Syllabus - CSCE 105 (Spring 2006)


CONTENTS


COURSE INFORMATION

INSTRUCTOR(s.150): Lab TA: Grader:
Cory Strope Cate Anderson Yijun Lu
Beadle, Rm. N169 Avery
Room 123F
501 Building
Room 2.6
472-0820
cstrope AT cse.unl.edu anderson AT cse.unl.edu yijlu AT cse.unl.edu
M 2:30-3:30 (Avery 21) W 3:30-4:30 (Avery 20) TR 3:30-4:30 (Beadle) T 2:00-4:00

Web Site: http://csce.unl.edu/~cstrope/csce105s06

PREREQUISITES: Four years of high school math and keyboarding.

TIME: 1:30 pm - 2:20 pm MWF

Credits: 3

CLASSROOM: Ferguson Hall 217

TEXTBOOKS:
Required: Problem Solving and Program Design in C, 4th edition, by Jeri R. Hanly and Elliot B. Koffman. Addison Wesley, 2004, ISBN 0-321-19803-4.


COURSE OBJECTIVES

In this course you will learn the fundamentals of problem solving using a computer. You will also learn programming fundamentals using C. Other topics may include mathematical logic and functions that apply to computer science. The final topic that will be covered is constructs, types, and algorithmic techniques used in elementary programming.

In this course we will follow the book closely, but when necessary I will supplement it with relevant information from other books.

Note: Credit in CSCE 105 will not count towards a major or minor in Computer Science or Computer Engineering.


COURSE ELEMENTS

HOMEWORK

There will be 5 homework assignments, each is due at the beginning of class on the due date . Do not walk in after class and try to turn in a homework assignment (it will be considered late). These assignments will mostly include computer-based problems and a few non-computer-based problems. The first is to help you understand how the ideas are used and the second is to help you understand the ideas. Late homework submissions will be accepted, but a 20% penalty is assigned to the homework each day it is late. Note that if the homework is turned in after class, it is considered 1 day late. If you have a valid excuse for a late submission (e.g. illness), fill out the missed assignment form and contact me as soon as possible.

Unless otherwise indicated on a specific assignment, you may not consult each other for assistance on the homework. If you are unsure about the homework consult Cate Anderson, Yijun Lu, or me (refer to the CSCE Department's Policy on Academic Integrity for more information).

You must use some document processing package (e.g. LaTeX, or MS Word) to write your homework submissions. If you are using Word, you must use Courier New font, with a font size of 10. To turn off the AutoCorrect options in Word, go to the Tools menu, AutoCorrect option, and uncheck the necessary options (particularly "Capitalize first letter of sentences").

Homework submissions MUST be stapled!! The homework submissions will include the written portion of the homework, formatted as above, the programming portion of the homework (each program printed on a separate page, formatted as above), and a Grade sheet as the last page. Failure to staple your homework will result in a deduction of 5 points and the possibility of losing portions of the homework assignment.

You must write as clearly and concisely as possible. If I cannot understand what you wrote due to poor writing, etc., then I cannot award full credit, even if your answers are correct. Thus I recommend that you ask someone (e.g. a friend or someone from the English Department, but not a student in this class) to proofread your write-ups before you submit them, to check for clarity, typographical errors, etc. If English is not your native language, then I strongly recommend this!

Programming homeworks must be submitted using WebHandin, each program handed in as a separate file. The naming convention for the programs is: username_#.c. Thus, if I was handing in a program for problem 7 of any homework, the filename is: cstrope_7.c. Failure to correctly name your program will result in a 20% deduction. Additionally, all programs MUST run on the cse.unl.edu compiler (See UNIX help for an example on how to run the CSE compiler). If the program does not run on the CSE compiler, even if the program works perfectly on other platforms (Such as Dev-C++), a 20% deduction will be taken. I strongly recommend that you use cse.unl.edu as your primary compiler.

Finally, ensure that all your answers (e.g. program code, homework write-ups) are reasonably well-protected. You will be held responsible if someone copies your files and submits them to me as homework solutions. Thus if someone copies your homework and turns it in, both of you will be considered cheating.

EXAMS

There will be 2 exams in this course. The first exam will be given before spring break. The second exam will be given during finals week. There will be NO makeup exams given unless there are extraordinary circumstances. In case you think there are extraordinary circumstances fill out the missed assignment form and contact me immediately.

QUIZZES

There will be at least 4 quizzes in this course. There will be a quiz given approximatly every other week and when I feel the class is not doing the required reading.

LAB

There is a weekly lab for this class. Your instructor is Cate Anderson. She will grade your performance in Lab and relate your grade to me.

CodeLab

CodeLab is the web-based interactive programming exercise system for introductory programming classes. The web site is www.turingscraft.com. There are numerous exercises found on their web site. Most of them are one line programs, that is all you have to do is provide a few lines of the program. You will have to register for this web site. Which means you will have to pay Turingscraft directly. I will be providing you with information on how to register, login, and use the software.
CodeLab is optional, if you do it you will get extra credit. The extra credit you recieve will depend on how many problems you get correct and how many students do the CodeLab. If you get all question correct you will get at least 3% bonus added into your grade. The most you can get is 5% bonus.

GRADING
The above items will be weighted as follows:
hwks: 20% 1st exam: 25% 2nd exam: 25% quizzes: 10% lab: 20%

In computing your letter grade I will start with the following base scale:
90% = A 80-89% = B 70-79% = C 60-69% = D 59% = F

You will receive a ``+'' with your grade if the last digit of your score is a 7 or higher, and a ``-'' if the last digit is a 3 or lower. I will scale up from this base scale if necessary. So if you get an 87% in this course you are guaranteed a B+ (similarly, an 82% guarantees a B-), but your grade might be higher depending on your performance relative to the rest of the class.

Academic dishonesty of any kind will be dealt with in a manner consistent with the CSCE Department's Policy on Academic Integrity . You are expected to know and abide by this policy.

Exams are designed to test your understanding of the course material and your problem-solving ability. Therefore, I strongly encourage you to fully understand the concepts presented in the homework assignments. Academic dishonesty will be apparent in through performance on exams.


MISCELLANEOUS

SUGGESTION BOX
Available at the course's web page is an Anonymous Suggestion Box . I encourage you to submit comments or suggestions regarding my teaching style, course content, etc. You can submit your name and e-mail address with your suggestion, but they are not required.

Tips


There are four things that will help you do well in most courses:
  1. Attitude: Your focus should not be on what grade you want/need to get in a class, rather it should be on learning the material as well as you can.
  2. Reading: Read your textbook and reference materials. There is not enough time to discuss everything during the lecture, and the book will give you a different perspective on the material. If it is not clear what sections you should be reading, please ask.
  3. Doing Problems/Programs: Do any suggested problems or programs. It is much easier to understand and remember concepts when you see them in practice.
  4. Attend Lecture/Lab: Whether or not attendance is required, you should always attend. There is always the possibility of missing important information if you skip class. In addition, my experience has shown that those who attend class usually do much better than those who do not. You are responsible for anything you miss during lecture, lab, or recitation.

Important Dates