The course instructor is Dean Brock. The course lectures will be delivered on Monday and Wednesday from 9:00 AM to 10:15 AM in Robinson 239.
All class handouts, including homework assignments, can be found through the following URL:
The textbook for the course will be Programming Language Pragmatics written by Michael L. Scott and published by Elsevier (ISBN 0-12-633951-1). There may also be some readings from on-line sources, including journals of UNCA's Ramsey Library.
Grades will be based on points earned from three in-class exams, one presentation and report, and two or three programming projects.
| Three exams | 54% |
| Programming assignments | 28% |
| Presentation and report | 18% |
The following numerical scale will be used in assigning grades based on Score, the weighted score computed using the preceding table.
| Score ≥ 92 | A |
| Score ≥ 90 & Score < 92 | A- |
| Score ≥ 88 & Score < 90 | B+ |
| Score ≥ 82 & Score < 88 | B |
| Score ≥ 80 & Score < 82 | B- |
| Score ≥ 78 & Score < 80 | C+ |
| Score ≥ 72 & Score < 78 | C |
| Score ≥ 70 & Score < 72 | C- |
| Score ≥ 68 & Score < 70 | D+ |
| Score ≥ 60 & Score < 68 | D |
| Score < 60 | F |
There will be three in-class exams. Exam dates will be announced a couple of weeks before exams are given.
The programs that you write are your way of telling the instructor about your mastery of this course. Because this is a course about writing programs you are expected to take these assignments very seriously. All of your programs must be clearly different than those turned in by others in the class and represent a unique and special effort on your part.
Cooperation and exchange of ideas with other students are encouraged. However, you are responsible for your own work. Examples of cooperation that are OK: talking with someone about approaches to the assignment; showing someone what your error is, discussing a particular programming problem that you are having. Examples of cooperation that are not OK: taking someone else's program and modifying it, examining someone else's solution in detail, having someone type at your computer. Any cases involving suspected academic dishonesty result in a grade of zero for the assignment. See Student Responsibilities - Academic Honesty at http://www.unca.edu/catalog/academicregs.html#grading.
All completed assignments must include comments identifying the program author. Any "quoting" of program segments taken from reference materials, include on-line tutorials and programming examples, must be clearly identified.
Students will complete a project and make a brief (20 minute) presentation on a topic of their choice. Students who are graduating seniors will make their presentations during the last week of class. Other students will make their presentations during the scheduled final exam period. Presentations will be accompanied by a short report of about two pages. The audience for these reports will be your fellow classmates.
Reports and presentation materials will be placed on the course web site. All students will be expected to attend the presentations and to complete a very brief email evaluation of them.
Students are expected to attend all class lectures. Failure to do so will be considered a lack of interest in success on the part of the student. It is very important that you do the assigned reading and come to class prepared to participate.
Your instructor will periodically communicate with you through your official student email address as listed on UNCA's class registration rolls. Typically, this is your bulldog account (yourlogin@bulldog.unca.edu). These communications will typically be about assignments. You must periodically check this e-mail account for messages and insure that new messages can be received.
Any email questions regarding information protecting by the federal Family Educational Right to Privacy Act, such as recorded grades on assignments or quizes, should be sent from your official UNCA account. This is the only account I will use to send legally protected information to you.
The best way to get in touch with me is to send email to brock@cs.unca.edu. If you need to see me, send me email to arrange an appointment.