COMP 100 - Introduction to Computing and Information Systems - Syllabus

RICE UNIVERSITY – Spring 2008

WEBPAGE: http://www.owlnet.rice.edu/~comp100

INSTRUCTOR

Dr. Dung X. Nguyen (pronounced "Zung Gwen", it’s Vietnamese!): See home page for contact information.

TEXT BOOKS:

The publisher, Course Technology, has bundled the following books into a specially priced package for Comp 100:

ISBN: 1-4188-3912-4: New Perspectives on Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2003, Brief, CourseCard Edition
ISBN: 0-619-26811-5: New Perspectives on Microsoft Office Access 2003, Comprehensive, Second Edition
ISBN: 0-619-26815-8: New Perspectives on Microsoft Office Excel 2003, Comprehensive, Second Edition

These books have a many examples with very clear step-by-step instructions. Read them and practice!

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Students taking this course are NOT assumed to be computer literate at all. Though some of you may already be familiar with the computers, we will assume you know nothing about computers, start from scratch and teach you how to use the IBM PC, Windows, and Microsoft business application software. By the time you are done with the course, you will be computer literate, knowing how to talk like a "computer geek", and knowing how to use the two most popular business application software, Exel and Access, to solve common business problems and build a relational database to model the information system of a fictitious business. In addition, we will teach you how to use Microsoft Powerpoint to produce dazzling presentations of your works.

We plan to spend approximately 45% of the course on Excel and 45% on Access and 5% on Power Point.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

Upon successful completion of the course, the students should know:

For Computer Systems:
Hardware basics
Networks basics
Information systems basics

For EXCEL 2003:
Spreadsheet Design, Spreadsheet Formatting, Charting data
Financial functions
What-if analysis and optimization problems.

For ACCESS 2003:
Designing and creating a database, Database normal forms
Queries to look up for information in the database, Forms to view and enter information into a database
Reports to output data from a database.
Create Dynamic Access Page for accessing database over the WEB

For the PowerPoint 203:
How to create a presentation.

Ultimately, you will learn how to fend for yourselves in this maddening world of high technology. You will learn how to read and carry out instructions or how to use computer software. Our goal is to teach you to learn by yourself. There will be lots of demonstrations in class. So it is vital that you come to class regularly.

GRADING

The course grade will be based on homeworks, a database project, and exams. Homeworks' due dates and rules will be clearly stated at the time they are assigned.

No make-up exams will be given unless there is a legitimate excuse such as proof of medical emergency.

Homework: 25%
Database Project: 15%
Three exams: 60% (20% each)

Letter grade distribution is as follows:

100 >= A >= 93 > A- >= 90 > B+ >= 87 > B >= 83 > B- >= 80

80 > C+ >= 77 > C >= 73 > C- >= 70 > D+ >= 67 > D >= 63 > D- >= 60 > F

ADA:

Any student with a documented disability needing academic adjustments or accommodations is requested to speak with us during the first two weeks of class. All discussions will remain confidential. Students with disabilities should also contact Disability Support Services in the Ley Student Center.