1. Dr. David Matuszek Spring, 2003
Introduction to CSE121
Dr. David Matuszek
Spring, 2003

2. About CSE121 Content of the course Textbooks
Assignments, exams, grading
Academic honesty

3. Course Content I: Overview
This is a course in data structures
We will use the Java language throughout
Our focus is on programming
Our focus is not on the Java language itself
Our main topics will be
“Pointer pushing,” that is, building and using complex data structures
Information hiding, for better program design
Recursion, a powerful programming technique
Analysis of programs, using “big-O” notation

4. Course Content II: About Java
Java is:
A very large and complex programming language
But it is also:
A very popular, practical, “real world” language
CSE121 is about data structures and algorithms
CSE121 uses Java, it isn’t about Java
I will teach some Java, but only as necessary
You are expected to learn more Java on your own and in the labs

5. Course Content III: Prerequisites
You are expected to know at least this much Java:
Basic data types: int, double, char, boolean, etc.
The difference between a class and an object
The statement types:
Variable declarations
Assignment statements
for, while, and do...while loops
if, if...then, and switch statements
try...catch...finally statements
How to write and call simple methods, such as println

6. Textbooks
Our main textbook is “Data Structures & Algorithms in Java (Second Edition),” by Robert Lafore
This is an extremely lucid textbook
The analysis part will need to be supplemented
Our secondary textbook is “The Java Tutorial, Third Edition: A Short Course on the Basics,” by Mary Campione, Kathy Walrath, and Alison Huml
This is pretty good as a textbook
Sections are relatively independent, so it’s a very good book for when you need to learn about some particular language feature

7. Assignments
There will be approximately one programming assignment per week
Assignments will be submitted and returned the same way as was done last semester
Assignments will be graded on:
Whether it works (non-working assignments are automatically worth zero)
Programming and commenting style
How well you read and followed the instructions
All assignments will be available on the Web

8. Exams There will be two “midterms” and a final
Midterms will be 20% worth each
The final will be 20%
The remaining 40% of your grade will be from your programming assignments
All exams will be cumulative!

9. Grading
Exams will be difficult; the average will probably be less than 70%
Programming assignment grades are expected to be substantially higher, with an average over 90%
If you believe a grading error has occurred, you have one week from the time the work is returned to request a regrade
Follow instructions on the “Grades” web page
Spring break and snow days will not be counted
All grades will be curved
That is, it is not necessarily the case that 90% is an A, 80% is a B, or whatever scheme you are used to
I expect roughly 1/4 As, 1/2 Bs, 1/4 Cs, and a few Fs

10. The Rules You may: You may not: Things to be especially careful about:
discuss the assignments with one another
help others debug their work
use anything from the course textbooks or the course Web site
You may not:
work together on the same program
copy another person’s code
allow your code to be copied
use any code from other textbooks or Web sites without permission
Things to be especially careful about:
Do not “lend” your programs, in any form, to anyone
Do not ask to “borrow” someone else’s program
Do not leave your programs where someone else may find them
If you accidentally lose a diskette or listing, inform your TA at once
If you are helping someone else, you can explain and show examples, but do not write any code for them

11. Consequences
Anyone caught cheating will be reported to the Office of Student Conduct and will receive an F in the course
There will be no second chances
Dealing with cheating cases takes up a lot of our time which we would prefer to spend improving the course for honest students
If you need to cheat, you will never do well in this field and will probably never be happy in it
You should be aware:
I am very good at catching cases of academic dishonesty
I have never lost a case
If you have lost a diskette or program listing, or think you may have accidentally broken a rule, tell your TA

12. The End