CPTR 345 Introduction to Computer Graphics - Syllabus

January 12, 2009

 

Instructor:  Dr. Eileen M. Peluso, D325 Academic Center, Extension 4135

 

Email:  pelusoem@lycoming.edu

 

Office hours:  to be announced . . . on my web page www.lycoming.edu/~pelusoem.

 

Objective:  Provide students with an introduction to computer graphics software necessary to represent, transform, and display images of two- and three- dimensional objects.  Using a top-down approach and the OpenGL API, underlying concepts in computer graphics will be explored as skills are developed.  Course structure will emphasis the life-long learning skills intrinsic to the field of Computer Science.

 

Text: Edward Angel, Interactive Computer Graphics: A Top-Down Approach Using OpenGL, 5th edition, Addison-Wesley, 2009.

 

Grading: 

·         Programming assignments (generally assigned weekly, points vary depending on size and content of the assignment): 60%

·         Exams (2): 20%  (tentatively scheduled for February 19th and March 31st)

·         Final: 20%

 

Grade scale: If you earn the following average, you will receive the grade indicated.

·         93.0 or above        A

·         90.0 to 92.99          A-

·         87.0 to 89.99          B+

·         83.0 to 86.99          B

·         80.0 to 82.99          B-

·         77.0 to 79.99          C+

·         73.0 to 76.99          C

·         70.0 to 72.99          C-

·         67.0 to 69.99          D+

·         63.0 to 66.99          D

·         60.0 to 62.99          D-

·         59.99 or below       F

 

Attendance Policy:

Students are expected to attend class and to be on time.  Attendance signature sheets will be circulated at the beginning of each class period.  It is the student's responsibility to make sure that they have signed the day's attendance sheet.  It is also the student's responsibility to obtain details about any missed work, announcements, and any information disseminated during the missed classes.

 

Remarks:

 

1.        Students will not be excused from exams or quizzes unless

·         they are ill and have been to the infirmary or have seen a doctor, or

·         they have an emergency situation and have received exemption from the dean. 

It is wise to contact me before missing an exam or quiz. Any tests or quizzes missed will result in a grade of zero unless arrangements for a make-up are made within 48 hours.

 

2.        As with other writing assignments, a certain amount of the grading of programming assignments will be subjective.  As a matter of principle, if you have a program that works according to the specification given in the assignment handout, that should earn you at least a C-range, but most likely a B-range grade.  The difference between a B and an A comes down to documentation/comments, structure, and possibly how you answer questions associated with the assignment.  All code should be generously and meaningfully commented. 

 

3.        Students are encouraged to work collaboratively on course work, including programming assignments. In fact, students taking computer science courses will be given priority access to lab A3 from the hours of 7-10 PM on Sunday through Thursday evenings specifically for this reason. 

 

Discussions with other students about course material and programming assignments are encouraged, however academic dishonesty is not allowed.  There is a fine line between the two.  Check if you are not sure that what you are doing is acceptable. However, as a general rule of thumb: The difference between sharing ideas and plagiarism will be determined by the instructor as follows: if you cannot discuss, expound upon, justify, and modify what you have written, then you have plagiarized.

 

NOTE: You should never have in your possession or have access to (in paper or electronic form) a copy of someone else's programming assignments.  Unless specifically stated to the contrary, there are no team projects in this course.  Each student should have his/her own solutions to all labs and programming assignments.

 

4.        There is no student tutor for this course.  Students are encouraged to form formal and informal study groups.

 

5.        Programming assignments can often take a lot of time.  Don’t plan on finishing a programming assignment in one sitting.  Instead, spread it out over a few days.  Programs that are developed and refined over a few iterations end up with much cleaner structures and are easier to understand.