CSC290 Communication Skills for Computer Scientists

Fall 2019

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Course Description

Targeted instruction and significant practice in the communications required for careers in computer science. The curriculum covers written, oral and interpersonal communication. Students will hand in short pieces of writing each week, will make oral presentations several times in the semester, and will work together in simulated project meetings and other realistic scenarios of pair and small group interaction. This can be used to satisfy the writing requirement in CSC programs.

Syllabus for: LEC0101 LEC0102

All announcements will be made on the course message board.

Course Staff

Instructor: Lisa Zhang
Office Hours: WF 11am-12pm
Office: DH3078
Email: lczhang [at] cs [dot] toronto [dot] edu
Please include "CSC290" in your email subject.

Tentative Schedule

DateMaterialReadingDeadline
Week 1Sep 9Lecture:
Tutorial (Sep 10/13):
Lecture Reading:
Required Reading:
Blog (Sep 15)
Week 2Sep 16Lecture:
Tutorial:
  • Reading a Paper
  • Slides
  • Worksheet

  • Office Hours Cancelled on Friday Sep 20th
    Tutorial Reading:
    Required Reading
    Blog (Sep 22)
    Week 3Sep 23Lecture:
    Tutorial:
    Recommended Reading Blog (Sep 29)
    Week 4Sep 30Lecture:
    RGASC Drop In for Critical Review
    October 3rd 1pm-4pm
    North Building 3rd Floor

    Tutorial:
    • Group Work and Team Formation
      This is a required tutorial
      (5% penalty on the Project Plan if you do not attend)
    • Slides
    • Project Plan Handout
    Required
    Recommended
    Critical Review (Oct 6)
    Week 5Oct 7Lecture:
    Tutorial:
    • Technical Writing: Git, Github, Markdown
    • Slides
    Project Plan (Oct 13)

    Reading week, no class / tutorial

    Ten Great Books

    Blog (Oct 20)

    Presentation Slides (due Oct 21, 11pm)

    Week 6Oct 21Lecture:
    Tutorial:
    • Design Review Presentations
    RequiredRecommendedCode Commit (Oct 27)
    Week 7Oct 28Lecture:
    Tutorial:
    • Design Review Presentations (Required)
    Critical Review Edits (Nov 3 TBD)
    Week 8Nov 4Lecture:
    • Midterm

    Tutorial:
    • Revising the Critical Review
    • Slides
    Documentation (Nov 10)
    Week 9Nov 11Lecture:
    Tutorial:
    • Time for Group Work
    Final Presentation Slides
    Week 10Nov 18Lecture:
    • Interpersonal Scenarios
    • Presentation Preparation
    • Slides

    Tutorial:
    • Final Presentations
    Blog (Nov 24)
    Week 11Nov 25Lecture Activities:
    Tutorial:
    • Final Presentations (Required)
    Required Reading:Blog (Dec 1)
    Week 12Dec 2Lecture Activities:Project Repository (Dec 4)

    Final Examinations

    You can find old csc290 exams here. Keep in mind that the content covered each term may be different.