University at Buffalo

Department of Computer Science & Engineering

201 Bell Hall - (716) 645-3180

 

 

Syllabus

Please read this sheet carefully, and save it for future reference.

 

Instructors

 

Name	Office	Phone	Email	Web
Adrienne Decker	130 Bell	645-3180 x 161	adrienne@cse.buffalo.edu	http://www.cse.buffalo.edu/faculty/adrienne

 

 

 

Course Information

 

Credit hours: 4

Course Website: http://www.cse.buffalo.edu/faculty/adrienne/SP2009/cse113

A Lecture: Monday, Wednesday, Friday 3:00 - 3:50 201 NSC

B Lecture: Monday, Wednesday, Friday 12:00 - 12:50 114 Hochstetter

Recitation Times:

A1 Tuesday 1:00 - 2:50 340 Bell

A2 Wednesday 4:00 - 5:50 340 Bell

A3 Thursday 11:00 - 12:50 340 Bell

A4 Friday 1:00 - 2:50 340 Bell

B1 Tuesday 11:00 - 12:50 340 Bell

B2 Wednesday 10:00 - 11:50 340 Bell

B3 Wednesday 1:00 - 2:50 340 Bell

B4 Thursday 1:00 - 2:50 340 Bell

B5 Friday 10:00 - 11:50 340 Bell

   

  Course Description

Introduction to computers and computer programming intended for nonmajors. Currently required for some School of Management majors and appropriate for others seeking a practical introduction to computer programming. Topics include the use of data types and variables, programming control constructs supported by modern languages, input/output, basic concepts of object-oriented programming (such as classes, objects, encapsulation, information hiding, and code reuse), as well as graphical user interfaces. No previous computer experience assumed. Not suitable for intended computer science or computer engineering majors except those who have absolutely no experience using a computer. Admitted computer science and computer engineering students should not take this course.

 

 

Schedule of Topics

The following is a tentative schedule of topics. A more detailed schedule is maintained on the course website and should be checked often for updates.

 

2 weeks - Introduction to computers and programming

3 weeks - Variables, assignment, functions<

3 weeks - Looping

3 weeks - Conditionals

3 weeks - Classes and object-oriented programming

 

 

Course Objectives

At the end of this course, students will have been introduced to several of the main concepts in computer programming including sequencing, selection, and iteration. Students will be able to use these constructs to create a solution to solve a simple problem and create a small to medium sized software program. Students will have also been introduced to some of the main concepts of object-oriented programming and be able to write and use their own classes in their programs.

 

 

Prerequisites

There are no formal prerequisites for this course. However, if you have never used a computer before or do not feel comfortable using web browsers, email clients, instant messaging programs, word processors, or spreadsheets and would like a general introduction to these type of concepts, this is not the course for you. In this course, we will be creating computer programs in a modern high-level language (Java). If you are not comfortable working with a computer, you will not do well in this course.

 

 

Textbooks and Materials

The required textbook for this course is:

Kathy Sierra and Bert Bates. 2005. Head First Java - Second Edition, O'Rielly. (ISBN: 0-59-00920-8)

Additional reading material may be assigned during the course, and will be announced in lecture.

 

 

Computing Resources

You will be provided with a computing account through the school of engineering. You may use the lab facilities in Bell 340 during your recitation section. Additional times may be available during the week in the lab. Remote access is also available to the servers from other machines on campus, primarily Bell 101.

 

The name of the server that you will be connecting to in the lab will be unix.eng.buffalo.edu. You have the ability to connect to this server remotely from other sites, on or off campus.

 

You are expected to become proficient at using the machines in the lab, the Unix system, the Java compiler, and whatever other software development tools the course requires you to use. It is your responsibility to ensure that any programs you write for this course compile using the Java compiler installed on the department's machines.

 

All communication regarding this course must be sent from a UB email account. Under no circumstances will e-mail from non-UB accounts be acknowledged or answered. You must include an informative subject line in all e-mail, and include your full name in any e-mail correspondence.

 

All e-mail that we send in reply to your e-mail will be sent to the address from which you sent your e-mail. Our feedback on materials you hand in electronically will be sent to your UB e-mail account only. Since you may request re-grades of work only within a set period from the time that the feedback was provided to you, it is in your best interest to read your UB e-mail account on a daily basis.

 

 

Course Organization

The course has both a lecture component and a lab component. Each component plays a role in helping you achieve the objectives of the course. If you do not participate fully in both you should not expect to do well in the course.

 

Lectures

The conceptual and theoretical course content will be delivered primarily in the lectures, complemented by readings from the text books. You must review readings prior to attending a lecture, and you are expected to review the readings again, along with any notes you took, after the lecture.

 

Some of the topics will be difficult. It is therefore absolutely essential that you ask questions whenever something is said which you do not understand.

 

You are expected to attend all lectures. If you are unable to attend a lecture because of sickness or similar reasons, make sure you get the notes from a classmate. If you are out of class for an extended period of time because of sickness, notify your instructor as soon as possible, and see your instructor immediately upon your return in order to determine how to catch up. If you have missed a significant portion of the semester due to illness, it is recommended that you resign from the course.

 

Recitations

The recitations are an integral part of the course. In each recitation section, the TAs will answer questions about the currently assigned programming assignments (called labs). You are free to ask any questions about the labs and get assistance from the TAs during this time on your personal assignment. Recitations meet in a computer lab so you are free to work on your assignments during this time. It is possible that you will be able to finish your lab work during the recitation time. However, it is also possible that you will need to work outside of lab time to finish the assignments. Any additional time to work on assignments will be announced in class and on the course website.

 

Recitations do not meet in the first week of classes.

 

Time outside of class

Office hours

Office hours offer you the opportunity to ask more individual questions about the course material than can typically be addressed in lecture. Both the instructor and the teaching assistants have scheduled office hours. Office hours are held on a first-come first-served drop-in basis. No appointment is necessary to attend office hours. Be aware that office hours become increasingly busy the closer it is to a project deadline. Plan your use of office hours accordingly. Individual appointments may be arranged, if needed, as schedules allow.

 

Study time

In this course, as in any course, you are expected to put in additional time beyond the scheduled class times. Professors generally expect that for each credit hour a class carries a typical student will put in 2 - 3 hours of time each week outside of class. Since this is a 4 credit course that translates into 8 - 12 hours of time outside of lecture and recitation times, each week. During this time you should review your lecture notes, attend office hours as needed, get hands-on practice applying the concepts and theoretical constructs discussed in class, and possibly arrange to meet in small groups to study or review the concepts from class. As a rough guide, you should expect to spend at least the following time working on this course, each week:

 

o   Lectures: 3 hours

o   Lab time: 2 hours

o   Programming assignments: 4 hours

o   Individual study: 4 hours

 

 

Course evaluation

The following indicates the grade breakdown which will be used in assigning grades in the course. The right is reserved to make small adjustments to the breakdown if it is necessary.

 

Exam component (75% of final course grade)

There will be four in-class examinations. The dates for the exams will be posted to the course website. There is one scheduled makeup for each exam. You can take the makeup exam to improve your exam score or if you missed the first exam. Failure to take either the exam or the makeup will result in a grade of zero for the exam score. No exceptions will be made to this policy.

 

The lowest of your four in-class exam grades will be dropped when determining your exam component average.

 

You must have a passing exam component grade (> 50%) to receive a grade higher than an F in this course.

Programming & Participation Component (25% of final course grade)

There will be four programming labs assigned throughout the semester. Each lab is worth 5% of the overall course grade. Submissions of the lab assignments will be electronic and discussed in recitations. No late submissions of lab assignments will be accepted. It is your responsibility to learn how to submit your assignments and ensure that they are submitted properly.

 

The remaining 5% of your course grade will be determined by attendance and participation in both the lecture and recitation sections throughout the semester. Attendance will be taken at both recitation and lecture at un-announced times throughout the semester. Your attendance during these times will be used to compute the final 5% of your course grade.

 

 

Letter grades

The following table indicates the number to letter grade mapping I will use to assign final grades at the end of the course. The Grade points column is included for your convenience only, and is not official information. The official mapping can be found in the Undergraduate Catalog.

 

Percentage score	Letter grade	Grade points
90-100	A	4.0
85-89	A-	3.67
80-84	B+	3.33
75-79	B	3.0
70-74	B-	2.67
65-69	C+	2.33
60-64	C	2.0
55-59	C-	1.67
50-54	D	1.0
0-49	F	0.0

 

Re-grading

If you have a question about the grading of any piece of work, first consult with the teaching assistant who graded your work. If you cannot resolve your questions with the teaching assistant, you should consult with the instructor of the course.

 

Any questions about the grading of a piece of work must be raised within one week of the date that the work was returned by the teaching assistant or the instructor. In other words, if you do not pick up your work in a timely fashion, you may forfeit your right to question the grading of your work.

 

 

Incomplete (I) grades

We will follow the UB Undergraduate Catalog Statement on Incomplete Grades, found in the Undergraduate Catalog.

 

Generally, incomplete ("I") grades are not given. However, very rarely, circumstances truly beyond a student's control prevents him or her from completing work in the course. In such cases the instructor can give a grade of "I". The student will be given instructions and a deadline for completing the work, usually no more than 30 days past the end of the semester. University and department policy dictate that "I" grades can be given only if the following conditions are met:

 

o   An Incomplete will only be given for missing a small part of the course.

o   An Incomplete will only be given when the student misses work due to circumstances beyond his/her control.

o   An Incomplete will only be given when the student is passing the course except for the missed material.

o   An Incomplete is to be made up with the original course instructor within the time specified by the appropriate University regulation (see appropriate document above), and usually within the following semester.

o   An Incomplete will not be given to allow the student to informally retake the entire course, and have that grade count as the grade of the original course.

 

Incompletes can not be given as a shelter from poor grades. It is your responsibility to make a timely resignation from the course if you are doing poorly for any reason. The last day to resign the course is Friday, March 27^th.

 

 

General Notes

If you don't understand something covered in class, ask about it right away. The only silly question is the one which is not asked. If you get a poor mark on an assignment, quiz, or exam, find out why right away. Don't wait a month before asking. The instructor and teaching assistants are available to answer your questions. Don't be afraid to ask questions, or to approach the instructor or T.A. in class, during office hours, or through e-mail.

 

 

Disabilities

If you have a diagnosed disability (physical, learning, or psychological) that will make it difficult for you to carry out the course work as outlined, or that requires accommodations such as recruiting note-takers, readers, or extended time on exams or assignments, you must consult with the Office of Disability Services (25 Capen Hall, Tel: 645-2608, TTY: 645-2616, Fax: 645-3116, http://www.student-affairs.buffalo.edu/ods/).

 

You must advise your instructor during the first two weeks of the course so that we may review possible arrangements for reasonable accommodations.

 

 

Counseling Center

Your attention is called to the Counseling Center (645-2720), 120 Richmond Quad. The Counseling Center staff are trained to help you deal with a wide range of issues, including how to study effectively and how to deal with exam-related stress. Services are free and confidential. Their web site is http://www.studentaffairs.buffalo.edu/shs/ccenter/

 

 

Distractions in the Classroom - Behavioral Expectations

The following is the text of a policy adopted by the Faculty Senate. You are expected to know and adhere to this policy.

 

OBSTRUCTION OR DISRUPTION IN THE CLASSROOM - POLICIES UNIVERSITY AT BUFFALO

To prevent and respond to distracting behavior faculty should clarify standards for the conduct of class, either in the syllabus, or by referencing the expectations cited in the Student Conduct Regulations. Classroom "etiquette" expectations should include:

• Attending classes and paying attention. Do not ask an instructor in class to go over material you missed by skipping a class or not concentrating.
• Not coming to class late or leaving early. If you must enter a class late, do so quietly and do not disrupt the class by walking between the class and the instructor. Do not leave class unless it is an absolute necessity.
• Not talking with other classmates while the instructor or another student is speaking.
• If you have a question or a comment, please raise your hand, rather than starting a conversation about it with your neighbor.
• Showing respect and concern for others by not monopolizing class discussion. Allow others time to give their input and ask questions. Do not stray from the topic of class discussion.
• Not eating and drinking during class time.
• Turning off the electronics: cell phones, pagers, and beeper watches.
• Avoiding audible and visible signs of restlessness. These are both rude and disruptive to the rest of the class.
• Focusing on class material during class time. Sleeping, talking to others, doing work for another class, reading the newspaper, checking email, and exploring the internet are unacceptable and can be disruptive.
• Not packing bookbags or backpacks to leave until the instructor has dismissed class.

 

 

Academic Integrity

Source: http://www.cse.buffalo.edu/academics-academic integrity.shtml

The academic degrees and the research findings produced by our Department are worth no more than the integrity of the process by which they are gained. If we do not maintain reliably high standards of ethics and integrity in our work and our relationships, we have nothing of value to offer one another or to offer the larger community outside this Department, whether potential employers or fellow scholars.

 

For this reason, the principles of Academic Integrity have priority over every other consideration in every aspect of our departmental life, and we will defend these principles vigorously. It is essential that every student be fully aware of these principles, what the procedures are by which possible violations are investigated and adjudicated, and what the punishments for these violations are. Wherever they are suspected, potential violations will be investigated and determinations of fact sought. In short, breaches of Academic Integrity will not be tolerated.

 

Departmental Statement on Academic Integrity in Coding Assignments and Projects

The following statement further describes the specific application of these general principles to a common context in the CSE Department environment, the production of source code for project and homework assignments. It should be thoroughly understood before undertaking any cooperative activities or using any other sources in such contexts.

 

All academic work must be your own. Plagiarism, defined as copying or receiving materials from a source or sources and submitting this material as one's own without acknowledging the particular debts to the source (quotations, paraphrases, basic ideas), or otherwise representing the work of another as one's own, is never allowed. Collaboration, usually evidenced by unjustifiable similarity, is never permitted in individual assignments. Any submitted academic work may be subject to screening by software programs designed to detect evidence of plagiarism or collaboration.

 

It is your responsibility to maintain the security of your computer accounts and your written work. Do not share passwords with anyone, nor write your password down where it may be seen by others. Do not change permissions to allow others to read your course directories and files. Do not walk away from a workstation without logging out. These are your responsibilities. In groups that collaborate inappropriately, it may be impossible to determine who has offered work to others in the group, who has received work, and who may have inadvertently made their work available to the others by failure to maintain adequate personal security In such cases, all will be held equally liable.

 

These policies and interpretations may be augmented by individual instructors for their courses. Always check the handouts and web pages of your course and section for additional guidelines.

 

Departmental and Course Policy on Violations of Academic Integrity

If, after following the procedures required by the University for investigation of suspected breaches of academic integrity, a student is found guilty, the policy of the department of Computer Science & Engineering is that the student minimally receive a grade of F in the course.