Programming for Information Professionals

How to Succeed in This Course

Put in the work

Programming is something you do, not just something you know. To learn it, you need to spend time on your own trying things out in your own editor. You should plan on spending around four hours per week doing this, outside of class time.

Attend class meetings

Class meetings can be attended in person or via Zoom. You are expected to attend in person, but Zoom attendance is an option as a backup plan for when buses don’t show up or you are feeling contagious.

Communicate about problems

If an unexpected problem arises for you during the course of the semester (serious illness, etc.), please let me know so that we can discuss an appropriate plan.

If you have a documented disability or medical condition, make sure to contact Accessibility Resources and Service.

If you are experiencing mental health issues, contact Counseling and Psychological Services.

If you are experiencing discrimination, harassment, violence or exploitation of any kind, see the resources listed here or https://safe.unc.edu/.

Evaluation & Grading

Course grades will be determined as follows:

For graduate students, percentage points will be converted to letter grades as follows:

100-95: H
 94-80: P
 79-70: L
  < 70: F

For undergraduate students, percentage points will be converted to letter grades as follows:

100-95: A
 94-91: A-
 90-88: B+
 87-85: B
 84-81: B-
 80-78: C+
 77-75: C
 74-71: C-
 70-68: D+
 67-60: D
  < 60: F

See the UNC Catalog for definitions of these letter grades.

Participation

Students in this class are expected to

• actively participate in-person during class meetings
• ask and answer questions, contribute tips, and make suggestions in our Zulip chatroom

You need to participate either in-person or online. (You can do both, of course, but you don’t need to do both.)

Communicating with me

Zulip chat is the best way to communicate with me outside of class.

If you have a question about course content (Python, VS Code, GitHub, etc.) or administration (deadlines, schedule changes, assignment clarifications, etc.), post your question to the appropriate Zulip stream, so that others can benefit from the answer (or can answer it themselves).

If you need to discuss a personal matter, send a direct message in Zulip, or email me.

If you want face-to-face assistance with understanding a concept or completing an assignment, make an appointment for my office hours.

If you have questions about how an assignment was evaluated, then you must make an office hours appointment. I will not discuss your grades or my evaluation of your work via email or direct message.

Student Code of Conduct

You are expected to know and follow the UNC Student Code of Conduct, and in particular to be aware of its policies on academic integrity. Collaboration, discussion, and seeking assistance from other students is encouraged in this class and is not inconsistent with those policies. What counts as acceptable collaboration does change from one activity to another, though, so please see my guidelines for each activity, and ask me to clarify if you are unsure. In the case of written work, all words drawn from others must be attributed appropriately.

Attendance

As stated in the University’s Class Attendance Policy, no right or privilege exists that permits a student to be absent from any class meeting, except for these University Approved Absences:

• Authorized University activities, about which the University Approved Absence Office (UAAO) publishes FAQs for students.
• Disability, religious observance, pregnancy, or short-term military service, as required by law and approved by the University Compliance Office — or, for short-term military service, the Dean of Students.
• A significant health condition, or a personal or family emergency, as approved by the Office of the Dean of Students, Violence Prevention and Advocacy Services, or the University Compliance Office.

If you need to miss a class for a reason that is not one of these, please talk to me, and we will work out the best approach to any work you miss.

Changes to This Syllabus

I reserve the right to make changes to this syllabus, including to project due dates and test dates. Any such changes will be announced as early as possible.

Accessibility and Accommodations

The university facilitates the implementation of reasonable accommodations, including resources and services, for students with disabilities, chronic medical conditions, a temporary disability or pregnancy complications resulting in barriers to fully accessing courses, programs and activities.

Accommodations are determined through the University Compliance Office (UCO) Accommodations Team, which receives requests for accommodations for disability, pregnancy and related conditions, and sincerely held religious beliefs and practices, and determines eligibility and reasonable accommodations in accordance with applicable state and federal laws. See the UCO Accommodations website for contact information or email: accommodations@unc.edu

Counseling and Psychological Services

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) is strongly committed to addressing the mental health needs of a diverse student body through timely access to consultation and connection to clinically appropriate services, whether for short or long-term needs. Go to the CAPS website or visit their facilities on the third floor of the Campus Health building for an initial evaluation to learn more. You can also call CAPS at 919-966-3658 at any hour for immediate assistance.

Dealing with Discrimination, Harassment, Violence or Exploitation

Any student who is impacted by discrimination, harassment, interpersonal (relationship) violence, sexual violence, sexual exploitation, or stalking is encouraged to seek resources on campus or in the community. Reports can be made to the University Compliance Office (UCO), formerly the Equal Opportunity and Compliance Office, or by contacting its Report and Response Managers (reportandresponse@unc.edu). Note that instructors are designated Responsible Employees, and must report to the UCO any information they receive about the forms of misconduct listed above. Confidential resources include Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS; see above), the University’s Ombuds Office, and the Gender Violence Services Coordinators at Violence Prevention and Advocacy Services (VPAS) (gvsc@unc.edu). Additional resources are available at https://safe.unc.edu/.