Course Syllabus Part II

Introduction to Programming Using C#

Course Resources

Course Text:
Visual C# 2012 How To Program, 5th edition, Deitel
Or
Visual C# How To Program, 6th edition, Deitel

Required Resources:
You should install a version of  Visual Studio Express or Community edition development system for use
in this course. The software is available from the Microsoft download site. 

You can also use older Express/Community editions by going to the download site and scrolling to the
bottom of the page and clicking the button for older versions. 

Finally, the Express/Community editions as well as the Professional editions are available through the
Bellevue University academic alliance.

These are available as a free download. Your only cost is the time it takes to download, set it up and
register it. Registration is important since if the package is not registered it will shut off after 30
days. 

Course Schedule
Tentative Class Schedule
This schedule is subject to change

Week Readin Concepts Covered

g
1 1, 2 & 3 Introduction to C# Applications
2 4 Classes Objects and Variables
3 4 Classes Objects and Variables
4 5 Algorithms Control and Repetition
5 6 Control Statements
6 7 Methods
7 7 Methods
8 8 Arrays
9 8 Arrays
10 16 Strings
11 16 Strings
12 none Classes, wrap-up and Final Exam

Effective Date of Syllabus:

© 2016 Bellevue University. Unless otherwise noted, the contents of this course, including the text and images and how they are
arranged and presented, are owned by Bellevue University and protected by U.S. Copyright law. You may use this course content
for your own personal, educational, informational and non-commercial use.

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Grade Breakdown/Criteria
Your grade will be awarded based on the following except as otherwise noted:

(Weekly Homework) 50 points

(Weekly Forum Postings) 50 points
(Weekly quizzes) 20 points
(Final Exam) 500 points

In general the following weekly point values apply:

 General homework assignment: 50 points

 Forum postings: 50 points, breakdown of points provided in each forum assignment

 Weekly quizzes 20 points each

 A weekly assignment might be broken down into sub-assignments which total 50 points

 Some assignments might be assigned a lower point value based on the effort involved

 Extra point (optional) “Challenge” assignments (25 pts) will be offered in weeks 2-12. There are strict
rules for these assignments which can be found in the assignment narrative each week.

Your points will be displayed in the Grade Center as a running total percentage which can be compared
at any time to the grading scale shown above to determine your grade standing. Remember that
assignments that are not accomplished and submitted on time will be noted as a zero in the grade column
for that assignment. The zero score is counted into your running percentage.

The total number of points for any assignment week may vary from week to week.

All assignments are due by midnight on the last day of the assignment week unless otherwise
noted.

The instructor will normally respond to all student inquiries (emails, voice messages, etc.) within 48 hours
(excluding holidays and weekends).

Written homework and Discussion Board participation are assigned points. You will be able to access
your points and summary percentage through the online classroom grade center.

Project/assignment feedback - which may or may not mean a grade - is typically given at or within seven
days following the assignment due date.

Here is an overview of the kinds of notations you will see in the Grade Center:

 A number. If this is a zero it most likely means you didn't turn in the assignment or
Effective Date of Syllabus:

© 2016 Bellevue University. Unless otherwise noted, the contents of this course, including the text and images and how they are
arranged and presented, are owned by Bellevue University and protected by U.S. Copyright law. You may use this course content
for your own personal, educational, informational and non-commercial use.

2
 participate in the Discussion Board. Check for comments.

 Padlock: In Progress. You are currently using the Assessment or Assignment.

 Dash: No Information. It means the item hasn't been graded yet. If the assignment
was due over two weeks from when you see the dash and you still see a dash, please let me
know.

 Exclamation Point: Needs Grading. The item has been submitted by you and needs
to be reviewed by the professor.

 Question Mark: Grade book Error. Alert the professor immediately.

 Checkmark: Item has been completed by you. Milestones are often noted this way.

Late Work
Pay special attention to the due dates of the various items that will be graded. It is very important to keep
up with your work and with your participation in the course. Late work is generally not accepted unless
PRIOR arrangements are made with the instructor for special circumstances (e.g., you know you're going
on a trip out of town).

If you fail to submit an assignment your grade in the Grade Center will remain ungraded and show as
either a dash or a zero.

If you have questions or comments, or if you see any errors in your grade report, please notify your
professor as soon as possible via email, NOT the public Discussion Board. Public discussions of
grades violate FERPA rules. I'll delete any grade-related posts I find in the public Discussion Board. It is
always easier to fix errors early rather than late in a course.

Participation
Class participation serves two purposes within the context of this class. One of these is to provide
students with the opportunity to ask questions and discuss concepts, thereby improving the learning
process.

The other purpose is to establish a community of support so that students do not feel as though they are
learning the material alone. In order to serve these two purposes, it is important that all students make a
point of submitting posts throughout the course of each week. Students are expected to login to the
system and contribute to the class on a regular basis. Students must login to the class at least three (3)
times each class week on different days and contribute to the class discussions at least three (3)
times each class week. Primary assignment postings (answers to weekly questions or
assignments do not count for the four follow-on postings. Primary postings should not be made on
the last day of the class week when others do not have the opportunity to respond; these late primary
postings will not be considered for a grade.

The rules:

1. Postings must be substantive - that is, "Good job!" does not count. Telling other students that
they answered the question well doesn't really count, either - you are allowed to compliment other
students, certainly, but make sure your complimentary post contributes to our overall level of
understanding by elaborating on your fellow student's excellent post with your own excellent
Effective Date of Syllabus:

© 2016 Bellevue University. Unless otherwise noted, the contents of this course, including the text and images and how they are
arranged and presented, are owned by Bellevue University and protected by U.S. Copyright law. You may use this course content
for your own personal, educational, informational and non-commercial use.

3
 observation, or with a follow-up question. Pertinent article and YouTube links count as posts.
2. Don't worry - I'm not grading your posts for grammar! That doesn't mean, however, you shouldn't
take time to carefully word your responses.
3. Please be careful with the spelling and punctuation and capitalization. A few typos in posts are
acceptable, but we do need to use conventional spelling and grammar.

Expectations for Students

You are expected to be familiar with the grading and weekly points requirements specified in the course
syllabus. In general, you will find that your weekly grade will be based on the forum points, the
assignment points, and where quizzes are required, the quiz points. If quizzes are required then they will
usually be an equal number of points with the forum and the assignment. This means that the quizzes
would be one-third of your weekly grade. Do not make the mistake of ignoring the weekly quizzes, the
forums, or any assignment that has points assigned to it as doing so will adversely affect your grades. I
have had students who have done well with assignments and forums but who ignored the quizzes or
ignored the forum assignments and thus failed the course. It is your responsibility to ensure that you
adequately complete the given assignments.

If you are having a problem with your internet, computer, personal issues or other problems you must
contact me immediately, preferably before the due date, and as early as possible. I almost always grant
extra time if the reasons are reasonable but I have to know as early as possible. If you have requested
an extension, I will still place a zero in your grade score until I receive and grade your missing
assignment. If you do not contact me and then submit the assignment days or weeks later, the
assignments will receive a permanent zero score. Forum assignments are not negotiable if not pre-
negotiated. All discussion forum requirements must be met by the end of the assignment week. Quizzes
if required are open, and can be completed at any time during the term after they are made available but
must be completed by midnight of the last day of the term. Any quizzes completed after that time will not
be considered and any uncompleted quizzes after the end of the term will be zeroes, no exceptions. If
there is a final exam, the same end of the term rules apply. In your forum postings you must provide at
least 80% of the posted content IN YOUR OWN WORDS. Copying and pasting of outside, published,
material exceeding 20% of your total posting will receive a zero. Use of supporting images in your
posting is encouraged but images count as a part of that 20% of the total posting so do not rely on images
to carry your post in meeting the posting requirements. You will be required to post your initial/primary
discussion forum posting to the weekly forum assignment. Failure to post your initial/primary posting for
the week will result in the loss of all points for the initial posting.

Any extensions or exceptions are made at my discretion, they are not a given.

Let me offer an addendum to the announcement and the posting about forum and written assignment
expectations.

When 2-4 paragraphs are specified, then it is expected that 2-4 paragraphs will be submitted, no
exceptions. A paragraph is not one or two sentences.

For follow-on postings on other student inputs, the postings should be substantial and add to the
discussion or present entirely new material. They should not be one-liners,

“nice example…”,

“Nice explanation…”,

“Great post…”,

“Best explanation ever…”,

Effective Date of Syllabus:

© 2016 Bellevue University. Unless otherwise noted, the contents of this course, including the text and images and how they are
arranged and presented, are owned by Bellevue University and protected by U.S. Copyright law. You may use this course content
for your own personal, educational, informational and non-commercial use.

4
“Nice post…”,

“Excellent post…”,

“This is a good post…”

or any of the many variants followed by an empty one sentence reply that has no meat to it.

Primary postings less than the specified requirement and follow-up postings that are like the examples
cited will not be considered for the forum grading requirements which are:

25 points for the initial posting, 50 points total.

4 reply postings for full credit, spread over multiple days. This works out to 6.25 points per posting but it is
easier, and in your favor point-wise if I round that up to 7 points. So, one reply would be 32 points total,
two replies would be 39 points total, three replies would be 46 points and four replies is good for the full
50.

depending on what is specified for the particular course. Cite your references. Remember, your forum
assignments are generally equal in points to the weekly assignment.

Expectations for Faculty

 The instructor will treat all students with respect and courtesy.
 The instructor will make grading criteria clear and follow the criteria scrupulously in evaluating
student work.
 The instructor will provide feedback about student work within 6 days of due dates (or 24 hours
prior to the next due date)—feedback that helps the student learn and improve.
 The instructor will respond to all student phone and email messages within 48 hours.

Effective Date of Syllabus:

© 2016 Bellevue University. Unless otherwise noted, the contents of this course, including the text and images and how they are
arranged and presented, are owned by Bellevue University and protected by U.S. Copyright law. You may use this course content
for your own personal, educational, informational and non-commercial use.