Advanced COBOL Programming                                Spring 2003                    Kenneth R. Grenier

CSCI 390                                                                  5:10 – 6:35 M W                 Office AMB 427

3 Sem Hrs                                                                       MCM 101                 319-333-6173 / 309-764-7761

                                                                                                                             grenierkennethr@sau.edu

 

I. TEXT:                  Structured COBOL Programming 9^TH Edition – Updated
Stern & Stern
Wiley & Sons                                                                    
ISBN  0-471-44253-4                                                                                                    

Text should include a copy of Microfocus NetExpress 3.0 University Edition   
 

Course Slides

II. OBJECTIVES: In order to successfully complete this course the student will be required to:

A. Systematically apply effective and efficient problem-solving
   procedures that facilitate and document program development

B. Load data into a one-level, a two-level, or a three-level table and
   retrieve table values from static as well as volatile tables

C. Implement COBOL's internal sort feature

D. Successfully use Cobol’s Report Writer feature

E. Create and maintain indexed and sequential files

F. Design COBOL runs units that consist of a main program and one or more     
 subprograms

G. Create reports that implement multiple levels of control breaks

 

III COURSE CONTENT: Selected chapters of the course text will be covered plus additional handouts and/or projects the instructor may provide. Topics will include advanced COBOL programming conventions, structured programming techniques, file processing techniques, and table handling.

IV. ACTIVITIES

A.  Instruction: Primary medium of instruction will be programming projects, reinforced by one on one consulting, and classroom lecture.

B.  Students are expected to prepare themselves for class and programming assignments by reading text book material as well as other reference material that might be available.

C.  Assignments: Specific programming problems from the course text and other sources will be presented for the students to complete during scheduled lab sessions or outside of the class sessions. Students can expect to spend as much as 8 - 12 hours per week on programming assignments.

The purpose of these assignments is to provide the student with an opportunity to practice the concepts and to provide feedback on their mastery of programming techniques.

STUDENTS ARE EXPECTED TO COMPLETE ALL PROGRAMMING PROJECTS ON TIME.

NB:  This is not a lab course any lab time given is at the discretion of the instructor.

V.  EVALUATION: Course grade will be determined by 1) 8 programming projects, a mid term exam, and 3) A Comprehensive final exam.

A. Performance of programming projects will in a large part determine a student's final grade. Programming projects constitute 66% of the course grade. Students should plan to spend 8 - 10 hours per week completing programming assignments. The criteria for grading programming projects will be as follows:   

       10% Quality of documentation

       20% Programming Techniques

       60% Results

       10% Subjective

2 pts will be deducted for each scheduled school day late. Programs more than 1 week late can receive a grade no higher than 50%)

All project documentation must be TYPED in a neat and readable manner

            Documentation consists of the following (in order of submission)

1.      System Flowchart (IPO)

2.      Hierarchy/Structure Chart

3.      Pseudo Code

4.      Input - Output Specifications

5.      Compiled program listing

6.      All output results

Copies of documents 1 thru 4 will be turned in for grading purposes prior to the program due date – class schedule documents these due dates.

 

All programs must be prepared in the style presented by the instructor. This includes

a)      Input and Output data names must use qualification where appropriate. 
Prefixes or suffixes are not appropriate programming style

b)      File names, data items names, paragraph names must conform to the documentation submitted

c)      Procedure division paragraphs must be ordered according the hierarchy chart submitted

Students are expected to begin programming assignments at the same time that chapter material is being covered.

The instructor reserves the right to review computer records related to class assignments at records at anytime - with or without the student's permission.

STUDENTS WHO COPY THE WORK OF ANOTHER STUDENTS OR CHEAT IN ANY WAY ON ASSIGNMENT WILL RECEIVE A ZERO FOR THE ASSIGNMENT. REPEATED OFFENSES WILL CAUSE THE STUDENT TO FAIL THE COURSE.

B.   The Midterm exam will cover all material studied since the beginning the Semester. The Midterm exam is worth 150 points.

C. The final exam is comprehensive spanning all material covered from the start of the semester. The final exam takes approximately two hours to complete and is worth a minimum of 200 points.

STUDENTS WHO COPY THE WORK OF ANOTHER STUDENTS OR CHEAT IN ANY WAY ON THE FINAL WILL RECEIVE A ZERO ON THE FINAL. IT IS LIKELY THAT A ZERO ON THE FINAL WILL CAUSE THE STUDENT TO FAIL THE COURSE.

VI. GRADING SCALE:

FAILURE TO TAKE THE FINAL EXAM WHEN SCHEDULED WILL RESULT IN AUTOMATIC FAILURE. The following grading scale will be used.

            90 - 100 = A                    PROGRAMMING PROJECTS   800
            80 -  89 = B                     MID TERM EXAM                     200
            70 -  79 = C                     FINAL EXAM                             200
            60 -  69 = D                     QUIZZES                                      10 pts/quiz
                    BELOW 60 = F 

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