Autumn semester .

Unit(s) of Assessment	Weighting Towards Module Mark( %)
Coursework: 2 assignments	50%
Class Test:	50%
Qualifying Condition(s)

None.

To develop file handling skills using the University’s computing facilities.
To develop basic programming skills.
To teach the basic procedural aspects of the Java programming language.
To initiate the development of problem solving skills .

At the end of the module you should be able to:

• Perform basic operations on University computing facilities.
• Plan a simple program.
• Write and run a simple program in the language Java.
• Perform basic input and output in Java.
• Handle primitive Java types.
• Handle constructs to vary the flow through a Java program.
• Handle constructs which repeat sections of Java program code.

Programming Languages fall into different paradigms (families). A modern approach to programming is the object-oriented (OO) paradigm which includes the language Java. Many first-time programmers find OO concepts difficult to grasp but are comfortable with a more traditional approach offered by the procedural paradigm. Since Java includes procedural as well as OO concepts, this module introduces Java by concentrating on the procedural aspects of the language, deferring OO concepts to a later stage. However some OO terms will be used.

A program specifies a computer’s performance of some process. Each instruction has a precise meaning which the machine interprets according to a convention we think of as a programming language. The sequence of steps of a process is known as an algorithm. The progression through some of the steps of an algorithm is referred to as flow. Except for trivial programs, the planning of a new program usually involves developing an algorithm on paper before any coding begins: this is usually done by listing the tasks and subtasks in a structured manner (we call such listing pseudocode) or by drawing a flowchart.

The topics covered during the module include:

1. The ideas of compilation, running a program on the Java Virtual Machine, compile-time and run-time errors. Debugging programs.
2. Identifiers and Java keywords. Expressions and statements. Constants, variables and assignments.
3. Primitive data types (integer, floating point, boolean and character). Arithmetic operators. The accuracy of computations.
4. The layout and structure of Java source code.
5. Input and output of data in Java.
6. Conditionals: Java if statements, relations. Relational and logical operators. Compound statements. Nested control constructs.
7. The concept of iteration. Loop constructs. Using these in Java based upon the while, for and do-while statements.
8. Mixed-type expressions and precedence rules. The need for more general constructs and the switch statement.
9. Type conversions, casts.
10. The use of characters.
11. Methods, method parameters, return statement.
12. Problem solving.

Lectures and supervised laboratory sessions. Supervised practical is a vital part of the course and students will be given many non-assessed exercises as well as the formal coursework assignment

Updated 23rd September 08