George Mason University

SWE 619 – Object Oriented Software Specification and Construction

Spring Semester 2010

Course Web Page

Schedule (includes lecture slides and web references)

Course Information

Adjunct Professor: James Baldo Jr.

SWE 619 -001 (13716): Class Location, Date, and Time: George Mason University Fairfax Campus Engineering Building Room 4457 on Tuesday from 7:20 PM to 10:00 PM

SWE 619-DL1 (13717 - On-line/Internet NET): online at http://netlab.gmu.edu/disted  on Tuesday from 7:20 PM to 10:00 PM

Office Hours: Tuesday before and after class

Class Prerequisite: SWE Foundation Courses or equivalent

Email: jbaldo@gmu.edu

Teaching Assistant: TBA

Course Description

To give the students a solid understanding of modern software construction. To prepare students to construct sequential and concurrent programs. To encourage the construction of software systems of high quality. In-depth study of software construction in a modern language including control structuring and packaging. Concepts such as information hiding, data abstraction, and object-based and object-oriented software construction are discussed and illustrated. This course is part of the core of the SWE program. This section of 619 uses Java.

Online Section

This course is delivered to the Internet section online by Network EducationWare (NEW). Students in all sections have accounts on NEW and  can play back the lectures and download the PDF slide files at https://c4ilab.gmu.edu/disted/logon.php. All Internet-based course delivery will be presented in Engineering Room 4457. The requirement to participate is a Pentium PC running Windows 2000/XP/Vista or Linux. Classes are delivered as graphics and audio to the home or office desktop, with optional streaming video for those with very good Internet connections to GMU. For details see http://netlab.gmu.edu/NEW.

Online section students must take the Final Examination on 11 May 2010 at the Fairfax Campus. All quizzes will be emailed to online section students during class and quizzes must be emailed to jbaldo@gmu.edu when students are directed by the professor. Only students registered in the online section are allowed to take quizzes online. This requires that online students attend the lecture during the schedule on-campus lecture.

All lecture slides are available to online students at the course web site.

Course Materials

Assignments

 Submit assignments that are Java programs electronically via Blackboard.

Note: Homework is due exactly at the start of class on the due date. Paper and pencil homework can be brought directly to class. Or, you can submit an electronic version via Blackboard.

Important: For programs, please submit a paper copy as well as the electronic version.   This is because of the way that the University runs it printing services. Thank you for your support.

Details about specific requirements for each assignment are given with each assignment.

Early homework assignments focus on theoretical aspects from Liskov. Later homework assignments reinforce specific programming techniques, as well as the design points made in Bloch. Each homework assignment is designed to be fairly short, and homework is due on a weekly basis.

Attendance

Attendance is mandatory. Class is scheduled during the semester every Tuesday (except 9 March 2010) from 7:20 PM to 10:00 PM. Online students have the option of attending class either online or at the Fairfax Campus.

Quizzes

Each class, except for the first class, begins with a short quiz. Each quiz covers material from the previous session(s).

The goal of the quizzes is to keep students abreast of the material covered in class. Because of the quizzes, there is no midterm exam.

Missed Homework and Quizzes

In recognition of the fact that many students have occasional but unavoidable commitments that preclude attendance at every class, I drop each student's three lowest scores prior to final grade computations. I select the combination of homework and quiz scores most advantageous to the student. For example, I may drop drop 2 quiz scores and 1 homework, or 3 homeworks, or any other combination totaling 3.

In view of this policy, late homework is not accepted and there are no make-up quizzes. In fairness to other students, please do not ask for an exception.

Final Examination

A final exam is held during the University-scheduled exam period.

Honor System

Students are reminded that the honor system governs all work turned in for credit. Each assignment must be worked on individually. A submission carries with it an implicit statement that the submission is your own work. You may discuss the requirements and syntactical issues, but not solutions or designs. Collaboration is not allowed on the quizzes or on the final. I will refer violators to the GMU Honor Committee according to the procedures given in the GMU Course Catalog. Further details available at the CS Department's Honor Code page.

Grading

Grades are computed as: Assignments (33%), Quizzes (33%), Final (34%).

Other Resources

Of course, java.sun.com is a good place to go for Java help.

SWE619 Web Page Updates

Please check this web page frequently during the semester for updates.