CS 110: Introduction to Programming in Java

Kalamazoo College

Winter 2008

SYLLABUS

Instructor: Lab Instructor:
Alyce Brady
Olds/Upton 203G, 337-7065
Alyce's Schedule (including office hours)

Kelly Schultz
Olds-Upton 311, x7379 (home 324-0546)
Office Hours: Tuesday/Thursday 10:30 - 11:30 am (by appointment Tuesday/Thursday 11:30 am - noon or Thursday 3-4 pm.)

Course Web Site:   http://www.cs.kzoo.edu/cs110/


This course provides an introduction to object-oriented programming using the Java language. We will focus on the basic features of the Java language and the fundamentals of the programming process, including design, implementation, and testing. Hands-on programming is a central component of the course, embodied in weekly labs, in-class mini-labs, and frequent programming assignments.

Required Text: Horstmann, Java Concepts, fifth edition, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2008.
You must also purchase a lab manual for this course from the instructor.

You can find other references in the class bibliography.

Prerequisite:   CS 105 (Computing: Impact and Application), CS 107 (Pictures and Sound: Programming with Multimedia) or previous programming experience.


Computing Resources and Software:


Topics to be covered (and approximate course schedule):

Week 1: Simple Java Statements; Introduction to Objects, Classes and Methods
Week 2: Selection Statements; Conditions; Loops
Weeks 3 - 4: Arrays; Implementing Classes
Week 5: Search Algorithms; Midterm Exam; Introduction to MBS Case Study
Week 6: Object-oriented design; Testing and Debugging
Week 7: Interfaces; Inheritance; Dynamic Binding
Week 8: Scope; Sorting
Weeks 9 - 10: Applets; Graphical User Interfaces; Course Review
Exam Week: Final Exam


Grades:

Grades will be based on:
Attendance and Class Participation 10%
Laboratory Assignments 20%
Programming Projects 30%
Examinations 40%

Attendance and Participation:

Regular attendance and fully engaged participation is expected of all students in this course and will affect your grade. Active participation means being on time, being prepared, listening to others, contributing ideas of your own, and asking questions as they come up. Furthermore, attendance is absolutely required for the weekly labs and in-class mini-labs.

Assignments:

Assignments, announcements, class notes, and other material will be made available on the course web site:
http://www.cs.kzoo.edu/cs110/
Students are responsible for checking this resource frequently.

Reading assignments and discussion questions or exercises may be assigned for each class. You are expected to come to class having completed the assignment and being prepared to discuss both the ideas from the reading and your solutions to any exercises. You should also bring questions you have from the reading to class.  You are encouraged to work on the discussion questions and exercises in groups; just be sure that each group member understands each answer well enough to present it to the class.

Most laboratory assignments will be completed during the weekly lab time, although some may be due the next day. The programming assignments will be more complex, and may take a week or longer to complete. There will be approximately one programming assignment per week, with a larger, more significant project due during Tenth Week. The time required to write a program and debug it is difficult to predict, but time-management skills are as critical after graduation as they are in college. I will make programming assignments available online far enough in advance that you will have some flexibility in scheduling your work, but you are responsible for budgeting your time wisely so that you will be able to complete your projects on time. Assignments that are turned in late will receive only partial credit unless you clear it with me in advance.

Programming Guidelines:

Two documents, the CS Program Style Guide and Documentation Standards, describe the programming style and documentation standards for this course. Following these standards is an important step towards writing well-structured and reusable programs. You may use two templates that have been created to help you meet the documentation standards: the class template and main class template.

Programs in this course will be graded on the following criteria.

Collaboration and the Honor System:

This course operates in accordance with the principles of the Kalamazoo College Honor System: responsibility for personal behavior, independent thought, respect for others, and environmental responsibility. In particular, academic integrity is a fundamental principle of scholarship. Representing someone else's work as your own, in any form, constitutes academic dishonesty. Unauthorized collaboration and receiving help from others outside the bounds permitted by the instructor are also violations of the College honor code. You are responsible for working within the permitted bounds, and acknowledging any help from others or contributions from other sources.

Penalties for violating the Honor Code in this course may include receiving no credit for an assignment, a lowered course grade, or failure of the course. Depending on the severity of the incident, a report may be sent to the Dean's Office, which may result in additional consequences, including suspension from the College. Any subsequent violation will result in the immediate failure of this course.


Any student with a disability who needs an accommodation or other assistance in this course should make an appointment to speak with me as soon as possible.