CS 1173 Data Analysis and Visualization using MATLAB
Syllabus

We live an information society --- no matter what major you choose or what you do after you graduate, you will be asked to make sense of and draw conclusions based on data. This course is designed to help you acquire the knowledge and skills that you will need to analyze information and, more importantly, draw conclusions from your analysis. This course is not about using advanced mathematics to solve problems. It’s about learning to use computer technology, especially visualization (graphs, histograms, pie charts), to look at and understand data in a more intuitive and visual manner. This course uses MATLAB, a sophisticated programming and data analysis environment, as the vehicle for helping you develop the basic computing skills you will need to work with data in your later science, mathematics, and statistics courses.

Specific course objectives:
  • Students should be able to display data using appropriate visualization techniques (e.g., line graphs, bar charts, pie charts, scatter plots, histograms).
  • Students should be able to understand and use basic statistical indicators (e.g., mean, median, standard deviation, maximum, minimum, tests of significance).
  • Students should be able to apply built-in functions (e.g., sum, difference, log, exponential) appropriately and in context.
  • Students should be able to use variables, conditionals, loops, functions, and logical indexing in scripts to analyze data.
  • Students should be able to choose appropriate methods to solve problems.
  • Students should be able to draw conclusions and formulate hypotheses from data presented graphically.
  • Students should be able to write scripts that handle different types of data.
  • Students should use models to generate data to study scientific questions.
  • Students should be able to communicate their results in a clear and correct manner.
Man

Course website: http://www.cs.utsa.edu/~cs1173

Instructors and TAs: http://www.cs.utsa.edu/~cs1173/instructors.html

Textbook: There is no formal textbook for the course. Notes will be handed out during each class period. You must keep them organized in a ring binder and bring them to class each time. You will be referring to them during the class period.

MATLAB software: The student version of MATLAB is available for $99. Although it is not absolutely necessary to purchase the software for the course, having your own copy will allow you to experiment more conveniently. If you decide to purchase MATLAB, you should get it from the MATHWORKS (http://www.mathworks.com/academia/) so that you are sure to have the latest version. We will be running version R2011a in the laboratories and classroom.

If you wish to work on your assignments at home, you can access MATLAB through myUTSAApps, which is available at https://myapps.utsa.edu/vpn/index.html. Be aware that this is a separate system from your CS account and that you have to specifically save your work and transfer it.

MATLAB tutors and the CS LAB: You can also do your laboratories in room 3.02.04SB (the CS Lab), which has computers and software similar to that found in the teaching classrooms. Tutors are available in this room to help you work the laboratories. You are encouraged to work your laboratories in this room where help is available. You may not use the computers in 3.02.04SB for anything other than CS 1173 course work. You may only print materials for the course in this room. Sharing your account information with other students can result in loss of all university computer privileges.

Prerequisite: MAT 1023 College Algebra with Applications (or an equivalent course)

Grading policy:

The final examination is schedule is as follows:

Pretest and posttest The course will have a pretest and a post test keyed to educational objectives so that we can evaluate the effectiveness of different parts of the course. Both tests will be multiple choice tests administered on Blackboard.

The pretest will be available for the first week of the class. The pretest will count as the first 10-point homework assignment. You will receive points for the number of questions answered but will not be penalized for incorrect answers. It is important to complete the test giving the best answers that you can so that we can effectively evaluate what worked and what we should approach differently.

The posttest will be administered in the last week of class and dead days (again on Blackboard). You will receive up to 10 points of extra credit on the final examination. Your credit will be based on the percentage of correct answers. The posttest is an excellent tool for studying for the final.

The responses for the pre- and post- test will also be extracted and all identifying information removed for further item analysis and research.

Note: Class attendance is mandatory. Attendance will be taken. Students will lose 1/2 point on the final grade for each unexcused absence after two absences for a maximum of 5 points. If you need to miss a class, send an email to your instructor on Blackboard before the class (or as soon after the class as is feasible) explaining why you will not be in class. The subject of the email should be "Attendance (date)". If you do not have access to email at the time of absence, leave a voice mail for your instructor and follow up with an email on Blackboard as soon as you are able to. You are expected to provide documentation where possible.

Course expectations for professional conduct: Students will treat their classroom obligations as they would any serious professional engagement. These obligations include:

Note: Turn off and put away all cell phones, ipods, and other electronic devices. You should only have class materials on your desk. You should only have the course web pages, MATLAB and the classroom query software up on your screen. The instructor and TAs can observe and will record incidents of inattention, which will seriously impact the Homework/Attendance/Participation portion of your grade. Unauthorized electronic devices in use or on the desktop during class are subject to confiscation.

Midterm grades: Midterm grades must be reported for all freshmen. Your midterm grade will be calculated based on the  Labs 1-3 (50%) and Exam 1 (50%). Midterm grades are for advising purposes only. These grades give you an indication of how you are doing in the course and whether you need to improve. Your final grade, which appears on your transcript, will be calculated based on the percentages listed under Grading policy. You can always view your current grades in the My Grades section in Blackboard. If you notice any discrepancies in your grades, please tell your instructor right away so that the problem can be corrected.

BlackBoard: The course uses Blackboard, which is available at (http://bb.utsa.edu). You will take submit all laboratories and projects using Blackboard. You will also submit some homework assignments on BlackBoard. Blackboard also provides internal class email, a course discussion page, and a course chat page. The course calendar is also maintained there.

Homework and in-class activities: These activities are designed to reinforce and help you integrate your knowledge. Most of them will be very short. Often they will be used during subsequent class periods.

Labs: This course is very hands-on. Although there will be short lecture presentations and demos, you will be spending most of your class time working on problems. You are expected to do most of your work on the laboratories outside of class. The more you practice and solve problems, the more you will learn. You may discuss the laboratories and quizzes with other students, but the writing should be entirely in your own words.

Projects: There will also a larger project which involves a complete data analysis from gathering and entering the data to an analysis. This project will be associated with a technical report.

Writing: A goal of this course is to improve your technical writing skills and many activities will integrate writing. Major writing assignments will be checked electronically for plagiarism via BlackBoard Safe Assign.

Handing in labs and projects: You will submit your labs and projects by uploading them to Blackboard under the Assignments section. Zip up your lab or project directory by opening an explore window and then right clicking on the directory. Choose the 7-Zip option then choose Add to "xxx.zip" where xxx is the name of the lab or project directory. Upload it to Blackboard. (We will walk you through the procedure during class at the beginning of the semester.) Blackboard requires you to set a start page. You can pick any page.

Computer accounts: You will have an account on the CS network as long as you are enrolled in a CS course at UTSA. This account gives you access to Windows and Linux in various CS laboratories. You may also access your account from off-campus via the Internet using secure shell. However, you cannot run MATLAB remotely using this shell. A free version of secure shell is available at http://www.cs.utsa.edu/~javalab/lab/SSHSecureShellClient-3.2.0.exe, if you wish to install it on your home machine.

Your account name will usually be your first initial followed by up to 7 letters of your last name. However, account names sometimes vary because of name conflicts. New account names are posted in the lab. Your initial password is your 8-digit student ID without the leading @ sign.

Make-up exams: No make-up exams will be given except for university sanctioned excused absences and documented medical emergencies. If you must miss an exam (for a good reason), it is your responsibility to contact the instructor BEFORE the exam.

Drop Date: The last day for undergraduates to drop the course is Monday, April 30, 2012.

Disabilities: Students with disabilities that require special accommodations should make an appointment with the class instructor to discuss and arrange those accommodations.

Scholastic dishonesty: The integrity of a university degree depends on the integrity of the work done for that degree by each student. The University expects a student to maintain a high standard of individual honor in his/her scholastic work.

You are encouraged to collaborate on the laboratory exercises, but direct copying is not allowed. We encourage you to help each other with system issues. You should be both a student and a teacher.

The project and the associated technical report should be done without collaboration. ALL WRITING MUST BE IN YOUR OWN WORDS. Every case of scholastic dishonesty will be reported to the UTSA Office of Academic Integrity and appropriate penalties will be assessed.

University creed and honor code

UTSA now has a very nice creed (http://www.utsa.edu/about/creed/) and academic honor code (http://www.utsa.edu/about/honorcode/). Please take them to heart.

Other university policies

This syllabus is provided for informational purposes regarding the anticipated course content and schedule of this course. It is based upon the most recent information available on the date of its issuance and is as accurate and complete as possible. The instructor reserves the right to make any changes deemed necessary and/or appropriate. The instructor will make his or her best efforts to communicate any changes in the syllabus in a timely manner. Students are responsible for being aware of these changes.

University wide policies and services regarding disabilities may be found online at: http://www.utsa.edu/disability/students.htm.

You are also responsible for knowing UTSA's policies regarding academic dishonesty. Plagiarism (see Section 203) will not be accepted. If you are in doubt be sure to make a proper citation to the author.

Note: (a) Students are not automatically dropped from a class if they stop attending the class. (b) University policy does not permit visitors in a class. (c) University policy does not permit faculty or office staff to report grades by telephone, fax, or email.

The photo is image 186794 entitled "The End" from stock.xchng.hu.