Catalog
Course Description:
[ES][IS]
230. Computer Organization (3 cr)
Lec 3, rct 1. Prereq: Grade of “P” or “C” or better in CSCE 101 or 105 or
150 or 155 155H, or detailed knowledge of a high-level programming language;
parallel CSCE 230L.
Introduction to organization
and structure of computer systems.
Boolean Logic, Digital Arithmetic, Processor Organization, Machine Language
Programming, Input/Output, Memory Organization, System Support Software, and
Communication. (Prerequisites
by topics)
Instructor: Sharad C. Seth, Avery Hall, Room 359
Phone: 472-5003
Email: seth at cse dot unl dot edu
Office Hours: Right after class or by appointment
Teaching Assistants: David Anthony
Email:
Office Hours:
Textbook:
Computer Organization and Design: The Hardware/Software
Interface, Fourth Edition, by David A. Patterson
and John L. Hennessy, Morgan Kaufmann 2009, ISBN: 978-0-12-374493-7 (pbk). Important: The fourth edition is a substantial revision of
the third edition therefore buying the third edition will be to your
disadvantage. The second and earlier editions are outdated and not recommended. Here is a link to the Companion
Website for the textbook.
Course Grading:
You will receive separate grades for the lecture (23) and the
lab (230L) courses. The grading policies for 230L will be announced in the lab.
The grade for the lecture course is apportioned as follows:
(15%) Homework problem sets (about 7)
Recognizing that peer
study is an effective learning tool, you are encouraged to work in groups to
discuss the homework but be sure write your own solutions and indicate whom you
worked with. Some assignments given in the Recitation may also count
as homework. The ability to solve homework problems will pay off in
other components of the course grade. By the same token, failure to turn in
homework will have a greater negative impact on your grade.
(20%) Group Project: A semester project, completed in groups of two, formally
assigned by mid-semester and carried out by the end of the semester.
(20%) Chapter Tests (4):
These will be announced at least a week in
advance. In order to save class time to cover the syllabus, chapter tests may
be given during the recitation period or rolled into the midterm or the final.
(15%) Midterm exam: The schedule and scope will be announced at least a week in
advance.
(15%) Pop quizzes (about
8): These short-term quizzes
are aimed to provide feedback to me (and you!) about how well you are understanding the material being discussed in the class. If
you consistently perform poorly in these, I expect you to seek extra help from me or the TAs. The prerequisite test will count as a pop
quiz.
(15%) Final exam: This
will be a cumulative exam given during the scheduled time for this course. The
scope will be announced during the last week of classes.
Professional Ethics and Oral Communication: This course is intended eventually to satisfy a part of UNL's Achievement Centered Education (ACE)
Learning Outcome #8 (Ethical principles, civics, and stewardship, and their
importance to society). Towards this goal, you will do an exercise on
professional ethics in the recitation section and get an opportunity to
improve on your teamwork and communication skills as part of your project work.
These components of your grade will be rolled into your homework and pop-quiz
grades; details will be provided at the time the work is assigned to you.
Extra Credit: You
may earn extra credit for Effort (seeking help, attending recitations,
completing all homework, doing well in pop quizzes), Participation (attending
lectures, asking good questions in class), and Altruism (helping others in
recitation or by posting responses to questions; bringing to my attention good
websites, animations, etc that would enhance the classroom experience for this
course). Substantial EPA credit can earn you at most an extra half letter grade
(e.g. from B- to B) at our discretion.
Waivers: Your
lowest homework and pop-quiz grade will be dropped in computing the grade. This
policy also allows you to miss at most one pop quiz and one
homework and have them count as your waivers.
|
A+ |
A |
A- |
B+ |
B |
B- |
C+ |
C |
C- |
D |
F |
|
97-100 |
93-96 |
90-92 |
87-89 |
83-86 |
80-82 |
77-79 |
73-76 |
67-72 |
60-66 |
<60 |
Policies:
Late Work: All
work must be completed when due and all tests/quizzes must be taken when given.
As a rule, I will not accept any late work nor allow you to take a test/quiz at
another time.
Attendance: You are expected to attend all the classes and must provide a
reason for missing a class before the
class. Absences are excused only in case of an emergency with valid
documentation. I will excuse up to two absences without prior permission.
Beyond that all absences will be penalized at the rate of 0.5% of the course
grade for each missed class. As a courtesy to other students, be sure to arrive
in time for each class.
Academic Integrity: Cheating or plagiarism is a very serious offense and the CSE
Department has laid down strict guidelines
for dealing with this problem. The penalty for cheating may include an
automatic F grade for the course and expulsion from the program. The Department
requires me to report every offense to the Chair for further consideration.
Students with Disabilities: Let me know if you have any learning disability and I will
try my best to accommodate you.
Cell Phones and Laptops: Turn
off or silence your cell phone at the beginning of the class. Do not
use laptops during the class unless I explicitly allow you to do so.
Course Goals:
How does a modern digital computer interpret programs written
in a high-level programming language into the streams of electronic signals
that actually do the thinking, the arithmetic, the keeping track of data, the
sequencing of actions, the input/output? What is the
hardware-software interface? What system design considerations go into defining
and designing it? In this course you will gain an understanding of the
interface by first writing programs in a low-level assembly language that is
close to the machine language, then develop the logic design of a workable
processor and all its components. In the process you will gain practical
experience with computer aided design tools.
This is a core course for the Computer Science and Computer
Engineering majors. Development of oral and written communication skills along
with consideration of ethical and social implications of the profession are
deemed vital, and are part of our accreditation standards. Expect to see these
subjects! In particular, student presentations and discussion of ethical
professional conduct are built into the recitation schedule.