CMPSCI 105
Computer Literacy (University of Massachusetts)
Spring 2008
News & Upcoming Events
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Thursday, May 8, 2008 Here is the solution key to Quiz #6. Here is the solution key to Quiz #7. The TAs and I will hold official office hours and labs through Tuesday, May 13th but nothing formal thereafter. Note: To anyone thinking about asking for an incomplete (I), I give out very few, and only for extreme circumstances. Here is the policy that I received from our department: "Incompletes should be rare, and that they should almost exclusively be given for severe personal or medical reasons. Blanket incompletes given to many students or incompletes given so that someone can improve a grade are inappropriate." We will keep graded material for one semester (through the end of Fall 2008), but if you wish me to send you your work over the summer please bring a self-addressed 9x12 Manilla envelope to the final exam with about $4 of postage. I will be happy to send you your work after the grades are done. Tuesday, May 6, 2008 The final exam is coming up sooner than anyone would like! It is Monday, May 19, at 4:00pm, in Totman Gym. As with the midterm, it is open book, open notes, no electronics, and you must bring a valid and current picture ID. It is not cumulative, except that everything from the midterm on spreadsheets is fair game -- the exam will be about 80% spreadsheets and databases, with the remainder a scattering of questions from the various special topics we have covered and will cover (viruses, networking, programming, and multimedia). There is one sample final exam linked at the bottom of this page; I probably will NOT put up any more old finals, but all the spreadsheet questions from all the old midterms will be great study guides. Sunday, May 4, 2008 As mentioned in class last Thursday, lab #8 will be accepted for full credit through the end of the day on Monday, May 5. Lab #7 will still be accepted for late credit on Monday as well. Tuesday, April 29, 2008 I will not be on campus on Wednesday April 30, due to illness. Sunday, April 27, 2008 Here is the solution key to the midterm exam. If you have any questions or concerns about how the exam was graded, please come see me directly (not the TAs). Friday, April 18, 2008 Here is the solution key to Quiz #5. Monday, April 14, 2008 Due to nobody showing up to Michael's Monday 5:45 lab in Goodell for the past few weeks, we are cancelling and closing that section starting tonight. Everybody got your taxes done? Friday, April 11, 2008 As I announced in class yesterday, due to the issues folks have been having with Lab 6 and Excel 2007, I have extended the due date on Lab 6 until this coming Monday, April 14. If you are having troubles using Excel 2007, see the note below for April 8. Wednesday, April 9, 2008 The exams are ready for pickup from the TA office during any office hours (TA's or mine). The average was 75.6, the maximum was 96.5, and the minimum was 20.5. Anyone who scored below 62 should make an appointment to come see me to verify that you are keeping up with the rest of the assigned work. Anyone scoring 50 or below should consider seeking a retroactive withdrawal from the course, which I will sign. Here is a histogram that shows how the class did overall (there were 370 exams taken but one exam is not yet graded). Tuesday, April 8, 2008 Here are more extensive notes on using Excel 2007 in Lab #6. Pay particular attention to how it handles macros. Here is the solution key to Quiz #4. Tuesday, April 1, 2008 Here is the solution key to Quiz #3. Here are some notes on Lab #6 for Excel 2007 (remember that this assignment is due by the end of next week, not this week). To create a range name, select the desired cell, and click in the Formulas tab, then on Define Name. To paste a list of range names, set the mouse cursor on the desired spot in the current sheet, click on the Formulas tab, click on Use in Formula, and then on Paste Names... In Lab #6 the instructions ask that you create range names such as ASK1, ASK2, LOW1, HIGH1, etc. In Excel 2007 ASK1 through ASK4 and LOW1 through LOW4 are actual cell addresses, which prevent you from creating range names with the same name. Instead, create range names such as ASK_1, LOW_1, HIGH_1, etc. These are legal range names that cannot be confused with cell addresses. Friday, March 28, 2008 The exam seemed to go well last night. It will take us all of next week to grade the exam, so please don't ask how things are going. My hope is that I can stand up in front of you on Tuesday, April 8TH and say that the exam would be ready for pick-up. By then, we will have the TA's office configured (now that all the reconstruction work is finally complete) so that students will be able to stop in to pick up other graded work as well. Students taking the make-up exam on Monday night, March 31ST at 7:00pm, will be in ECSC 119. Here is a map showing where it is relative to the CMPSCI building. Sunday, March 23, 2008 Welcome back from Spring Break! I hope you all had a good relaxing week off, and are ready for some hard work!
Lab #4 is due tomorrow, and lab #3 will not be accepted after tomorrow. I will be in my office between 12:30pm and 2:30pm, and also between 4:00pm and 5:30pm, to accept labs. I must be off-campus in that gap between 2:30 and 4:00, but I will return to be available for you to turn in your assignments. If I don't see you before then, have a wonderful and safe Spring Break! Tuesday, March 11, 2008 Cell phone turned in to me at the end of the 4:00pm class. I'll keep it in my office, and bring it to class on Thursday. Identify make and model to claim. Saturday, March 8, 2008 When I came into my office on Friday I found that the workers doing all the renovations in the LGRC were busily refinishing the doors, both to my old office (A357) and my current office (A355). This is why the signs on the doors are no longer present. I had not been told when this would take place, so I was as surprised as anyone. I will be in A355 all afternoon on Monday to take Lab #3 and the remaining late Lab #2 assignments. I will be there from about 12:30 to about 6:30. If you miss seeing me, you may also drop off these assignments with our TA Michael at the Goodell Lab 613 Monday night between 5:45 and 7:15. Remember that Lab #4 is due by Friday afternoon before you leave for Spring Break. Wednesday, March 5, 2008 OFFER EXPIRED Sometime between now and 10:00am on Thursday, March 6, send an email to literacy@cs.umass.edu with the SUBJECT LINE set to CMPSCI 105 NEWS and the body of the message containing both YOUR NAME and the phrase YES, DR. BILL, I READ THE NEWS, and I will add five points extra credit to your overall homework score. No submissions that arrive in the class mail-drop's in-box after 10:00am on Thursday will be accepted (nor will any submissions be accepted which are incomplete or are sent directly to me instead of to the class in-box). I have extended the on-time due date for lab #3 until 5pm on Monday, March 10TH, which will also be the no-credit deadline for lab #2. The lab #4 on-time due-date and lab #3 no-credit deadline is still Friday, March 14TH, before you leave for Spring Break. Here are notes for inserting page-numbers in the footer region of Word 2007 for lab #3:
Here is the solution key to Quiz #2. Tuesday, February 19, 2008 The due dates on on-line homeworks #2 and #3 have been extended by a few days so that I can have time in lecture to discuss base-conversion techniques. Also, I have decided to extend the on-time due dates for labs #1 and #2 to the following Mondays of their respective weeks. So, Lab #1 is now due by Monday, February 25, and Lab #2 is now due by Monday, March 3. Saturday, February 16, 2008 Here is the solution key to Quiz #1. Friday, February 15, 2008 The Quizzes, Forms, and Homeworks page has been updated (see the link at the bottom of this page). Please get started on the homework, and make sure to READ THE DIRECTIONS! For Lab #2, the server address is: Your Web address is: At the end of lab #2 there is a directive to complete an assignment on email. For that assignment, found on page 810, use the email address: Tuesday, February 12, 2008 Someone in the 4pm class left a plastic bag in the classroom today. I will keep it in my office (LGRC A355). Come by during office hours and identify contents to claim. CLAIMED Monday, February 11, 2008 Here, at long last, is the class Web page updated for Spring 2008! Make certain that you check back here frequently for news, updates about labs and exams, etc. I'm slowly getting the other pages updated for Spring (such as the Homeworks page), so keep watching! Midterm ExamEvening Lab Hours
TA Office Hours
My OfficeBook
Lecture #1Pictures of Important Stuff
Previous Semester's ScoresPrevious Semester's Exams |
On-Line Quizzes, Forms, and Homeworks
Data for lab assignments
Dr. Bill's Office Hours
Teaching Assistants Office Hours
Description of CMPSCI 105 (1.2 Meg)
Some fun (free) PC software I wrote
Syllabus and Handbook
Send Email to Dr. Bill
Back to Dr. Bill's Classes
Back to Dr. Bill's Home Page
