TR 9:45-11:00 am
MC Reynolds 315
Dr. Gabriel Ferrer ferrer@hendrix.edu (501) 450-3879 Office Hours
A combination of readings, writing assignments, oral presentations, and independent project work integrates the lessons from each student’s undergraduate studies. Students assess the content of formal writing about computing subjects, investigate ethical and social issues in computing, and complete a substantial independent capstone project. Students also prepare themselves for professional work by resume writing and the creation of a professional portfolio.
By the end of the course, you will:
This course will particularly develop the following Career Competencies:
The calendar represents the most up-to-date plan and is subject to revision!
You will complete a substantial, individual capstone project which should tie together multiple things you have learned throughout your time at Hendrix. The capstone project could take many forms. Some ideas include:
Developing a substantial piece of software, either on your own or for a client
Writing an expository paper summarizing and synthesizing an area of research
Making significant contributions to an open-source project
Writing a tutorial or other documentation for a technology or piece of software
Undertaking an independent research project
You are encouraged to talk with me or another member of the computer science faculty to discuss potential ideas for your project.
During the first two weeks of the semester, we will develop project proposals and work plans.
Tuesday 2 September: First draft of project proposal due.
Your project proposal should be about 1-2 pages, and should answer these questions:
During class, after receiving peer feedback, each student will revise their project proposal, and submit the final project proposal by the end of the class period.
Thursday 4 September: First draft of project work plan due.
After receiving feedback on your initial proposal, you should turn in a revised version that takes the feedback into account.
Along with your revised proposal, you should turn in a “work plan”, up to 1 page explaining how you will make time to work on your capstone or thesis project. Be as specific as possible, and be creative in coming up with very specific ways to help yourself succeed. Some examples:
Horrible: “I will work on my project 6 hours per week.”
Bad: “I will work on my project from 2-4pm every Tuesday and from 1-5 pm every Sunday.”
Better: “Every Tuesday from 2-4pm, I will go to the park near my house which is a good distraction-free place for me to work. If it is raining I will sit at my desk instead. I will turn off my phone and put Teams in “Do Not Disturb” mode. For the first 4 weeks of the semester I will spend those two hours doing background reading; I will print papers I want to read ahead of time and write notes in the margins as I read. On Sundays, …” and so on.
To receive credit, a work plan must be at the level of detail of the “Better” example or higher.
During class, after receiving peer feedback, each student will revise their project work plan, and submit the final project work plan by the end of the class period.
The capstone project itself will be evaluated by the department faculty and assigned a capstone grade that is distinct from the course grade. The faculty will employ this capstone rubric in the evaluation process.
Each student will complete a lengthy paper (approxmiately 25 pages) describing their capstone project. To approach a paper of this size, we will approach it in increments.
On each due date, students will be expected to submit the current draft of their paper. The draft should be completed up to the specified point.
After the drafts are submitted, each student will receive the draft from another student, and provide feedback on it.
Monday, 6 October: First draft of your abstract. Feedback due Friday, 10 October.
Monday, 13 October: First draft of your introduction (2-5 pages). Feedback due Friday, 17 October.
Monday, 27 October: First draft of your background section (5-10 pages). Feedback due Friday, 31 October.
Monday, 10 November: Draft of the first half of your paper body (10 pages or so). Feedback due Friday, 4 November.
Monday, 24 November: Draft of the second half of your paper body, and a revised version of the first half. Feedback due Monday, 1 December.
For one of your last three drafts, you should visit the writing center for advice and feedback.
During class, after receiving peer feedback, each student will revise their resume and submit the revised resume by the end of the class period.
On Monday, 15 September, submit via Teams a job advertisement and a draft of a cover letter you would send in order to apply for that job.
As with the writing milestones above, each student will receive another student’s cover letter and provide feedback on it.
Here are a few resources from Career Services with tips and examples on writing a cover letter:
In pairs, students will pick a paper, book, or other classic computing literature, and a date on which to present it. Paper selections will be made during class on Thursday 11 September and Thursday 6 November.
Here is a list of suggested classic papers or books in computer science you could choose to present:
See also this list by Michael Eisenberg. Not everything on that list is appropriate/feasible: ask me if something on that list catches your fancy.
If there is a particular area of computer science you are interested in, you are also encouraged to try to find a seminal paper in that field to present, or to ask one of the CS faculty for help in identifying an appropriate paper in that area.
On each assigned presentation day:
You will give your talk to the class. Your talk should take no more than ten minutes. Yes, I will use a timer! Both students must be involved in giving the presentation.
You should turn in a 2-page summary/review of your chosen paper/article/book. What are the main points? What did you learn from it? Why is it important? Do not simply summarize the content of the paper! You should also try to put the paper in a larger context: for example, you might connect it to contemporary ideas or practice, connect it to ideas encountered in courses you have taken, and try to convey a sense for why the paper is important/classic. This may require doing a bit of extra research to find secondary sources that help put the paper in context or explain why it is important.
In groups of 3-4 students, students will pick a topic related to computing and society, and give a 20-minute presentation about it. We will select topics and groups in class on Thursday 9 October. Here are some example topics and resources:
Every assignment has a specification that must be met in order to obtain credit for the assignment. The instructor will give feedback on assignments that do not yet meet the specification, and you will have the opportunity to revise until meeting the specification. In what follows, “completing” an assignment refers to meeting the specification.
The writing rubric linked above, or appropriate portions of it, will be used to assess writing assignments in this course. In order to receive credit, a writing assignment:
You are required to use LaTeX for your capstone document, and encouraged to also use it for other writing assignments as appropriate.
If a submitted written assignment does not meet the specification:
The presentation rubric linked above will be used to assess presentations in this course. In order to receive credit, a presentation:
Over the course of the semester you will give several presentations. You should put careful thought into preparing each presentation. What story do you want to tell? How can you most effectively communicate it with your audience? Your presentations must use appropriate visual aids, such as slides or a whiteboard/chalkboard.
If a presentation (other than the final presentation) does not meet the specification for presentations:
There is no opportunity to redo a final presentation that does not meet the specification.
You must write your capstone project or thesis document using LaTeX on the overleaf site. You are encouraged, but not required, to complete other writing assignments using LaTeX as well.
Here is a LaTeX checklist you can use to check for certain common issues and good practices.
The Bates LaTeX manual is a fantastic introduction to LaTeX, with exercises.
Here is a template you can use as a basis for your capstone paper. Note, if you are doing a year-long thesis project, you should change “capstone project” on the first page to “thesis”.
The LaTeX wikibook is a good comprehensive reference.
The Not-so-short introduction to LaTeX is another good comprehensive reference.
Here is a list of LaTeX math symbols.
Detexify lets you draw a symbol and then tells you likely LaTeX commands to produce it.
The LaTeX Table Generator lets you easily generate LaTeX tables via a visual editor.
Bailey Library’s mission is to collaborate and empower all members of our community so that they become their best selves, cherish the scope of human knowledge, and positively contribute to the world. Whether face-to-face or remote, librarians are happy to help locate quality resources supporting research and classroom work and to assist with the critical evaluation of academic information. Librarians and Library Associates provide individual research assistance by appointment and video chat or by email. The library building is open Mon-Thurs 8 am-12 midnight, Sat 12 noon-5 pm, Sun 4 pm-12 midnight, and access to the library’s online resources is available 24/7. You can visit the library’s website for more information, to book an appointment, and to access the library’s Discovery search, Class Guides, and databases.
The Writing Center is a community of peers ready to assist you with your writing projects, in all genres and fields, and at any stage of development. We work with you in one-on-one meetings that you can book in advance or request during our office hours. Virtual appointments are available for medical reasons or by special arrangement. To book appointments, and for more information, visit hendrix.edu/writingcenter or contact pruneda@hendrix.edu. We look forward to working with you!
If you are struggling with your health in a way that makes it difficult for you to fulfill your responsibilities in the course, please let me know! I would love to work with you to come up with reasonable and realistic accommodations to help you succeed in the course. There are also several resources available to all Hendrix students, even remotely:
The Hendrix Medical Clinic offers both in-person and tele-health appointments; Hendrix students get three free appointments per semester.
The Hendrix Office of Counseling Services also offers free remote appointments, and can help with a host of issues such as stress, anxiety, depression, grief, or relationship difficulties. Call 501-450-1448 to make an appointment.
Although you and I play different roles in the course, we both have your learning as a common goal. There are things I expect from you as a student in the course, but there are also things you can expect of me as the course instructor and facilitator.
If I am not fulfilling my responsibilities outlined below, you are welcome (and encouraged!) to discuss it with me. I will also initiate a conversation if you are not fulfilling yours. However, none of us will meet all of the expectations perfectly—me included!—so it’s also important that we have grace and patience with one another.
It is the policy of Hendrix College to accommodate students with disabilities, pursuant to federal and state law. Any student who needs accommodation in relation to a recognized disability should inform the instructor at the beginning of the course. Students should also contact the Office of Academic Success (505.2954; academicsuccess@hendrix.edu) to begin the accommodation process.