TR 8:15-9:30 am
MC Reynolds 315
Dr. Brent Yorgey yorgey@hendrix.edu (501) 450-1377 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! Starred dates are those which are available for classic paper presentations.
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.
If a submitted written assignment does not meet the specification:
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.
In this course, you determine your own final grade: you will prepare and submit for my approval a grading contract explaining your chosen final grade and what you will do to achieve it. You will then earn your chosen final grade by fulfilling the agreed-upon contract.
This may be different than what you are used to. Professor Cathy Davidson of CUNY perfectly sums up the reasons for doing things this way:
The advantage of contract grading is that you, the student, decide how much work you wish to do this semester; if you complete that work on time and satisfactorily, you will receive the grade for which you contracted. This means planning ahead, thinking about all of your obligations and responsibilities this semester and also determining what grade you want or need in this course. The advantage of contract grading to the professor is no whining, no special pleading, on the student’s part. If you complete the work you contracted for, you get the grade. Done. I respect the student who only needs a C, who has other obligations that preclude doing all of the requirements to earn an A in the course, and who contracts for the C and carries out the contract perfectly.
There is no specific format required for a grading contract, but it must have the following components:
Your desired course grade. You may choose to contract for an A, B, or C (if you’re wondering about D’s and F’s, see below). Note that your grading contract should not explain the reasons for your choice. I will not judge you because of your choice, and you do not need to justify it: there are as many different valid reasons for choosing to work toward a particular final grade as there are students. If you do wish to explain to me the reasons for your choice—which you are in no way required to do—you may do so in an email, a personal conversation, etc., but it should not go in your contract.
A description of the work and requirements you will complete. It doesn’t have to be super detailed, but you do have to explicitly include everything. For example, you can’t just say “I will complete all the assignments listed in the syllabus”; you must actually list them. This is so that you and I both know that you are explicitly aware of the requirements. You also have some choice in terms of which assignments you complete, so you must record your choice in the contract. You must also record the date on which you have signed up for a classic paper presentation.
Due dates. In this particular class, there is not much flexibility in due dates: in many cases, assignments are due on a date when we will workshop or discuss them in class. However, taking into account your finals schedule and anything else you wish to consider, you may choose the due date for your final paper submission, up until a latest due date of December 12.
Ranked choice of three classic papers you would like to present; a ranked choice of three dates on which to present (chosen from among the starred dates in the class calendar); and who you will be working with.
Incentives for completing work on time. From other courses, you are probably familiar with the idea of some kind of grade penalty for late work. I no longer believe that this is either fair or representative of the real world after college. There are many legitimate reasons, some outside your control, for turning in something late. And ultimately, if you complete the assignment and learn what you were supposed to learn, your grade should reflect what you learned, not what it took for you to get there along the way. In any case, “taking points off” is not even possible in the context of specifications grading, where assignments do not receive numerical scores.
However, completing things on time is still important and worthwhile! For one thing, spreading your work out over the course of the semester will help you learn better and more easily. Also, it is good practice for developing “soft skills” like planning, organization, and time management that are valued in the post-college adult world.
Hence, I invite you to think creatively about what incentives you can put in place to help you complete your work on time. I will not accept incentives that directly impact your grade or absolve you from completing assignments (e.g. “I will not receive any credit for the essay on Wibbles if I turn it in more than one week late” would be unacceptable—both because not getting credit for the essay would impact your grade, and because it means that you won’t have to do the essay any more if you just put it off long enough). But beyond that you are welcome to think creatively about what will be motivating for you. I am willing to help enforce whatever motivation schemes you come up with, as long as it is not an undue burden on me. Here are some examples to spur your thinking.
“Whenever I miss turning in an assignment on time, I will set up a meeting with Dr. Yorgey to discuss my progress in the class.”
“For every day an assignment is late, I will make a drawing that I will share with the class.”
“I have four free “late days” to spend throughout the semester on any assignments for any reason. Once my late days run out, I have to meet with Dr. Yorgey in order to get more late days.”
“If I turn in an assignment more than two days late, Dr. Yorgey should send an email to my friend/counselor/parent/roommate at XYZ@foo.com inquiring about my welfare.”
“I do not need any extra incentives to turn in my assignments on time; I simply promise that I will do so.”
You may not just copy something from the above list, which are just examples. You should think carefully about what will be motivating and helpful for you, and write it in your own words. I am happy to meet and discuss your contract if you would like help brainstorming.
You must turn in an initial proposed grading contract by the end of the day on Thursday, August 29. After the initial submission, I may require some revisions before I approve your contract.
Two times during the semester (October 3 and November 7) you are required to reflect on your progress in the course and complete a one-page evaluation of your work, comparing it against what you agreed to in your grading contract. Your evaluation should answer questions such as the following:
Your evaluation is also an opportunity to request an adjustment to your contract in either direction. If you find that you will be unable to meet the obligations of your contract, you may request to move to the next lowest grade and its requirements. Contrariwise, if you find that you’ve been performing above the obligations of your contract, you may request to fulfill the requirements for the next higher grade.
Note, however, that you don’t have to wait for an evaluation to adjust your contract. If your life has really gone off the rails (or if, say, you are finding the class easier and more enjoyable than you thought!) just come and talk to me about adjusting your contract.
[Adapted from Cathy Davidson.] You cannot intentionally contract for a grade of D (and certainly not for an F). However, I reserve the right to award a grade of D or F to anyone who fails to meet their contractual obligations in a systematic way. A “D” grade denotes some minimal fulfilling of the contract; an “F” denotes absence of enough satisfactory work, as contracted, to warrant passing of the course. Both a “D” and “F” denote a breakdown of the contractual relationship.
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:
This course carries W2 credit. As such, it will feature a significant amount of various forms of writing, including multiple rounds of drafts and revisions based on feedback. Here is a list of writing assignments by due date. You are required to use LaTeX for your capstone document, and encouraged to also use it for other writing assignments as appropriate.
Tuesday, 29 August. Capstone/thesis project proposal (1 page).
Thursday, 31 August. Resume/CV.
Tuesday, 5 September. Revised capstone/thesis project proposal and work plan (1-2 pages).
Thursday, 14 September. Cover letter/research statement.
Various: classic literature summary (1-2 pages). See the Classic Literature section below.
Various: capstone project paper (about 25 pages). See the Capstone Project section below.
Note that to receive an A or B in the course, you must visit the Writing Center (at least once for a B or twice for an A). I will not be able to give adequate feedback to all of you on your writing, but the Writing Center is a great resource.
There will be short readings assigned throughout the semester to serve as a basis for in-class discussion. See the calendar above for an up-to-date list.
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.
26/28 September: Progress report on your capstone project (10 minutes)
5 December: Final project presentation (15 minutes, open to the public)
Various: Presentation on classic literature (see below)
In pairs, students will pick a paper, book, or other classic computing literature, and a date on which to present it. As part of your grading contract, you should submit a ranked list of three literature choices, as well as a ranked list of three choices of a date on which to present (chosen from the starred dates in the course calendar).
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.
You may choose presentation dates from those dates with an asterisk in the course calendar.
On your chosen date:
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.
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.
You may optionally undertake a year-long thesis project. You must discuss this with a potential faculty mentor and commit to a year-long thesis by Tuesday, September 5. The student and advisor will work together to create an Odyssey proposal for UR credit.
Note that after September 5 you may not “upgrade” a semester project into a year-long thesis; however, the opposite is always an option: if you start out doing a year-long thesis but decide by the end of the semester that you do not wish to continue, you may “downgrade” it to a semester capstone project with no penalty.
Tuesday 29 August: First draft of project proposal due (1 page).
Your project proposal should be about 1-2 pages, and should answer the questions:
In addition, if you wish to do a year-long thesis project you should indicate this in your proposal.
A complete project proposal must include all the above components, and give a thorough sense of the scope and goals of the proposed project. You must also revise your proposal based on feedback (see the next bullet).
Tuesday 5 September: Revised project idea (1 page) and work plan due. Last day for committing to a year-long thesis project.
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 5 hours per week.”
Bad: “I will work on my project from 2-4pm every Tuesday and from 9-noon 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.
26/28 September: You may give a 10-minute in-class presentation reporting on your project so far.
3 October: Turn in a first draft of your abstract.
10 October: Turn in a first draft of your introduction (2-5 pages).
26 October: Turn in a first draft of your background section (5-10 pages).
9 November: Turn in a draft of the first half of your paper body (10 pages or so).
21 November: Turn in a draft of the second half of your paper body, and a revised version of the first half.
5 December: 15-minute final presentation (open to the public).
Note: all the above deadlines still apply even if you undertake a year-long thesis; but in that case you will be turning in a partial version of your thesis rather than a finished draft. Consult with me or your advisor to figure out what makes the most sense for your specific project.
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.
Due: Thursday, 31 August
You should make either a resume or a curriculum vitae (CV). A resume is appropriate if you are interested in obtaining a non-academic job. A CV may be appropriate if you intend to apply to graduate schools.
On the date it is due, bring in 3 printed copies of your resume or CV, so you can easily share it with classmates.
Here are a few resources explaining what should go in a resume or a CV:
There are tons of other explanations and examples online; just search for more examples.
Due: Thursday, 14 September
You should write a one-page cover letter or personal statement, tailored to a particular type of opportunity. If possible, you should find a specific job advertisement or graduate program you are interested in, and tailor your cover letter to that.
On the date it is due, bring in 3 printed copies of your cover letter so you can easily share it with classmates. You should also be prepared to share a link to a particular job advertisement or graduate program you are targeting. If you are not targeting a specific opportunity, then you should bring a 1-paragraph description of the sort of opportunity you intend to target.
Here are a few resources from Career Services with tips and examples on writing a cover letter:
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 Julie Brown in the Office of Academic Success (505.2954; brownj@hendrix.edu) to begin the accommodation process.