A+ Guide to Hardware, Fifth Edition
Syllabus
A+ Guide to Hardware: Managing, Maintaining, and
Troubleshooting, Fifth Edition
Term, Year
General Course Information
Instructor: Professor Leon Franklin
Office: HCC/NE
Office Hours:
Phone: 281 989 5075
Mail: HCC/NE
E-mail: leon.franklin@hccs.edu
Web site:
Classroom: Caldwell - 212
Class Times: Saturdays 12:00 - 1:30
Prerequisites:
Textbook: Jean Andrews, A+ Guide to Hardware: Managing, Maintaining, and Troubleshooting, Fifth Edition.
Course Technology/Cengage Learning Incorporated, 2010, ISBN-13: 9781435487383
Course Objectives
Students will gain a complete, step-by-step approach for learning the fundamentals of supporting and
troubleshooting computer hardware. This course maps fully to CompTIA’s latest 2009 A+ 220-701 and 220-702
Exam objectives.
Specific topic coverage includes:
 Introducing Hardware
 Form Factors, Power Supplies, and Working
Inside a Computer
 All about Motherboards
 Supporting Processors
 Upgrading Memory
 Supporting Hard Drives
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1
Installing and Supporting I/O Devices
Multimedia Devices and Mass Storage
PC Maintenance and Troubleshooting Strategies
Networking Essentials
Supporting Notebooks
Supporting Printers
A+ Guide to Hardware, Fifth Edition
Syllabus
Web Site
Supplementary information for the course is available at [URL]. The Web site contains class notes, PowerPoint
slides, class announcements, the course syllabus, test dates, and other information for the course.
E-Mail
All students are requested to obtain an e-mail account. If you have any questions about the course or need assistance,
please contact me in person or by telephone during office hours; or by e-mail at any time. Also, you may submit the
end-of-chapter case project assignments in class on the due date or by e-mail with a date stamp at or before
5:00 P.M. on the due date. E-mail submissions should be submitted as an attachment in Microsoft Word format.
Grading and Evaluation Criteria
40% of the grade is based on a midterm and a final examination. Both examinations are cumulative and given in a
varied format. An in-class review will be held prior to each examination.
20% of the grade is based on quizzes. Quizzes are announced one day in advance and may vary from three to five
questions that may be in any format.
40% of the grade is based on keeping a project notebook. Students are asked to obtain a small notebook to enter
their answers to the various end-of-chapter exercises and projects.
2
A+ Guide to Hardware, Fifth Edition
Syllabus
14-Week Course Outline
Chapter
Readings
Week
Topics
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
Introducing Hardware
Form Factors, Power Supplies, and Working Inside a Computer
All about Motherboards
Supporting Processors
Upgrading Memory
Supporting Hard Drives
Review
Installing and Supporting I/O Devices
Multimedia Devices and Mass Storage
PC Maintenance and Troubleshooting Strategies Maintaining
Networking Essentials
Supporting Notebooks
Supporting Printers
Review
3
Exams
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Midterm Exam
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Final Exam
A+ Guide to Hardware, Fifth Edition
Syllabus
10-Week Course Outline
Week
Topics
Chapter
Readings
1
2
Introducing Hardware
Form Factors, Power Supplies, and Working Inside a Computer
All about Motherboards
Supporting Processors
Upgrading Memory
Supporting Hard Drives
Installing and Supporting I/O Devices
Multimedia Devices and Mass Storage
PC Maintenance and Troubleshooting Strategies Maintaining
Networking Essentials
Supporting Notebooks
Supporting Printers
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
4
Exams
Midterm Exam
Final Exam