CS110 - Introduction to Computers and Applications
Required Materials, Topics, and Reading Assignments
SPRING 2008
Required Materials

Required Texts:

Technology in Action, Fourth Edition 


Alan Evans, Kendall Martin, Mary Anne Poatsy


Prentice-Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ  2007


ISBN-13:  978-0-13-240266-8

 ISBN-10:        0-13-240266-1




Jt's Conversations on TRUE BASIC, Becoming Acquainted with TRUE BASIC Using Windows


Jt Chirco


Kendall-Hunt Publishing Company, 2005


(new edition includes 64mb USB Flash Drive storage device)


ISBN 0-7575-2078-2



Choose One:

Microsoft Office 2004 for Mac OS-X, Visual Quickstart Guide


Steve Schwartz


Peachpit Press, 2005


ISBN 0-321-24747-7


(see note below)



Microsoft Office XP for Windows, Visual Quickstart Guide

Steve Sagman

PeachPit Press, 2002

ISBN 0-201-74147-4

(see note below)



Microsoft Windows  Vista, Visual Quickstart Guide

Chris Fehily

PeachPit Press, 2006

ISBN 0-321-43452-8

(see note below)


File Storage:

USB Thumb Drive, 64 mb minimum
Note:  The 2005 edition of  Conversations on TRUE BASIC includes a 64 mb USB Flash Drive storage device



Email:

Establish a Rutgers University (RUNet) computer account by Friday, January 25.

Note:  Purchase the Mac OS-X 2004  text only if you will complete your software assignments on a macintosh computer, either your own or those available in the computing centers throughout New Brunswick.  If you will use a PC to complete software assignments, choose Microsoft Office XP for Windows or Microsoft Windows Vista. 
 
Technology in Action and Microsoft Office 2004 for Mac OS-X are used to present conceptual and practical information on software, hardware, and applications.  Jt's Conversations on TRUE BASIC will be used to introduce programming concepts.  All texts are available at the Rutgers University Bookstore (Ferren Mall), the Douglass/Cook Campus Co-Op Store (Nichol Avenue and Lipman Drive), Livingston Campus Bookstore (Joyce Kilmer Avenue), and New Jersey Books (108 Somerset Street). The texts may also be on reserve at Kreeger Learning Resource Center (LRC) on College Avenue; check with the LRC for availability. If you prefer to purchase your books through the internet, look at sites such as Amazon.Com (www.amazon.com) or Barnes and Noble (www.bn.com). 

If you prefer to purchase your own copy of the TRUE BASIC software, information is available at the TRUE BASIC website (www.truebasic.com). Purchase the Bronze Edition.

Information on how to establsih a RUNet account  is available at New Brunswick Computing Services website.

Topics and Reading Assignments

Listed below are the topics and related reading assignments for the semester. Generally, each topic is covered in one or two lectures. The topics on computer hardware, software, and applications are taken from chapters in the Evans and Rubin texts; topics related to BASIC programming are from Conversations with Jt on TRUE BASIC. (Your instructor may give you a more detailed schedule of topics than what is listed below.)
Topic
Evans
Schwartz
Rubin*

Course Overview




Introduction to Computers
1



The Internet and World Wide Web
3
Part 5, ch. 20-25


Central Processing Unit

6



Secondary Storage

6



Input and Output
2



Operating Systems, Software Basics
5


Electronic Spreadsheet Software
4
Part 3, ch. 9-16


Presentation Software
4
Part 4, ch.17-19


Graphics
4


8, 9

Database Management Software
4


7, 11

Integrated Software Applications


Part 6, ch. 26-27
12, 14

Data Communications and Networks
7



Structured Programming Concepts



*The chapters from Rubin are on reserve at Alexander Library, College Avenue Campus

Topic
Conversations With Jt

Introduction to TRUE BASIC
2, 3

Conditional Statements
4, 5

Loops
6, 7

Functions
8

Arrays
9

Assignments

Introduction to Computers and Applications includes assignments in programming, software applcations, and the Internet. Click here for a description of the assignments, due dates, and evaluation criteria. Completed assignments are submitted to  Sakai and graded by your teaching assistant (TA).  Sakai is an online,web-based database system developed and maintained by the Office of Research and Information Technology.  You will learn to use Sakai in your first lab recitation.

In completing your assignments, remember:
1. All assignments must be turned in on time to receive full credit.
2. Assignments turned in after the due date receive only half credit; assignments turned in more than
one week late receive no credit.
NOTE: "due date" is based on when your recitation section meets.
3. Except where noted, homework assignments sent by electronic mail will not be graded.
4.  Discrepancies regarding assignment grades must be clarified within two weeks after assignment results are posted; no consideration wil be given after this two-week time limit.  Students are advised to keep copies of work submitted and all Sakai receipts until the semester has ended and final grades are published.  Students should verify their grades each week on Sakai Gradebook and notify their TA if there is a discrepancy.   If your TA does not respond within three days, see your instructor.

5. Violations of the academic integrity policies of the University will be reported to the Dean's Office.  Wedneday, December 12, is the last day of the FALL 2007 semester.   All grade-related conflicts must be resolved with your instructor by this date.  No work is accepted after this date.
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