Summer 2011 CS1043 Course Syllabus

Introduction to Programming and Problem Solving

Instructor: James Childress

Contact:

Office Hours:MTWTh. By appointment

Math and Computer Science Department

Office: U331

Section DayTimeLectureLAB

1 MTWTF10:20am-12:00pmKEP-U3KEP-L2

Course Home Page

http://www.personal.utulsa.edu/~james-childress/

Prerequisite

Successful completion of High School Algebra.

Textbook

Title: Starting Out with Java 5: From Control Structures through Objects

Author: Tony Gaddis

Publisher: Addison-Wesley

ISBN: 978-0-321-47927-3

Course Description

A disciplined introductory approach to problem-solving methods and algorithm development using procedural and object oriented programming techniques. Course includes lecture and weekly laboratory assignments. Students learn to write, debug, test, and document code with the Java programming language. An emphasis is placed on preparation for further studies in the computer science discipline.

Course Objectives

  • Preparation for advanced studies in the Computer Science discipline.
  • Learn programming skills with Java 2.
  • Learn programming and problem solving techniques.
  • Enhancement of reasoning, logic and critical thinking skills.
  • Learn to comprehend technical information.

Teaching Methods

Lecture will be used to explain concepts that may or may not be covered in the textbook. Students will be responsible for topics assigned from the text as well as additional topics covered during lecture. Projects, homework, and labs will be assigned in class and posted on the web. Exams, quizzes, and in class exercises will also be used. Note that quizzes may be given unannounced.

Electronic Devices

Electronic devices may not be used for the exams or quizzes.
Student Evaluation

There will be two mid term exams. Students will be evaluated by their performance on exams, quizzes, labs, homework, in class exercises, and programming projects. Points for the course will be awarded as follows:

1 Programming Project15

Homework & in-class assignments25

10 Labs60

3 Quizzes30

1st mid term exam135

2nd mid term exam135

Total400

Confidential Information

Grades will be posted using Web Advisor at the end of the semester after all exams, quizzes, labs, projects, and assignments are graded. No confidential information will be sent through the e-mail or given over the phone. All requests for grades by e-mail or phone will be denied. Be sure to check the web site for further information about grades. Avoid sending e-mails with attachments. You must make prior arrangements to send the instructor an e-mail message containing an attachment.

Programming Projects and Assignments

Projects and other assignments will be assigned in class and posted on the web. Projects and other assignments must be submitted at or before the beginning of class on the due date to receive full credit. A penalty will be applied to any late project or assignment. The penalty applied to a late project or assignment is 50% (half credit). You cannot receive credit for any project or assignment once that project has been graded and returned to the other students.

Grading

Let n equal the total number of points a student earns during the semester. The letter grade assigned to the point total n, is determined by this scale:

360  n  400 : A

320  n < 360 : B

280  n < 320 : C

240  n < 280 : D

n < 240: F

The instructor reserves the right to adjust grades for any exam, quiz, project, lab, or homework assignment if needed. Any grade adjustments will be consistently applied to all students.

Lab Attendance Policy

Lab attendance is required. You must attend the lab session to receive credit for the lab. You must receive prior approval from the lab instructor for doing a lab outside your regularly scheduled lab session. Lab sessions will have assigned seating. Labs are due at the end of the lab period. The lab assistant may grant an extension. Extensions are available to students who attend the entire lab session or by prior arrangement. Individual lab instructors may elect to include their own additional policies with the approval of the course instructor. Students are expected to be prepared prior to the scheduled lab session. You must spend some time prior to the lab session planning your strategy for completing the assignment.

Student Competency Clause

A student may be asked by a lab instructor or the course instructor to demonstrate a level of competency that is contained in any assignment completed by the student. It is possible to receive no credit for an assignment if a student is unable to demonstrate a level of competency contained in a completed assignment.

ADA Policy

Students with special needs as outlined in the Americans with Disabilities Act: Academic accommodations will be provided when appropriate documentation is presented. Contact the Center for Student Academic Support for details. The Center for Student Academic Support will inform the instructor as to what special accommodations must be provided.

Exam Make-Up Policy

You may take an exam before the regularly scheduled time if a valid and excused absence is documented and approved by the Center for Student Academic Support. Valid and excused absences must be:

  • A University sponsored event or trip.
  • Extraordinary professional, family, or medical hardships. Hardships must have supporting documentation to receive special consideration.

All other requests for rescheduling an exam will be denied. Any make-up exams will be scheduled at the convenience of the instructor. Exact date and time will be posted on the web site.

Attendance

Absence is a detriment to your overall performance. Attendance may be taken periodically and unannounced.

Failure to Withdraw Policy

If you wish to withdraw from the course, you must fill out the necessary forms. Failure to follow through could result in a grade of F for the course in accordance with university policy.

Plagiarism Policy

Plagiarism is claiming, indicating, or implying that the ideas, sentences, or words of another writer are your own. Plagiarism includes having another writer do work claimed to be your own, copying the work of another and presenting it as your own, or following the work of another as a guide to ideas and expression that are then presented as your own. Any work plagiarized by a student will receive no credit (zero points). Plagiarism is considered academic misconduct.

Academic Dishonesty or Misconduct

Academic dishonesty or misconduct is not condoned nor tolerated at Tulsa University. Academic dishonesty is behavior in which a deliberately fraudulent misrepresentation is employed in an attempt to gain undeserved intellectual credit, either for oneself or for another. Academic violations could result in no credit for an assignment, quiz, or exam; a failing grade for the course, or dismissal from the University. Deliberate misuse of the computing facilities falls under the heading of Academic Dishonesty or Misconduct. Examples of computing resource misuse includes but is not limited to the following: downloading information that is not used for academic purposes, copyright infringements, downloading or accessing illegal materials, personal business transactions for profit, malicious computer attacks designed to disrupt general computer activities, etc.

Classroom Etiquette

Students are expected to be attentive during class and not disrupt the learning process. Everyone is encouraged to participate in class discussions as directed by the instructor. Students are also encouraged to ask the instructor questions about the course material.

Here is a list of activities that can disrupt the learning process:

  • Forgetting to turn-off your cell phone during lecture, quiz, or exam time.
  • Habitual tardiness.
  • Leaving and re-entering the classroom during lecture, quiz or exam time.
  • Engaging in conversation not relevant to the classroom activities.

Tentative Schedule of Activities

The instructor may change the assignment schedule at any time by verbal or written notification in class.

Important dates:

Exam 1Wednesday June 8

ProjectDue Thursday June 23 @ 10:20am

Exam 2 Friday June 24

Topics

  • Introduction, Binary, Decimal, Hexadecimal, Octal, read sections 2.3-2.5, Data Types, Variables, and Arithmetic Expressions.
  • Read sections 2.0-2.2, & 2.9, The String Class & Formatting Output; read sections 2.6-2.8 & 5.1 in text; Static Methods.
  • Read sections 4.0-4.3 Understanding Java Classes & Objects.
  • Read sections 3.0-3.4, Decisions, & Relational Operators; sections 3.4-3.5, Boolean Expressions & Comparing Data Types.
  • Branching
  • Read sections 3.5-3.9, Iteration. Parsing Strings, Traversing Strings, Loop Trip Counts.
  • Nested Loops. Section 5.0, Scope, Lifetime, & Initialization.
  • Read sections 6.0-6.1 and 6.3, Arrays & 2D-Arrays.
  • Arrays
  • Recursion, sections 8.0, 8.1, & 8.3, IO & Exceptions.
  • Read sections 7.0-7.4, Inheritance.
  • Read section 6.2, Sort & Search.
  • Algorithm Efficiency, Big O notation.