CS 348: Introduction to Database Management  

Winter 2023

Organization

Schedule

Mark breakdown

Two marking schemes, depending on whether you choose to do the group project:

• Project-based: A1(7.5%)+A2(7.5%)+A3(7.5%)+A4(7.5%)+Project(40%)+Midterm(10%)+Final(20%)
• Exam-based: A1(7.5%)+A2(7.5%)+A3(7.5%)+A4(7.5%)+Midterm(30%)+Final(40%)

Course policy and other information

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is a very serious academic offence and is penalized accordingly. When you plagiarize you damage the learning experience for yourself and others. To avoid plagiarism accusations, do not copy other people's work, and cite all references that you use. If you work with others, only discuss general aspects of the course material, not specific solutions. Write up the solutions yourself, not in groups.

Mental Health Resources

Mental Health: If you or anyone you know experiences any academic stress, difficult life events, or feelings like anxiety or depression, we strongly encourage you to seek support.

On-campus Resources

• Campus Wellness https://uwaterloo.ca/campus-wellness/
• Counselling Services: counselling.services@uwaterloo.ca / 519-888-4567 ext 32655 / Needles Hall North 2nd floor, (NH 2401)
• MATES: one-to-one peer support program offered by Federation of Students (FEDS) and Counselling Services: mates@uwaterloo.ca
• Health Services service: located across the creek from Student Life Centre, 519-888-4096.

Off-campus Resources

• Good2Talk (24/7): Free confidential help line for post-secondary students. Phone: 1-866-925-5454
• Here 24/7: Mental Health and Crisis Service Team. Phone: 1-844-437-3247
• OK2BME: set of support services for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or questioning teens in Waterloo. Phone: 519-884-0000 extension 213

Diversity: It is our intent that students from all diverse backgrounds and perspectives be well served by this course, and that students’ learning needs be addressed both in and out of class. We recognize the immense value of the diversity in identities, perspectives, and contributions that students bring, and the benefit it has on our educational environment. Your suggestions are encouraged and appreciated. Please let us know ways to improve the effectiveness of the course for you personally or for other students or student groups. In particular:

• We will gladly honour your request to address you by an alternate/preferred name or gender pronoun. Please advise us of this preference early in the semester so we may make appropriate changes to our records.
• We will honour your religious holidays and celebrations. Please inform of us these at the start of the course.
• We will follow AccessAbility Services guidelines and protocols on how to best support students with different learning needs.

University Policies (University required text)

Academic Integrity: In order to maintain a culture of academic integrity, members of the University of Waterloo community are expected to promote honesty, trust, fairness, respect and responsibility. All members of the UW community are expected to hold to the highest standard of academic integrity in their studies, teaching, and research. The Office of Academic Integrity's website ( http://www.uwaterloo.ca/academicintegrity) contains detailed information on UW policy for students and faculty. This site explains why academic integrity is important and how students can avoid academic misconduct. It also identifies resources available on campus for students and faculty to help achieve academic integrity in - and out - of the classroom.

Grievance: A student who believes that a decision affecting some aspect of his/her university life has been unfair or unreasonable may have grounds for initiating a grievance. Read Policy 70 - Student Petitions and Grievances, Section 4, http://www.adm.uwaterloo.ca/infosec/Policies/policy70.htm .

Discipline: A student is expected to know what constitutes academic integrity, to avoid committing academic offenses, and to take responsibility for his/her actions. A student who is unsure whether an action constitutes an offense, or who needs help in learning how to avoid offenses (e.g., plagiarism, cheating) or about "rules" for group work/collaboration should seek guidance from the course professor, academic advisor, or the Undergraduate Associate Dean. When misconduct has been found to have occurred, disciplinary penalties will be imposed under Policy 71 - Student Discipline. For information on categories of offenses and types of penalties, students should refer to Policy 71 - Student Discipline, http://www.adm.uwaterloo.ca/infosec/Policies/policy71.htm.

Avoiding Academic Offenses: Most students are unaware of the line between acceptable and unacceptable academic behaviour, especially when discussing assignments with classmates and using the work of other students. For information on commonly misunderstood academic offenses and how to avoid them, students should refer to the Faculty of Mathematics Cheating and Student Academic Discipline Policy, https://uwaterloo.ca/math/current-undergraduates/regulations-and-procedures/cheating-and-student-academic-discipline-guidelines.

MOSS (Measure of Software Similarities) is used in this course as a means of comparing students' assignments to ensure academic integrity. We will report suspicious activity, and penalties for plagiarism/cheating are severe. Please read the available information about academic integrity very carefully.

Discipline cases involving any automated marking system such as Marmoset include, but are not limited to, printing or returning values in order to match expected test results rather than making an actual reasonable attempt to solve the problem as required in the assignment question specification.

Appeals: A student may appeal the finding and/or penalty in a decision made under Policy 70 - Student Petitions and Grievances (other than regarding a petition) or Policy 71 - Student Discipline if a ground for an appeal can be established. Read Policy 72 - Student Appeals, https://uwaterloo.ca/secretariat/policies-procedures-guidelines/policy-72 .