CSC 160
A First Course in Computer Programming

Fall, 2002


Syllabus

Calendar

Homework Assignments

PSP

Downloadable Examples

About the Final Exam

Here's my summary of what to expect of the final.

Kinds of questions

Topics to study

Logistics

The final exam will be in our usual classroom. The 9:25 section will have its exam on Thursday from 10:30-12:30, and the 12:15 section will have its exam on Tuesday from 1:00-3:00. Yes, that's two hours. I'll take the final myself, and if it takes me more than half an hour, it's too long and I'll trim it down. It will be on paper, not on the computer. It will be closed-book and closed-notes. If you have any other questions about the final exam, or your homework, or Scheme, e-mail me.

Getting Help

My office hours (in Alumnae Hall 113A; if I'm not there, look around the corner in 112) are

We also have several tutors capable of helping with this course:

Aisha Ahmad
MW 12:00-2:00, TTh 1:00-2:00 or by appointment
Faith Barclay
office hours MW 4-6 PM, TTh 11 AM-12 noon, F 11-2, in Alumnae 112
Arvind Budhram
by appointment
Sasha Pogornets
in class (TTh 9:25-10:40 and 12:15-1:30)

Textbook

The main textbook for this class is How to Design Programs, by Felleisen, Fisler, Flatt, and Krishnamurthi, published by MIT Press. The text of the book is available on-line, but I've also ordered the printed version through the bookstore; you are encouraged, but not required to buy the printed version.
This textbook uses the Scheme programming language. Why Scheme?

Partners for upcoming assignments

If you need a partner for the next homework, please e-mail me immediately and I'll try to match you up with someone.

Recipes and Syntax Rules

You'll get through this course a lot more easily if you follow the design recipes! Here are the recipes and syntax rules we've seen so far, and you can also read about the spelling, grammar, vocabulary, and idioms of Scheme.

Software support

We use the freely-downloadable software package DrScheme.

I've set up some forms for entering and viewing PSP data. You may use these forms to record defect and time information. To use the forms successfully, make sure your browser accepts JavaScript and cookies. (For those with a moral opposition to cookies, I assure you that they're all "temporary" -- they disappear as soon as you quit the browser.) (For more information about PSP, see the PSP page at Carnegie-Mellon or read Watts Humphrey's Introduction to the Personal Software Process.)

Reading List

Who should take this course?

This course is intended primarily for people who have not previously studied computer programming, both CS majors and non-majors. For non-majors, this course counts towards your math/science distribution requirement. Students who have passed at least a semester (half a year) to this page since June 4, 2001.


Last modified:
Stephen Bloch / sbloch@adelphi.edu