C++ and Program Design

4003-703, MW 4-5:50 PM, GOL(70)-1455

This is a bridge course to enhance new graduate students' abilities in C++ and design.

Outcomes

Students will describe common design techniques such as problem decomposition, abstraction, and reuse. Assessment: exams and laboratory assignments.
Students will implement software designs in a programming language. Assessment: exams and homework assignments.
Students will describe the use of design patterns. Assessment: exams and final exam.
Students will describe the phases of the software development life cycle. Assessment: exams and final exam.
Students will distinguish between an imperative style of programming and an object-oriented style of programming, as well as apply a style as needed. Assessment: exams and final exam.
Students will identify sources of failure in software systems and apply testing and debugging strategies to remove them. Assessment: exams, homework assignments, and final exam.

Contact info:

Instructor: Zack Butler
Email: zjb-AT-cs-DOT-rit-DOT-edu
Office hours: M 1-3 PM, T 2-4 PM, by appt (in office, 70-3651, or lab, 70-3405)
Course webpage: http://www.cs.rit.edu/~zjb/courses/703/

Grading Policy:

There are nine homework assignments, one per week, equally weighted. There are two exams during the quarter (weeks 5 and 8), as well as a final exam (comprehensive).

Exam #1 20%

Exam #2 20%

Exam #3 20%

Homework 40%

I will use the following percentage-based grading scale to determine your final letter grade. This grading scale is subject to change based on overall class performance.

90%<=A<=100%

80%<=B<90%

70%<=C<80%

60%<=D<70%

0%<=F<60%

There are no late submissions on homework, nor is there extra credit available, to ensure fairness to the class. If you miss an exam, you will get a zero. If you have a verified medical emergency and notify me (or the CS office) ahead of time, I will make arrangements for a makeup exam.

Textbook:

No textbook is specifically required for this class. There are many C++ books available, both on paper and electronic, and having one for reference is highly encouraged.

Attendance

You are expected and encouraged to attend class. If you miss a class, it is your responsibility to find out what was covered during that class - I will try to be prompt with posting homework on the course web page, but the lectures will contain important content that may not be mentioned elsewhere.

Academic honesty

The DCS policy on academic honesty will be enforced. In this class, all homework assignments may be completed either by yourself or as a team of two. In either case, you may discuss the assignments in general terms with others, but you may not discuss or look at anyone else's code. Representing anyone else's intellectual contribution as your own is an instance of academic dishonesty and will be treated as such for both parties (that is, supplying information beyond the allowed bounds is equivalent to using such information).