CAAP 2021: Introduction to Computer Science

Lecture MF: 11:00-11:50am Chicago Time

Lab Session W: 11:00-12:50pm Chicago time

Austin Clyde
Office Hours: TBD
aclyde@uchicago.edu

Zoom links for classe, lab, and office hours are available online through the
Zoom Canvas module.

Course Overview
This course aims to introduce students to computational thinking and skills applicable to a wide
range of studies. We will cover problem decomposition and abstraction, basic Python, and the
fundamentals of data-driven science. Each week we will focus on a research question from a
different discipline such as economics, the social sciences, biology, or comparative literature. The
course aims to position computation as an empowering tool for gathering and analyzing data.
Students will learn to take a question such as "how does the sentence structure of Virginia Woolf's
early work compare to her later work?" and break it down into accessible computational chunks:
What data is needed, and how should it be organized? Can existing tools be applied, and where to
find them? How can something like sentence structure be quantified?
Required Readings
This course will use the following textbook:
Downey, A. (2016). Think Python (2nd ed.). O'Reilly Media.
Reading assignments should be read before class; however, one knows themselves best. I want
you to learn Python, and pragmatically, I want you to complete the exercises to develop an ease of
coding. In general, I recommend you start by skimming the assigned readings before class,
attempting the questions for five/ten minutes, and then coming to class to fill in the gaps. After
class, if the exercises are still difficult, then you should read through the assigned reading (but do
not feel bad if you find yourself skipping large portions of the textbook, if you feel they tread on
material that you already understood when watching the lectures or just skimming).

Assignments, Grades
It is expected students
• Attempt to read or research, or contemplate the deep meaning of, the lecture and assigned
readings PRIOR to the lecture time.
• Participate in lecture by asking questions, clarifications, and engaging in our discussions
• Complete the assigned exercises by the beginning of the next lecture (hand in via Canvas)
• Engage in lab assignments with their partner(s)
• Come wanting to understand how things work
• Lab Assignments
 o Lab assignments will be explained and handed out on Wednesdays, and they will
be due the following Tuesday at midnight (your time)
o You will be assigned a lab partner for the first two assignments, a different
partner for the second two assignments, and a partner or solo of your choice for
the final project.
o Lab assignments will utilize Github Classrooms. I will send out a link on
Wednesday for everyone to sign up and will cover the basics of how to use
GitHub classrooms as well as how to submit assignments.
• Daily Assignments
o These assignments are to be submitted via canvas and will consist of exercises
from the textbook. They are due before the next class.
• Midterm
o This will be a take home assignment consisting of a few coding questions and
multiple-choice questions. It will mostly be slightly more difficult versions of the
daily exercises. It will be curved such that the mean grade is B+. No one’s grade
will go down. The assignment will be handed out on 7/23 and due midnight
anywhere in the world Wednesday 7/28.
• Final Project
o For the final project, you will create your own lab assignment. The requirements
will be handed out as we near the final project; however, it will need to consist of
(1) a short research paper based on your work and (2) some sort of computational
analysis utilizing python.

This translates to the following grading distribution

Daily Exercises 15%
Midterm (take home) 10%
Lab assignments (4) 40%
Participation 5%
Final project 30%

General Topics Outline:

This is meant to be a general outline, and subject to change. A detailed variant updated based on
the course progress is available on the course webpage under “Modules.”
• Week 1: A Tour of the Computer
o Lab: Boolean logic
• Week 2: Python intensive I (functions, types, conditions, loops)
o Lab: Connecting data and analysis to research questions
• Week 3: Python intensive II (recursion, iteration, lists, dictionaries, tuples)
o Lab: Building a Library
• Week 4: Data science and the digital humanities
o Lab: Computational analysis of Virginia Woolf’s work
• Week 5: Scientific research with computers
• Week 6: Final projects!
Zoom guidelines
Note that you can set your name in your Zoom profile, so you don’t have to go with whatever was
assigned. We encourage you to include your pronouns in your name (if so, please include them
after your last name).
Our Zoom class meetings will be recorded and saved to the cloud to allow students in this class to
review the discussion, and especially to allow students who can’t participate the opportunity to
benefit from class. We will not make these recordings available to anyone but class participants,
we will not make them available after the quarter, and students will not be allowed to save copies.
However, we have no way to guarantee that students will follow this policy. If you have FERPA
concerns, please mask yourself accordingly, e.g., by turning off video and using an alias.

Diversity statement
The University of Chicago is committed to diversity and rigorous inquiry that arises from multiple
perspectives. We concur with that commitment and also believe that we have the highest quality
interactions and can creatively solve more problems when we recognize and share our diversity.
We thus expect to maintain a productive learning environment based upon open communication,
mutual respect, and non-discrimination. We view the diversity that students bring to this class as
a resource, strength and benefit. It is our intent to present materials and activities that are respectful
of diversity: gender, sexuality, disability, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, race, religious
background, and immigration status. Any suggestions as to how to further such a positive and open
environment in the class will be appreciated and given serious consideration.
If you have a preferred name different from what appears on the class roster, or specific gender
pronouns you would like us to use, please let us know.

Accessibility statement
The University of Chicago is committed to ensuring equitable access to our academic programs
and services. Students with disabilities who have been approved for the use of academic
accommodations by Student Disability Services (SDS) and need a reasonable accommodation(s)
to participate fully in this course should follow the procedures established by SDS for using
accommodations. Timely notifications are required in order to ensure that your accommodations
can be implemented. Please contact your instructor to discuss your access needs in this class after
you have completed the SDS procedures for requesting accommodations.
Phone: (773) 702-6000 Email: disabilities@uchicago.edu

COVID-19 Policies

Recording and Deletion Policies for Academic Year 2020-1

The Recording and Deletion Policies for the current academic year can be found in the Student
Manual under Petitions, Audio & Video Recording on Campus.
 • Do not record, share, or disseminate any course sessions, videos, transcripts, audio, or
chats.
• Do not share links for the course to those not currently enrolled.
• Any Zoom cloud recordings will be automatically deleted 90 days after the completion of
the recording.

Attendance
Absent any extraordinary circumstances, we expect students to attend all lectures and discussions.
That said, we do not keep track of attendance in this class and no part of your final grade is
computed based on your attendance to lectures or discussions.