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Beverly Amer
Course Materials Course Faculty Course Description, Objectives and Approach Schedule of Topics Office Hours |
CIS 120 is an introductory level course in Computer Information Systems.
NOTE: You must register for a separate lab section (CIS 120L). All labs are held in BA 108. Details about upcoming lab work is contained in a separate lab syllabus, to be picked up in your first lab session.
Beverly Amer
Office: BA 239
Office Hours:
MW 4:00 - 5:00 pm
T 2:00 - 4:00 pm, and by appointment
Phone: 523-7409
None
Understanding Computers, Today and Tomorrow, Charles S. Parker, Exact Edition, Dryden Press, 1996.
CIS 120 Lecture Notes, by Beverly Amer, available at Kwik Kopy, 575 W. Riordan Road.
Lab Manuals - Microsoft Word, Excel, Access & Powerpoint.
Two 3.5" high density diskettes used for lab assignments.
In addition to your lecture professor, there are two other key faculty who play a role in the course:
a. Professor Mac Bosse - handles grading questions, scheduling make-up exams, and administrative questions. Office: BA 262. All inquiries must be in person; no phone calls accepted.
b. Professor Bill Cone - handles all lab-related projects and problems. Office: BA 265.
Over the past twenty years, computer information systems have emerged to become one of the most integral parts of business and society. Regardless of your career and personal aspirations, computers will play a key role in how you live, work, and play. This course is designed to provide an overview and introductory foundation in the fundamentals of computers and information systems. By the end of the semester, you should:
a. Be able to explain the role of computers in modern society;
b. Understand the various technical components of information systems; and
c. Know how to use Word, Excel, Access and Powerpoint.
The course is organized into two 50-minute lecture sessions and one two-hour lab session each week. Lectures will cover course concepts and foundation material; labs will cover "hands-on" experiences with productivity software.
You are expected to attend class on time, each day. If you cannot attend class due to an emergency, please secure the class notes from another student in the class. My office hours are NOT designed to repeat my lecture material.
All exams are mandatory and closed-book. Bring photo ID, pencil and eraser to each exam. A ten point penalty will be assessed for answer sheets filled out incorrectly (i.e., wrong SSN, no name, etc.) Your ID will be checked when you turn in your exam; no ID, no exam points. For lab exam information, refer to your lab syllabus.
Make-up exams for the lecture exams are given only in cases of emergency, not student convenience. The instructor MUST be notified PRIOR to the exam in order to schedule a make-up exam. The exam schedule is given in advance so that you can arrange work, club events, etc. appropriately. Make-up exams will be given at 2:00 pm on the following days: Exam1 - Friday, September 27; Exam 2 - Friday, October 25; Exam 3 - Friday, November 22. Location TBA.
For lab exams, make-ups must be completed within seven days of the original exam date. There are no make-ups for lab quizzes. The lowest lab quiz grade will be dropped which allows you to miss one quiz without penalty.
There are four scheduled exams, including the final. The first three exams will be held during regularly scheduled lecture periods. The final will be held according to the official final exam schedule published by NAU. Exam dates are:
Exam 1: Wednesday, September 18
Exam 2: Wednesday, October 16
Exam 3: Wednesday, November 13
Final: Refer to NAU Final Exam Schedule for your section
Throughout the semester, we will have four, in-class team project assignments. These assignments are designed to give you experience in working in a group to plan projects that will be completed in the lab. Additional details are provided in the "Team Project" section at the back of the lecture notes packet.
Grades are based on total points earned in both lecture and lab. The point distribution is as follows:
Three lecture exams (130 points each) 390
Final exam (not comprehensive) 130
Four lecture projects (15 points each) 60
Three lab exams (25 points each) 75
Eight lab quizzes (10 points each) 80
Fifteen lab projects (8 points each) 120
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Total - lecture and lab points 855
The following grading scale will be used to assign final grades at the end of the semester. This scale has a 20 point "curve" built in, to allow for adjustments to lecture exams. There is also a 10 point adjustment for dropping the lowest lab quiz score, assuming all eight quizzes were taken.
Northern Arizona University has adopted a standard set of policies that cover (a) safe environment, (b) students with disabilities, (c) institutional review, and (d) academic integrity. These policies are attached at the end of the syllabus
SCHEDULE OF TOPICS DATE TOPIC ASSIGNMENT
Aug 26-28 Introduction to the World of INT 1
Computers
Sept 2 LABOR DAY HOLIDAY
Sept 4 (W) Computer Systems and Information INT 2
Processing
Sept 9-11 (M) The Central Processing Unit & HW 1
Memory
(W) Word Processing & Desktop PS 1
Publishing (pp. PS1-1 to PS1-19 only)
Sept 16-18 (M) Team Project Work Day #1 - WORD
(W) EXAM 1
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Sept 23 - 25 Secondary Storage HW 2
Sept 3 - Oct 2 (M) Input & Output Equipment HW 3
(W) Telecommunications TSW1
Oct 7 - 9 (M) Telecommunications, cont.
(W) Spreadsheets & Presentation PS 2
Graphics
Oct 14 - 16 (M) Team Project Work Day #2 - EXCEL
(W) EXAM 2
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Oct 21 - 23 Fundamentals of Software Use TSW 2
Oct 28- 30 (M) Systems Software TSW 3
(W) Business Systems IS 1
Nov 4 - 6 (M) Systems Development IS 2
(W) Database Management PS 3
Nov 11 - 13 (M) Team Project Work Day #3 - ACCESS
(W) EXAM 3
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Nov 18-20 (M) Creating Presentations; the Internet
(W) Team Project Work Day #4 - POWERPOINT
Nov 25 - 27 (M) Program Development and IS 3
Programming Languages
(W) Computers in Our Lives SOC 1
Dec 2 - 4 Social Issues Involving Computers SOC 2
Dec 9 - 14 FINAL EXAMS
