California State University Stanislaus

CS 4960 - 004 : Seminar in Computer Science

Fall 2025

Monday 12:00 pm - 12:50 pm, Dr. Melanie Martin

In-person in DBH 113

[Basic Information] [Announcements] [Calendar/Assignments] [Links]

Welcome to CS 4960, Seminar in Computer Science

Course Description:
Presentation and discussion of selected topics in computer science from current literature.

Course Objectives:

To explore aspects of computer science beyond what you have encountered in your previous course work,
To benefit from similar research done by your fellow students, and
To present an important body of work in both written and oral form.

Announcements and Upcoming Events

8/20/25

Welcome to CS 4960! Announcements will be in Canvas.

Basic Information

Textbook: None.

Instructor: Dr. Melanie Martin Office: Demergasso-Bava Hall 278

Email: mmartin@csustan.edu Office Phone: (209) 667-3787

Web Page: www.cs.csustan.edu/~mmartin

Office Hours:

Please note that I may sometime have to reschedule or cancel office hours. If I do I will post in the Announcements and/or send email.
Zoom link is in Canvas on the Home page.




	And by appointment

Best way to contact Dr. Martin: Email mmartin@csustan.edu Please put "CS4960" in the subject line of the email.

Prerequisite: Successful completion of CS 4100, senior standing, and consent of the instructor. (This course is for senior Computer Science majors.)

Warning: I reserve the right to make changes to the syllabus at any time during the term by announcing them in class and on my web page.

Health and Safety

This course is designed to be an in-person.

If you are unable to attend class on an in-person day, you should email me prior to class time. You may be required to provide a doctor's note or other evidence of the necessity of the absence.

Grading and Policies

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

On your assigned dates deliver fifteen to twenty minute oral presentations on your assigned topics. (Seminar presentations may be publicly announced and will be open to visitors who may wish to attend.)

Important: The talks must be at least fifteen minutes. Fourteen minutes and 59 seconds will be an automatic NC.
A word-for-word script is not allowed. Students are not allowed to read from a word-for-word paper script, nor read word-for-word off of their slides.
(A paper outline, containing only mnemonic words and short phrases, is fine.)
In the second oral presentation, some of the presentation must explain technical material using the whiteboard/blackboard (at least 8 minutes long), without the use of pre-made slides. Work through an example, draw and explain a diagram, etc.
Additional information about the oral presentations and accompanying slides will be given in class.

First Presentation
Indicate preferred computer science papers from the list provided and present a report to an audience on the paper you are assigned. The audience will include, but not be limited to, the other members of the class.

Your presentation must comply with the presentation guidelines in Canvas

Attend presentations of the other members of the class, and react to them by asking questions and by writing a short critique which will be collected and given to the presenter. Both the questions and critique will be part of you participation grade.

Second Presentation
Indicate preferred computer science data structure from the list provided and present a report to an audience on the paper you are assigned. The audience will include, but not be limited to, the other members of the class.

Your presentation must comply with the presentation guidelines in Canvas

Attend presentations of the other members of the class, and react to them by asking questions and by writing a short critique which will be collected and given to the presenter. Both the questions and critique will be part of you participation grade.

GRADING:

Assuming you fulfill all the requirements listed above, I will base your grade on three components:

your grade on your first oral presentation,
your grade on your second oral presentation, and
your participation grade (includes reviews and questions).

Each of the components above will get equal weight.

I'll grade your oral presentations based on the thoroughness and depth with which you address your topic as well as the clarity, accuracy and style of your presentation. You'll get a grade between 0 and 100 for each.

You'll get two participation credits for each time you attend a presentation and turn in an acceptable critique sheet. You'll get one participation credit for each time you attend a presentation and turn in an acceptable critique sheet. I'll compute your number of satisfactory critiques as a percentage of two times the number of credits, and this percentage will be your participation grade. (If you show up late for a presentation and interrupt the speaker, you will receive a half-credit for that day.)

You will receive credit (a grade of "CR") for the course if

you receive a a score of 60 or above in each of the three components, and
your average over the three components is 70% or above.

Otherwise you will receive no credit ("NC").

(The above "course requirements" and "grading" borrow liberally from Dr. John Sarraille and Dr. Megan Thomas' CS 4960 course descriptions, with permission.)

Academic Honesty: The work you do for this course will be your own, unless otherwise specified. You are not to submit other people's or machine's work and represent it as your own. I consider academic honesty to be at the core of the University's activities in education and research. Academic honesty is expected at all times in this course.

Any use of AI, must be cited, and the prompt included, to avoid plagiarism. In addition, anything produced by an AI must be fact checked and the fact checking documented.

Cell Phone Policy: During class time, your cell phone is to be turned off and out of sight. Any use of a cell phone during class will result in confiscation of the phone until that day's class has ended or your removal from the class for that day. If you attempt to use your cell phone or leave it on during an exam, you will be considered to have finished your test, and I will collect your exam at that time. Exceptions may be made only if you discuss your situation with me prior to the start of that day's class, in this case, your cell phone must be set to vibrate/silence.

Important dates:

(See Schedule of Courses or Academic Calendar)

Last day to add a class:	September 17;
Last day to drop:	September 17;
Last day to change grade options (CR/NC):	December 10 at 5 pm;
No classes	9/1, 11/11, 11/24-28, 12/10.