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s~ C Programming for Beginners ~ Course Outline |
Click here to see how to copy programs to and from a floppy disk each week.
Welcome to the home page for the Northampton College 2002-3 course for C Programming for Beginners.
The course runs for 30 weeks on Wednesday evenings from 6pm-9pm in the ITAS building (rear car park by the management buildings - just pass the bicycle stands, up the stairs, and to your left), and is aimed at the complete novice to programming.
You will learn the fundamentals behind how to design, write, test and document computer programs written in the C programming language - a language which has been used extensively throughout commercial and educational institutions for a variety of purposes for nearly thirty years, and is still in widespread use today. Many languages have their roots in C (such as C++, C#, and Java) so learning C is a good basis for learning many modern languages.
Students can opt to take a City & Guilds examination at an appropriate point in the course in order to obtain a recognized qualification.
For more information, you can contact Northampton College as follows:-
Web Site URL: http://www.northamptoncollege.ac.uk
or write to:
ITAS Dept
Northampton College (Booth Lane Site)
Main Campus
Booth Lane
Northampton NN3 3RF
More information can be gained from Jonathon Halliday on (01604) 734273 or by emailing Simon Huggins, the course tutor (or click here to see further contact methods).
Click here to download a copy of C++ Builder or C++ Lite to accompany this course
Click here to see the Microsoft Word version of a quick reference overview of the C language
Click here to view a colour sample (169k) of the exam entry form, or here to view a b/w version (67k)
Click here to see details of course modules required to attain a C&G diploma
Click here to see / play an example in-depth C program - a 'snake' game.
Click here to see a Microsoft Word Test Plan document
Click here for sample multiple-choice questions and click here for sample written exams - from e-quals site.
| Session No / Links | Session Description |
|
Session 1 |
Registration and other domestics. Introduction to C. Brief History of C. The C++ Builder environment. Your first C program: Typing it in, saving it, compiling, and running it. |
| Session 2
25/09/2002 |
Structure of a C program. Libraries and Includes. Introduction to functions. Errors. Exercises. |
| Session 3 02/10/2002 |
Variables and Types. Variable names. Declaring variables. Using variables. Integers. Arithmetic Operators and Introduction to Printf. More on mathematics: Precedence, Parentheses. Integers vs. reals. Introduction to debugging. |
| Session 4 09/10/2002 |
Real / Floating Point values and variables. Totals, Percentages and Averages. |
| Session 5 16/10/2002 |
Introduction to scanf. Executable files. Branching - IF / ELSE statement. Conditional operators. Question-Mark/colon operator. |
|
~~ Study Week [1 week] ~~ |
|
| Session 6 30/10/2002 |
Review of work done so far. Character constants. Course Module Details |
| Session 7 06/11/2002 |
Looping - while, do-while. Joining conditions with && and ||. Break. Data validation. The ++ and -- Operators. |
| Session 8 13/11/2002 |
Character type. Characters as numbers. Converting a character to upper case. getch and getche. Quit program Yes/No check. Exam entry forms given out. |
| Session 9 20/11/2002 |
Switch/Case statements. Break/Continue. Constants using #define. Accumulating with += operator. |
| Session 10 27/11/2002 |
The for loop. Recap of ++ and -- operators. Scope and variables. Conditions and truth tables. |
| Session 11 04/12/2002 |
Good coding practice - comments and indenting. The modulus operator. Generating random numbers. Creating a simple 'Higher-Lower' number game. |
| Session 12 11/12/2002 |
Arrays. Using an array and a loop to record/show a list of numbers. Arrays of characters as strings. Zero-Termination. Using Printf and Scanf/gets with strings. Assigning using the strcpy function. Silly strings program. |
| Session 13 18/12/2002 |
Basic string handling functions - recap, length, string comparison. Converting between strings and numbers. Numerology calculator program. Exam entry forms need to be in by now at the latest. |
|
~~ Christmas Break [2 weeks] ~~ |
|
| Session 14 08/01/2003 |
As Session 13. |
| Session 15 15/01/2003 |
Unforeseen Absence |
| Session 16 22/01/2003 |
Multiple-Choice Test #1. |
| Session 17 29/01/2003 |
Introduction to functions. Prototypes. Passing parameters to a function by value. Volume & VAT calculator function examples. Introduction to debugging by resolving values and tracing through a program. |
| Session 18 05/02/2003 |
The Software Development Lifecycle. Design. Introduction to Jackson Structured Programming. Loops & Conditions. Splitting a program to simplify design. Introduction to Global variables. |
| Session 19 12/02/2003 |
Indentation in functions. Local vs. Global Variables. Passing parameter by reference. Passing strings and arrays. |
|
~~ Study Week [1 week] ~~ |
|
| Session 20 26/02/2003 |
Pseudocode vs. JSP. Designing a 'pairs' game using pseudocode / JSP. The test plan.
An example test plan for a 'pairs' game. Click here for Microsoft Word document showing JSP diagram and Pseudocode for pairs game. |
| Session 21 05/03/2003 |
Exercise: Implement the 'pairs' game. |
| Session 22 12/03/2003 |
Miscellaneous C topics. Exercises for these. |
| Session 23 19/03/2003 |
Summary of course so far. Exercises to reinforce each of these areas. Exam strategies: Getting a balance in the exam. Exam Do's and Don'ts. Exercises. |
| Session 24 26/03/2003 |
Further reinforcement exercises. |
| Session 25 02/03/2003 |
Multiple choice mock test. |
| Session 26 09/04/2003 |
Multiple Choice test for C
Module (1hr). Mock exam to take away: Hangman (computer stores human's phrases as well as its own list). |
|
~~ Easter Break [2 weeks] ~~ |
|
| Session 27 30/04/2003 |
Mock final exam (hangman game). |
| Session 28 07/05/2003 |
Mock final exam continued. Further reinforcement exercises for anyone who finishes early. |
| Session 29 07/05/2003 |
Final exam
for designing / delivering program (2hrs) - Part 1 Starts 6.30pm, Finish 8.30pm. Questions at end (not relating to how to do the questions!) |
| Session 30 14/05/2003 |
Final exam
for designing / delivering program (2hrs) - Part 2 Resumes 6.30pm, Finish 8.30pm. Questions at end (not relating to how to do the questions!) |
| Session 31 (Extra) 21/05/2003 |
Taster of advanced C: Structures, Files,
Pointers & Linked Lists, Dynamic Memory Allocation, Multithreading,
Libraries. An introduction to C++ and object-oriented programming. Classes and Objects. Methods and attributes. A quick introduction to visual programming: Creating a Windows-based dialog box to work out your biorhythms. |
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~~ END OF COURSE - Congratulations!!! ~~ |
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Click here for a copy of the Original Scheme of Work in Microsoft Word format.
Click here to download a copy of C++ Builder or C++ Lite to accompany this course
Use the following two links to copy all your C programs to / from a floppy disk each week from your own personal network area (Z: drive) that you may access each time you log in...
Pop in your disk from home and run the following at the BEGINNING of the class...
Click here for Batch Program to Copy C related files from Floppy Disk Drive to Network (Z:) drive
Pop in your disk from home and run the following at the END of the class...
Click here for Batch Program to Copy C related files from Network (Z:) drive to Floppy Disk
(c) Copyright
2002-4 Simon Huggins. All Rights Reserved.
If you have any issues or questions regarding the content of this web
site, please contact the
author by clicking here.
Alternatively, you can leave a voice message on 00 44 (0)7050-618-297 or fax
on 00 44 (0)7050-618-298
This Page was last updated: 09 February 2004 14:03