Instructor Information

Class Schedule

Lecture

Recitation

Course Requirements:

Prerequisite Course

• All students taking CGS 3406 are required to have previously taken and passed (with a C- or higher final grade) MAC 1105
• If you have not completed this pre-requisite requirement, the CS department will most likely drop you from this course in the first week of classes. To be sure that your course schedule is correct, if you do not have the pre-req you should drop yourself from this course and then adjust your class schedule appropriately with the help of your academic advisor.

Course Website:

• http://www.cs.fsu.edu/~myers/cgs3406

Textbooks:

• Starting Out with C++ Brief Version: From Control Structures through Objects, 6th ed., Tony Gaddis.
  ISBN: 9780136022534

Course Objectives:

• Demonstrate a basic understanding of computer concepts, including software and hardware.
• Solve computing problems using a top-down approach in a well-structured design using procedural programming techniques
• Design, implement, test, and debug a C++ program to solve a given problem
• Demonstrate knowledge and use of control structures used in procedural programming, including sequence, selection, iteration, and functions.
• Make use of data types and structures in C++ including integer and floating point types, arrays (one-dimensional, two-dimensional, strings) and structs; pointer basics, arrays of structs and structs containing arrays. Have a basic understanding of the C++ class and class operations. Be able to write a program based on a class data structure, utilize class objects, and provide appropriate class member functions.
• Utilize algorithms studied to perform common tasks, such as finding the max and min of a data set, counting, summing, tracking a previous value, searching and sorting, reading until EOF, etc.
• Demonstrate competence with the use of functions, reference parameters, arrays, pointers, recursion and I/O.

Grading Policy:

In addition to the scale listed above, in order to earn a C- or better in the course, a student is required to achieve a test average of 65% (mid D range) or better. If the test average is below this level, the highest possible course grade is a D. The test average can be computed with the following formula:

  TestAvg = ((Test1 * 20) + (Test2 * 20) + (FinalExam * 30)) / 70

Letter Grade Scale:

Tests:

Test Dates: (Midterm tentative)

Link to Fall 2011 Final Exam Schedule

Recitation / Quizzes

Students must attend the recitation section that they are registered for. There is limited seating in the recitation computer classroom, hence the enrollment caps set on each section.

Attendance

• Excused absences include documented illness, deaths in the family and other documented crises, call to active military duty or jury duty, religious holy days, and official University activities. These absences will be accommodated in a way that does not arbitrarily penalize students who have a valid excuse. Consideration will also be given to students whose dependent children experience serious illness.

Programming Assignments

• There will be a variety of homeworks and programming projects assigned. Some will be small and easy to complete in one sitting. Others will be larger programming projects. Assignment specifications will be posted on the web page.
• Turn in all assignments on time! Late assignments will be accepted one day after the due date, with the deduction of a letter grade (10%). Assignments more than a day late will not be accepted.
• Compiling -- Programs that do not compile are very tedious to grade, and they show a lack of testing, which is a large part of programming. There will be an automatic 5% point penalty for each compile error in a student's code that has to be fixed in the grading process. (This means that program submissions with compile errors will likely earn very little, if any, credit). Make sure your code compiles before you submit it!!!

Web References:

Miscellaneous Policies:

1. A student will be allowed to make up a missed test if he or she has a notice of illness from the Student Heath Center or family physician. Any other excuses that are not medical or emergency related will be at the discretion of the instructor, and must be approved in advance.
2. Students in the class should have a computer account from the Computer Science Department (sign up for one if you don't already have one), and this can and should be used to store project files and access one of the compilers used in the course.
3. Please turn OFF all cellular phones, beepers, etc. in the classroom.

Academic Honor Policy:

In addition to this information, please be aware of the following:

• Students are expected to do their own work on any classwork or test submitted for a grade (unless designated as a group assignment).
  • It is NOT appropriate to work on assignments with other students or to give or receive solutions to or from anyone before an assignment is due and handed in (by all parties).
  • Discussing solutions and techniques on assignments with other students after the assignment has been graded and handed back is okay, and encouraged.
  • When you turn in work with your name on it, you are representing that work as your own. If your submission matches that of another student, this is considered a violation of the Academic Honor Code.
• If a group project is given, then names of all group members would appear on the single program submission. This is appropriate
• Examples found in the course textbook may be used in programs, as long as the source is cited. This is appropriate, as some hand-in assignments may be based on program examples found in the book or contain other code that is provided to you in the assignment specification
• A first violation of the honor code will result, at minimum (but not limited to), a penalty of a 0 grade on the assignment or test involved, along with a reduced letter grade in the course.
• Any second violation of the honor code will result in an automatic F in the course, and possible proceedings before the Honor Court.

Americans With Disabilities Act

Students with disabilities needing academic accommodation should:
(1) register with and provide documentation to the Student Disability Resource Center; and
(2) bring a letter to the instructor indicating the need for accommodation and what type. This should be done during the first week of class.

This syllabus and other class materials are available in alternative format upon request.

For more information about services available to FSU students with disabilities, contact the:

Student Disability Resource Center
874 Traditions Way
108 Student Services Building
Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL 32306-4167
(850) 644-9566 (voice)
(850) 644-8504 (TDD)
sdrc@admin.fsu.edu
http://www.disabilitycenter.fsu.edu/

Students approved to take exams at the SDRC office are expected to take exams at the regularly scheduled time.  Any exception to this will only be granted with a valid documented reason and must be approved by the instructor a week before the exam.

Syllabus Changes

Except for changes that substantially affect implementation of the evaluation (grading) statement, this syllabus is a guide for the course and is subject to change with advance notice.