Synopsis for 04:547:201 (2)

Course description

This is an introductory course to Java Programming, which assumes no previous programming experience. The topics covered are the core of Java:

Course objective

Provide students with a good understanding of programming principles and knowledge of the bulding blocks of Java programs. At the end of the course the students should be able to:

Class conduct

The class is a combination of lecture and lab:
  • new concepts are introduced and discussed based on a set of examples;
  • students try to solve a set of exercises; some of the solutions are discussed with the instructor;
  • students work on coursework assigned by the instructor.

    Generic advice. Try to understand the concepts and principles of programming that underlie any good programs. Similarly to learning chess, get inspiration from good programs ! Copy shareware programs and modify them. Practise !

    Practical advice. Normally, you will be able to save and access your files in the network account you got when you registered. Just in case the network is down, it is a good idea to have with you a floppy disk with your current work.

    Note. Don't mis-interpret the image. Food and drink are not allowed in computer labs.

Grading

You will be graded based on quizes and assignments. You will get a score between 0 and 100 for each piece of work that is graded. The final grade will be based on the weighted mean of the scores. Each quiz will have a weight of 1; assignments will get a weight according to the difficulty and the amount of work involved.

Note. The instructor may adjust the final grade according to the student's participation in class.

Assignments

The assignments will attempt to cover all the material discussed in the course. Each of them will span several topics. A possible combination may be:
  • Assignment 1 - Manipulate variables and values, input/output data, use the classes exemplified.
  • Assignment 2 - Use conditions and loops to do some drawing in the DrawingWindow.
  • Assignment 3 - Manipulate Strings, array and Vectors in class methods.

The table below indicates the grades assigned in the ITI program, as well as the official numerical equivalent (scale 0 - 4). For convenience, I used a scale from 0.0 to 8.0, by simply doubling the official numbers.

Grade Description Numeric equivalent
A Outstanding 4.0
B+   3.5
B Good 3.0
C+   2.5
C Satisfactory 2.0
D Poor 1.0
F Failing 0.0

Here are the final grades.

Please read the University's Policy on Academic Integrity for Undergraduate and Graduate Students.