This repository contains the assignments for NYU CUSP Principles of Urban Informatics 2016. Check here for the new assignments, and for the solutions to be posted. For class material please go here (including the lecture slides, here).
Welcome to CUSP and to Principles of Urban Informatics! In my class I expect to see a supportive, collaborative attitude from all of you, to assure we maintain and foster a learning environment that leads to rigor, excellence, and happiness.
At times you will have a hard time figuring out the solutions to problems. Remember that we admitted you because we believed you would have a positive influence on the class, and that being at CUSP can fulfill your potential as an Urban Scientist. Don't worry about how much you already know, especially do not compare it to what other students know. You may have the wrong perception of your skills, and of the skills of your classmates, and your strengths and the strength of your background may lie in another set of skills, just as important for an Urban Scientist. We are here to help you develop the skills you do not yet have and strengthen the skills you already have. You are here because we want you to be here and believe in your potential.
- Each HW must be turned in as a directory in PUI2016_<netID>.
- The directory HW<hw_number>_<netID> must have a README.md which who was in the group that the student worked in and states the student's participation. No penalty if the student declairs not to have had any contribution but to have jut followed and learned. However missing the README.md, missing the statement about who the student worked with and what they did, or inconsistencies between the statements of students within the group that cannot be easily reconceiled by asking will costs them 10% of the grade.
- Each assignment turned in as a notebook must have rendered plots with axis labels and captions. Each missing/non rendered plot, or plot without axes labels or caption will cost 10% of the grade.
- The notebook must be executables: the TA must downlad the notebook and run it cell by cell without errors. If data are used they must be available to the TA, ideally by loading them online, so that the TA does not need to download large datasets (more details on this will be given in each homework set). The student should use conventional libraries, the use of any unusual library should be justified, and indicated explicitly in the readme, along with links to obtain the library if not available by conda, pip, port, or brew install. Turning in a notebook that cannot be executed will cost 10% of the grade.
- If code is used from other resources, e.g. copying a function found online, the resource must be stated, as a citation, in the notebook. Plagiarism is not allowed (obviously) and severely punished by NYU. Instances of plagiarism will cost the entire homework grade, and may cost failing the class, and may cause expulsion from the program!
- Adherence to coding style (PEP8, see this markdown) will be encouraged in the first half of the semester, without being penalized. In the second half of the semester (starting with the midterm) not adhearing to the PEP8 guidelines will cost 5% of the grade per infraction (per type of infraction).
- Ultimately the homework are for the student to learn, and the test of your learning is in the Midterm and Final, where the student has to work alone. Working in groups is encouraged in the homework preciselly so that students can support each other and learn from eachother taking advantage of the complementary skills they have. Understand the homework, so that you learn. Go over the homework solution and the TA corrections.
The homework is due by Monday 5PM for the Tue class, by Wed 5PM for the Thu class. Late homeworks will not be accepted. A single 2-day exception is allowed throughout the semester, explicitly declare that you are going to use it, and do use it wisely. The lowest grade in the first half of the course (before midterm), and the lowest grade in the second half will be disregarded in assigning you a final grade. If you fail to turn in an assignment that will be a 0, and the lowest grade. This means you will lose the chance to disregard your worst performance. Homework will be exclusively received through github (unless otherwise stated). The homeworks assignments are downloaded automatically at due time, so there will be no ambiguity as of whether the homework will be turned in time.
More material and further information is available on the class website. http://cosmo.nyu.edu/~fb55/PUI2016/