2
    15%    Group Project 3
    20%    Final Project (#4)
10%    Quizzes based on assigned readings and class preparation activities. The lowest quiz grade will be dropped.
15%     In-class iClicker question responses
10%    Portfolio updates of projects and regular homework

Reflections

You will be using Generative AI (e.g. ChatGPT) extensively for just about everything in this course.  (Usually we will abbreviate Generative AI to just be GenAI.)  You will be asked to reflect upon and capture your process of using GenAI using your online portfolio.  If you post only the final product but do not capture the process of your work, you will not receive a grade for it.   You will also be asked to post insights and advice to your classmates on how to get the most out of GenAI.  The top most insightful and helpful citizens in our Piazza discussion board will get a letter grade boost at the end of the semester.

Late Penalties

For projects or assignments that are supposed to be posted to student online portfolios there will be a late penalty of 10% per day up to a maximum of 50%.  All late programs must be turned in by the beginning of week 14 of the semester, which is November 24th.  This means late programs and portfolio postings will not be accepted for the final project and for the portfolio postings for the last two weeks.  

Quizzes: Before class and In Class

Quizzes will be given regularly.  These will be given before class based on assigned readings and activities, and will be given during class using iClickers.  No makeup quizzes will be given.

If you feel that you deserve more points than you have been given on a quiz, assignment, or test, you must see the instructor about this within one week of the time the grades for the work in question are first posted for the class.

We will establish class norms together, probably during the first week of class.  Some possibilities are:

1. Everyone participates

2. Be honest about what you know

3. Listen and learn from others

4. ?

Note that the CS Department also has a Code of Conduct of reasonable behavior we will all expect of each other.

Missing Class, Religious Holidays

We make an effort to avoid having tests on religious holidays, but if we neglect to take one into account, please let us know.  If you miss class because of a religious holiday, jury duty, UIC sports team event or verified sickness (we may contact your doctor) then please send the instructors a private post on Piazza and be sure to select the missing_class folder for your post.  You will be given the opportunity to take a make-up exam only in cases of medical or personal emergencies, which must be verified.  Doctor's notes must include their contact information.  If such an emergency occurs, post a private message into the Piazza instructor's group as soon as possible. In the case of a medical emergency, if your doctor is unable to verify your visit without a signed HIPAA authorization form, you will need to complete a HIPAA authorization for release of health information form in order for me to verify that you were seen by the doctor on the date in question. 

Disability Services, Letters of Accommodation (LOA)

Refer as needed to the UIC campus disability services policy which applies to students in this class. If you have special circumstances described in a letter of accommodation (LOA) from the UIC Disability office, post a message on Piazza to the Instructors, selecting the Letter_of_Accommodation folder, and we can confer with you about how to proceed. Remind your instructor before each exam of any accommodations needed. 

Announcements, Sensitive matters, Incompletes, Regrade requests

1. All critical announcements, changes to assignments, etc. will be announced through Piazza.  We're assuming you will check your UIC email regularly.

2. For highly sensitive matters, the student or someone who is supporting the student should contact the Office of the Dean of Students via the Student Care & Assistance Request or at 312 996-4857. The Dean’s staff will then contact me on your behalf.  This approach has the added benefit of the Dean's staff contacting all your instructors for you, instead of you having to do it one-by-one.

3. A grade of "Incomplete" can only be given if there are extenuating circumstances and you currently have a passing grade in the course. It cannot be given for poor performance in the course.

4. If you feel that you deserve more points than you have been given on a quiz, assignment, or test, you must see the instructor about this within one week of the time the work in question is first returned to the class. After this deadline, your claim may not be considered.

If you are struggling in the course please ask for help from us in the instructional staff, rather than representing someone else's work as your own.  We believe you are capable of learning the concepts in the course and doing the work, and are committed to helping you get there.  We expect you to treat other class members with respect, making a genuine effort on all projects, class preparation work, discussions and in-class activities.  

The vast majority of students do their own work, as we expect them to do.  We encourage conversation and collaboration, as detailed below indicating what you may and may not do in collaboration with others.  Academic dishonesty is anything that gives you an unfair academic advantage. 

As already mentioned, for this class it is assumed you will use GenAI (e.g. ChatGPT) extensively for just about everything.  You will be asked to reflect and capture your process of using GenAI using your online portfolio.  

Class

Do
Talk to people around you during pair-share discussion, and during pair group discussion clicker questions

Don't
1.  Enter answers for someone else to give them clicker points
2.  Communicate with someone else in class during individual clicker questions

Projects

Do
1.  Discuss conceptual solutions to projects, both in-person and online
2.  Show people your code in-person, and describe it (but no electronic copies!)
3.   Assist classmates in determining why their code doesn't work
4.  Post a few lines of code or a query online to illustrate some problem and get help in finding a solution
5.  Post and discuss your solutions

Don't

1. 1. 1. 1. Send or post an electronic copy of a draft or finished version of your project or assignment before the deadline

         2. Represent someone else's work as your own.  (If you can find it online, so can we!) 

         3. Have someone else do your work, either in person or online

         4. Write someone else's project or assignment

Any student who fails to follow the academic honesty policy on any course work will get a grade of 0 on that work and will be dropped a letter grade at the end of the semester, for each offense.  This penalty applies to all prohibited behavior listed above in the Don't categories, unless specifically allowed by the instructor.  Academic dishonesty will result in an Academic Integrity Incident Report go.uic.edu/academicIR  going to the UIC Office of the Dean of Students.  Details are given on the Academic Integrity page, which includes a link to the Student Disciplinary Policy.