Outline

Overview

This unit is an essential starting point for software developers, IT consultants, and computer scientists to build their understanding of principle computer operation. Students will obtain knowledge and skills with procedural programming. Crucial concepts include defining data types, control flow, iteration, functions, recursion, the model of addressable memory. Students will be able to reinterpret a general problem into a computer problem, and use their understanding of the computer model to develop source code. This unit trains students with software development process, including skills of testing and debugging. It is a prerequisite for more advanced programming languages, systems programming, computer security and high performance computing.

Details

Academic unit	Computer Science
Unit code	INFO1110
Unit name	Introduction to Programming
Session, year ?	Semester 2, 2021
Attendance mode	Normal day
Location	Remote
Credit points	6

Enrolment rules

Prohibitions ?	INFO1910 or INFO1103 or INFO1903 or INFO1105 or INFO1905 or ENGG1810
Prerequisites ?	None
Corequisites ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff and contact details

Coordinator	John Stavrakakis, john.stavrakakis@sydney.edu.au
Tutor(s)	Xinwei Luo , xinwei.luo@sydney.edu.au
Tutor(s)	Andrew Xu, andrew.xu@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Final exam (Take-home short release)	Final Examination 3 hours computer exam	50%	Formal exam period	3 hours
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Assignment 1 Write a complete program from problem description	10%	Week 04 Due date: 05 Sep 2021 at 23:59	14 days
Outcomes assessed:
Skills-based evaluation	Quiz 1 Explain, trace, write about programming problems.	10%	Week 07 Due date: 20 Sep 2021 at 16:00	30 minutes
Outcomes assessed:
Skills-based evaluation	Quiz 2 Explain, trace, write about programming problems.	10%	Week 10 Due date: 18 Oct 2021 at 16:00	30 minutes
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Assignment 2 Write a complete program from problem description	20%	Week 12 Due date: 07 Nov 2021 at 23:59	14 days
Outcomes assessed:
= Type D final exam ?

Assignments:
To be completed individually throughout the semester. Assignments may require submission of code, flowcharts, tests, reports, or oral presentations. Format and submission details of assignments to be provided on release.

Quizzes:

Testing knowledge of course contents. Scheduled for a specific time in semester.

Final examination:
The final exam can cover any aspect of the course. Demonstrate knowledge in procedural programming. Reading and tracing through short programs. Writing short programs. Writing test cases and debugging with existing test cases. The final exam is a computer examination held during the examination period.

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on the course website: edstem.org

Special consideration
Approved special consideration will be granted an extension to complete the assignment and may additionally be examined in an oral assessment, based on the assignment contents, that will contribute to the grade of the assignment.

Conditions for the pass in this course:
- At least 40% in the assessment grade
- At least 40% in the computer examination
- At least 50% total

In order to pass this unit, 40% in the final exam. A student must also achieve an overall final mark of 50 or more. Any student not meeting these requirements may be given a maximum final mark of no more than 45 regardless of their average.

Use of language translation tools for all online assessments is forbidden. All answers must be provided in the English language, including code comments.

Additionally, for this course, students may be asked for further development of their assessments if they fail to attend at least 80% of their tutorials.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

For more information see sydney.edu.au/students/guide-to-grades.

The tutor will provide feedback for the weekly tutorial and will provide further feedback to students about correctness, style and testing of their assignments.

Automatic testing provides further feedback.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Special consideration

If you experience short-term circumstances beyond your control, such as illness, injury or misadventure or if you have essential commitments which impact your preparation or performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

You may only use artificial intelligence and writing assistance tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator, and if you do use them, you must also acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section.

Studiosity is permitted for postgraduate units unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission.

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	1. Introduction to the unit; 2. Fundamental concepts; 3. First program.	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 01	1. Programming basics; 2. Online face to face.	Computer laboratory (2 hr)
Week 02	1. Data types; 2. Variables, operators and expressions; 3. Branching	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 02	1. Data types; 2. Expressions and variables; 3. The underlying memory model.	Computer laboratory (2 hr)
Week 03	1. Control Flow: Branching and loops	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 03	1. Control Flow: Branching and loops	Computer laboratory (2 hr)
Week 04	1. Array concept of addressable memory; 2. Lists and loops; 3. Further flow control	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 04	1. Defining and iterating arrays; 2. Collections of objects.	Computer laboratory (2 hr)
Week 05	1. Basis of program design process; 2. Documentation and style	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 05	1. Writing small programs; 2. Documentation and style	Computer laboratory (2 hr)
Week 06	1. Functions; 2. Testing	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 06	1. Functions; 2. Testing	Computer laboratory (2 hr)
Week 07	1. Files and basic input/output; 2. Exception handling	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 07	1. Working with file input and output; 2. Exceptions.	Computer laboratory (2 hr)
Week 08	1. More list and for loop; 2. Programming idioms	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 08	1. Searching collections; 2. Error handling; 3. Further idioms	Computer laboratory (2 hr)
Week 09	1. Testing; 2. Software design process	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 09	1. Writing tests; 2. Testing programs	Computer laboratory (2 hr)
Week 10	1. Modular programming; 2. Defining datatypes using aggregate structures	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 10	1. Creating and working with aggregate data structures and their operations.	Computer laboratory (2 hr)
Week 11	1. Recursion	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 11	1. Reading, writing and tracing recursive code.	Computer laboratory (2 hr)
Week 12	1. Multidimensional arrays	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 12	1. Problems with 2D structures	Computer laboratory (2 hr)
Week 13	1. Course review; 2. Final examination overview	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 13	1. Revision.	Computer laboratory (2 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Course websites:

Canvas and Ed are both used in this course for separate purposes. Students are encouraged to engage with the discussions and support on Ed for their learning.

Students are expected to regularly visit these websites to learn of announcements and information concerning format and schedule of assessment. Canvas is a website that will be used to disseminate the lecture recordings and for publishing of results.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

All readings for this unit can be accessed through the Library eReserve, available on Canvas.

Robert Sedgewick, Kevin Wayne, Robert Dondero – Introduction to Programming in Python: An Interdisciplinary Approach. Pearson Higher Ed USA, 2015. 9780134076430

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University’s graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. employ programming style conventions for writing consistently readable code
LO2. design and construct new functionality to existing procedural program or function
LO3. compose a structured algorithmic design to solve the descriptive problem specification
LO4. compose an entire procedural program from descriptive problem specification
LO5. demonstrate an understanding of programming principles, data types, variables and operators, control-flow: simple statement, sequence, if-then-else, while, functions: stack, input/output, reference memory model
LO6. compose, analyse and trace procedural code, scoping/variable lifetime, memory of the stack, references and globals, data types, operations on data types
LO7. construct code cliches for input and manipulating arrays, including maximum, minimum, search or traverse, with actions on each element for counting or summation
LO8. construct and assess code for recursively-defined numerical functions, and for recursively described array manipulations
LO9. apply testing methods and assess programs through debugging with the ability to write a set of tests for a small program or function
LO10. explain compilation process and debugging mechanism
LO11. use standard library functions

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Alignment with Competency standards

Outcomes	Competency standards
	Engineers Australia Curriculum Performance Indicators - 1.2. Tackling technically challenging problems from first principles. 2.2. Application of enabling skills and knowledge to problem solution in these technical domains.
	Engineers Australia Curriculum Performance Indicators - 1.2. Tackling technically challenging problems from first principles. 2.2. Application of enabling skills and knowledge to problem solution in these technical domains. 3.3. Creativity and innovation.
	Engineers Australia Curriculum Performance Indicators - 1.1. Developing underpinning capabilities in mathematics, physical, life and information sciences and engineering sciences, as appropriate to the designated field of practice. 1.2. Tackling technically challenging problems from first principles. 2.2. Application of enabling skills and knowledge to problem solution in these technical domains. 2.4. Advanced knowledge and capability development in one or more specialist areas through engagement with: (a) specific body of knowledge and emerging developments and (b) problems and situations of significant technical complexity. 3.3. Creativity and innovation. 4.1. Advanced level skills in the structured solution of complex and often ill defined problems.
	Engineers Australia Curriculum Performance Indicators - 1.1. Developing underpinning capabilities in mathematics, physical, life and information sciences and engineering sciences, as appropriate to the designated field of practice. 2.1. Appropriate range and depth of learning in the technical domains comprising the field of practice informed by national and international benchmarks.
	Engineers Australia Curriculum Performance Indicators - 1.1. Developing underpinning capabilities in mathematics, physical, life and information sciences and engineering sciences, as appropriate to the designated field of practice. 1.2. Tackling technically challenging problems from first principles. 2.2. Application of enabling skills and knowledge to problem solution in these technical domains.
	Engineers Australia Curriculum Performance Indicators - 1.1. Developing underpinning capabilities in mathematics, physical, life and information sciences and engineering sciences, as appropriate to the designated field of practice. 1.2. Tackling technically challenging problems from first principles. 2.2. Application of enabling skills and knowledge to problem solution in these technical domains. 3.1. An ability to communicate with the engineering team and the community at large.
	Engineers Australia Curriculum Performance Indicators - 1.1. Developing underpinning capabilities in mathematics, physical, life and information sciences and engineering sciences, as appropriate to the designated field of practice. 1.2. Tackling technically challenging problems from first principles. 2.2. Application of enabling skills and knowledge to problem solution in these technical domains. 3.3. Creativity and innovation.
	Engineers Australia Curriculum Performance Indicators - 1.1. Developing underpinning capabilities in mathematics, physical, life and information sciences and engineering sciences, as appropriate to the designated field of practice. 1.2. Tackling technically challenging problems from first principles. 2.1. Appropriate range and depth of learning in the technical domains comprising the field of practice informed by national and international benchmarks. 2.2. Application of enabling skills and knowledge to problem solution in these technical domains. 3.1. An ability to communicate with the engineering team and the community at large. 3.2. Information literacy and the ability to manage information and documentation. 5.4. Skills in the selection and application of appropriate engineering resources tools and techniques, appreciation of accuracy and limitations;. 5.7. Proficiency in appropriate laboratory procedures; the use of test rigs, instrumentation and test equipment. 5.8. Skills in recognising unsuccessful outcomes, sources of error, diagnosis, fault-finding and re-engineering.
	Engineers Australia Curriculum Performance Indicators - 1.1. Developing underpinning capabilities in mathematics, physical, life and information sciences and engineering sciences, as appropriate to the designated field of practice. 3.1. An ability to communicate with the engineering team and the community at large.
	Engineers Australia Curriculum Performance Indicators - 1.1. Developing underpinning capabilities in mathematics, physical, life and information sciences and engineering sciences, as appropriate to the designated field of practice. 2.2. Application of enabling skills and knowledge to problem solution in these technical domains. 3.1. An ability to communicate with the engineering team and the community at large.

Closing the loop

There is a slower uptake of functions section where students felt the course ramp up quickly.

Additional information

Every week students should:

Read the required sections of literature
Attend and take notes for the Live lecture (Mondays)
Watch and take notes for the Online lecture (via Canvas website)
Complete the weekly Lesson for Lecture
Prepare for the Tutorial by reviewing reading, lecture and tutorial questions
Complete the weekly Tutorial before it commences (starting week 2)
Attend and participate in weekly Tutorial with tutor (as timetabled)

Additionally:

Students should ask questions on Ed
Students should engage with their teacher for feedback in their tutorial

Access to course contents: Lecture, Tutorial Access to discussion and support forum.

Key dates
Key dates through the academic year, including teaching periods, census, payment deadlines and exams.
Student administration
Enrolment, course planning, fees, graduation, support services, student IT
Expectations of student conduct
Code of Conduct for Students, Conditions of Enrollment, University Privacy Statement, Academic Integrity
Academic appeals
Academic appeals process, special consideration, rules and guidelines, advice and support
Learning and teaching policy
Policy register, policy search
Financial support
Scholarships, interest free loans, bursaries, money management
Study resources
Learning Centre, faculty and school programs, Library, online resources
Health and support
Student Centre, counselling & psychological services, University Health Service, general health and wellbeing

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Details

Enrolment rules

Teaching staff and contact details

Assessment

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Special consideration

Academic integrity

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Alignment with Competency standards

Closing the loop

Additional information

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect

Current students

INFO1110: Introduction to Programming

Overview

Details

Enrolment rules

Teaching staff and contact details

Assessment

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Special consideration

Academic integrity

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Alignment with Competency standards

Closing the loop

Additional information

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect