CSCI 110-03 Microcomputer Applications
Spring 2013
Instructor Information
Dr. Deepti Joshi
Office: TH 224
Email: djoshi@citadel.edu
Office Hours: http://macs.citadel.edu/office_hours.html
Course Description
This course presents an introduction to computer systems and computer applications in a Microsoft
Windows™ PC environment. Students learn to use software packages for word processing, database
management, spreadsheets, and communication in solving common problems in business management
and social sciences. This course is intended for students with little or no prior computer experience. A
student who successfully completes this course will be able to:
1.
Use the software applications described above to solve problems similar to those encountered in
the course
2.
Answer and discuss basic questions relating to computers, computer systems and software
Class Schedule
Class Time: MW, 2:00 pm – 3:15 pm
Class Location: TH 220
Course Materials and Text
Text
CSCI 110 Microcomputer Applications
Volumes I & II
The Citadel
Access Code For SAM
SAM is an online system from Cengage. You will use SAM to do all of your assignments, however you need an
access code in order to use SAM. If you buy the book through the Citadel Bookstore, the access code is bundled
with the text. The bundle is cheaper than buying the text and access code separately. Contact the Citadel Bookstore
if you have questions.
Headphones
If you plan to do your assignments in a lab or public place with other people around, bring a pair of headphones so
you can listen to audio portions of the lessons without interference. Although ear buds are stylish, we recommend
earphones that cover your ears in order to minimize the possibility of ear damage.
E-mail
Announcements may be made in class or sent out via email. Class emails are sent to your official Citadel email
address. You are responsible for making sure that you are receiving class email. It is your responsibility to have your
official email account working properly and forwarding to the location where you read emails.
Webpages
In addition to this syllabus, SAM http://sam2010.course.com/ will be used for this course. Scores for each SAM
assignment will be kept in SAM. Your instructor may also use CitLearn or a spreadsheet to keep track of your
grades.
Required Work
Getting Started
You must obtain an account on the SAM system and add yourself to this course. When asked for your WebCT ID
during registration, be sure to enter your CWID numbers with no letters or dashes—this is required for your
instructor to track your grades.
All assignments, projects and exams are open-book, including the final exam. Do not assume that this makes them
trivial, however. Office and checkpoint exams must be completed at a single sitting.
MS Office Skill-based Exam Assignment
You will take the skill-based exam on MS Office Applications using SAM. These will come from Volume I of your
text. Each exam must be taken at a single sitting, and cannot be resumed later. However, you may take an exam up
to three times in order to achieve a better score, if you desire. Only the highest score is kept for grading. Exams
cover Excel, Access, PowerPoint and Word concepts and skills. After completing an assignment, make sure you
receive a notification that the assignment has been submitted before exiting—otherwise your score may not be
recorded correctly. It may take up to a day after you complete an assignment for it to show up in the SAM system,
so if you do not see it immediately, do not panic.
MS Office Project Assignment
You will complete 5 project assignments during the class: two for Excel and one each for the other Office
applications. These will come from Volume I of your text. Projects come from “real-world” cases, and give you an
opportunity to demonstrate skills you have learned in using an application. Projects are also submitted using SAM.
MS Office Skill-based Training Assignment
If you are struggling with a particular concept, optional training exercises are always available. Training exercises
are scored by SAM, but not used for grading. You may repeat a training exercise as often as you like.
Computer Concept Assignments
You will complete 10 Computer Concepts exams, plus a team presentation on one of the chapters. Each chapter
exam consists of multiple choice questions about the material in that chapter, and must be completed in a single
sitting. You may repeat an exam up to three times to achieve a better score, if you desire.
Teams of 2 or 3 students will make 10-minute PowerPoint presentations on material from one of the assigned
Computer Concepts chapters from Volume II; Team 1 presents Checkpoint 1, for example. Teams are assigned by
instructor.
Final Exam
The Final Examination covers questions from all 10 chapters of Computer Concepts. The date and time of your final
exam may vary by section. No Final Examination can be given early, except as required by Citadel policy.
Grading
Each assignment is worth 100 points, including the final exam. When you complete an assignment, a percentage is
recorded in SAM. Your course grade is the average of your scores. Including the final exam, there are 32
assignments, which means that any single assignment is worth about 3% of your overall grade. The grading scale
will be no higher than the following, and your instructor may lower the percentages..
Grade
Percentage
A
90+
B
80-89
C
70-79
D
60-69
F
Otherwise
Expectations
Disabilities
Any student in this course who has a disability that may prevent him or her from fully demonstrating his or her
abilities should contact the instructor as soon as possible so that necessary accommodations can be made to ensure
full participation and to facilitate educational opportunities.
Academic Integrity
All work submitted for an individual grade, should be the work of that single individual, and not their friends, nor
their tutor. It is your responsibility to be familiar policies relating to academic honesty and integrity. Ignorance of
these policies is not an excuse for violating them. Any student found in violation may, at the discretion of the
instructor, receive a zero for an assignment, and possibly fail the course. Some violations may result in additional
action by the College.
Attendance
Students are expected to attend and be present at the beginning of class. The instructor may make announcements,
and will give a brief discussion about the topic of that day. An instructor may allow a student to leave early if: (1)
all previously due work is complete, and (2) the student has completed the work that is due that day.
Daily Schedule
Every assignment except the final exam is available from the beginning of the semester, and must be completed by
its assigned due date. If your homework attempt fails due to an application error, system crash, or the like, you still
must complete the assignment by the due date.
Tests must be taken on the assigned date at the assigned time. There is no "extra credit" make-up work. Just do the
assigned work at the assigned time. Excuses will not be accepted, but legitimate reasons for late work will be given
due consideration by the instructor.
The due dates given below may change; use the due dates in SAM online if there is any discrepancy. Individual
instructors may also alter some due dates for their respective section(s).
Due Date
Assignment
1 Wednesday, January 9
Make sure your gmail account is working. Obtain an account in
SAM. Make sure you can access your assignments in SAM.
2 Monday, January 14
EXCEL 1: Getting Started
3 Wednesday, January 16
EXCEL 2: Format Workbook
4 Monday, January 21
EXCEL 3: Formulas and Functions
5 Wednesday, January 23
EXCEL 4: Charts and Graphics
6 Monday, January 28
EXCEL 5: Tables, PivotTables and PivotCharts
7 Wednesday, January 30
EXCEL 6: Multiple Worksheets and Workbooks
8 Monday, February 4
EXCEL 7: Advanced Functions, Conditional Format
9 Wednesday, February 6
EXCEL 9: Financial Tools and Functions
10 Monday, February 11
EXCEL Project 1; Project 2
11 Wednesday, February 13
EXCEL Project 1; Project 2
12 Monday, February 18
ACCESS 1: Create a Database
13 Wednesday, February 20
ACCESS 2: Build a Database and Define Table Relationships
14 Monday, February 25
ACCESS 3: Maintain and Query a Database
15 Wednesday, February 27
ACCESS 4: Create Forms and Reports
16 Monday, March 4
Project 3: Access Project
17 Wednesday, March 6
PPT 1: Adding Text and Graphic Objects
18 Monday, March 11
Project 4: PPT project
19 Wednesday, March 13
WORD 1: Editing and Formatting an MLA style Doc
20 Monday, March 18
Spring Break
21 Wednesday, March 20
Spring Break
22 Monday, March 25
WORD 2: Desktop Publishing and Mail Merge
23 Wednesday, March 27
Project 5: Word Project
24 Monday, April 1
Teams Present 1,2,3,4,5
25 Wednesday, April 3
Teams Present,6,7,8,9,10
26 Monday, April 8
Checkpoint 1: OS and File Management; Checkpoint 2: LANs and
WLANs;
27 Wednesday, April 10
Checkpoint 3: The Internet; Checkpoint 4: The Web and Email;
28 Monday, April 15
Checkpoint 5: Digital Media; Checkpoint 6: Computer History,
Careers, Ethics
29 Wednesday, April 17
Checkpoint 7: Information Systems Design; Checkpoint 8:
Databases
30 Monday, April 22
Checkpoint 9: Security, Privacy, Safety and Ethics; Checkpoint 10:
Programming Computers
TBD
Final Exam: Checkpoints 1-10