An introduction to the fundamental principles of computer science. Emphasis on algorithms and computational problem solving, fundamental programming constructs, data representation and storage, language translation, software development methodologies, operating systems, networks, and social contexts. Prerequisites: None.
Overview
This is the first course in the Computer Science (CS) academic program. The fundamental question permeating all of Computer Science is, "What can be (efficiently) automated?" Throughout this course we will introduce the tools and techniques used in the discipline of computing. Aspects of design, theory, and experimentation will be addressed. An overview of central issues and concepts of the field will be offered, including software development, specifications, testing, data organization, machine architecture, history of computing, professional organizations, computer security, and computing ethics.
One of the primary goals of this class will be to learn programming. For this we will be using the Java programming language. As the best way to learn programming is to write programs, much of the student's time will be spent on this particular activity. During lectures, we will also spend a significant amount of time reviewing and studying Java source code examples.
Course Objectives
- To explain the purpose of the basic parts of a computer system, and to demonstrate the operation of the fetch-execute cycle using those parts;
- Enumerate the primitive data types and to convert such data between their everyday, "human" representation and their machine representations;
- Demonstrate fundamental algorithms for the manipulation of primitive data types;
- Apply Boolean logic to construct and evaluate simple combinational circuits;
- Relate the fundamental tasks of an operating system;
- Explain the fundamental structure and operation of computer networks;
- Apply basic design methodologies to realize solutions to computational problems;
- Explain the program translation process, and to distinguish aspects such as: compilers vs. interpreters, machine language vs. high level language, object code vs. executable code, and loading vs. linking;
- To obtain a solid understanding of the basic features of the Java programming language: object-oriented programming (classes, methods, objects), control structures (conditionals, looping, recursion), data types (arrays, strings, numbers), basic algorithms, and some advanced ideas;
- To use an integrated development environment (IDE) to translate and execute Java programs;
- To gain fundamental problem solving skills, applicable to all disciplines;
- To obtain a general understanding of the various topics in the broad context of computing;
- To develop an appreciation of the history of computing, as well as legal and ethical dimensions.
Keys to Success
- Start early; work steadily; don't fall behind.
- You can't cram, unlike most other courses.
- If you get stuck, take a break and then go back to think about it.
- Don't hesitate to contact the instructor if you have any problems.
Expected Outcomes
The student will meet the objectives with at least 70% success, based on performance on exams, labs, and assignments.Methods of Instruction
Three lectures and one lab session per week. Please see Materials and Resources below for website and computer hardware and software information.Materials and Resources
Required Textbooks
- Nell Dale, Chip Weems, and Mark Headington, Programming and Problem Solving with Java, Jones and Bartlett Publishers, 2003. ISBN# 0-7637-0490-3. (Book support website: http://computerscience.jbpub.com/ppsjava)
- (Lab manual) Nell Dale, A Laboratory Course for Programming with Java, Jones and Bartlett Publishers, 2003. ISBN# 0-7637-2463-7.
Online course website:
- http://fsweb.berry.edu/academic/mans/nhamid - It is your responsibility to check the web site for this course regularly (i.e. daily) throughout the semester, as it will be regularly updated with announcements, lecture notes, assignments, etc. Laboratory documents and announcements will be posted here also. Instructions for accessing this material will be provided.
Other suggested readings:
- Official Java API Documentation - http://java.sun.com/docs/
- The Java Tutorial - http://java.sun.com/docs/books/tutorial/ - A practical guide for programmers, also available in print: Mary Campione, Kathy Walrath, and Alison Huml, The Java(TM) Tutorial: A Short Course on the Basics, 3rd Edition, Addison-Wesley Pub Co, 2000. ISBN# 0201703939.
Computer hardware and compilers: The machines in Berry's computer labs will have some Java development tools installed on them. We will become familiar with the development software within the first few lab sessions of this course. Students who wish to set up a Java programming environment on their own computers may consider downloading and installing the following:
- Sun Java SDK - http://java.sun.com/j2se - the main software development kit for compiling and running Java programs.
- SciTE (Scintilla Text Editor) - http://www.scintilla.org/SciTE.html - a no-nonsense editor for writing programs with simple facilities for compiling and running them.
Assignments and Grading
Student grades will be determined on a standard 10% grade scale: 90% - 100% earns an A, 80% - 89% earns a B, etc., with the instructor reserving the right to apply +/- grades at his discretion. Grades will be based on the weighted average of the following course work:
Participation (10%) - Attendance and participation in class will be taken into consideration as well as in-class exercises and/or occasional (possibly unannounced) quizzes. (See Attendance Policy.)
Assignments (40%) - There will be a regular series of weekly or biweekly assignments throughout the course. For the most part these will consist of developing computer programs in Java, but they may occasionally be in the form of short written questions reinforcing the material in the lectures, readings, and labs.
Labs (15%) - Each 2-hour laboratory session will involve a variety of problems, including paper-and-pencil exercises, writing computer program code, modifying program code, and/or running code and observing behavior. Some part of the lab exercises, which are to be completed during the assigned lab session, will be turned in for credit.
Exams (35%) - There will be 3 exams, tentatively scheduled as follows:
- First Exam (10%), Wednesday, September 15, 2004
- Second Exam (10%), Friday, October 22, 2004
- Final Exam (15%), Monday, December 6, 2004 (10:30AM-12:30PM)
Tentative Schedule of Classes
(We will spend about 3-4 lectures per chapter, with scattered lectures on broader topics of computer science.)
| Date | Topics | Reading |
| Aug 23-30 | Introduction to computer science and computing hardware and software | (Lecture notes, to be posted and/or handed out) |
| Sep 1-8 | Programming and introduction to object-oriented design | Chapter 1 |
| Sep 10-17 | Java syntax, classes and objects | Chapter 2 |
| Sep 20-27 | Simple types, arithmetic operators and functions | Chapter 3 |
| Sep 29-Oct 6 | Control flow (conditionals) | Chapter 4, Sections 1-4 |
| Oct 8-18 | Abstraction and encapsulation | Chapter 4, Sections 5-7 |
| Oct 20-29 | More control flow (looping) and file IO | Chapter 5 |
| Nov 1-5 | OO design and implementation concepts | Chapter 6 |
| Nov 8-15 | Inheritance and overloading, object IO | Chapter 7 |
| Nov 17-22 | Error-handling and exceptions | Chapter 9 |
| Nov 29-Dec 3 | Arrays | Chapter 10 |
Course Policies
[Standard policies]Instructor's Bibliography
- Nell Dale and John Lewis, Computer Science Illuminated (Second edition), Jones and Bartlett Publishers, Sudbury, MA, 2004.
- E Garrison Walters, The Essential Guide to Computing, Prentice Hall PTR, Upper Saddle River, NJ, 2001.
- Fowler, Martin, UML Distilled (Third edition), Addison-Wesley, Boston, 2004.
Last modified: Wed Nov 24 12:53:30 EST 2004