Dr. Melissa Danforth

Computer and Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department
California State University, Bakersfield

CSUB Logo
Skip navigation links

Download file viewer

Syllabus
Click on this link to open the Printable Syllabus in a new browser window/tab (Note: The printable syllabus is in plain text format)
Programming Fundamentals
CMPS 221 - Fall 2008
Dr. Melissa Danforth

Office: Sci III 338, 654-3180 
Office Hours: MTuWF 1:45pm - 3:00pm (or by appointment)
Email: melissa@cs.csub.edu or mdanforth@csub.edu
Course web site: http://www.cs.csubak.edu/~mdanfor/ under Teaching menu
Course meets MWF 10:55am - 12:15pm, Tu 9:30am - 12:15pm in Sci III 311

Course Description:
Introduces the fundamentals of procedural programming. Topics include  
data types, control structures, functions, arrays, and standard and file 
I/O. The mechanics of compiling, linking, running, debugging and testing 
within a particular programming environment are covered. Ethical issues 
and an historical perspective of programming within the context of computer 
science as a discipline are given.

Prerequisite:
Passing score on ELM OR satisfaction of the ELM exemptions AND a passing 
score on the Pre-Calculus Readiness Test (see Class Schedule for details).

Textbook: 
Starting Out with C++: From Control Structures through Objects, 6th edition.
Tony Gaddis. Publisher: Addison Wesley, 2009. ISBN: 0-321-54588-5.

Note: This is a new textbook that has not previously been used on campus.
If you have a textbook from a prior quarter, please come see the instructor.

Material Covered:

Chapter 1	Introduction to Computers and Programming
Chapter 2	Introduction to C++
Chapter 3	Expressions and Interactivity
Chapter 4	Making Decisions
Chapter 5	Looping
Chapter 6	Functions
Chapter 7	Arrays
Chapter 8	Searching and Sorting Arrays
Chapter 9	Pointers
Chapter 10	Characters, Strings and the string Class
Chapter 11	Structured Data
Chapter 13	Introduction to Classes

Attendance:
Students are responsible for their own attendance. The topics covered
in lecture will be listed on the course website. Lab attendance is not 
required but is strongly encouraged.

Academic Integrity Policy: 
Homeworks and labs may be worked on and discussed in groups. If the 
assignment is a group assignment, the group can turn in one assignment
for the entire group. If the assignment is an individual assignment, 
each student must turn in their own code; no direct copying is allowed. 
Refer to the Academic Integrity policy printed in the campus catalog 
and class schedule.

Computer Lab:
The walk-in computer lab in Sci III 324 is available for use by students in 
this course outside of class time on a first come, first serve basis. 

Grading:	Labs/Homework	25%
		Midterms (2)	25% each, 50% total
		Final		25%

Labs:
Lab assignments will be posted on the course website. Labs are worth 10 
points and usually involving writing 1-2 short programs. The labs are due 
at 5pm on the day of the lab. Partial credit will be given for incomplete 
labs. Late labs will not be accepted. The lowest lab grade will not be 
counted towards the overall lab grade.

Homework:
Homework assignments and due dates will be posted on the course website. 
Homeworks are worth 20 points and consist of multiple small programs. 
Programs which do not compile may be given partial credit depending on 
the severity of the error. Late homework will be marked down 10% for 
every weekday it is late. Weekends (Sat. and Sun.) count as only one day 
late. Assignments more than three days late will not be accepted.

Labs/Homework Submission:
Assignments are submitted by emailing the instructor all assignment code
files from the Computer Science department server. Do not use RunnerMail 
or any other email method.  Refer to the Lab 1 handout on the course 
website for instructions. If you believe you submitted the assignment on 
time but the instructor has not received the email, contact the instructor.

Midterms: 
Midterm 1 will be given on Monday October 13, 2008.
Midterm 2 will be given on Monday November 3, 2008.
Makeup midterms will not be given, but the other midterm will be counted 
proportionally higher if you have a valid reason for missing a midterm. 

Final: 
Monday November 24, 2008 from 11:00am to 1:30pm.