IST 230

One of five introductory core courses for the baccalaureate degree in IST.
The major goal is to learn how to apply logic and discrete mathematics to practical problems in IST.

Learning Objectives - Be able to:

Recognize and make valid logical inferences, and use them to make simple mathematical proofs, effective arguments and defensible decisions.
Express practical problems as concrete discrete mathematics problems.
Convert concrete mathematical problems into abstract mathematical problems for which the solutions are known.
Solve abstract mathematical problems using algorithms or other mathematical tools, and communicate the results to either a technical or nontechnical audience
Develop other basic skills, such as
- How to apply basic number theory to modern cryptography.
- How to analyze sequences of data.
- How to make reasonable decisions under uncertain conditions.
- How to visualize, analyze, and optimize networks using graph theory.

Format of Course:

The course uses Problem-Based Learning. There will be frequent exercises to practice applying mathematical concepts. Early in each mathematical topic, you'll be given fairly detailed instructions on how to approach a problem. As we progress through the topic, you'll be expected to show more independence in finding solutions and be able to apply the ideas to practical problems.
A set of suggested mathematical homework problems is given for each major mathematical topic. You should do these on your own - a solution set is on the website so you can self-check these. These cover the basic technical issues in the course. As we use and progress through each topic, a quiz will be given to assess your basic technical competence. If you stay engaged during class and follow along with the course, these should not be a major obstacle.

Text:

Main text: Course notes on website.
Required adjunct text: Epp, S. (1995). Discrete mathematics with applications, 2nd Ed. Boston, MA: Brooks/Cole. ISBN 0-534-94446-9.
Comment: I strongly recommend this book for alternative explanations of basic mathematical ideas and lots of worked-out examples and practice problems. We've been using this book for a long time, and very reasonably priced copies can be found either from former IST 230 students or online from sources like amazon.com. The new edition is about $150, while copies of this old edition used can be had for about $5.
Strongly recommended logic books (at least one of these):
- Weston, A. (2000). A Rulebook for Arguments, Indianapolis, IN: Hackett. ISBN 0-87220-552-5 (paperback).
  Comment: I strongly recommend this book for a concise (90 page) and well-written volume on how to write logical arguments in the style useful not just in IST 230, but in many other classes and life after school. I compare this to Strunk and White's The Elements of Style. The other really nice part is that the paperback lists for about $7.
- Engle, S.M. (2000). With Good Reason, 6th Ed., St. Martins: Bedford. ISBN 0-31215-758-4 ( paperback). Comment: Another excellent introduction to logical reasoning. Any edition is fine - newer editions are progressively longer. The latest edition is about $30-35 new, and used somewhat less. Older editions can be had online inexpensively.
  
  The reason you need one or more of these logic books is to understand, in non-mathematical terms, what we are trying to do mathematically. You should read at least one of these cover to cover early in the semester, and we can discuss some of the issues here.
Other readings:
There will be some additional readings assigned throughout the semester.

Course Schedule Information:

Section 1: T R 09:45A - 11:00A in 110 IST
Section 2: T R 11:15A - 12:30A in 110 IST

Instructor/TA/UTI Info:

Instructor Information

Teaching Assistant - GraderInformation

Name: Dr. Dave Mudgett
Office: 316J IST
Phone: 865-6173
email: drm1{AT}psu_edu

Name: David Saab - TA
Office: 309 IST

email: dsaab{AT}ist_psu_edu

Name: David Ortiz
Office: Tables outside 208 IST

email: dpo5003{AT}psu_edu

Office Hrs: Tu 1pm-2pm,
Th 4:15-5:15pm, W: 2-3pm
or by appointment.

Office Hours: M 1-2:30pm, Th 10:15-11am, Th 3:30-4:15pm
or by appointment.

Office Hours: F 2-3pm

We also have Undergraduate Teaching Interns (TI) for each section. They will be with us in class, and have all taken the course here at UP. Here's a table of their psu_edu contacts, by section number:

Section 1	Section 2
David Ortiz	Steve Kirsch
Dan Fay	Tulsi Pathak
John Danek	Ken Grazier

Class Policies

You should attend each class and actively participate in class discussions.
Classes will start on time and end as scheduled. Please take your seat prior to the start of class. Computer screens should be "off" or laptops "down" unless we are working on them.
When somebody else has the floor, you must stop talking. The instructor will decide who has the floor, or will delegate that responsibility. You may talk freely while working on assignments in class, which will be most of the time. But if there is a short lecture or open discussion going on, you must not interfere by talking over the speaker. This is a simple matter of respect.
Read all assigned class materials prior to class. Come prepared to ask questions about anything you don't understand. Assigned readings may need to be read several times to gain clarity. I may occasionally give, as a class exercise, a simple "basic concept quiz" to help both of us assess whether or not you understand the material. To prepare for quizzes, I strongly recommend that, as you read through course materials, you make a sheet of notes of definitions and basic concepts. You will always be permitted to use a sheet of notes during any quiz - either these short practice quizzes or the main competency quiz for each topic.
All quizzes are strictly individual effort. After quizzes are distributed, you may not discuss anything with anyone - except the instructor, TAs, or UTIs - until everyone is finished. Calculators are not permitted.
Plagiarism is strictly forbidden. If you use information derived from someone else, in any way, then you must include a formal reference which credits their ideas. I will enforce academic integrity rules vigorously.
On some exercises, you will work as a member of a team. You will be expected to contribute conscientiously to the team's work. If you don't contribute, there is a process by which you can be 'fired' from your team, and lose the credit for team exercises and projects. The instructor will moderate disputes, and alleged non-contributors will have due process and at least one formal warning - but you need to take this seriously. Think of this like you are working on a corporate team – you cannot avoid working with other people. There will be many things you can do apart from the team, but when the team is engaged, you must also be.
Most students who do well in this course need to budget 2-3 hours of out-of-class time for every hour of class. This is a significant time commitment, and should not be undertaken lightly, particularly if you are taking a heavy course load. This time estimate is a guide - depending on your prior mathematical training and competence, you may require more or less time. You should try to evaluate this early in the semester and adjust your course or extracurricular load accordingly.

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PSU Statements on Academic Integrity, Affirmative Action, Sexual Harassment and Students with Disabilities (Required Reading)

Academic Integrity: According to the Penn State Principles and University Code of Conduct,

Academic integrity is a basic guiding principle for all academic activity at Penn State University, allowing the pursuit of scholarly activity in an open, honest, and responsible manner. In according with the University’s Code of Conduct, you must not engage in or tolerate academic dishonesty. This includes, but is not limited to cheating, plagiarism, fabrication of information or citations, facilitating acts of academic dishonesty by others, unauthorized possession of examinations, submitting work of another person, or work previously used without informing the instructor, or tampering with the academic work of other students.

Any violation of academic integrity will be investigated, and where warranted, punitive action will be taken. For every incident when a penalty of any kind is assessed, a report must be filed.

Affirmative Action & Sexual Harassment: The Pennsylvania State University is committed to a policy that all persons shall have equal access to programs, facilities, admission, and employment without regard to personal characteristics not related to ability, performance, or qualifications as determined by University policy or by Commonwealth or Federal authorities. Penn State does not discriminate against any person because of age, ancestry, color, disability or handicap, national origin, race, religious creed, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status. Direct all inquiries to the Affirmative Action Office, 211 Willard Building.

Americans with Disabilities Act: The School of Information Sciences and Technology welcomes persons with disabilities to all of its classes, programs, and events. If you need accommodations, or have questions about access to buildings where IST activities are held, please contact us in advance of your participation or visit. If you need assistance during a class, program, or event, please contact the member of our staff or faculty in charge. Access to IST courses should be arranged by contacting the Office of the Senior Associate Dean, 002D Thomas Building: (814) 865-4457

An Invitation to Students with Learning Disabilities: It is Penn State’s policy to not discriminate against qualified students with documented disabilities in its educational programs. If you have a disability-related need for modifications in your testing or learning situation, your instructor should be notified during the first week of classes so that your needs can be accommodated. You will be asked to present documentation from the Office of Disability Services (located in 116 Boucke Building, 863-1807) that describes the nature of your disability and the recommended remedy. You may refer to the Nondiscrimination Policy in the Student Guide to University Policies and Rules.

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