SCSSE

School of Computer Science & Software Engineering

Faculty of Informatics

CSCI103 Algorithms and Problem Solving

Subject Outline

Autumn Session 2007

Head of School –Professor Philip Ogunbona, Student Resource Centre, Tel: (02) 4221 3606

General Information

	Dr Zhiquan Zhou
Telephone Number:	4221 5399
Email:	zhiquan@uow.edu.au
Location:	3.208

Dr Zhou’s Consultation Times During Session

	Topics that may be covered (subject to change)
1	Course information: algorithms and problem solving, what is it and why do we need it? Introduction to algorithms and problem solving.
2	Pseudocode and Flowcharts
3	Elementary algorithms
4	Records, arrays, lists Sorting and searching algorithms
5	Recursion, Linked list
6	Queue and stack
7	Trees, binary trees,
8	Binary search trees, m-way trees
9	Graphs
10	Algorithm analysis empirical measurement, performance comparison
11	Algorithmic strategies: Brute force, greedy, divide and conquer
12	Algorithmic strategies: Backtracking, heuristics

Students should check the subject’s web site regularly as important information, including details of unavoidable changes in assessment requirements will be posted from time to time. Any information posted to the web site is deemed to have been notified to all students.

Content

CSCI103 introduces the basic concepts of algorithms and their relationship to data structures and problem solving. This subject emphasises problem solving techniques leading to the development of algorithms rather than their implementation or a formal mathematical treatment of algorithms. Topics include sorting, searching and counting problems and the principal algorithms used in their solution. Common approaches to algorithm development and analysis will be examined.

Objectives

On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to: 1. Create algorithms for solving simple problems2. Determine the appropriate solution technique for a given problem3. Demonstrate an understanding of the concepts of time and space complexity as applied to simple algorithms4. Discuss informally the computational efficiency of the principal algorithms for sorting and searching5. Relate trees to data structures, algorithms and counting.

Attendance Requirements

It is the responsibility of students to attend all lectures/tutorials/labs/seminars/practical work for subjects for which you are enrolled.

It should be noted that according to Course Rule 003{Interpretation Point 2 (t)} each credit point for a single session subject has the value of about two hours per week including class attendance. Therefore, the amount of time spent on each 6 credit point subject should be at least 12 hours per week, which includes lectures/tutorials/labs etc

Submission of assignments

A hardcopy of assignment must be submitted in person to the lecturer at the beginning of the lecture on the due date.

Late Assignments

Penalties apply to all late work, except if special consideration has been granted. Late submissions will attract a penalty of 25% of the assessment mark per day including weekends. Work more than 4 days late will be awarded a mark of zero.

Specifications of all assignments will be released in electronic format ONLY. The students will collect the electronic copies of specifications on e-Learning website. Only one submission is accepted for each assignment. Therefore, make sure that you are really happy with your assignment before submission. Tutorial exercises will be printed hardcopies and distributed during tutorial classes.

All assignments are expected to be solved independently. Plagiarism may result in 0 marks being recorded for that assignment. Evaluation of assignments will take no more than 2 weeks from submission date and the papers will be returned to students during the tutorial classes.

(a) As assignments are to assess a student's understanding of course material, each assignment must be solved using only material covered up to the point of submission in the course (unless otherwise stated in the question).

(b) An extension of time for the completion of an assignment may be granted in certain circumstances. A request for Special Consideration must be made through SOLS before the due date. Supporting documentation must accompany the request for extension. The lecturers have the right to accept/reject the request.

(c) Students should check the web page regularly for changes and updates to subject information together with assessment marks.

(d) A supplementary exam (for final examination) might be offered to a student who has submitted a special consideration form to the administration. The Subject Coordinator has the right to grant/reject the request. It is the student’s responsibility to discuss this matter with the Subject Coordinator before the exam to arrange whether the supplementary exam is possible. There will be no supplementary tests for the class tests.

(e) Enquiries about the marks can only be made to the tutors during tutorial class times, with a maximum of 1 week after the assignment is handed out. After 1 week, no more marks can be changed.

Marked hardcopy assignments will be returned to students during lectures and  Tutorials in person.

Special consideration

An extension of time for the completion of an assignment may be granted in certain circumstances. A request for an extension must be made to the Subject Coordinator via SOLs before the due date.

Supplementary Exams

While the School normally grants supplementary exams when the student does not sit the standard exam for an acceptable reason, each case will be assessed on its own merit and there is no guarantee a supplementary exam will be granted. If a supplementary exam is granted the date will be determined by the University via ARD. You will be notified via SOLS Mail the time and date of this supplementary exam. You must follow the instructions given in the email message.

Please note that if this is your last session and you are granted a supplementary exam, be aware that your results will not be processed in time to meet the graduation deadline.

Plagiarism

When you submit an assessment task, you are declaring the following

1. It is your own work and you did not collaborate with or copy from others.

2. You have read and understand your responsibilities under the University of Wollongong's policy on plagiarism.

3. You have not plagiarised from published work (including the internet). Where you have used the work from others, you have referenced it in the text and provided a reference list at the end ot the assignment.

4. Plagiarism will not be tolerated.

5. Students are responsible for submitting original work for assessment, without plagiarising or cheating, abiding by the University’s policies on Plagiarism as set out in the Calendar under University Policies, and in Faculty handbooks and subject guides. Plagiarism has led to the expulsion from the University.

This outline should be read in conjunction with the following documents:

Code of Practice - Teaching and Assessment

http://www.uow.edu.au/handbook/codesofprac/teaching_code.html

Key Dates

http://www.uow.edu.au/student/dates.html

Code of Practice - Students

http://www.uow.edu.au/handbook/codesofprac/cop_students.html

Information Literacies Introduction Program

http://www.library.uow.edu.au/helptraining/workshops/ilip/

Acknowledgement Practice Plagiarism will not be tolerated

http://www.uow.edu.au/handbook/courserules/plagiarism.html

Student Academic Grievance Policy

http://www.uow.edu.au/handbook/codesofprac/cop_supervision.html#8

Special Consideration Policy

http://www.uow.edu.au/handbook/courserules/specialconsideration.html

Code of Practice-Honours

http://www.uow.edu.au/handbook/honourscode.html

Non-Discriminatory Language Practice and Presentation

http://staff.uow.edu.au/eeo/nondiscrimlanguage.html

Intellectual Property Policy

http://www.uow.edu.au/research/researchmanagement/1998IP.html

Occupational Health and Safety

http://staff.uow.edu.au/ohs/commitment/OHS039-ohspolicy.pdf

SCSSE Internet Access & Student Resource Centre

http://www.sitacs.uow.edu.au/info/current/internet_access_and_resource.shtml

SCSSE Computer Usage Rules

http://www.itacs.uow.edu.au/info/current/support/labs/rules.shtml

SCSSE Style Guide for Footnotes, Documentation, Essay and Report Writing

http://www.sitacs.uow.edu.au/info/current/styleguide.pdf

SCSSE Student Guide

http://www.itacs.uow.edu.au/info/current/regulations.shtml

Informatics Faculty Librarian, Ms Annette Meldrum, phone: 4221 4637,ameldrum@uow.edu.au

SCSSE Subject Outlines

http://www.itacs.uow.edu.au/info/current/subject_outlines/

	Dr Jo Abrantes
Telephone Number:	42213872
Email:	jo@uow.edu.au
Location:	3.212

Session:	Autumn Session, Wollongong
Credit Points	6
Contact hours per week:	1x1 hour lectures, 1x2 hour lecture + 1x1 hour tutorial and 1x2 hour lab
Lecture Times & Location:	Mon 08:30 09:30 20.1 Wed 13:30 15:30 14.G01
Tutorial Day, Time and Location can be found at:	http://www.uow.edu.au/student/sols/timetables/index.html

SCSSE

General Information

Content

Objectives

Method of Presentation

Assessment

Notes on Assessment

Additional Information

Supplementary Exams