CS 2852: Data Structures Syllabus

CS 2852: Data Structures, Spring 2015, Hasker's Section

Instructor: Rob Hasker (414-277-7326)

Office hours: See my home page: https://faculty-web.msoe.edu/hasker/

Text: Data Structures: Abstraction and Design using Java, 2nd Ed., by Koffman & Wolfgang, Wiley, 2010. ISBN: 978-0-470-12870-1

Course Description: The topics of arrays, linked lists, stacks, queues, trees, sets, and hash tables are introduced. Fundamentals of algorithm performance are also introduced, with an emphasis placed on time complexity analysis. Laboratory activities include implementation of data structures as well as the application of data structures from standard libraries.
Prereq: SE 1021

Course Outcomes

On successful completion of this course, the student will

understand and apply complex data structures and algorithms.
use appropriate algorithms (and associated data structures) to solve problems.
have a thorough understanding of commonly used library data structures.
be able to analyze the time complexity of algorithms.
understand the use of recursion in problem solving.
be able to use data structures in software design and implementation.
be able to apply standard library data structures in software design.
be able to select appropriate data structures for a given application.

Grading

		Percentage
	Lab assignments:	25%
	Quizzes & homework:	15%
	Exam I	20%
	Exam II	20%
	Final Exam:	20%
	Total:	100%

Communication

Course materials will be posted at my class web site https://faculty-web.msoe.edu/hasker/cs2852/. I also use email extensively; I expect you to read your MSOE email at least once a day.

Assignments, labs, and quizzes

Lab solutions which do not run or which do not produce some correct output will be worth 0 points. However, you can get partial credit for partially working solutions. If you are having problems completing an assignment, it's a good time to see your instructor!

Unless otherwise announced, the penalty for a late solution is 10% of the total points for the assignment. Solutions submitted more than one week late will be worth zero points. There are two ways to get an extension on an assignment:

Come visit me within 24 hours of when the assignment is due and I will help you complete it and waive the late penalty. If you find the problem yourself and submit within 24 hours, I will waive the late penalty for you as well.
Make special arrangements with me to turn the assignment in late. This is to account for extenuating circumstances.

Assignments are individual unless we explicitly state otherwise. It is OK to look at another student's code with them to help them fix an error, but it is not OK to have a copy of another student's code at any time or in any form. Electronic tools will be used to identify plagiarism, and students guilty of either copying or "loaning" out their code will be penalized.

Quizzes will generally be given at the beginning of lab periods. There will also be homework assignments; these will be graded as completed or not completed, and multiple homework assignments will be combined and counted as a single quiz. Missed quizzes cannot be made up, but at least one of the lowest quiz or homework scores will be dropped.

Reasonable accommodations will be provided for students with physical, sensory, cognitive, systemic, and psychiatric disabilities. Please discuss any accommodations you may need with your instructor.

Attendance

Do not skip class! If you do happen to miss, be sure to check for new materials and get the notes you missed from a friend before the next class period. You are responsible for anything missed! If you need to be excused from class for MSOE activities or religious observances, be sure to me know in advance. If you're sick, it's obviously not a good idea to come to class. This includes days on which there are exams; just be sure to contact me as soon as you can get to a phone or computer.

When an exam is missed, I will determine whether to give you a make-up exam or increase the weight of the other exams. All students must take the final exam to receive a passing grade in the course unless the student has been excused in advance.