CS101- Introduction to
Computer Science
Zhenyu Yang
• Visiting Assistant Professor of Physics and Computer Science
• Research Assistant Professor of Medical Physics
• Assistant Director of Jiangsu Provincial University Key
(Construction) Laboratory for Smart Diagnosis and Treatment
of Lung Cancer
Fall 2025
Teaching Team
• Instructor:
❖ Name: Zhenyu Yang, PhD
❖ Title: Research Assistant Professor in
Medical Physics; Visiting Assistant
Professor in Physics and Computer
Science; Assistant Director of Jiangsu
Provincial University Key (Construction)
Laboratory for Smart Diagnosis and
Treatment of Lung Cancer
❖ Email:
[email protected]
❖ O ce: WDR 1125
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Teaching Team
• Instructor:
❖ Name: Tongshu Zheng, PhD
❖ Title: Assistant Professor of
Environmental Science
❖ Email:
[email protected]
❖ O ce: WDR 2004
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Teaching Team
• Graduate Teaching Assistant
❖ Chengliang Jin
‣ DKU MP graduate student
‣ UG majored in CS
‣
[email protected] Teaching Team
• Undergraduate Teaching Assistants
❖ Zeyu Yu <
[email protected]>
❖ Yuqian Zhang <
[email protected]>
❖ Yaxuan Liu <
[email protected]>
What is Computer Science?
• CS is not just about computers, is more about how to design
computation-e cient algorithm to solve scienti c problems using
computers.
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What is Computer Programming?
• Computer Programming: to tell computer step-by-step how to
solve a problem.
• Good news: computer will follow instructions exactly!
What Will be Learned?
• This course will not only provide fundamental knowledge of a
variety of CS topics, but it will also provide essential
computational problem-solving skills with hands on
programming experience (with Python).
Why Python in this course?
• ASK GPT?
❖ What is the best programming language for beginner?
❖ Best Programming Language for AI Development?
❖ What is the advantage of Python programming languages?
Why Python in this course?
• Ease of Use: syntax is simple and intuitive
• Versatility: used in a variety of elds, including arti cial
intelligence, web development, data analysis, and scienti c
research, etc.
• Strong Community: countless resources, libraries, and
frameworks available
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Topics covered in this course
• Week 1: CS backgrounds and the basic of computers
• Week 2: Expressions, Operators, String, Looping, Branching
• Week 3: Function, Tuple, List
• Week 4: Handling les, Dictionary, Debug and Testing
• Week 5: •Recursion, Computational Complexity
• Week 6: Object Oriented Programming
• Week 7: Searching, Sorting, and Tree
Heavily use Python!
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Topics covered in this course
• Prerequisite(s): No speci c prerequisites
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Course Format
• Lectures: slides presentations on programming principles
and algorithm; programming activities and Q&A sessions.
❖ Dates/Time: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thurday, 8:30 AM -
9:45AM
❖ Location: AB 1079
❖ Students are required to bring their own computer!!!
Course Format
• Round-Robin Sharing (RRS): strictly 3-minute free-style
information sharing at the beginning of each lecture
❖ 3 randomly-drawn students will present any computer science
related (interdisciplinary) topics
❖ No limitation on format, can be short online video, a scienti c
blog/report, or a published paper.
❖ Students will need to introduce and summarize the sharing
content with their own words, and explain why he/she
choose this topic and what we can learn from it.
• The list of speakers will not be announced in advance. If you
miss your presentation due to being late or absent from
class, there will be no chance to make up for it!
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Course Format
• Homework and Projects
❖ Homework will be assigned throughout the course. The
homework normally has some programming tasks relevant to
the contents covered in the lecture.
❖ 3 mini projects mimic real-world challenges, helping students
develop skills to combine various concepts, analyze complex
problems, design solutions, and manage implementation.
• Collaboration is encouraged for homework and mini
projects, but will be individually graded, so DO NOT simply
copy and paste (or only with minor modi cations) someone
else’s code. All work that you submit must be your own.
• Seeking advice and help from course peer-tutors are strongly
encouraged.
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Course Format
• Labs: two lab session in each week.
❖ A short presentation or demonstration of coding will be given
by TAs (mainly covering mini projects).
❖ Students can also seek assistance from the TAs when
encountering di culties in mini projects and homework.
❖ Dates/Time: Monday 4:15PM - 5:30PM and Wednesday
4:15PM - 5:30PM
❖ Location: AB 3101
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Course Format
• Quizzes
❖ 10 Quizzes will be done at the beginning of the lecture time,
some programming tasks to be nish within around 10 minutes
(remember to bring your computer every time).
❖ Your best 8 out of 10 quiz scores will count toward the nal
grade.
• The schedule of quizzes will not be announced in advance. If
you miss your quizzes due to being late or absent from class,
there will be no chance to make up for it!
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Course Format
• Mid-term Exam
❖ 1 in-class computer-based mid-term exams covering
questions on what you have learned after 1/2 of the session.
(More details prior to the test)
• Final Exam
❖ 1 paper-based nal exam covering the topics you have learnt
through the session, but emphasizing more on the last 1/2 of
the course.(More details prior to the test)
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O ce Hour
• O ce hours
❖ Instructors’ o ce hour: about major/career conversation
‣ by appointment
❖ TAs o ce hour: about course/lab/homework related Q&A
‣ after lab sessions
‣ 1 additional TA o ce hour (every Wed 19:00-20:00)
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Grading
• The nal score of this course will include the followings:
❖ Homework: 15
❖ Quiz (in class): 12
❖ Mini-project: 15
❖ Round Robin Sharing: 3
❖ Midterm: 25
❖ Final: 30
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Textbook
• Introduction to Computation
and Programming Using Python:
With Application to
Understanding Data, Second
edition
❖ John V. Guttag, ISBN-13:
978-0262529624
❖ URL: https://
nd.library.duke.edu/catalog/
DUKE008371775
❖ Free to download in library
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Resources
• Free Online Resources
❖ Python for everybody, Exploring Data Using Python 3, Charles
R. Severance: https://www.py4e.com/book.php
❖ A Byte of Python - free book on programming using the Python
language: https://python.swaroopch.com/
❖ Python Tutorial - Python Full Course for Beginners: https://
www.youtube.com/playlist?
list=PLu0W_9lII9agwh1XjRt242xIpHhPT2llg
❖ MIT OCW: https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/6-0001-introduction-
to-computer-science-and-programming-in-python-fall-2016/
• Other Resources
❖ Google and ChatGPT
About Learn Python with ChatGPT
• Prompt
❖ What is the best way to learn python as a beginner using
ChatGPT?
❖ I want to learn Python. Can you give me a roadmap to learn
python?
❖ I want to lean python for data analysis, can you create a
roadmap to learn python in 2 month with weekly plan,
including resources and links for each week.
❖ I want to lean python for medical image analysis, can you
create a roadmap to learn python in 2 month with weekly plan,
including resources and links for each week.
• Google or ask GPT how to e ciently use GPT
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About Learn Python with ChatGPT
• IMPORTANT RULES!
❖ Use GPT wisely to help you learn
❖ Do not copy the answer from GPT for homework (easy to
detect, e.g., something we haven’t learned)
❖ Do not use in class for computer-based Quiz/Midterm
• Once caught, treat as Academic Integrity issue!
About Ed Forum
• We will use Ed Discussion from Canvas
❖ Look here for announcements/information relevant to this
class.
❖ You should check the Ed Discussion at least once a day!
About Ed Forum
• We will use Ed Discussion from Canvas
❖ Look here for announcements/information relevant to this
class.
❖ You should check the Ed Discussion at least once a day!
About Ed Forum
• Post question on Ed Discussion not Email or Canvas
❖ Help others who have similar problems
❖ ALWAYS search before posting
❖ Choose the right category for your question
❖ Give a more meaningful title for your post
❖ Me and TAs will check your posts everyday, and make sure
reply in time, may not immediately
❖ Top contributors (Q&A) will award bonus 3 points to your nal
grades
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Online Coding
• Homework/Quiz/mid-term will be distributed and submitted
via: https://jp17.dukekunshan.edu.cn
❖ login with your NetID and password
• Miniproject will be distributed and submitted with Canvas.
