Objective: Computing has become an important part of most natural sciences and many other disciplines. The Elements of Computing is a sequence of courses providing non-computer science majors with a useful background in CS that will allow them to use computers in their major fields and later employment. CS 303E is the first course in this sequence. It teaches the fundamental principles of computing by introducing the student to basic computer architecture, basic software components, and introductory computer programming in a high-level language, Java. Most of the course will be devoted to programming problems and lab assignments.

Meeting Time: Tuesdays 6:30pm - 9:30pm

Location: UTC 1.104

Labs: PCs are available for assignments in the Elements PC Lab in Painter Hall, room 3.20, and ESB (Experimental Science Bldg.), rooms 131–135. Students will receive accounts to use these machines; the accounts will work only on the machines in these rooms and not elsewhere in the PC Lab. Students are not required to do programming labs in these locations. All required software is available on a CD included with the required text and may be installed on a home or work computer or is available through the class web site.

Web page: There will be a class web page. The URL is www.cs.utexas.edu/users/scottm/teaching/cs303e_ute.htm . Plan to check the web site frequently. It will have updates, copies of materials, model solutions to assignments, and instructions for using the required software.

Required Textbook: Kenneth Lambert and Martin Osborne, Java — A Framework for Programming and Problem Solving (Brooks/Cole Publishing, 1999).

Recommended Textbook: Walter Savitch, Java — An Introduction to Computer Science and Programming (Prentice Hall, 1999).

Required Hardware. Students may use the elements PC labs on campus to do their assignments so no home computer is required. If a student wishes to have the flexibility of doing assignments at home, they will need a home computer.

Software: Students must have access to a Java compiler for the course. There are several ways for students to obtain and use a Java compiler:

Students may use the elements computer labs listed above which have all required software.

Students may download Java for free from the web site java.sun.com. Currently this is the most difficult route since there is no documentation (yet) on how to accomplish this provided by the CS303E course.

My recommendation is to simply use the software that comes with the required book at home if you have a PC and are not planning on doing any significant amount of work at the computer labs on campus.

As with any class, attendance is strongly encouraged. It will not affect your grade directly but with only fourteen class meetings a lot of material will be covered each night. Missing a class means missing a large amount of material. Computer science and computer programming are cumulative in nature. Each topic builds on the previous ones. It is also difficult to learn computer science directly from a book. Any missed classes will likely affect your performance on tests and assignments.

Policy on Absence for Religious Holidays:

The UT General Information catalog states " a] student who is absent from a class of examination for the observance of a religious holy day may complete work missed within a reasonable time after the absence, if proper notice has been given" (p. 71). The deadline for notification of such an absence is fourteen days prior to the class absence or the first day of class for religious holy days that fall within the first two weeks of the semester.

Assignments: There will be eight programming assignments as listed on the schedule. The lowest of the assignment grades will be dropped. All programming assignments will be done individually.

Hour exams: Three one-hour exams will be given at intervals throughout the semester. They will be given the first hour of the designated class period and followed by a two hour lecture. With adequate proof of exceptional conditions, such as illness, the instructor may excuse you from taking a exam. In this case, the remaining exams will count for proportionately more of your exam grade or, if your final exam grade is higher than your average grade on the exams you took, it will replace the missed exam grade.

Final exam: The final exam is scheduled for December 12, 2000 6:30pm - 9:30pm. The final exam will be cumulative.

Final grades will be based on the following distribution.

Extra Credit:  There is no extra credit available for this class.

Turning in assignments: The preferred method of turning in assignments is via the turnin program. This program may be run from the elements. See the class web page for instructions on finding and using the turnin program. The program may be downloaded and run on any machine running Windows 95, 98, or NT after the machine has been connected to the internet. The alternative methods for turning in assignments are via floppy disk at class meetings or via email. These latter two methods are not preferred. Check with the instructor to make use of one of these alternatives.

All assignments must be submitted with the proper header containing your name, section number, and the assignment number at the top. In addition, because assignments are submitted as files by the turnin program, they must have the correct file name. The required file name will be specified in the assignment sheet. All assignments will be programs. The only thing to be turned in is the source code (the .java file) in a text file that can be compiled and run. Word processing files such as Microsoft Word will not be accepted.

Assignments will be due at 12 midnight on class days, after class is over.  Assignments should be finished before class begins, but I am allowing for some last minute questions during class. Assignments may be turned in up to 24 hours late, by 12 midnight Wednesday, the day after the assignment is due. Assignments turned in late must be submitted via the turnin program. Any assignments turned in during this grace period will have the grade reduced by 20% of the maximum grade. Assignments submitted after this 24 hour deadline will receive a zero. This permits grading to start promptly and for the model solution to be posted to the class web page.

Incompletes: Students will be expected to make up incompletes according to the policy in the University's General Information catalog.

Notes for schedule

• Schedule subject to change.
• All reading except for Lecture number 1 should be done prior to class and reviewed after class.
• L&O - Lambert and Osborne textbook, the required text.
• All reading in Savitch is optional.
• Assignment sheets for programs will be handed out in class and posted on the class web page.

Return of Students Work

Tests will be returned in class, usually the week following the due date.

Assignments submitted via the turnin program are placed in the student’s directory on the turnin server. Graded assignments will be returned by placing a copy of the graded assignment in the same directory with a slightly different name. The copy will contain comments and your grade.

Final exams may be picked up at Taylor 5.140 two days after the test.

Class Communication

Learning Computer Science and computer programming is often a frustrating experience. One way to alleviate this frustration is by communication with others. If you do not spend much time at the elements labs where TAs and undergraduate assistants are available I encourage you to email questions to me. Please include your name in the "From" line of every message, not just your email address.

Policy on Scholastic Dishonesty.

Students who violate University rules on scholastic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary penalties, including the possibility of failure in the course and / or dismissal from the University Extension program or The University. Since such dishonesty harms the individual, all students, and the integrity of The University, policies on scholastic dishonesty will be strictly enforced.

Policy on Accommodation of Disabilities.

The University's policies on accommodation of disabilities will be followed. At the beginning of the semester, students with disabilities who need special accommodations should notify the instructor by presenting a letter prepared by the Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) Office. To ensure that the most appropriate accommodations can be provided students should contact the SSD Office at 471-6259 or 4471-4641 TTY.