CIS 110 {{FULL_TERM}} - Recitation Assignment and Change
Requests
CIS 110 uses its own system for assigning recitations that is
independent of PennInTouch. Our system allows us to make you get
assigned a recitation you can attend, even if the course is full, and
also to balance the number of students in each recitation so none is
too large or too small.
[Update:] The deadline to request a recitation change
for scheduling or an other reason is Saturday, Feb 8,
11:59pm. These requests will be processed in Sunday. The
deadline to request a switch to a different length
recitation is one week later: Saturday, Feb 15
11:59pm.
Please read the following information carefully; it covers many
common questions about the CIS 110 recitation assignment system.
- 2-Hour vs. 1-Hour Recitations: Recitations 201 - 206
are two hours in length, and are intended for students who
have no prior programming experience and would like extra
time in recitation to review concepts and work on structured
programming exercies. Recitations 207 - 217 are 1 hour in length,
and are intended for students who have any prior experience at
all and/or would like to spend less time in recitation each
week. You should make your own judgement as to which
recitation length you prefer, and we will make our best effort to
accomodate that request. If you change your mind about which
recitation length is best for you, you my submit a new
request at until one week after the add deadline.
- Changing recitations: If your schedule changes, you
would like a different recitation length, or you are unhappy with
your current recitation assignment, just complete this form again to
request a change. You will be able to request a change for any
reason at least until the add deadline, and to change recitation
length for at least one week beyond the add deadline. Note that
requests are processed in batches, not instantaneously; if you
have an outstanding request, your new one will update it.
- The system automatically assigns you to a
recitation session based on your preferences and
conflicts. Rather than picking among the open recitations,
you may select:
- which recitations you would prefer to attend (your first
choices),
- which you are able to attend (your second choices), and
- which you are unable to attend (your conflicts).
This gives a reasonable trade-off between individual choice and
ensuring that all students are able to attend vibrant
recitations.
- Enter preferences for every recitation, not just
your preferred recitation length. We will attempt to assign you
a recitation in the following order, subject to space:
- A recitation you would like of your preferred length;
- A recitation you can attend of your preferred
length;
- A recitation you would like, but not your preferred
length;
- A recitation you can attend, but no your preferred length.
Remember, if you are not happy with your assigned recitation,
you can submit a new request.
- You must provide specific conflicts for each recitation you
say that you are unable to attend. If you do not,
your request may be rejected and you will need to enter a new
request.
- It is your responsibility to keep the system updated if your
preferences or class schedule change. You will be
able to modify your existing request, and it will be processed
according to the modification time. If you fail to modify your
request, you may be assigned a recitation that is no longer
convenient.
- We will start processing requests on Saturday, January 25.
Recitation assignment requests received prior to 9:00 PM
on Saturday, January 25 will receive equal
consideration.
Requests received after that will be handled in the order
they are received, except that priority will be given to assigning
recitations for new students over change requests.
- Requests are processed in batches, approximately once per
day starting on Jan. 25, and with decreasing frequency as
enrollments settle. If you request a recitation change,
it may not get processed until the following Sunday.
Processing requests in batches gives the system more flexibility
to assign you a recitation that is most convenient for you.
Late Penalty:
- If you do not submit a first recitation assignment request prior
to submitting Homework 1, there will be a point deduction on
every homework assignment until you submit your recitation
request. This reflects the fact that recitation attendance is
required. There will be no penalty if you did not request
a recitation before submitting Homework 0.
Tips and Notes:
- It is up to you whether to mark very few or lots of the
recitations you can attend as """"preferred."""" However, the fewer
recitations you mark as preferred, the more likely you are to be
assigned one of your """"able to attend"""" recitations, and it may
not be one you want. We encourage you to list all reasonably
convenient recitations among your """"preferred"""" recitations to
minimize the chance you will be assigned a very inconvenient
one.
- There is no advantage to an early vs. a late recitation time in
terms of course material or homework. There is also no advantage
to one recitation vs. another in the same time slot: all
recitations will be held in Towne, Lavine, and David Rittenhouse
Laboratories (DRL). Towne and Lavine are part of the Engineering
complex at 33rd and Walnut; DRL is just across 33rd. The exact
room assignments will be posted to the course web site during the
first week of class.
- Once the semester starts, we typically process change requests
once a week until the add deadline. We cannot process change
requests more quickly or on an individual basis. Unless you have
an actual conflict for your recitation time or want to switch
between the 1-hour and 2-hour formats, we generally allow
you to switch recitations only if it improves the balance between
recitations or allows other students to switch into recitations
they would prefer as well. We can only make those types of
switches by considering change requests in groups. (We definitely
encourage you to submit a change request if you would prefer a
different recitation. The worst that happens is we leave you in
your current recitations.)
- There is at least a one-day delay from
when you register for the class in PennInTouch to when you can
sign up for recitation. This is a limitation of
PennInTouch, which only sends us updated class lists once a day.
The request form is only available to registered
students.
Recitation Times and Rooms:
2-Hour recitations, designed for students with no prior
experience at all who want extra time in recitation to go over
concepts and work on structured programming exercise:
Rec. | Time | Room |
Rec. | Time | Room |
201 | M 2-4 | Caster A17 |
204 | T 12-2 | Caster A19 |
202 | M 3-5 | Williams 301 |
205 | T 2-4 | Caster A19 |
203 | M 4-6 | Caster A17 |
206 | T 3-5 | DRL 4E9 |
1-Hour recitations, designed for students who have any
prior programming experience at all and/or who feel
comfortable with the course and would like to spend less
time in recitation:
Rec. | Time | Room |
Rec. | Time | Room |
207 | M 2-3 | Williams 5 |
213 | T 2-3 | McNeil 110 |
208 | M 2-3 | Williams 201 |
214 | T 2-3 | DRL 4E9 |
209 | M 5-6 | DRL 3C4 |
215 | T 3-4 | DRL 4E19 |
210 | M 6-7 | Towne 303 |
216 | T 4-5 | DRL 2C6 |
211 | T 11-12 | Williams 5 |
217 | T 6-7 | Towne 309 |
212 | T 12-1 | DRL 2C2 |
Accessing the Recitation Assignment System: