Instructor

Course Objectives

• To learn the C++ programming language
• To learn techniques of software development in C++ 

Method of Teaching

Major Topics

• input/output
• simple data types
• control structures
• data structures
• file operations
• preprocessor and other advanced topics
• techniques of Object Oriented Programming 

Textbook

N. Dale and C. Weems, Programming and Problem Solving with C++, 4th ed., Jones and Bartlett Publishers, Sudbury, MA, 2005.

Evaluation of Grades

Based on examinations, homework problems, programming projects, attendance and contributions to discussion

A student's grade is determined by the student's percentage of possible points. There will be a "get-started" pseudo-programming project worth 10 points, and 4 programming projects, respectively worth 40, 60, 80, and 80 points. Exams (likely, a midsemester and a final) will be worth 100 to 125 points apiece; quizzes (if any) and non-programming homework (if any) will be given lesser weights. Attendance and class participation will be worth approximately 25 to 30 points (possible).

For example, if there are 2 exams each with 100 possible points, and if there are 100 possible points of quizzes and non-programming homework, and if there are 270 possible points on programming and pseudo-programming projects, and if there are 30 possible points for attendance and participation, there would be a total of 600 possible points; a student with 500 points would have a semester average of

Approximate grading standards (the instructor reserves the right to adjust these as required by the interests of justice):

               88% - 100%:  B+ to A
               72% - 88%:   C+ to B+
               55% - 72%:   D+ to C+
               45% - 55%:   D
                0% - 45%:   F

Approximate schedule of assignments

The list given below is approximate. Deadlines and point values may be changed according to the needs of the course. Details of assignment specifications will be posted in Blackboard.

• Written homework exercises may be assigned irregularly.  They may be given at short notice, i.e., less than a week before they are due.  Generally, such exercises will not be accepted late, on grounds of fairness, as they may be discussed in class on their due dates.
  Such assignments may be worth 10 to 50 points apiece.
• Proj0: Week 2. The emphasis of this assignment is for you to learn programming software that will be used in this course. You will be given hardcopy files for a program. Your responsibility is to create electronic copies of these files, with suitable modifications, and create documents that show the program runs properly. You will not be expected to understand the technical details of how the program works - that will take the rest of the course, and much of the sequel course, CIS 365.
  Possible points: 10
• Proj1:  Week 5.  In this assignment, you will write a program that demonstrates input and output (i/o); simple calculations; various data types; and control structures including sequential control, looping (do ... while), and conditional action (if).
  Possible points: 40
• Midsemester exam:  Week 7.  This will be an in-class exam.
  Possible points: 100
• Proj2: Week 8.  This assignment expands on lessons learned in Proj1, concentrating on the use of a wider variety of control structures (switch, for loop, use of multiple functions).
  Possible points:  60
• Proj3: Week 11.  This assignment introduces programmer-defined data types.  Students will use arrays for lists of data.
  Possible points: 80
• Proj4:  Week 14.  More programmer-defined data types are featured.  We introduce the use of the class, which lets the programmer build records in a formal fashion and allows us to begin using techniques of Object-Oriented Programming (OOP).
  Possible points: 80
• Final Exam:  Finals Week.  This will be an in-class exam.
  Possible points: 100 to 125

ATTENDANCE:

Students with Learning Disabilities

The university will make reasonable accommodations for students with documented disabilities. Students should notify the Coordinator of Specialized Support Services (located in Seton Hall) and their instructors of any special needs.  Instructors should be notified within the first two weeks of classes.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

The NU library has a large collection of books on C and C++ filed (mostly) under QA 76.73 .C153 or QA 76.64 or nearby, including

• Ellis, Margaret A., and Stroustrup, Bjarne, The Annotated C++ Reference Manual
  QA76.73.C153 E35 1990
• Faison, Edmund W., Borland C++ Object-Oriented Programming
  QA76.64 .F34x 1994
• Kernighan, Brian, and Ritchie, D.M., The C Programming Language
  QA76.73.C15 K47 1988 [Classic -- the authors are the principal designers of C]
• Pohl, Ira, Object Oriented Programming using C++
  QA76.64 .P64 1993
• Stroustrup, Bjarne, The C++ Programming Language
  QA76.73.C153 S77 1987 [Classic -- the author is the principal designer of C++]
• Tondo, C.L.; Gimpel, S.C.; and Kernighan, B.W., The C Answer Book
  QA76.73.C15 K47 1988 Suppl. [Supplement to the Kernighan & Ritchie book listed above]
• Weiskamp, K; Heiny, L; and Flamig, B., Object-Oriented Programming with Turbo C++
  QA 76.64 .W46 1991