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Monash University

FIT2071 Foundations of C++ - Semester 1, 2014

Following on from FIT1040, this unit introduces the C++ language to students. The unit provides a foundational understanding of the C++ language, regarding syntax and applied practice, with a focus on object-oriented design principles. Fundamental programming control structures in the C++ context will be presented, as will object oriented design as a process for program design and problem solving. More advanced object-oriented programming topics such as inheritance and polymorphism will also be covered. Other C++ fundamentals such as pointers and the STL will be presented, as will implementations of the main algorithms and data structures used in problem solving.

Mode of Delivery

Caulfield (Day)

Workload Requirements

Minimum total expected workload equals 12 hours per week comprising:

(a.) Contact hours for on-campus students:

  • Two hours of lectures
  • One 2-hour tutorial

(b.) Additional requirements (all students):

  • A minimum of 8 hours independent study per week for completing lab and project work, private study and revision.

Unit Relationships

Prerequisites

FIT1040 or FIT1002

Chief Examiner

Campus Lecturer

Caulfield

Matthew Butler

Tutors

Caulfield

Matthew Butler

Elliott Wilson

Your feedback to Us

Monash is committed to excellence in education and regularly seeks feedback from students, employers and staff. One of the key formal ways students have to provide feedback is through the Student Evaluation of Teaching and Units (SETU) survey. The University’s student evaluation policy requires that every unit is evaluated each year. Students are strongly encouraged to complete the surveys. The feedback is anonymous and provides the Faculty with evidence of aspects that students are satisfied and areas for improvement.

For more information on Monash’s educational strategy, see:

www.monash.edu.au/about/monash-directions/ and on student evaluations, see: www.policy.monash.edu/policy-bank/academic/education/quality/student-evaluation-policy.html

Previous Student Evaluations of this Unit

Previous feedback for the unit has been very positive, so many of the aspects have been left the same. In the past students have particualrly liked the assignment structure as well as a focus on more fun game-like activities. New assignments have been created in this format, to encourage further engagement with the content.

Students also responded positively to the lectures being primarily focused on working through code and examples, rather than simply running through dot points from slides. This will continue this year, with a greater focus placed on real-time coding and interactivity with students rather than running through slides.

Some students highlighted the previous problem of having labs before the lectures, therefore this has been addressed. The workload of the assignments had also been raised by a handful of students, so this has been looked at and addressed as well.

If you wish to view how previous students rated this unit, please go to
https://emuapps.monash.edu.au/unitevaluations/index.jsp

Academic Overview

Learning Outcomes

At the completion of this unit students will be able to:
  • construct and compile working programs using C++ syntax fundamentals;
  • apply object-oriented design principles, including inheritance and polymorphism, to solve programming problems;
  • create C++ programs using pointers to demonstrate an understanding of efficient memory use and management;
  • troubleshoot C++ program code using an Integrated Development Environment and its tools.

Unit Schedule

Week Activities Assessment
0   No formal assessment or activities are undertaken in week 0
1 An Introduction to Syntactic Programming: From Scribble to C++, IDEs  
2 Syntax Building Blocks 1: Data Types, I/O, Sequence  
3 Syntax Building Blocks 2: Selection, Repetition, Arrays  
4 C++ Fundamentals: OO, Program Structure, Functions, STL Lab Portfolio Submission 1: due Wednesday 26 March 2014
5 OO Design Fundamentals: Classes, Data Members, Member Functions, Constructors  
6 Data Storage: 2D Arrays, Vectors, Linked Lists  
7 Pointers and Memory Management  
8 Advanced OO Design 1: Inheritance, Overloading, Design Patterns Lab Portfolio Submission 2: due Wednesday 30 April 2014
9 Advanced OO Design 2: Polymorphism, Virtual Functions, Abstract Classes  
10 OO Design in Practice  
11 Further Data Structures and Algorithms  
12 Case Study and Revision Major Assignment: due Wednesday 28 May 2014
  SWOT VAC No formal assessment is undertaken in SWOT VAC
  Examination period LINK to Assessment Policy: http://policy.monash.edu.au/policy-bank/
academic/education/assessment/
assessment-in-coursework-policy.html

*Unit Schedule details will be maintained and communicated to you via your learning system.

Teaching Approach

Lecture and tutorials or problem classes
This teaching and learning approach provides facilitated learning, practical exploration and peer learning.

In lecture engagement will be enhanced through the use of "clicker" technology to help explore concepts and practical application in a much more interactive manner.

Assessment Summary

Examination (3 hours): 60%; In-semester assessment: 40%

Assessment Task Value Due Date
Lab Portfolio Submission 1 10% Wednesday 26 March 2014
Lab Portfolio Submission 2 10% Wednesday 30 April 2014
Major Programming Assignment 20% Wednesday 28 May 2014
Examination 1 60% To be advised

Assessment Requirements

Assessment Policy

Assessment Tasks

Participation

  • Assessment task 1
    Title:
    Lab Portfolio Submission 1
    Description:
    This task comprises the first submission of your laboratory portfolio. Focus will be on demonstrating understanding of basic C++ syntax to ensure that you are successfully making the transition to using syntactic programming in problem solving.

    Students will be required to compile a portfolio of major laboratory tasks for submission for assessment. Details of each portfolio component will be clearly indicated in the laboratory tasks for each week.

    This submission contains the weekly folio tasks for Weeks 1 to 3. 
    Weighting:
    10%
    Criteria for assessment:

    Explicit assessment criteria will be provided in the assignment brief, however students will be assessed on the following broad criteria:

    • Meeting functional requirements as described in the assignment description
    • Demonstrating a solid understanding of C++ concepts, including good practice
    • Demonstrating an understanding of specific C++ concepts relating to the assignment tasks, including control structures and the standard template library
    • Following the unit Programming Style Guide
    • Creating solutions that are as efficient and extensible as possible

    Feedback will be provided on your progress to facilitate for improvements in the second set of portfolio pieces.

    Late assignments will incur a 5% penalty per late day (including weekends), and may be submitted up to a maximum of 7 days late. After this time submissions will not be accepted without prior arrangement with the unit leader.

    Note that submitted code MUST compile, otherwise ZERO marks will be awarded.

    Due date:
    Wednesday 26 March 2014
  • Assessment task 2
    Title:
    Lab Portfolio Submission 2
    Description:
    This task comprises the second submission of your laboratory portfolio. Focus will be on demonstrating understanding of more complex C++ fundamentals, such as OO design and the use of pointers.

    Students will be required to compile a portfolio of major laboratory tasks for submission for assessment. Details of each portfolio component will be clearly indicated in the laboratory tasks for eack week.

    This submission contains the weekly folio tasks for Weeks 4 to 7. 
    Weighting:
    10%
    Criteria for assessment:

    Explicit assessment criteria will be provided in the assignment brief, however students will be assessed on the following broad criteria:

    • Meeting functional requirements as described in the assignment description
    • Demonstrating a solid understanding of C++ concepts, including good practice
    • Demonstrating an understanding of specific C++ concepts relating to the assignment tasks, including advanced object design and implementation, and pointers and memory management
    • Following the unit Programming Style Guide
    • Creating solutions that are as efficient and extensible as possible

    Late assignments will incur a 5% penalty per late day (including weekends), and may be submitted up to a maximum of 7 days late. After this time submissions will not be accepted without prior arrangement with the unit leader.

    Note that submitted code MUST compile, otherwise ZERO marks will be awarded.

    Due date:
    Wednesday 30 April 2014
  • Assessment task 3
    Title:
    Major Programming Assignment
    Description:
    Students will be required to complete a major programming assignment, encompassing all concepts covered in the unit. Focus will be on developing a large, multi-class program. The full assignment brief will be placed on the unit website.
    Weighting:
    20%
    Criteria for assessment:

    Explicit assessment criteria will be provided in the assignment brief, however students will be assessed on the following broad criteria:

    • Meeting functional requirements as described in the assignment description
    • Demonstrating a solid understanding of C++ concepts, including good practice
    • Demonstrating the ability to apply the C++ concepts covered in the unit to a large scale practical example
    • Following the unit Programming Style Guide
    • Creating solutions that are as efficient and extensible as possible

    Late assignments will incur a 5% penalty per late day (including weekends), and may be submitted up to a maximum of 7 days late. After this time submissions will not be accepted without prior arrangement with the unit leader.

    Note that submitted code MUST compile, otherwise ZERO marks will be awarded.

    Due date:
    Wednesday 28 May 2014

Examinations

  • Examination 1
    Weighting:
    60%
    Length:
    3 hours
    Type (open/closed book):
    Closed book
    Electronic devices allowed in the exam:
    None
    Remarks:
    A sample exam will be made available a month before the examination. Full exam revision will be covered in Week 12.

Learning resources

Monash Library Unit Reading List (if applicable to the unit)
http://readinglists.lib.monash.edu/index.html

Faculty of Information Technology Style Guide

Feedback to you

Examination/other end-of-semester assessment feedback may take the form of feedback classes, provision of sample answers or other group feedback after official results have been published. Please check with your lecturer on the feedback provided and take advantage of this prior to requesting individual consultations with staff. If your unit has an examination, you may request to view your examination script booklet, see http://intranet.monash.edu.au/infotech/resources/students/procedures/request-to-view-exam-scripts.html

Types of feedback you can expect to receive in this unit are:

  • Informal feedback on progress in labs/tutes
  • Graded assignments with comments
  • Interviews
  • Solutions to tutes, labs and assignments

Extensions and penalties

Returning assignments

Resubmission of assignments

Students may not resubmit assignments after the due date has passed.

Assignment submission

It is a University requirement (http://www.policy.monash.edu/policy-bank/academic/education/conduct/student-academic-integrity-managing-plagiarism-collusion-procedures.html) for students to submit an assignment coversheet for each assessment item. Faculty Assignment coversheets can be found at http://www.infotech.monash.edu.au/resources/student/forms/. Please check with your Lecturer on the submission method for your assignment coversheet (e.g. attach a file to the online assignment submission, hand-in a hard copy, or use an online quiz). Please note that it is your responsibility to retain copies of your assessments.

Online submission

If Electronic Submission has been approved for your unit, please submit your work via the learning system for this unit, which you can access via links in the my.monash portal.

Recommended Resources

This unit will require the use of a personal computer and a suitable IDE for C++ development. While Visual Studio for Windows will be used in the laboratory environment, any IDE is suitable for outside development. Copies of the Windows operating system and Visual Studio 2010 may be obtained free of charge from http://msdnaa.monash.edu.au/fit

Additional subject costs

As "clickers" will be used in the lectures to facilitate greater in-class engagement, students are strongly encouraged to purchase a Turning Point clicker from the Campus Bookstore or directly from the Australian Distributor. The lecturer will discuss and demonstrate this in the first week.

Other Information

Policies

Monash has educational policies, procedures and guidelines, which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and to provide advice on how they might uphold them. You can find Monash’s Education Policies at: www.policy.monash.edu.au/policy-bank/academic/education/index.html

Key educational policies include:

Faculty resources and policies

Important student resources including Faculty policies are located at http://intranet.monash.edu.au/infotech/resources/students/

Graduate Attributes Policy

Student Charter

Student services

Monash University Library

Disability Liaison Unit

Students who have a disability or medical condition are welcome to contact the Disability Liaison Unit to discuss academic support services. Disability Liaison Officers (DLOs) visit all Victorian campuses on a regular basis.

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