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. In order to receive an A for the course, you may only miss one section without an excuse.
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). We will begin taking your preferences for section times at 5:00 PM on Thursday, April 6th, 2023. Note that signups will then close at 5:00 PM on Sunday, April 9th, 2023. If you do not sign up during the regular period, the limited selection for late signups may make it impossible for you to enroll in a CS106 class, so please make sure to submit your preferences by the deadline. 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 head TA 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?
Sections will be in person, and you should plan on bringing a laptop in case the Section Leader wants you to work on problems on your computer. You can find your assigned section time and 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 information?
You can find the location and other information for your assigned section on Paperless.
What should I do if I must miss a section meeting?
You are welcome to attend an alternate section as a guest for a makeup. Visit the cs198 section portal for the full list of all section times. Tell the section leader whose section you attend that you're attending as a guest so they can pass the participation grade back to your section leader. You can also work the section problems on your own as self-review, but participation credit is specifically earned by attending and participating in a section.