Computer Science 1 (CS1050)
Course Information
| Title: | Computer Science 1 |
| Institution: | Metropolitan State University of Denver |
| Course ID: | CS 1050, Section 6 |
| Semester: | Fall 2016 |
| Meetings: | Tuesdays & Thursdays 2:00PM - 3:50PM |
| Location: | Central 101 |
| Hours: | Credit Hours: 4 Contact Hours: 60 Additional Student Work Hours: 120 hours minimum outside of class* |
| Prerequisites: | Permission of the Department |
| Policies: | http://www.jodypaul.com/cs/cs1 |
| Moodle Site: | http://gouda.msudenver.edu/moodle |
| Instructor: | Dr. Jody Paul (schedule & office hours) |
| E-mail: | jody @ computer . org |
| Office: | Science 1038 (x68435) |
| Campus Mail: | Campus Box 38 |
*Achieving a basic level of competence in the knowledge and skills that comprise this course requires students to invest a great deal of time outside of the classroom. This includes extensive practice. The nominal 120 hours outside of class is considered a minimum and may be insufficient to guarantee success. Students should be prepared to budget additional time outside of class to successfully complete the requirements for this course. |
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Catalog Text
This is the first course in the computer science core sequence. Students will learn a modem programming language and the basic skills needed to analyze problems and construct programs for their solutions. The emphasis of the course is on the techniques of algorithm development, correctness and programming style. Students are also introduced to the fundamentals of software engineering and the software development life cycle.
Course Description
Students will be introduced to fundamentals of computer science and learn the basic techniques for analyzing problems and for designing, constructing, validating and maintaining computer-based solutions. The course addresses methods for problem specification and analysis, the design of software-based solutions, and the basics of software engineering most critical to success.
This semester, the Java programming language will be used to illustrate the computer science concepts. The BlueJ integrated learning and development environment will be used to facilitate implementation and experimentation.
Textbooks
Objects First with Java:
A Practical Introduction Using BlueJ (6th Edition)
by David J. Barnes & Michael Kölling
Pearson (2016); ISBN 0134477367
REQUIRED
The Elements of Java Style
by Allan Vermeulen, et al.
Cambridge University Press (2000); ISBN 0521777682
REQUIRED
Resources
BlueJ – Java Development Environment
CodingBat – Java coding practice
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Course Policies
Scoring & Grading
Your final course grade is determined by combining all assessments of performance. The maximum possible score of each item reflects its relative weight, thus the scores for the items are summed to determine the cumulative total score. Conversions from numerical scores to letter grades are as shown.
A : 93% ≤ score
A- : 90% ≤ score < 93%
B+ : 87% ≤ score < 90%
B : 83% ≤ score < 87%
B- : 80% ≤ score < 83%
C+ : 77% ≤ score < 80%
C : 73% ≤ score < 77%
C- : 70% ≤ score < 73%
D+ : 67% ≤ score < 70%
D : 63% ≤ score < 67%
D- : 60% ≤ score < 63%
F : score < 60%
Common Final Exam
This semester (Fall 2016) there is a planned administration of a required common final examination across all sections of CS 1050. The exam has been scheduled for Saturday, December 10, from 10:00AM to Noon. If you are aware of a conflict with the specified date and time, please inform the Department office so that they can schedule an alternate time.
Note that this common final will replace the scheduled final exam during finals week. The common final will be a closed book and note exam, without use of a computer, but a Mini-Reference document will be handed out at the start of the test. You will receive a copy this document as early in this semester as the committee can produce it.
Here are links to more detailed information about the common final exam.
Class Sessions & Websites
You are expected to prepare in advance for class sessions (reading, exercises, forum posts, assignments, etc.) and to participate in class discussions and collaborative activities. Participation in class discussions and activities is mandatory and constitutes part of the overall grade for the course. There are no “make-ups” for missed in-class activities and exercises.
A substantial amount of information is disseminated during class sessions. Additional information is provided via the course website. You are responsible for knowing this information whether or not you attended the sessions or accessed the website. In particular, the textbooks and references provide some but not all of the information necessary to successfully complete the course.
In addition to important course and domain information, the course support website (Moodle) provides the primary vehicle for managing assignments and other assessments.
Due Dates/Times
Deliverables associated with assignments may be submitted for scoring at any time prior to the published due date/time.
No assignment deliverables will be accepted after the published due date/time.
In the past, some students successfully applied the strategy of setting their own "individual" deadline to be 24 hours in advance of the published due date/time. In support of this practice, out-of-class assignments will be provided and have due dates/times set so there is ample time for completion and delivery more than 24 hours prior to the published due date/time.
Because there are many risks to completion and submission, you are strongly encouraged to target completion of an assignment no less than 24 hours prior to the published due date/time and to submit an assignment no less than 12 hours prior to the published due date/time.
Illness, crises, and emergency situations will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis in accordance with University, College, and Departmental policies.
Assignments & Projects
Assignments and projects represent your opportunity to learn new concepts, practice applying those concepts and new tools, and reflect on your experiences. The intent is to enhance your understanding as well as to demonstrate your knowledge of the concepts and ability to apply them. Details regarding assignments and projects will be provided in class or on the course Moodle website. Assignments must be turned in using the course Moodle website unless explicitly specified otherwise. In particular, e-mail and hard-copy will not be accepted in lieu of online submission.
Reflections
Every assignment and project turned in must include a section (maximum 150 words) labeled “Reflection” in which you reflect on the experience by describing your personal insights and observations about your learning. This reflection is required whether or not the assignment specification mentions it explicitly and comprises a portion of the score of every assignment and project. (In the odd case where a reflection is not required, the assignment specification will explicitly state that exception.)
Online Submission
Assignments must be turned in using the course Moodle website unless explicitly specified otherwise. In particular, e-mail and hard-copy will not be accepted in lieu of online submission.
The Moodle "assignment" activity allows you to enter and upload working-drafts that you do not intend to be scored. Your drafts will not be considered for scoring, before or after the due date/time.
To submit your assignment entry for scoring, you must click the Submit button for that assignment and accept the subsequent attestation.
- Use of the Submit button indicates that the assignment is ready to be scored.
- Failure to click the Submit button will result in no earned score for the assignment.
Deliverable Formats
When available, the Online text field of a Moodle assignment should be used for text-based responses and for reflections. File attachments to Online text are generally not desirable.
Formats of files turned in for assignments must not depend on specific operating system or commercial software.
Examples of generally acceptable formats: ASCII or UNICODE UTF-8 text, HTML, PDF, GIF, JPEG, PNG. Examples of specifically unacceptable formats: Microsoft Word, Apple Pages, Microsoft PowerPoint, Apple Keynote, Microsoft Excel, Apple Numbers.
Acceptable formats for archives include only tar and zip. If a specific archive format is required it will be specified in the assignment itself.
A deliverable submitted in an unacceptable format is equivalent to no submission at all. If you are unsure about the acceptability of a file format, please check with your instructor well prior to submission.
Quiet Period
The 24-hour period immediately preceding the published due date/time for an assignment is considered a quiet period. During that 24-hour interval, the instructor will not address questions directly referencing specifics of that assignment. All students are strongly encouraged to complete assignments well in advance of this quiet period. Further, since computer systems are likely to be strained during the 24-hour period immediately preceding a published due date/time, you should not depend on such systems, including the course support servers, to be consistently available during that period.
Collaboration & Citation of Sources
Successful programming is rarely a solitary endeavor devoid of external contributions. Collaboration, teamwork, and consultation of work by others are the norms.
Collaborative activity is required for successful completion of this course. In particular, collaboration is encouraged and regarded as an essential aspect of learning computer science and programming. Collaboration and discussion with fellow students and instructors concerning course information, materials, assignments, projects, proofreading, concept exploration and studying for exams is strongly encouraged. You are not expected to learn the course content or work on assignments and projects completely in isolation.
That said, in order to provide fair assessment for grading, the work you turn in must be your own. You must write up your own submissions, reflecting your individual effort, for every assignment you turn in to be assessed, even if the solution results from collaborative effort. In your submission, you must credit the people with whom you worked.
If you consult any sources, your submission must explicitly reference the sources and indicate where and how they apply.
Turning in work that includes quotations without corresponding citations, does not properly cite references, or does not credit collaborators, will be treated as an act of academic dishonesty. All incidents of suspected dishonesty will be reported to the Chair of the department and the Dean of the college. Consequences may include a score of 0 on the assignment, a grade of "F" for the course, academic probation, or dismissal from the institution. This is a very serious matter and should not be taken lightly. If you have any uncertainty or concerns, please discuss them with your instructor or your advisor.
Official Information
Official policies applicable to all courses may be accessed at http://cs.msudenver.edu/degrees/courses/policies
Students are responsible for full knowledge of the provisions and regulations pertaining to all aspects of their attendance at MSU Denver, and should familiarize themselves with the following policies provided on that website:
- General University Policies
- Grades and Notations including WITHDRAWAL FROM A COURSE, ADMINISTRATIVE WITHDRAWAL, and INCOMPLETE POLICIES
- Students should be aware that any kind of withdrawal can have a negative impact on some types
of financial aid, including scholarships.
- Accommodations to Assist Individuals with Disabilities
- Academic Dishonesty
- Class Attendance on Religious Holidays
- Prohibition of Sexual Misconduct
- Electronic Communication (Student Email) Policy
MSU Denver Academic Calendar:
http://www.msudenver.edu/events/academic/
Additional official dates and deadlines, including the last dates to withdraw and holidays
MSU Denver Student Handbook:
http://www.msudenver.edu/handbook/
Important Metro State and Auraria campus policies and procedures for students