Video guidelines

This is not a video production class, so you are not expected to create a polished video with high production quality. However, follow these tips to make a good video:

1. Make good use of the time. Write an outline for your video before recording. Open all of the documents (code, browser tabs) you need. Practice what you are going to say.
2. Record in high definition (aka HD, or 1920x1080 or higher). Since reading text on the screen is key to the portfolio, make sure that you are making a high resolution video so that the text isn’t pixelated/blurry.
3. Record clear audio. Test out your mic before you record the whole thing and make sure that your audio is coming through clearly. The code on screen pluse your narration are the portfolio.
4. Lightly edit. It will be hard to make the video all in one take. Consider using video editing software to join clips together, add still screenshots, and edit out dead time. Don’t feel obligated to do anything fancy (background music, fast/slow motion, titles, credits, transitions).
5. Include code you wrote. Just to be clear, your video should include code that you have written. It is up to you if you want to show several different exercises, a larger program from a challenge problem, or something else that you have written. Do not show somebody else’s code. If you include code that you didn’t write (from the book, written by an AI, found online, written by a friend) please indicate that in the comments and in your narration. Passing off someone else’s work as your own is clear academic dishonesty and will lead to a zero for this assignment and possibly further disciplinary action.
6. Tips for making a good video Each portfolio has some key concepts that you should touch on, but the goal of the portfolio is to show what you learned, not offer wrote/textbook definitions of the concepts. A good portfolio will, typically, show just one (or two) programs that are interesting and complex enough to cover all of the concepts. You do not need to explicitly define the concepts. However, when you are discussing your work, you should use the terms correctly and in context, and your work should include all of the necessary components.

Late submissions

If you submit your portfolio after late (see due date and time on Moodle), you will lose 2 points. You will lose 1 additional point for each day it is late after the first 24 hours.

Submit your portfolio

1. Upload your video to YouTube [how to].
   • Login with your mail.adelphi.edu account or your regular YouTube account.
   • Set the visibility of your video:
     • unlisted (recommended) - anyone with the link can see it
     • private (you must share with mcuringa@adelphi.edu)
     • public (people can search for it and find it on the web and on youtube)
2. Copy the link and submit it on Moodle
3. Optional: post your video on Slack for others to check out

Your video must be between 7 and 10 minutes long. If your video is too long or too short, you will lose 2 points on the final score.

Portfolio 1

Your first portfolio covers chapters 1-5 in How to Think Like a Computer Scientist.

Key concepts for portfolio 1:

1. algorithm: your own definition of an algorithm and an example of an algorithm that you have written.
2. debugging: a demonstration of you debugging your code. Interpret the error message you see, and discuss the type of error (syntax, runtime, semantic).
3. variables: including understanding data types, assignment, re-assignment
4. built-in functions: how to call Python built-in functions using arguments and working with return values
5. style and organization: what makes a good variable name? how do comments work? what decisions did you make to write code that is easily understood by humans?
6. for loops: what is repetition? what are the key aspects of for loops? how to you repeat code n (e.g. 4 times)? how do you iterate over a list?
7. modules: what are modules or libraries in computer programming? how did you use the math, turtle, random, or other modules in your code example?
8. learning: what have you learned? anything interesting, surprising, challenging? anything you are looking forward to learning?

In addition to covering the content above, to receive full points for Portfolio 1, you must demonstrate your code running in VS Code (1 point) and that you understand how to use Chat-GPT for feedback, documentation, or general help (1 point).

Portfolio 2

Your second portfolio covers chapter 6-10, but will also draw on concepts in chapters 1-5. Specifically, your portfolio must include:

1. function parameters: what are parameters? what are arguments? how are parameters different from variables?
2. return statement: demonstrate that you can write functions with return statements by highlighting code that you have written that uses return when the exercise prompt did not tell you what value should be returned.
3. selection: describe the use of if, else, and elif in your code. Point to examples that use return instead of conditional statements. Demonstrate the use of a boolean function.
4. while and for: when should we choose to use while loops and when is a for loop more useful?
5. index notation: demonstrate code that you used to solve a problem using string index notation and slices.
6. string methods: what’s a method? demonstrate code that solves a problem using the methods of the Python string class.
7. composition: demonstrate composition by using one function (you have written, with return) inside another function.