SYLLABUS
CGS-2531 Problem Solving with Computer Software
Fall 2009
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Course Home Page:
Course Coordinator:
Office:
Email:
Office Hours:
Head Teaching Assistant:
Office:
Email:
Office hours:
www.cise.ufl.edu/class/cgs2531fa09
Dr. Manuel E. Bermúdez (www.cise.ufl.edu/~manuel)
E574 CSE
manuel@cise.ufl.edu
M,W,F: 9-10 period
Jason Yu-Tseh Chi
214 CSE (the Pit)
ychi@cise.ufl.edu
Tue: 7th and 8th Period
Course Instructors: (all office hours are in CSE E214)
Name
Email
Section
Paul Accisano
Andrew Robb
Tao Chen
Diego Rivera
Vishak Sivakumar
shiningmasamune@gmail.com
arobb@ufl.edu
tachen@cise.ufl.edu
djrg@cise.ufl.edu
vss@cise.ufl.edu
Nuri Yeralan
nuriatuf@gmail.com
1060
1056
1059
6277
1055
5116
1057
Schedule
MWF 5, CSE A101
MWF 6, TUR L007
MWF 10, CSE A101
MWF 7, LIT 0101
T 2, R 1-2, TUR L005
T 8-9, R 9, CSE A101
T 10, R10-11, TUR L011
Office Hours
MWF 7th Period
MWF 8th Period
MWF 4th Period
T 8-9th, R 9th
T 4-5th, R 4th
T 7th Period
R 6-8th Period
Course Description: The goal of this course is to help the student gain proficiency in text editing and formatting,
spreadsheet and database management, and presentation preparation. An additional goal of the course is for the
student to gain basic knowledge of modern-day computing technology. We will use the Microsoft Office 2007
software package, including the following capabilities:
1. Text editing and formatting using Word 2007,
2. Spreadsheet and database manipulation using Excel 2007, and
3. Presentations using PowerPoint 2007.
Regarding computing technology, we will cover three chapters of Pearson’s “Technology in Action”
book. These chapters will available on-line at the course site at Myitlab.com. Those three chapters are as follows:
1. TIA-2: The components of a modern-day computer
2. TIA-6: Understanding Hardware.
3. TIA-7: Networking and Security.
Textbook: Exploring Office 2007 6e, customized package, Pearson, ISBN 0558392342. Students must have access
to the items in this package, but purchase of the package is not required. The package includes an access code to the
on-line system we will be using, www.myitlab.com. You must have access to the myitlab on-line system, in
order to access assignments, course materials, exercises, etc. The access code can be purchased separately (see below).
All homework assignments are to be done on the www.myitlab.com site. No exceptions. To use the site, you must be
on a Windows 2000 or Windows XP (SP2) or Windows Vista computer, running Internet Explorer 6, 7 or 8. No other
platforms are compatible with myitlab (sorry Mac users). The myitlab software has been installed on the
computers in all CIRCA labs on campus (http://labs.at.ufl.edu/) Copies of the textbook will be available on reserve in
The Marston Science Library. The package consists of:
1. Exploring Office 2007 Vol. 1 (3e) ISBN 0-13-506250-0
2. myitlab Student Access code.
3. 3 PHIT Tips laminated crib sheets (study cards):
a. Word (ISBN 0-13-205061-7),
b. PowerPoint (ISBN 0-13-233255-8), and
c. Excel (ISBN 0-13-612801-7).
New and used versions of the book, as well as the access code and the PHIT Tips, may be purchased from various
online vendors, such as www.amazon.com and www.half.com. They may also be purchased online directly
from the publisher, at www.myitlab.com/access_myitlab.asp.
Class Calendar:
In the table below, CLASS 1,2, and 3 refer to the first, second and third class meeting of the week. These vary from
one section to another. Some sections are on a MWF schedule, and others on a TR schedule.
WEEK
DATES
CLASS
1
24-Aug
28-Aug
2
31-Aug
4-Sep
3
7-Sep
11-Sep
4
14-Sep
18-Sep
5
21-Sep
25-Sep
6
28-Sep
2-Oct
7
5-Oct
9-Oct
8
12-Oct
16-Oct
9
19-Oct
23-Oct
1
2
3
1
2
3
1
2
3
1
2
3
1
2
3
1
2
3
1
2
3
1
2
3
1
2
3
Topics
Myitlab, syllabus
Office Fundamentals
Office Fundamentals
Computer Components
Document Formatting
Document Formatting
NO CLASS
Editing and Formatting
Editing and Formatting
Tables and Graphics
Tables and Graphics
Tables and Graphics
Change Tracking
Footnotes
Captions
Mail merge
Templates
Review
Intro. To Excel, EXAM 1 (Oct. 5)
Formulas, Page setup
Formulas and Functions
Formulas and Functions
Financial Functions
NO CLASS
Charts
Charts
Charts
REFERENCE
Myitlab
Office Fundamentals Ch. 1
Office Fundamentals Ch. 1
Myitlab site TIA-2
Word Ch. 1
Word Ch. 1
Labor Day
Word Ch. 2
Word Ch .2
Word Ch. 3
Word Ch. 3
Word Ch. 3
Word Ch. 4
Word Ch. 4
Word Ch. 4
Word Ch. 5 (see myitlab)
Word Ch. 5
Excel Ch. 1
Excel Ch. 1
Excel Ch. 2
Excel Ch. 2
Excel Ch. 2
Homecoming
Excel Ch. 3
Excel Ch. 3
Excel Ch. 3
10
26-Oct
30-Oct
11
2-Nov
6-Nov
12
9-Nov
13-Nov
13
16-Nov
20-Nov
14
23-Nov
27-Nov
15
30-Nov
4-Dec
16
7-Dec
11-Dec
1
2
3
1
2
3
1
2
3
1
2
3
1
2
3
1
2
3
1
2
3
Worksheets and Tables
Worksheets and Tables
Worksheets and Tables
Review
Hardware, EXAM 2 (Nov.4)
Intro. to Powerpoint
Presentation Development
NO CLASS
Presentation Development
Data Tables
Data Tables
Pivot Tables and Charts
Networking and Security
NO CLASS
NO CLASS
EX-6
EX-6
EX-6
Review
EXAM 3 (Dec. 8)
Excel Ch. 4
Excel Ch. 4
Excel Ch. 4
Myitlab site, TIA-6
Powerpoint Ch. 1
Powerpoint Ch. 2
Veterans Day
Powerpoint Ch. 3
Excel Ch. 5 (see myitlab site)
Excel Ch. 5
Excel Ch. 5
Myitlab site, TIA-7
Thanksgiving
Excel Ch. 6 (see myitlab site)
Excel Ch. 6
Excel Ch. 6
Class Policies:
1. Attendance: Lecture attendance is not required, but is strongly recommended. You may well be able to
study and learn this material on your own, but we think you’ll find this course a lot easier and less timeconsuming if you attend class. Attendance at all exams is required. Exams will be during evening periods
(see the class schedule above). Unjustified failure to appear for an exam will earn a grade of zero on that
exam. Justifications for not attending an exam include serious illness, medical and/or family emergencies,
official UF sponsored events taking place out of town, and major religious holidays. Such justifications
MUST be made in writing to the instructor in advance. In case of a medical justification, a doctor’s note
explaining the nature of the condition, and the dates involved, is required in advance. A note merely saying
the student “has been seen” is insufficient. Justification for not attending an exam does NOT include family
reunions or vacations of any kind, no matter how long it has been planned. For justified exam absences,
makeups will be arranged on a case-by-case basis.
2. Homework: Unsubmitted homework counts as a zero. No late homework is accepted. Exceptions must be
justified in advance: the rules are the same as for exams. Homework submission is at 12 noon on the day it’s
due. STRONG ADVICE: finish a day early. Unacceptable excuses for not doing your assignment include
(but are not limited to): “my machine broke”, “there was a power outage”, “I lost my hard drive”, and “I
forgot my password”. General rule: if you’re still working on your assignment with only minutes (or even
hours) left until the deadline, you’re asking for trouble (Murphy’s Law). Before attempting the homework,
do the exercises on the myitlab site; they’re there for a reason.
3. Grades: 40% of your grade will consist of your homework (15-17 of them), and 60% will be your exams (3
exams, 20% each). All assignments are to be done on the www.myitlab.com site. No exceptions. To use the
site, you must be on a Windows 2000 or Windows XP (SP2) or Windows Vista computer, running Internet
Explorer 6, 7 or 8. No other platforms are compatible with myitlab (sorry Mac users). The myitlab
software has been installed on the computers in all CIRCA labs (http://labs.at.ufl.edu/) . For grading
questions, contact your instructor TA. Grading questions and re-grading issues must be resolved within 1
week of the due date of the assignment.
4. Grading scale:
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
CD+
D
DE
92-100
90-91
87-89
83-86
80-82
77-79
73-76
70-72
67-69
63-66
60-62
0-59
75 or higher is required for a
grade of S (S/U option)
5. Other Policies: For technical assistance with myitlab, contact Pearson by phone, email or chat session
(contact information is on the myitlab site). For academic questions, contact your instructor in office hours
or by email. Whenever you send email to us, the email must have “CGS-2531” as its subject. Don’t forget to
include your name and your section number. Before emailing or asking questions, always read the syllabus,
the announcements, and the schedule. It is quite possible that your question has already been answered in one
of these places. We will answer your questions and resolve your issues the quickest, and most clearly, during
office hours. We receive many emails and reply to them in their order of importance.
6. Advice: always start early. The assignments and your studying will be easier the sooner you begin.
Starting early will allow you more time to ask the specific questions you need answered in order to complete
the assignment.
7. Getting help. You can help from friends and each other, but if someone else does your assignments, and
you don’t learn how to do it, you will undoubtedly fail the exams.
8. FAQs:
a. Can I buy a used textbook? Certainly.
b. Can I buy an older edition of the textbook? YES! As long as it’s Office 2007. Office 2003 will not
do.
c. Can I use Office 2008 for the MAC? Not with Myitlab.com, as explained above. For your own use,
yes (almost). Office 2008 (MAC) and Office 2007 (PC) are very, very similar, but there are some
subtle incompatibilities. Our platform of choice, for better or worse, is Windows and MS Office
2007. On exams, we won’t make provisions for anything done differently on a MAC.
d. Do I need to buy the textbook at all? No, but to help you prepare for exams, we will provide one
sample exam, and refer you to the exercises in the textbook. For minimal exam preparation, the
sample exam will suffice, For thorough exam preparation, you’ll need the textbook. If you don’t have
a copy, you can use one of the (handful of) copies on reserve in the Marston Science Library.
However, we expect those copies to be in high demand as exam time approaches.
e. Do I need to buy Office 2007? We recommend it, but it’s not required (you can work in one of the
CIRCA labs). Microsoft offers a trial version of Office 2007, good for 60 days.
f. Do I need the PHIT Tips laminated sheets? Not if you have good memory. We will allow students to
use the PHIT Tips during exams (sorry, no photocopies). In the past, some students have found them
to be unnecessary.