CIS 325: Programming for Business Analytics

(Term: Fall 2023)

Professor: Tongxin Zhou

Office: BAC 688
Email: Tongxin.Zhou@asu.edu (Email title should start with “[CIS 325]”)
Office Hours: Mondays & Wednesdays 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Zoom: https://asu.zoom.us/j/89906415498
Also available by appointment — please reach out via email to schedule

TA: Mokshagna Rohit Gangavarapu

Email: mgangav1@asu.edu

Class Sections

Section# Days Start End Location

82483 MW 3:00 PM 4:15 PM Tempe – BAC 213
82472 MW 4:30 PM 5:45 PM Tempe – BAC 213

Course Description
Python for Data Business Analysis is concerned with the nuts and bolts of manipulating, processing, cleaning,
and crunching data in Python with a focus on utilizing these tools in business applications. It is also a practical,
modern introduction to scientific computing in Python, tailored for data-intensive business applications.

W. P. Carey School of Business Learning Goals

The Undergraduate Program of the W.P. Carey School of Business has established the following learning goals
for its graduates. Items in bold have significant coverage in this course, but all five learning goals apply to
this course.
1. Critical Thinking
2. Communication
3. Discipline Specific Knowledge
4. Ethical Awareness and Reasoning
5. Global Awareness

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Course Objectives
Students will gain knowledge of techniques and methodologies used to load, clean, transform, merge, and
reshape data. A significant component of the course will cover introductory programming concepts using the
Python language. Students will learn about Pandas and matplotlib features as well as modeling business data.

Learning Outcomes
Material in this course will be presented through instructor lecture accompanied by hands-on computer pro-
gramming demonstrations, exercises, and assignments. At the completion of the course, students are expected
to accomplish the following objectives:
Basic fundamental programming concepts (such as variables, expressions, control structures, data struc-
ture, function, file operations, database operations) using the Python language.
Knowledge of techniques and methodologies to load, clean, transform, merge, and reshape data.
Familiarity and use of Python packages and libraries (such as Pandas, NumPy, SciPy, matplotlib, NLTK, scikit-
learn) to model and analyze business data.

Textbook and Materials

Textbook: “Python for Data Analysis: Data Wrangling with Pandas, NumPy and IPython” by Wes McKinney.
O’Reilly Media. 2nd Edition (Oct 2017); ISBN-13 978-1491957660; ISBN-10 1491957662.

Computing environment: Personal computer or Lab computer. If you don’t have your laptop, you can check
one out from the library (and use it the entire semester) on a first-come, first-served basis: https:
//lib.asu.edu/laptops-and-hotspots.
You also need to have the following software on your computer.
Zoom + Respondus Lockdown Browser
Python tools and environment (in this class we will be using Anaconda)

Additional resources to learn Python include:

Learn Python the Hard Way: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FGUS948
Google’s online Python class: https://developers.google.com/edu/python
LearnByExample.org online Python tutorial: https://www.learnbyexample.org/python
It is considered a violation of academic integrity to utilize course materials, which are illegally sourced. Please
ensure that you are ordering and paying for your own materials.

Course Website: https://canvas.asu.edu/courses/157870

ASU Canvas is the online portal for this course. Once you log into the Canvas class website, you will see specific
links to various components of this course. I will post all course materials (including syllabus, lecture notes,
videos, assignments, exercises, sample codes, etc.) onto the class website. Canvas also provides and/or
integrates tools that allow all of us to interact and collaborate online. If you have questions about certain
topics that you think will benefit multiple students, I encourage you to start a discussion thread on Canvas
(the Slack channel).

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Grading Criteria

Name Percentage
Assignments
Assignments are unstructured learning activities designed to develop hands-on experience with
new material. Seven assignments will be started in class with the instructor’s guidance and will
48%
need to be completed and submitted no later than the due dates specified in the course
schedule. There are no late, makeup or extensions in submissions, but the lowest assignment
will be dropped.
Quizzes
Seven quizzes throughout the semester will combine written answers, graphics/diagrams, logic,
short answer questions, problem-solving, programming, and/or multiple-choice components 6%
covering class materials. There will be no makeup quizzes or extensions in submission
deadlines, but the lowest score will be dropped. All quizzes will take place on the dates listed in
the course schedule, unless changed by the instructor.
Midterm and Final Exam
Two midterms and one final exam throughout the semester will combine written answers,
graphics /diagrams, logic, short answer questions, problem solving, programming, and/or
multiple-choice components covering class materials. There is no makeup midterm/final or 46%
extensions in submission deadlines. All exams will take place on the dates listed in the course
schedule, unless changed by the instructor. Final exam will be graded based on the group
project (deliverable materials + group presentation).
Total 100%

All the above assessments are INDIVIDUAL effort.

Any submissions not made using Canvas will receive zero credit.
All quizzes and exams are closed book, timed and conducted electronically during class hours. Student
attendance during the class and the use of Respondus Lockdown Browser are required. Two sheets of paper
(size 8.5 inches by 11 inches) of hand-written notes will be allowed.
There are no bonus points or extra credits for the course. Late submissions will not be accepted, and no
alternative quizzes/exams will be given unless prior arrangement before the submission deadline is made with
the professor.
Any form of plagiarism will be treated seriously and will result in zero points for both the receiver and provider
(if involved). All exercises and assignments will be programming, and it can be tempting to copy and
paste codes. Copying code or data (either fully or partially) and claiming it as your own work is considered
as academic dishonesty. If you use code from other sources in your assignments (this does not include your
peer’s work), you should put an appropriate reference to it. See “Honor Code” section below for more details.
Scores will not be dropped when students have an academic integrity violation in any part of the class.
Vacations, previously purchased tickets or reservations, weddings, and other small- or large-scale social
events, are not viable excuses for missing a test. Please contact the professor and/or the Dean of Students
Office with any questions. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.

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Grading Weights
Final course grades will be determined by the following weights.
Name Point Drop Lowest? Total
Assignment 1 8
Assignment 2 8
Assignment 3 8 6 Assignments × 8 points each = 48 points
Assignment 4 8 Yes
Assignment 5 8
Assignment 6 8
Assignment 7 8
Quiz 1 1
Quiz 2 1
Quiz 3 1
Quiz 4 1 Yes 6 Quizzes × 1 point each = 6 points
Quiz 5 1
Quiz 6 1
Quiz 7 1
Midterm Exam 1 12
No 2 Midterms × 12 points each = 24 points
Midterm Exam 2 12
Final Exam (Group
22 No 1 Final × 22 points = 22 points
Project)
Total 100 points

Grading Scale
Final course grades will be based on the following guidelines:

Grade Min Score Max Score

A+ 97 ≤ ≤100
A 93 ≤ < 97
A- 90 ≤ < 93
B+ 87 ≤ < 90
B 83 ≤ < 87
B- 80 ≤ < 83
C+ 77 ≤ < 80
C 70 ≤ < 77
D 60 ≤ < 70
E/Fail 0≤ < 60

Actual grades may be curved up or down based on the overall class performance, level of difficulty of the
assessments, etc., as judged by the professor.

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Class Participation
While class participation will NOT be graded, it is essential to your success in this course. Important Notices
(assignments, quizzes, dates, group project details, etc.) will be announced during class time. Good class
participation practices include:
Attendance of class.
Response to professor’s questions in class.
Quantity and quality of your comments, suggestions, and questions.
Relevancy and continuity of your remarks with any classroom discussions.
Help to keep class lively, focused and meaningful.

Classroom Policies
Cell phone usage (for any form of communication) during class is strictly prohibited. If necessary, you may
step out of class to use your cell phone but do so at your discretion of missing important lecture material and
announcements.
Laptops may be used only for the purposes of following along during class, doing guided or in-class exercises,
and taking notes.
No material covered in this class may be shared in any form (this includes lectures, handouts, assignments,
quizzes, and exams).
Any type of recording of lectures is strictly prohibited.

Honor Code, Academic Integrity, and Ethical Behavior

Each student is individually responsible for the integrity of his/her own work. Unless explicitly stated oth-
erwise, each individual assessment does not permit cooperation between students. By placing names on
assignments, students are affirming that the contents are their original work. Consulting work done by
students in this course, in other platforms, or in previous years is a violation of academic integrity. This
policy will be vigorously enforced.

Cheating of any sort will not be tolerated and will result in strict penalties. Those penalties ordinarily will
range from a full 2-letter reduction in final course grade (at a minimum) to expulsion from the program and the
School of Business. Any subsequent act of academic misconduct, regardless of severity, will result in dismissal
from the program and the School of Business.

A student who knowingly assists another student in committing an act of academic misconduct shall be equally
accountable for the violation and shall be subject to the sanctions and other remedies described in the Student
Academic Integrity Policy.

The use of generative AI, including ChatGPT, must adhere to the same standards. When utilizing large language
models for any academic work, it is essential to ensure that the work remains entirely original and properly
attributed. Utilizing ChatGPT or any other AI model to generate content without proper citation and
acknowledgment of sources constitutes plagiarism and is a violation of academic integrity.

For details of the academic integrity, please refer to the University Academic Integrity website:

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https://provost.asu.edu/academic-integrity.
The honor code for the W. P. Carey School of Business undergraduate program can be found at:
https://students.wpcarey.asu.edu/resources/honor-code.

Absence and Late Submission Policies

You are expected to attend each class in full. If you cannot make a class, you are expected to notify your
professor in advance or, if an emergency or unexpected reason, as soon as possible afterwards. Attendance will
not be taken in class, but regularly missing a class or being late for a class will negatively influence your class
participation and may result in you failing the course. You are expected to make up any materials discussed
in a class that you miss.
If you miss a class in which a quiz or exam was given, whether you will be given an opportunity to make
up the quiz or exam is at your professor’s discretion and will depend largely on the reason for missing that
class and the quiz/exam.
Assignments are due on the date/time shown on Canvas for each. If you submit an assignment past the
deadline, your professor may or may not accept the late submission depending on the reason and may or may
not deduct points for submitting late.

Religious Accommodations
Accommodations will be made for students with religious holidays. The calendar of official religious holidays
can be found at: https://eoss.asu.edu/cora/holidays. Each holiday noted with two asterisks denotes an
observance for which work is not allowed. For these holidays, students will not be penalized in any way for
missing class or assignment. This means that this will not count as an absence in class and they will be granted
a makeup assignment or exam, etc.
All requests for accommodation must be submitted by the end of the second week of class.

University-Sanctioned Activities
Accommodations will be made for students who miss class related to university-sanctioned activities according
to ACD 304-02. If you are participating in a university-sanctioned activity, please let your instructor know as
early in the course as possible so that accommodations can be made.

Tutoring Support
Please note that the W. P. Carey School of Business provides free tutoring in BA 201 for a number of
undergraduate business classes. Assistance with writing is also provided.
More information regarding courses offered and hours are available here: https://studentsuccess.asu.edu/
student-services/tutoring/tempe-campus.
In addition to the W. P. Carey Student Success Center, Arizona State University provides writing assistance
through multiple platforms. More information can be found here: https://provost.asu.edu/academic-integrity.

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Threatening Behavior Policy
The university takes threatening behavior very seriously and these situations will be handled in accordance
with the Student Services Manual, SSM 102-02: https://www.asu.edu/aad/manuals/ssm/ssm104-02.html

Disability Accommodations
If you need an accommodation for a disability, please refer to the ASU Student Accessibility and Inclusive
Learning Services (SAILS) at: https://eoss.asu.edu/drc.

Sexual Violence Awareness and Response

Title IX is a federal law that provides that no person be excluded on the basis of sex from participation in, be
denied benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity. Both Title IX and
university policy make clear that sexual violence and harassment based on sex is prohibited. An individual who
believes they have been subjected to sexual violence or harassed on the basis of sex can seek support,
including counseling and academic support, from the university. If you or someone you know has been
harassed on the basis of sex or sexually assaulted, you can find information and resources at:
https://sexualviolenceprevention.asu.edu/faqs.

As a mandated reporter, I am obligated to report any information I become aware of regarding alleged acts of
sexual discrimination, including sexual violence and dating violence. If you wish to discuss any concerns,
confidentially and privately, ASU Counseling Services is available at: https://eoss.asu.edu/counseling.

Copyrighted Material
All course materials are copyrighted and cannot be sold or transferred to others in any form (print, electronic,
etc.) without consulting your instructor for permission.

Information contained within this syllabus is subject to

change (except grading and absence policies).

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 Tentative Course Schedule (updates, if any, will be announced in class and posted on Canvas)

Week Class # Date Topic(s) Reading Work Due1

1 1 M 8/21/23 Introduction; Anaconda (IDE) Setup Ch 1.2
2 W 8/23/23 Language Basics; Semantics; Everything is an Object Ch 2.3 Assignment 1
2 3 M 8/28/23 Language Basics; Scalar: Numeric, String, Boolean Ch 2.3
4 W 8/30/23 Language Basics; Scalar: Unicode, Dates, Time Ch 2.3 Quiz 1
3 - M 9/4/23 No Class – Labor Day
5 W 9/6/23 Language Basics; Control Flow Ch 2.3 Assignment 2
4 6 M 9/11/23 Data Structures; Tuple Ch 3.1
7 W 9/13/23 Data Structures; List Ch 3.1 Quiz 2
5 8 M 9/18/23 Data Structures; Built-in Sequence Functions Ch 3.1
9 W 9/20/23 Data Structures: Dictionary, Set Ch 3.1 Assignment 3
6 10 M 9/25/23 Data Structures; List, Set, and Dict Comprehensions Ch 3.1
11 W 9/27/23 Functions; Namespaces, Scope, Return values Ch 3.2 Quiz 3
7 - M 10/2/23 Midterm 1 exam review
- W 10/4/23 Midterm 1 exam in class Midterm 1 exam
8 - M 10/9/23 No Class – Fall Break
12 W 10/11/23 Lambda Functions, Iterators, Generators, Errors/ Ch 3.2 Assignment 4
Exception Handling (Form Group)
9 - M 10/16/23 TA tutoring & Group Discussion 1 Decide the dataset
for group project
13 W 10/18/23 NumPy and Pandas Ch 4.1, 5.1 Quiz 4
10 14 M 10/23/23 Pandas; Essential Functionalities Ch 5.2
15 W 10/25/23 Pandas; Summary and Descriptive Statistics Ch 5.3 Quiz 5
11 16 M 10/30/23 Consuming Data Formats (Text files; Excel; SQL) Ch 6.1, 6.4, 8.3
- W 11/1/23 Midterm 2 exam review Assignment 5
12 - M 11/6/23 Midterm 2 exam in class Midterm 2 exam
- W 11/8/23 TA tutoring & Group Discussion 2 Assignment 6
13 17 M 11/13/23 Plotting & Visualization Ch 9.1, 9.2 Quiz 6
18 W 11/15/23 Statistical Analytics with Python (statsmodels) Ch 13.3
14 19 M 11/20/23 Predictive Analytics with Python (scikit-learn) Ch 13.4 Quiz 7
- W 11/22/23 No Class – Thanksgiving Eve (Prepare for group Assignment 7
project presentation)
15 20 M 11/27/23 Presentation Day 1 Peer evaluation
21 W 11/29/23 Presentation Day 2 Peer evaluation
1
“Work Due” column specifies the work need to be completed after the class session. Detailed due date will be announced in
class/on Canvas.

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