Meetings: People and times
The course instructor for CSCI 202 is J Dean Brock. The class will meet on Tuesday and Thursday from 1:45 PM to 3:25 PM. All class meetings will start in RRO 217 and may move to RRO 223 if there is lab work to do.
If UNC Asheville is following its Late Start Schedule, the class will meet from 2:30 PM to 3:50pm PM.
Class home page
All class handouts, including homework assignments, can be found through the following URL:
CSCI 202 also has a moodle page which will be often be used for homework submission.
Catalog Course Description
Data structures (lists, stacks, queues and trees); searching and sorting algorithms; use of a modern, object-oriented programming language (ACM CS2). Includes a formal laboratory section using program development tools. Prerequisite: CSCI 181 or 182.
Learning objectives
- Learn and use object-oriented design techniques, such as encapsulation, abstraction, inheritance, and polymorphism.
- Use exception handling to implement robust applications.
- Use common I/O operations to perform file I/O.
- Implement the insert, delete, and search operations on linked data structures.
- Formally show the correctness of an algorithm using invariants, preconditions, and postconditions.
- State, in big O notation, the running times associated with a given algorithm.
Textbook and readings
The required textbook for the course will be Data Abstraction and Problem Solving with Java: Walls and Mirrors written by Janet Prichard and Frank Carrano and published by Pearson (ISBN 978-0-1321-2230-6).
Because all exams will be closed book, you can purchase ebook copy (ISBN 978-1-4493-9055-6) or share a copy with a friend.
Software
Programs in CSCI 202 will be written in Java. As of 14 January, Java SE 7u11 has been installed in the RRO 223 for use in CSCI 202 labs. For compatability with the lab setup, students should also install version 7 of the Java Development Kit on their home computers.
Unfortunately, there have been many security issues, one as recently as 10 January, have been associated with the use of Java in the browser. For this reason, the US-CERT (United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team) recommends that you disable Java in your web browser.
Grades
The following weights are used in computing the course grade.
| Grade component | Weight |
|---|---|
| Early exam | 1/12 |
| Middle exam | 1/6 |
| Final exam | 1/4 |
| IDE Practical | 1/12 |
| Homework | 1/4 |
| Labs | 1/6 |
Exams and the IDE Practical
There three in-class written exams. The first will last 50 minutes and will be given in February. The second will be given in late March or early April and will last 100 minutes. The third is the final exam.
All exams will be closed book and closed notes. Appropriate reference material, such as the Java Reference Card, will be provided as references for taking the exam.
There will be a IDE Practical in which students will be asked to create a small Java application in the lab in 50 minutes. This will be given in the same class meeting as the first exam. Students will be allowed up use a web browser during the practical.
UNC Asheville’s Academic Policies and Procedures do provide excused absenses for “travel on university-sanctioned business” and “up to two excused absences per semester for religious observances” when seven days notice is given. The seven days notice will allows us to avoid excused absenses. For this reason, attendance at all exams is mandatory.
Homework
There are three types of homework. One type is small programming exercises. At the beginning of the term, these will be assigned weekly and will correspond to the sujet de la semaine.
The second type will be projects. Most of these will involve the create of an application. There will be two or three of these.
Finally, there will also be formal mathematical assignments related to big O notation and program correctness.
Labs and Expectations for attendence
In general, the lab grade is passed on participation. Students attending lab and working diligently should do very well on the lab component. There will be about fifteen formal labs during the semester. (Following ABET recommendations for accreditation of computer science programs, about 75 minutes will be allocated to formal labs each week.) The three lowest lab grades will dropped in computing the lab grade average.
Scale
The following numerical scale will be used in assigning grades based on Score, the score computed using the weights described above.
| Score ≥ 93 | A |
| Score ≥ 90 & Score < 93 | A- |
| Score ≥ 87 & Score < 90 | B+ |
| Score ≥ 83 & Score < 87 | B |
| Score ≥ 80 & Score < 83 | B- |
| Score ≥ 77 & Score < 80 | C+ |
| Score ≥ 73 & Score < 77 | C |
| Score ≥ 70 & Score < 73 | C- |
| Score ≥ 67 & Score < 70 | D+ |
| Score ≥ 63 & Score < 67 | D |
| Score ≥ 60 & Score < 63 | D- |
| Score < 60 | F |
There will no “rounding-up” in computing the final grade. A score of 69.95 is less than 70 and results in a grade of D+.
Accommodations for Students with Disabilities
University of North Carolina at Asheville is committed to making courses, programs and activities accessible to persons with documented disabilities. Students requiring reasonable accommodations must register with the Disability Services Office by providing supporting documentation. All information provided will remain confidential. For more information please contact the Disability Services Office at (828)232-5050 or disabilityservices@unca.edu or visit them in the OneStop Student Services Center.
Email Communication
Academic administrators at UNCA have told instructors that information protected by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act should only be sent to official university email addresses. Information related to recorded grades is clearly protected, as is any discussion that would allow a reader to draw conclusions about your performance or attendance in class.
For more information
The best way to get in touch with me is to send email to brock@unca.edu. If you need to see me, send me email to arrange an appointment.
I get lots of email, so please include CSCI 202 in the subject line.