California State University Stanislaus

CS 4960 - 005: Seminar in Computer Science

Spring 2022

Monday 1:00 pm - 1:50 pm, Dr. Melanie Martin

Hybrid: Some will be Synchronous Zoom and some will be in-person in DBH 114

[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

1/31/22

Welcome to CS 4960!

Basic Information

Textbook: None.

Instructor: Dr. Melanie Martin Office: Demergasso-Bava Hall 278 and Naraghi 375

Email: mmartin@csustan.edu Office Phone: (209) 667-3787 or (209) 667-3269

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

Office Hours:



Monday
2:00 - 3:00 pm
Office hours zoom link in Canvas

Tuesday
2:00 - 3:00 pm Office hours zoom link in Canvas

Thursday
10:00 - 11:00 am
Office hours zoom link in Canvas

                  and by Appointment

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

Prerequisite: 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 a hybrid course: some days will be online, most of those will be synchronous, some days will be in the classroom. I will post the location on the web page schedule and in Canvas. I currently anticipate that our first in-person day will be February 23rd.

To attend class in person, you will need to follow the Guidelines. If you are unable to attend class on an in-person day, you should email me prior to class time.

Grading and Policies

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

Accept a presentation date assigned by the instructor at the beginning of the semester.
Choose a computer science topic to research and present to an audience. The audience will include, but not be limited to, the other members of the class.
1. The topic must have significant scholarly, as opposed to merely technological, content.
2. The research must draw on multiple sources, and embody concepts that may be expected to endure beyond any particular current technology.
Propose the topic to the instructor (e-mail). The proposal must specify multiple reliable sources (at least two) from which you intend to draw. Include full citations in bibliographic form: for details about the required form for citations see "Your List of References" and "When You Make Direct Use of a Source" below. Your proposal must also describe the nature of the scholarly content you will include in your presentation.
To pass the course, you must turn in a satisfactory proposal. You must get the instructor's formal approval of the proposal by working out an agreement with the instructor. Your presentation must correspond to the agreed-upon proposal.
Create a balanced and unbiased written report on your topic. Base it on a variety of solid sources, including the ones you listed in your approved proposal. Synthesize and summarize the knowledge you gained from the research. Infuse the exposition of the report with freshness and originality. The report must tell what you learned about the subject matter - what you think, feel, and wonder about it. What interesting questions did your research answer? What interesting questions remain unanswered?
Turn in your written report one week in advance of your presentation date. Give a copy to the instructor and a copy to each member of the class so that all members can review the information before the talk. Reports must have wide margins, be double spaced, and use a font of size 12 or greater. Your report must inlcude a reference page citing your sources, at least two of which must be books or peer-reviewed journal articles. More information on proper citation of sources.
On your assigned date deliver a 20-25 minute oral presentation of the content of your written report. (Seminar presentations will be publicly announced and will be open to visitors who may wish to attend.)
Attend all the 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.

GRADING:

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

your grade on your written report,
your grade on your oral presentation, and
your participation grade.

Each of the components above will get equal weight.

I'll grade your paper and oral presentation 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 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 the number of possible critiques, and this percentage will be your participation grade.

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" are borrowed liberally from Dr. John Sarraille's CS 4960 course description, 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 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.

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:	February 24;
Last day to drop:	February 24;
Last day to change grade options (CR/NC):	May 18 at 5 pm;
No classes	March 28 - April 1.

Monday	2:00 - 3:00 pm	Office hours zoom link in Canvas
Tuesday	2:00 - 3:00 pm	Office hours zoom link in Canvas
Thursday	10:00 - 11:00 am	Office hours zoom link in Canvas