Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Convenor, Lecturer
Gaurav Gupta
Contact via via dialogue utility (contact teaching staff)
to be posted on iLearn
Tutor
Emma Walker
Tutor
Joseph Hardman
Tutor
Sophie Kaelin
Tutor
Neil Murphy
Tutor
Bradley Kenny
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Credit points |
Credit points
3
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Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
COMP115 or admission to (BActStud or BActStudSc or BAppFinBActStud or BActStudBProfPrac)
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Corequisites |
Corequisites
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Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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Unit description |
Unit description
This unit studies programming as a systematic discipline and introduces more formal software design methods. Programming skills are extended to include elementary data structures and abstract data types. There is a strong emphasis on problem solving and algorithms, including aspects of correctness, complexity and computability.
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Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
No extensions will be granted without an approved application for Special Consideration. There will be a deduction of 10% of the total available marks made from the total awarded mark for each 24 hour period or part thereof that the submission is late. For example, 25 hours late in submission for an assignment worth 10 marks – 20% penalty or 2 marks deducted from the total. No submission will be accepted after solutions have been posted.
Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
---|---|---|---|
Programming contests | 0% | No | Weeks 1 to 10 |
Practical Exam 1 | 5% | No | Week 4 practical class |
Practical Exam 2 | 15% | No | Week 7 practical class |
Practical Exam 3 | 30% | Yes | Week 13 practical class and week 14 |
Assignment 1 | 5% | No | 23:45, Friday ending week 6 |
Assignment 2 | 10% | No | 23:45, Friday ending week 13 |
Final Examination | 35% | No | TBA |
Participation | 0% | Yes | Week 1 to 12 |
Due: Weeks 1 to 10
Weighting: 0%
Programming tasks on HackerRank (released throughout the semester via iLearn announcements).
Students should create an account on HackerRank for this.
Then go to Account -> Settings and change username to StudentID_S2_19
For example, if your StudentID is 40404040, choose username 40404040_S2_19
These provide excellent practice for the practical exams.
Due: Week 4 practical class
Weighting: 5%
The first practical exam will assess you on problem solving (arrays, mostly numerical)
Due: Week 7 practical class
Weighting: 15%
The practical exam will assess students on topics from weeks 2 to 6.
Due: Week 13 practical class and week 14
Weighting: 30%
This is a hurdle assessment task (see assessment policy for more information on hurdle assessment tasks)
The practical exam will assess students on topics discussed in the lectures from week 2 to week 11 (and thereby in the practicals from week 3 to week 12). This is a hurdle exam (see Grading Standards section for further details). You must get at least 40 out of 100 to clear this hurdle.
Each student will have two attempts at the practical exam. The best mark counts towards the final grade.
Attempt 1: Week 13 practical class
Attempt 2: Week 14 (Students can pick one of the several sessions in which exam is offered)
Due: 23:45, Friday ending week 6
Weighting: 5%
This will be a programming assignment that will help you to practise concepts from weeks 1 - 3. You code will be assessed via automated tests that will be provided to you. You will also be marked on code quality and completeness.
Due: 23:45, Friday ending week 13
Weighting: 10%
This will be a programming assignment that will help you to practise concepts from weeks 4 - 9. Your code will be assessed via automated tests that will be provided to you.
Due: TBA
Weighting: 35%
This will be a two hour written invigilated examination which will cover content from the entire semester.
If you receive Special Consideration for the final exam, a supplementary exam will be scheduled after the normal exam period, following the release of marks. By making a special consideration application for the final exam you are declaring yourself available for a resit during the supplementary examination period and will not be eligible for a second special consideration approval based on pre-existing commitments. Please ensure you are familiar with the policy prior to submitting an application. Approved applicants will receive an individual notification one week prior to the exam with the exact date and time of their supplementary examination.
Due: Week 1 to 12
Weighting: 0%
This is a hurdle assessment task (see assessment policy for more information on hurdle assessment tasks)
You must attend and participate in at least 8 of the 10 practical classes in weeks 1-3, 5-6, and 8-12 to pass this unit. This is a hurdle requirement from the faculty of science and engineering. Participation involves actively interacting with the tutor and your peers. Your performance in a short iLearn quiz at the end of each practical class will also be considered to determine if you get participation mark for that week.
We have practical exams in weeks 4, 7 and 13 and therefore unable to satisfactorily assess student participation in those weeks.
Each week you should attend
For details of days, times and rooms consult the timetables webpage.
Note that Lectures and Practical classes commence in week 1.
You should have selected a practical class during enrolment. You should attend the practical class in which you are enrolled. You won't always get the class of your choice. Check availabilities via eStudent regularly. If ALL practical classes are full, only then, contact the convenor.
Please note that you are required to submit work regularly. You will get the help that you need by attending your practical class. Failure to submit work may result in you failing the unit (see the precise requirements in the "Grading Standards" section) or being excluded from the final examination.
Textbook
The first book in the following list, namely Starting out with Java, is the recommended text book for COMP125. The other books listed are helpful references.
Audio and Video Lecture
Digital recordings of lectures are available from within iLearn via Active Learning Platform.
Technology
Discussion Boards
The unit makes use of forums hosted within iLearn. Please post questions there, they are monitored by the unit staff.
Note that three important themes will pervade the entire unit:
Week | Topic | Assessments |
1 | Java and Eclipse | Diagnostic test (does not contribute towards final mark) |
2 | Problem solving, JUnit testing | |
3 | Classes and Objects - 1 | |
4 | Classes and Objects - 2 | Practical exam 1 |
5 | Recursion - 1 | |
6 | Binary search | Assignment 1 Due |
7 | Case study | Practical exam 2 |
8 | List Interface | |
9 | Custom-built ArrayList | |
10 | Self-referencing classes (Node class) | |
11 | Custom-built LinkedList | |
12 | Recursion - 2 | Assignment 2 Due |
13 | Revision | Practical exam 3 |
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
Undergraduate students seeking more policy resources can visit the Student Policy Gateway (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/student-policy-gateway). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.
If you would like to see all the policies relevant to Learning and Teaching visit Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central).
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/getting-started/student-conduct
Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au
Disruption to Studies
The University recognises that students may experience disruption that adversely affects their academic performance in assessment activities. Support services are provided by the University, and it is the student's responsibility to access such services as appropriate. For information concerning the Disruption policy and procedures please visit http://students.mq.edu.au/student_admin/exams/disruption_to_studies/
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.
Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.
For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au
If you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au
For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/.
When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.
Our graduates will also be capable of creative thinking and of creating knowledge. They will be imaginative and open to experience and capable of innovation at work and in the community. We want them to be engaged in applying their critical, creative thinking.
This graduate capability is supported by:
We want our graduates to have emotional intelligence and sound interpersonal skills and to demonstrate discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgement. They will exercise initiative as needed. They will be capable of risk assessment, and be able to handle ambiguity and complexity, enabling them to be adaptable in diverse and changing environments.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Our graduates will have enquiring minds and a literate curiosity which will lead them to pursue knowledge for its own sake. They will continue to pursue learning in their careers and as they participate in the world. They will be capable of reflecting on their experiences and relationships with others and the environment, learning from them, and growing - personally, professionally and socially.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Our graduates will take with them the intellectual development, depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content in their chosen fields to make them competent and confident in their subject or profession. They will be able to demonstrate, where relevant, professional technical competence and meet professional standards. They will be able to articulate the structure of knowledge of their discipline, be able to adapt discipline-specific knowledge to novel situations, and be able to contribute from their discipline to inter-disciplinary solutions to problems.
This graduate capability is supported by:
We want our graduates to be capable of reasoning, questioning and analysing, and to integrate and synthesise learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments; to be able to critique constraints, assumptions and limitations; to be able to think independently and systemically in relation to scholarly activity, in the workplace, and in the world. We want them to have a level of scientific and information technology literacy.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Our graduates should be capable of researching; of analysing, and interpreting and assessing data and information in various forms; of drawing connections across fields of knowledge; and they should be able to relate their knowledge to complex situations at work or in the world, in order to diagnose and solve problems. We want them to have the confidence to take the initiative in doing so, within an awareness of their own limitations.
This graduate capability is supported by:
We want to develop in our students the ability to communicate and convey their views in forms effective with different audiences. We want our graduates to take with them the capability to read, listen, question, gather and evaluate information resources in a variety of formats, assess, write clearly, speak effectively, and to use visual communication and communication technologies as appropriate.
This graduate capability is supported by:
As local citizens our graduates will be aware of indigenous perspectives and of the nation's historical context. They will be engaged with the challenges of contemporary society and with knowledge and ideas. We want our graduates to have respect for diversity, to be open-minded, sensitive to others and inclusive, and to be open to other cultures and perspectives: they should have a level of cultural literacy. Our graduates should be aware of disadvantage and social justice, and be willing to participate to help create a wiser and better society.
This graduate capability is supported by:
We want our graduates to be aware of and have respect for self and others; to be able to work with others as a leader and a team player; to have a sense of connectedness with others and country; and to have a sense of mutual obligation. Our graduates should be informed and active participants in moving society towards sustainability.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Changes since S1, 2019
Changes since S2, 2018
Faculty ruling that the second attempt marks should be capped to be enforced.
Changes since S1, 2018
Changes since S2, 2017
Changes since S1, 2017
Changes since S2, 2016
None
Changes since S1, 2016
Chances since S2, 2015
Three standards, namely Developing, Functional, and Proficient, summarize as many different levels of achievement. Each standard is precisely defined to help students know what kind of performance is expected to deserve a certain mark. The standards corresponding to the learning outcomes of this unit are given below:
Developing | Functional | Proficient | |
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L.O. #1 | Limited ability to solve problems. Limited knowledge of basic data structures. | Ability to write simple algorithms and solve simple problems using OOD. Know basic data structures (queues, stacks, linked lists) and how to manipulate them. | Ability to write complex algorithms and solve complex problems using OOD and recursion. Ability to select the most appropriate data structures to solve a problem. |
L.O. #2 | Show poor programming skills. Limited ability to write code that compiles or excutes properly. | Show basic programming skills. Understand notions of compiler and virtual machine. Know types, how to implement simple conditions, simple loops, simple data structures, simple objects. | Show advanced programming skills. Understand notions of compiler and virtual machine. Know types, how to implement conditions, loops, data structures, objects. Understand inheritance and polymorphism. |
L.O. #3 | Unability to follow specifications. Poor coding style. Poor documentation. Submission of incorrect programs showing no sign of testing/debugging skills. | Follow simple specifications. Document code (e.g. pre-post conditions). Test and debug a simple program. Understand the notion of modularity/object file. | Understand the importance of specifications. Neat code/consistent programming style. Clear and insightful comments. Design test cases and debug programs. |
At the end of the semester, you will receive a grade that reflects your achievement in the unit.
In this unit, your final grade depends on your performance for each component of the assessment. Indeed, for each task, you receive a mark that captures your standard of performance regarding each learning outcome assessed by this task. Then the different component marks are added up to determine your total mark out of 100. Your grade then depends on this total mark and your overall standard of performance.
You will pass the unit, if
In order to obtain a higher grade than a Pass, you must fulfil the conditions for a Pass and have a total mark of at least