Each week, you’ll meet for an hour in a small group discussion section. The discussion section will be led by your assigned section leader, who is also your mentor and grader in the course. During section, you and your peers will review the material that has been introduced in lecture, work together on the section practice problems, and ask and answer questions.
The section materials for each week consist of a set of problems for further practice with the recent lecture topics. You’re not expected to complete these problems before attending section nor are they submitted to be graded.
Attendance and participation in section will be mandatory for all students. Your section leader will be grading your participation in section on a weekly basis, and these grades will make up 10% of your final grade. Participation in section can take many forms, including asking questions, contributing answers, and participating in discussions with fellow students.
Common questions about sections
How do I sign up for section?
Section signups are conducted on the CS198 section portal (do not sign-up for sections on Axess). The section portal will open signups on Thursday, June 24 at 5:00 pm PDT and close on Sunday, June 27 at 5:00 pm PDT. Unlike Hamilton tickets, section sign-ups are not first-come first-serve, so don't worry about rushing to be first. You may submit your preferences at any time while signups are open; just be sure to submit before the window closes. Once closed, the process matches students to sections based on preference and availability, and your section assignment will be emailed to you. Sections begin the second week of classes.
Is section attendance mandatory?
Yes, attendance and participation in section will be graded and will make up 10% of your final grade in the class. We expect students to regularly attend section and participate with a high level of engagement. If you have concerns about your ability to attend or participate in section, due to challenging circumstances (time zone, technological barriers, etc.), please email the instructors to discuss possible accommodations.
How is section participation graded?
Section participation will be graded on this scale:
- 2 : Showed up to section on time, followed section norms, participated in an engaged manner
- 1 : Showed up to section late, minimal participation
- 0 : Did not show up to section, or did not follow established section norms and policies
Where can I find the section problems?
The section problems will be posted on the course website under the "Sections" tab at the beginning of every week. At the end of the week, the section handout will be updated with the solutions.
What tools will I need for section?
Similar to lectures, section will be conducted virtually over Zoom. You can find your assigned section time and Zoom meeting information on Paperless. The program coordinators provided this helpful Guide to Section for Students – make sure to check that out for section tips and FAQs!
Where can I find my section Zoom information?
You can find the Zoom information for your assigned section on Paperless.
What should I do if I must miss a section meeting?
If you miss your section in a given week, you can attend another section that week to makeup your absence. Make sure to let the section leader whose section you attend know that you're there. That way, they can let your section leader know that you went to an alternate section for the week. A list of all section times (and corresponding Zoom information for each section) can be found on the CS198 section portal.