Department of Computer Science

Computer Science Login

Courses Offered

CSCI 101
Introduction To Problem Solving With Computers

Coordinator: Muhammad Chaudhary

Credits: 4.0

Description

Designed to introduce concepts, techniques and history of computing to students who are not computer science majors. Emphasis on problem solving using the computer including making calculations and presenting reports, tables and graphs based on those calculations. Collecting, storing, updating and retrieving data. Display and interpretation of information using the Internet. No credit toward computer science major.

Prerequisites

None

Sample Textbooks

Course Outcomes

1. understand the historical perspective in which computing has developed,

2. understand the relationship between hardware and software,

3. understand how information is collected, processed, packaged, and interpreted,

4. understand the general concept of problem solving,

5. be able to use the computer to solve specific problems,

6. have an introductory knowledge of standard computer software,

7. understand the role of Computer Science in the world,

8. understand the means by which the Internet provides communications and access toinformation.

Major Topics Covered

A.     History of computing
         1.      Ancient computational devices
         2.      The Industrial Age
         3.      Computer generations
         4.      The Information Age

B.     Computer concepts
         1.      Terms and ideas
         2.      Introduction to the computing at MU

C.     Hardware and Software
         1.      Representation of information
         2.      CPUs; I/O media; storage media; networks
         3.      Hardware operation
         4.      System software
         5.      Application software

D.     Word processing
         1.      Word processing defined and demonstrated
         2.      Document preparation and editing
         3.      Document, paragraph, and character formatting
         4.     Inserting graphics and tables

E.      Spreadsheet
         1.      Spreadsheet defined and demonstrated
         2.      Spreadsheet preparation; types of entries
                  a. formula
                  b. functions
                  c. text
                  d. number
         3.      Spreadsheet editing; copying data; relative and absolute cell references
         4.      Spreadsheet formatting
         5.      Charting data; chart types; selecting the data range; moving and sizing the chart
         6.      Consolidating data

F.      Graphical Presentation Software
         1.      Presentation software defined
         2.      Creating a presentation; slide objects, title, body text, bullets
         3.      Enhancing a presentation; animation, transitions, views

G.     Database Management
         1.      Database defined and demonstrated
         2.      Database preparation; relational versus flat file, tables, records, fields, key
         3.      Database maintenance; adding fields, properties, data
         4.      Database features; sorting, forms, queries, reports

H.     Interoperability
         1.      Software suites
         2.      Object linking and embedding
         3.      Integrated packages

I.       Computer applications
         1.      Visual and sound applications
         2.      Simulations
         3.      Artificial intelligence
         4.      Problems in AI
         5.      Education
         6.      Communications

J.       Communications and connectivity
         1.      Fax machines, e-mail, voice-messaging, videoconferencing, online services
         2.      User connection; modems, T1, DSL, cable modem
         3.      Communication channels; phone line, coaxial cable, fiber optic cable,
                  microwave, satellite
         4.      Data transmission; bandwidth, serial, parallel, direction, mode, protocol
         5.      Network architecture; terms, configurations, strategies
         6.      Network types; LAN, MAN, WAN
         7.      Intranet, extranet, firewall

K.     The Internet
         1.      Definition of the Internet
                  a.      Brief history of the Internet
                  b.      Internet anarchy
                  c.      World Wide Web
                  d.      Information available on the Internet
                  e.      Commercial Internet service providers

         2.      Browsers
                  a.      Navigating the web
                  b.      Finding information
                  c.      Communicating

3.      Electronic Mail
         a.      How E-mail Works
         b.      Header, Message, Signature
         c.      Messages
                  i.          Send
                  ii.         Read
                  iii.        Reply
                  iv.        Forward
                  v.         Edit

4.      Electronic Discussions
         a.      LISTSERV Lists
                  i.          Subscribe and Unsubscribe
                  ii.         Finding Lists
                  iii.        Lurking
                  iv.        Searching List Archives
         b.      Newsgroups
                  i.          Finding Newsgroups
                  ii.         Newsreaders
                  iii.        Subscribing
                  iv.        Posting Articles
                  v.         Searching Newsgroup Archives
         c.      Internet Relay Chat (IRC)
         d.      Electronic Magazines and Journals

5.      Graphical and Hypertext Access to the Internet
         a.      The World Wide Web
         b.      Browsing
         c.      Search tools
         d.      Creating a web page

6.      Social and Legal Issues
         a.      Legal implications
         b.      Politics and the Internet
         c.      Network ethics and netiquette
         d.      Security on the Internet
         e.      University policies

         7.      File Transfer
                  a.      FTP
                  b.      Uploading/Downloading
                  c.      Text files and Binary files

        8..      Telnet
                  a.      Internet Remote Login
                  b.      Telnet commands

                  9.      Text-based Internet Services
                           a.      Archie
                           b.      Gopher
                           c.      Veronica

         10.    Internet search strategies
                  a. Search engines, indexes, metasearch engines
                  b. Keyword, subject, natural language
                  c. Truncation