The official web page for this course is http://www.austincc.edu/baldwin/ITSE2321Fall2003.htm
Instructor: Richard G. Baldwin
Office Hours: See the OH link next to my name on the ACC Course Schedule Web page. Other times by appointment. Call the above number or E-mail at any time.
Course Description: An introduction to the use of the Java programming language for writing stand-alone applications and Internet Applets. Comparison with other languages such as Pascal, C, and C++ is included. Note however, that this is primarily an introductory course in object-oriented programming, as implemented using the Java programming language.
Course Goals and Purpose: To learn Object-Oriented programming concepts and techniques using the Java programming language. To learn to write, test, and debug introductory level Object-Oriented programs using Java
Prerequisite: COSC 1315 Fundamentals of Programming (CIS 1033), or departmental approval. This is not a beginning programming course and fundamental programming concepts will not be covered. If you don't already understand fundamental programming concepts including sequence, selection, and loop using a modern structured programming language, you may find it difficult to succeed in this course.
Who Should Enroll in this Course: Please review the companion document entitled Who Should Enroll?
Transfers: Although it is technically possible for a student to transfer from one section to another section of the same course, this process has caused many problems in the past, and is not allowed unless the reasons for the transfer are compelling. Students desiring to transfer between CIS/CSC courses must first obtain permission from an Assistant Dean for CIS/CSC who will initiate the paperwork.
Requirements: All students must meet the examination requirements described below.
Examinations: Exams for this course are to be taken at home and submitted to the instructor in accordance with a companion document entitled Instructions for Downloading and Submitting Exams.
Because the exams are take-home exams, the amount of work required to complete an exam, and the range of material covered by each exam is greater than you might ordinarily expect to be the case with a classroom exam. In short, you should view each exam as a major programming project.
All students must successfully complete three exams by the deadlines specified below. You can complete and submit the exams ahead of the deadline if you wish but I usually save them and grade them all at the same time.
Exams will be made available for downloading via the web early in the semester. You should check the official web page for this course (see the URL given above) on a daily basis so that you will know when the exams are available.
Your best preparation for the exams will be to carefully study the sample programs in the lessons in Baldwin’s Introductory Java Tutorial. You can view the tutorial on line and download the individual lessons via your browser. It might also be useful for you to review my companion publication entitled Test Your Java Knowledge. You will find this material at the same URL where you find Baldwin’s Introductory Java Tutorial. In addition, it will be necessary for you to do quite a lot of outside research into Java programming topics not covered in the classroom, and possibly also not covered in the introductory tutorials.
Note that the lessons in the tutorial may be updated during the semester so you will need to be aware of the revision dates on the lessons and take any updates into account.
All exams are "open-book" exams. You may use any books, notes, diskettes, or other material that you have available. However, you are instructed not to obtain assistance from anyone else in completing an exam.
Schedule: See the published schedule for the beginning and ending dates of the semester.
All students must complete and submit the first exam not later than 5:30
pm, Monday, October 20, 2003.
All students must complete and submit the second exam not later than 5:30
pm, Wednesday, November 19, 2003.
All students must complete and submit the third exam not later than 5:30
pm, Wednesday, December 10, 2003.
The word "submit" means received by and physically in the hands of the instructor. Submit early. Don't procrastinate and let a last minute problem cause you to miss a deadline.
Because you will have the exams available to work on during most of the semester, there will be no grace period and no makeup possibility. Barring a genuine emergency (such as an extended stay in the hospital) failure to submit an exam by the deadline will result in a maximum allowable score on the exam of zero.
Programming Assignments: Your exams are your programming assignments.
You are free to use whatever Java compiler you choose subject to the conditions described later regarding submittal of exams. ACC will provide SDK 1.4.x (or later) in the CIS laboratory at the Northridge campus. You are welcome and encouraged to make use of that facility.
The final version of the programs which you submit for exams, must include source code and class files compatible with the version of the SDK installed in the NRG laboratory on the due date of the exam. More specific instructions are provided in a companion document entitled Instructions for Downloading and Submitting Exams.
Grading Scale: Letter grades will
be assigned as follows:
90 - 100 A
80 - 89 B
70 - 79 C
60 - 69 D
0 - 59 F
Depending on the final scores of all the students taking the course, it is possible that a curve may be applied to the final grades before they are submitted for recording.
Incomplete:
Here is the official information that I have received regarding Incomplete grades:
The use of the Incomplete grades must be kept to a minimum. If the student does not meet the following requirements then advise the student to withdraw from the course.
A student may receive a temporary grade of "I" (Incomplete) at the end of the semester only if the following conditions are satisfied:
To give you an idea of the gravity of the situation, I don't recall ever having given a student a temporary grade of "I" during my entire teaching career at ACC.
Withdrawal: A grade of "W" will be automatically assigned if the student initiates a withdrawal through the Admissions and Records office, in accordance with the requirements of that office.
Although the instructor has the prerogative to withdraw students for lack of progress, he is under no obligation to do so. It is the responsibility of the student and not the responsibility of the instructor to initiate all withdrawal proceedings. If the student fails to complete the work and also fails to properly withdraw, a grade of A, B, C, D, or F will be assigned in accordance with the work that was completed
You may also need a good Java reference book that is fully compliant with the Sun SDK (preferably SDK version 1.4 or later) software.
Official Textbook: An official textbook is available at the ACC bookstore and elsewhere. However, Prof. Baldwin will not make assignments directly from this book nor require you to do anything to demonstrate ownership of the book.
Recommended Supplementary Text: Java How To Program, (latest edition), by Deitel and Deitel. This is a good book and a good candidate for the library of any aspiring Java programmer.
Recommended Supplementary Text: The Java Tutorial by Campione and Walrath, available for free downloading from http://www.javasoft.com:80/nav/read/Tutorial/index.html. A printed version is also available at most bookstores or from http://www.amazon.com. A primary advantage of the online version of this book is that it tends to be more up-to-date than printed books.
Recommended Supplementary Text: Thinking In Java by Bruce Eckel. Available for free downloading at http://www.EckelObjects.com/. A printed version is also available at most bookstores or from http://www.amazon.com.
Recommended Supplementary Text: Java In A Nutshell, (latest edition), by David Flanagan. This is an outstanding desktop reference on Java programming. Although I don't have any statistics to prove it, I believe this is the best-selling Java book of all times. However, it is not a textbook. It is a reference book and beginners may find it a little brief.
Downloading Online Material at ACC Labs: Note that although you will be allowed to download these online materials in the ACC labs, you are specifically prohibited from printing them using ACC facilities.
Software: It should not be necessary for you to purchase any software in order to complete this course successfully.
As a student, you have access to the CIS labs at the various ACC campuses. You should find Java software available at NRG, CYP, RGC, RVS and PIN and possibly other campuses as well.
Assuming that you have private access to a computer with an operating system that supports the latest version of the Java Virtual Machine, all of the Java software that you will need can be downloaded for free from Sun at http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.4/.
Lesson 6 in Baldwin's Tutorial also lists various sources of shareware
and freeware that can be helpful in learning to program using Java. In addition,
Baldwin has provided a set of links to more than 500 high-quality Java resources.
You can access those links from the main page of Baldwin's Java Tutorials.
Finally, I have listed a large number of free online Java resources at http://www.austincc.edu/baldwin/ITSE2321Fall2003.htm
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File: ITSE2321SylFall2003.htm