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Syllabus, CS 201, Programming Concepts I (Java), Spring 2002
30907, 001, TTh, 11:30-12:45, ENGR 109
Instructor: Kirk Scott CAS 154L phone: 786-4819
email:
home page: http://www.math.uaa.alaska.edu/~afkas/
Office hours: MWF 1:00-2:15. With the exception of classes and lunch I’m likely to be around the office between 10:30 and 5:00 most days. If you want to make sure you’ll see me outside of office hours you can make an appointment. You can call, and if I’m here and not busy with a human visitor, I’ll answer. I do not answer the phone when there is a person in my office. If I don’t answer the phone, send me an email message. I check email regularly and you will get a timely reply from me by email. I don’t check phone messages regularly.
Textbook: Computing Concepts with Java 2 Essentials, 2nd ed. by Cay Horstmann, John Wiley and Sons, c. 2000.
Supplies: Students will probably want to buy at least 2 3.5" HD diskettes for use during the semester. See below for information on an editor and compiler.
Any students with disabilities who may need special accommodations should contact Disability Support Services at 786-4530 as early in the semester as possible.
Grading in the course will be based on 10 assignments, 3 midterm exams of 65 minutes’ length, and a final exam of 2 hours and 45 minutes’ length. Points for these elements are as follows.
10 assignments at 15 points apiece: 150
3 midterm exams at 100 points apiece: +300
Final exam +100
Throw out the lowest midterm (see below) –100
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Total 465
Individual assignments and tests will receive points only, not letter grades. Grades will be assigned based on the total points accumulated by the end of the semester according to the curve below. This curve may be lowered if necessary. It will not be raised.
90-100% A
80-89% B
70-79% C
60-69% D
Below 60% F
Lab Information:
If you have a relatively up to date computer at home you should be able to duplicate the software that is being used in the computer lab to support this course. We will be using the jdk compiler which can be downloaded at www.sun.com. We will also be using the shareware editor TextPad which can be downloaded from www.textpad.com. If you successfully download and install java followed by TextPad using the default installation instructions you should be able to compile and run java programs through TextPad. The course web page contains a link to an information sheet with additional details.
Assignments:
The due dates for assignments are not listed separately on the timeline below. In effect, the due date for any assignment is the time of the test covering the material that was on the assignment. It is advisable to finish the assignments before the test, but assignments will also be accepted for credit after the test. The exception to this is the final test. The final due date for all materials in the course is the time of the final.
Students may work together on lab assignments. However, each student has to hand in a copy of the assignment in order to get “checked off” (receive points). Plagiarism witch hunts will not be conducted. The only instance I can foresee where I would be compelled to track down plagiarism is if one student complained that another had made use of his or her work without permission. If something like this can be substantiated, it will be dealt with by a reduction in points. As for things like finding solutions on the Internet, in books, etc., as far as I’m concerned, this may simply be a learning tool which you are making use of. I will find out whether you can write code of your own on the tests.
The majority of points in the course come from tests, so test scores will have the greatest effect on the grade you receive. It is my belief that homework and tests together conform to the “rich get richer and the poor get poorer” principle. By doing homework, not only do you receive points for the work done, but you practice the skills which are needed on tests. Having done the homework will tend to have the effect of increasing the number of points you earn on tests. Students sometimes wonder how to study for a programming test. I am not sure that cramming the night before by re-reading the textbook is the most helpful approach. All tests will include a large programming component, so a profitable use of time may be to review the programming problems that were assigned.
Tests:
The number of tests and their dates will not be changed. If less material is covered than is shown in the timeline before a test, only the material covered will be included on the test.
Extensive reviews will not be conducted during the class period before a test. If students come with questions about the test during that period, they will be entertained. General questions will also be taken for up to ten minutes at the beginning of the test period before the test is handed out.
If a student cannot take a test at the regularly scheduled time, a request to take it at an alternative time has to be made in advance. The test has to be made up no later than the class session following the date of the test.
The 3 midterms count equally. At the end of the semester the lowest individual midterm test score will be thrown out and the final number of points earned in the course will be calculated on the basis of the 2 remaining midterm test scores plus the final test score plus the points earned for homework. Please note that the final test score will not be thrown out. In a situation where a student is unable to request a rescheduling of a test before the test is given, or is unable to take the test before the next class session, the student will have to take a zero on the test and rely on this policy to throw the score away.
Using any resources not specifically approved by the instructor in advance when taking a test will result in a score reduced, possibly to zero. These “forbidden” resources can be of any kind, including, but not limited to, consulting with someone else while taking the test, written notes, computer or other media, etc. Unless otherwise announced, you can expect the following resources to be allowed: a writing instrument and scratch paper.
Incompletes:
The university’s incomplete grade policy as published in the catalog is given in the paragraph following this one. Note that certain conditions must be met to qualify for an incomplete, and certain conditions must be met in order to resolve an incomplete successfully. Before requesting an incomplete you need to make sure that you qualify and that you are prepared to deal with the consequences of taking one.
“An “I” (Incomplete) is a temporary grade. It is used to indicate that a student has made satisfactory progress in the majority of the work in a course, but for unavoidable absences or other conditions beyond the control of the student, has not been able to complete the course. The Incomplete Grade Contract, a signed contract form between the student and the faculty member that stipulates the assignment(s) required to finish the course, is required and must be completed for each “I” grade assigned and is to be maintained in the department or dean’s office. Course work must be completed by a date specified in the contract, not to exceed one year. Upon completion of the required course work, the faculty member must submit a change of grade form to Enrollment Services. If course work is not completed within one year or if the terms specified on the Incomplete Contract are not met, the student may be assigned a failing grade (F or NP, depending on the grading basis of the course). If course work is not completed within one year and the faculty member does not submit a change of grade at that time, the “I” will become a permanent grade and it will be necessary for the student to re-register to obtain credit for the course.”
Timeline (subject to change except for test dates)
January
T 8 Ch. 1, Introduction
Th 10 Ch. 1, cont’d., lab 1
T 15 Ch. 2, Fundamental Data Types
Th 17 Ch. 2, cont’d., lab 2
T 22 Ch. 3, Introduction to Classes
Th 24 Ch. 3, cont’d.
T 29 Ch. 3, cont’d., lab 3
Th 31 Test 1, 100 pts.
February
T 5 Ch. 4, Applets and Graphics
Th 7 Ch. 4, cont’d., lab 4
T 12 Ch. 5, Decisions
Th 14 Ch. 5, cont’d., lab 5
T 19 Ch. 6, Iteration
Th 21 Ch. 6, cont’d., lab 6
T 26 Test 2, 100 pts.
Th 28 Ch. 7, More About Methods
March
T 5 Ch. 7, cont’d.
Th 7 Ch. 7, cont’d., lab 7
T 12 Ch. 9, Inheritance and Interfaces
Th 14 Ch. 9, cont’d.
T 19 Ch. 9, cont’d., lab 8
Th 21 Test 3, 100 pts.
3/24-3/30 Spring Break, no classes
April
T 2 Ch. 9, cont’d.
Th 4 Ch. 9, cont’d.
T 9 Ch. 9, cont’d., lab 9
Th 11 Ch. 11, Arrays and Vectors
T 16 Ch. 11, cont’d., lab 10
Th 18 Loose Ends
4/23-4/27 Days of Forgetfulness and Remembrance (Contingency Days)
Final, 100 pts., Thursday, May 2nd, 10:00 a.m.-12:45 p.m.