Syllabus

Course Description

In this course, you will study a range of advanced data structures with an emphasis on an object-oriented approach. Topics include asymptotic analysis; review of lists and arrays; binary search trees; heaps and priority queues; hash tables; and other selected topics. Programming projects in this course will focus on implementation of data structures and empirical analysis of their asymptotic performance.

Objectives

Students completing this course will be able to:

Lectures

Lectures will be held live/synchronously using zoom. Recordings will be available in Box (fill out and return this form to get access). Expectations for attending lecture include:

Required Textbook

The textbook Data Structures and Algorithms in C++, 2nd Edition by Goodrich, Tamassia, and Mount is required. This course participates in the Course Materials Initiative, so you will receive electronic access to the textbook as a registered student.

Lectures and Readings

You are expected to attend all lectures for this course and are responsible for all material covered in class. If you should happen to miss a lecture, you are responsible for getting any missed notes or announcements from a classmate.

Schedule

The course schedule includes lecture topics, exam dates, and due dates for homework and projects.

Grading and Late Policy

Your grade in this course is based on projects, homework, and exams as follows:

ItemPctNumTotal
Project 0 5% 1 5%
Projects 1 – 4 10% 4 40%
Homework 1% 5 5%
Midterm Exams 15% 2 30%
Final Exam 20% 1 20%

Letter grades will be assigned according to the usual 10-point scale.

The late policy for projects is set by the course coordintator. See the Projects & Support page for project policies and descriptions. The following policies apply to homework and exams:

Projects

See the Projects & Support site for project information.

Homework

There will be five homework assignments over the course of the semester. Unless instructed otherwise, solutions are to be typed, converted to PDF, and submitted. Failure to submit solutions in the correct format will result in point deductions; submissions will be rejected for repeat offenders.

Exams

There will be two midterm exams and a final exam. Midterm exams emphasize material from the corresponding units (see the course schedule).

The final exam will be cummulative and will include problems similar to those in the midterm exams and homework assignments as well as problems related to the projects.

Blackboard

All homework and grades will be posted to Blackboard. Homework will be turned in through Blackboard.

Discord

All course announcements and asynchronous interaction will happen through discord. Please contact Prof. Bargteil if you have difficulty accessing the class discord server.

Academic Conduct Policies

By enrolling in this course, each student assumes the responsibilities of an active participant in UMBC’s scholarly community in which everyone’s academic work and behavior are held to the highest standards of honesty. Cheating, fabrication, plagiarism, and helping others to commit these acts are all forms of academic dishonesty, and they are wrong. Academic misconduct could result in disciplinary action that may include, but is not limited to, suspension or dismissal. To read the full Student Academic Conduct Policy, consult the Academic Integrity Resources for Students page, the Faculty Handbook (Sections 14.2-14.3), or for graduate courses, the Graduate School website.

If you need help with a project or assignments, see a TA or your instructor. You are encouraged to make full use of textbooks and the course web pages.

Academic Integrity policies for projects can be found on the Projects and Support site.

Your homework submissions will be checked for similarities with all other student work. If your work is found to be “substantially similar” to that of another student, or if it is determined that someone else wrote the solutions for you, then, at a minimum, you and the other student (if applicable) will receive a grade of zero for that assignment. Furthermore, all parties concerned will have their prior homeworks re-checked for cheating. Be aware, we use an automated tool to compare projects.

If it is determined that you cheated on an exam, you will, at a minimum, receive a grade of zero for the exam.

Any second Academic Integrity incident, whether on a project, homework assignment, or exam, will result in a grade of ‘F’ for the semester.

Any act of academic misconduct will be reported to the University’s Academic Conduct Committee for further action, which may include, but is not limited to, academic suspension or dismissal from the University.



Covid-19

Obviously, the pandemic is still ongoing. There is a pretty good chance some of our lectures will be virtual because I will exhibit symptoms or be exposed. There is also a good chance you will need to miss some lectures because you exhibit symptoms or otherwise need to quarantine. I will give access to last years recorded lecture in Box (fill out and return this form to get access). The content will not be identical, but it will be pretty close. All office hours will be virtual (through zoom). I do not plan to be on campus except during lecture.

Accessibility and Disability Accommodations, Guidance and Resources;
Hate, Bias, Discrimination and Harassment;
Sexual Assault, Sexual Harassment, Gender Based Violence and Discrimination

Accessibility and Disability Accommodations, Guidance and Resources (required)

Accommodations for students with disabilities are provided for all students with a qualified disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA & ADAAA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act who request and are eligible for accommodations. The Office of Student Disability Services (SDS) is the UMBC department designated to coordinate accommodations that creates equal access for students when barriers to participation exist in University courses, programs, or activities.

If you have a documented disability and need to request academic accommodations in your courses, please refer to the SDS website at sds.umbc.edu for registration information and office procedures.

SDS email: disAbility@umbc.edu

SDS phone: (410) 455-2459

If you will be using SDS approved accommodations in this class, please contact the instructor to discuss implementation of the accommodations. During remote instruction requirements due to COVID, communication and flexibility will be essential for success.

Sexual Assault, Sexual Harassment, and Gender Based Violence and Discrimination (required)

UMBC Policy and Federal law (Title IX) prohibit discrimination and harassment on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity in University programs and activities. Any student who is impacted by sexual harassment, sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, sexual exploitation, gender discrimination, pregnancy discrimination, gender-based harassment or retaliation should contact the University’s Title IX Coordinator to make a report and/or access support and resources:

Mikhel A. Kushner, Title IX Coordinator (she/they)

410-455-1250 (direct line), kushner@umbc.edu

You can access support and resources even if you do not want to take any further action. You will not be forced to file a formal complaint or police report. Please be aware that the University may take action on its own if essential to protect the safety of the community.

If you are interested in or thinking about making a report, please use the Online Reporting/Referral Form . Please note that, if you report anonymously,  the University’s ability to respond will be limited.

N otice that Faculty are Responsible Employees with Mandatory Reporting Obligations:

All faculty members are considered Responsible Employees , per UMBC’s Policy on Sexual Misconduct, Sexual Harassment, and Gender Discrimination. Faculty are therefore required to report any/ all available information regarding conduct falling under the Policy and violations of the Policy to the Title IX Coordinator, even if a student discloses an experience that occurred before attending UMBC and/or an incident that only involves people not affiliated with UMBC.  Reports are required regardless of the amount of detail provided and even in instances where support has already been offered or received.

While faculty members want encourage you to share information related to your life experiences through discussion and written work, students should understand that faculty are required to report past and present sexual assault, domestic and interpersonal violence, stalking, and gender discrimination that is shared with them to the Title IX Coordinator so that the University can inform students of their rights, resources and support .  While you are encouraged to do so, you are not obligated to respond to outreach conducted as a result of a report to the Title IX Coordinator.

If you need to speak with someone in confidence, who does not have an obligation to report to the Title IX Coordinator, UMBC has a number of Confidential Resources available to support you:

Other Resources:

Child Abuse and Neglect:

Please note that Maryland law and UMBC policy require that faculty report all disclosures or suspicions of child abuse or neglect to the Department of Social Services and / or the police.

Pregnant and Parenting Students

UMBC’s Policy on Sexual Misconduct, Sexual Harassment and Gender Discrimination expressly prohibits all forms of Discrimination and Harassment on the basis of sex, including pregnancy. Resources for pregnant, parenting and breastfeeding students are available through the University’s Office of Equity and Inclusion.  Pregnant and parenting students are encouraged to contact the Title IX Coordinator to discuss plans and ensure ongoing access to their academic program with respect to a leave of absence or return following leave related to pregnancy, delivery, adoption, breastfeeding and/or the early months of parenting.

Pregnant students and students in the early months of parenting may be entitled to accommodations under Title IX through the Office of Equity and Inclusion.

In addition, students who are pregnant and have an impairment related to their pregnancy that qualifies as disability under the ADA may be entitled to accommodations through the Student Disability Service Office .

Religious Observances & Accommodations

UMBC Policy provides that students should not be penalized because of observances of their religious beliefs, and that students shall be given an opportunity, whenever feasible, to make up within a reasonable time any academic assignment that is missed due to individual participation in religious observances. It is the responsibility of the student to inform the instructor of any intended absences or requested modifications for religious observances in advance, and as early as possible. For questions or guidance regarding religious observance accommodations  please contact the Office of Equity and Inclusion at oei@umbc.edu.

Hate, Bias, Discrimination and Harassment

UMBC values safety, cultural and ethnic diversity, social responsibility, lifelong learning, equity, and civic engagement.

Consistent with these principles, UMBC Policy prohibits discrimination and harassment in its educational programs and activities or with respect to employment terms and conditions based on race, creed, color, religion, sex, gender, pregnancy, ancestry, age, gender identity or expression, national origin, veterans status, marital status, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, or genetic information.

Students (and faculty and staff) who experience discrimination, harassment, hate or bias or who have such matters reported to them should use the online reporting/referral form to report discrimination, hate or bias incidents. You may report incidents that happen to you anonymously . Please note that, if you report anonymously, the University’s ability to respond will be limited.

Additional Policies and Resources

Please see this Google doc for UMBC Policies and Resources during COVID-19.