UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA LAS VEGAS
School Of Computer Science

FALL  2012
CS-115 Sections 1001, 1002, 1004, 1005
Mr. Harden's Sections


Course
CS-115: INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER SCIENCE 3 Credits
Text
DISCOVERING COMPUTERS 2012

Living In A Digital Age
by Shelly & Vermaat (Shelly Cashman Series, Course Technology, CENGAGE Learning)
Instructor
Richard E. Harden
e-mail: hardenr@unlv.nevada.edu   (write “CS-115 Student” in Subject line)
Website: http://faculty.unlv.edu/harden

 

Objectives

The two objectives of this course are:

  1. Introduce the student to computer literacy and familiarize the student with the fundamentals of computer science, including terms, vocabulary, concepts, uses, and applications of computers;
  2. Gain "hands-on" experience using Windows, the Internet, the World-Wide Web, and popular applications such as office suites including word processing, electronic spreadsheets, database, and presentation applications.

A "student participation and problem solving" approach will be used throughout this course. The student is introduced to computer terms, concepts and techniques through the study of assigned chapters. Homework assignments will emphasize commonly used computer applications and will require "hands-on" use of a computer.

After the student has completed this course of study, he/she should have acquired a firm foundation in:

  1. Computer literacy and terminology;
  2. Solving a wide variety of problems with the use of computer applications, including Windows functions; Internet functions, (including Web browsing, Internet searches, Web page composition, and Web site posting); and productivity software applications  (including word processing, spreadsheets, databases, presentation slides, and integration of these varied document types).

Scope

This course assumes that the student may have little computer experience, and is taught as an introduction to computer science, as the course name implies. Understandably, some students having computer experience may become frustrated, feeling they are receiving little new or challenging information. The instructor will use humor and entertaining methods when possible to keep interest high.

Assignments

14 assignments will be given during the semester, averaging, one assignment per week. The assignments require the use of various software products for use on IBM compatible computers. All assignments will be posted on the instructor's website (given above). It is the student's responsibility to retrieve each assignment from the Web site as it becomes available (usually on or after the assignment's scheduled "demo" session). Assignments will be due on the days indicated on the class schedule and on the class Web page, usually the week after the assignment is demonstrated.  Assignments must be submitted as hardcopy printouts.  E-mailed copies of the assignment are not accepted.

Students may use available computers in computer labs on campus, or any computer available off campus that is compatible with assignment specifications. Assignments must meet all specifications, regardless of computer or software used, to receive full credit. To minimize confusion during lectures, the Microsoft Office 2003 (with SP3) and the Microsoft Office 2007 or 2010 product lines will be discussed and demonstrated.   More recent versions of Office 2007 or 2010 may be different than Office 2003.  Important Note: Microsoft Office 2007 and/or Office 2010 are now installed on the PC’s in CBC-129 Classroom, as well as Office 2003, while Microsoft Office 2007 and/or Office 2010 are installed on the PC’s throughout the campus computer labs.

Each student must have an account and a home directory/folder on UNLV's campus-wide PC Network, “Complabs”. Several assignments will require your account, and all assignments must be stored in said account since some assignments will include use of previous assignments. If a student completes an assignment on a computer off campus, the assignment must be transferred to their account on campus via a flash memory storage device, or FTP. Information about using FTP and other tools from an off-campus PC to transfer files between said PC and your UNLV PC Account will be given in class.

Always bring a flash memory portable storage device to class. If a student has a question on an assignment, the assignment must be on a flash memory device so the instructor can see and analyze the student's assignment from the instructor's computer.

To receive proper credit for assignments submitted, you must include the following on your assignment:

1.       Name;

2.       Last 4 digits of the Student's ID Number (UNLV assigned “NSHE” number);

3.       Section Number (or hour of class), and;

4.       Assignment Number.

Assignments missing any of this information may be returned ungraded or returned with a reduced score.  All assignments must be stored on the student’s Complabs Home Directory and Flash Drive.

Grading

Grades will be awarded according to the sum of all test scores and homework assignments as shown on the point/grade schedule shown below. Four examinations (Exams I through III and the Final) will be given, worth a maximum of 100 points each. The lowest exam score of Exams I through III will be discarded. The Final Exam is mandatory (by UNLV policy) to receive a passing grade and will not be subject to discarding. Thus exams will account for up to 300 out of 500 points towards the final grade.  The Final Exam is mandatory for a passing grade.

Homework assignments will account for the remaining 200 points. Each of 14 assignments will be worth up to 16 points each. Assignments meeting all required specifications and submitted by the due date may receive full credit. Points will be lost for those specifications not met on an assignment.

GRADE

POINTS

PERCENT

A

450-500

90.0-100%

B+

440-449

88.0-89.9%

B

400-439

80.0-87.9%

C+

390-399

78.0-79.9%

C

350-389

70.0-77.9%

D+

340-349

68.0-69.9%

D

300-339

60.0-67.9%

F

000-299

00.0-59.9%

 


Make-ups

No exam make-ups are offered. If an exam is missed, it may be the one exam discarded as explained above. Exceptions to this rule may occur when a student has a signed medical note from a physician, or a signed request from the Athletic Department, or a signed note from an employer, or a mandatory court date. The date, time, and place of makeup exams will be arranged with those who request and have their note. Please Note: Makeup exam scores will not appear on the posted grade sheet until Finals Week!

Late Assignments

All assignments must be turned in on or before their due dates according to the published schedule to receive full credit. Late assignments will be discounted by one half of its score, unless accompanied by a signed note of explanation from a physician, the Athletic Department, an employer, or the court, and, must be stapled to the back of each late assignment, and must be submitted within 4 weeks of the original due date. All assignments submitted more than 4 weeks after the due date by any student for any reason will receive no credit. All qualified late assignments which may be submitted at the end of the semester must be received by the last due date posted on the Class Schedule. No late assignments will be accepted thereafter. Please Note: All late assignments submitted (for any reason) will not appear on the posted grade sheet until Finals Week! The class policy of accepting late assignments, as specified above, creates much additional work for the grader and instructor. Thus the grading and recording of late assignments will take place during Finals Week. Likewise, assignments submitted which significantly vary from the published specifications will not be graded and scored until Finals Week, because, they too, take much longer time to grade than assignments correctly completed.

Extra Credit

Students scoring poorly on exams often ask for some way to make up points. Extra credit for additional points is built into the grading system described above. Homework accounts for up to 200 points towards the final grade. However, 14 assignments are given, worth collectively up to 224 points. If all assignments are turned in as scheduled, up to 24 extra points (equivalent to half of a grade point) may be earned towards making up poor test scores. Also, the lowest of the first three exam scores will be discarded.

Appointments

Students desiring appointments with the instructor may schedule an appointment with the instructor. Generally, the instructor may be available in the classroom before 10:00am on M,Tu,W,Th, and in between classes.  By arrangement, the instructor may be available for appointments at other times.  Further information about instructor availability will be give later.

Cheating

Don't.

o        Exams:

    • Cheating on an exam may result in no score or credit for the exam.
    • To guard against cheating on exams, students may be assigned both seating and exams by number on each Exam day.

o        Assignments:

    • Each student must turn in an original copy of his or her assignment that is unique (and not a copy of another student's assignment) from all other students' assignments, with his or her Name, ID No., Section No., and Assignment No. printed by the computer (unless directed otherwise) on the top of the assignment.
    • Students with duplicate assignments may have their assignments returned stapled together and ungraded. Do not try to explain to the instructor that your assignment looks identical or similar to another student's assignment because you teamed with another student to work on the assignment. Each student must submit an original assignment that is uniquely of their own origin.

 

Exam Format

Please note that:

o        All exams require the student to bring a Scan-Tron form on which to mark exam answers. All exams will contain a variety of multiple choice and/or matching questions.

o        Exams I through III will contain the topic material covered since the previous exam.

o        The Final Exam will be comprehensive on all materials previously tested and any new material presented since Exam III, and will be in multiple choice and/or matching format. The last class period will be a review of the material covered on the Final Exam.

o        The specific information covered in any exam will be material from the lectures as explained and described in the Text.

o        All exams are vocabulary oriented, and are composed from the "key terms" that are bolded in each chapter of the text. All terms on each exam will be presented during lectures in class. The student is responsible for noting the terms given in lectures that may appear in an exam and to study their definitions in the chapter of the text.

o        As stated above in "Cheating", seating and exams may be assigned on Exam days.

Computers In Classroom

The computers in this facility (CBC-C129) are for instructional purposes only. CBC-C129 is NOT an open lab facility for doing computer assignments. During lecture periods, all computers may be deactivated. Computers will be activated only at times designated by the instructor, and no other times. Plan on completing your assignments outside the normal class meeting times. The computer with the large screen projection will be used from time to time by the instructor to demonstrate how to do assignments.

Classroom Rules

To promote respect and courtesy for all students, the following classroom rules are in effect:

o        No talking to other students during lectures;

o        No keyboarding or printing during lectures;

o        No turning in assignments on the front desk during lectures. Turn in assignments before or after lectures at a location in the rear of the classroom designated by the instructor;

o        Silence all pagers and cell phones during class;

o        Exit the classroom to answer cellphone calls and pagers;

o        On test days, wait outside the classroom and enter the classroom only on the instructor's queue.

Message From The Provost

If you have a documented disability that may require assistance, you will need to contact Disability Services (DS) for coordination in your academic accommodations. Disability Services is located within Learning Enhancement Service (LES), in the Reynolds Student Services Complex, Suite 137. The phone number is 895-0866 or TDD 895-0652.

The University requires all members of the University Community to familiarize themselves and to follow copyright and fair use requirements. You are individually and solely responsible for violations of copyright and fair use laws. The University will neither protect nor defend you nor assume any responsibility for employee or student state civil penalties and criminal liability as well as disciplinary action under University policies. To help you familiarize yourself with copyright and fair use policies, the University encourages you to visit its copyright web page at:

http://www.unlv.edu/committees/copyright

Have A Great Semester !!!
(Note: Winter Break will soon arrive!!!)