75123 COBOL PROGRAMMING

Year	No.	Offer	Mode	Description			Cred. Pts
01	75123 	S1  	X 	COBOL PROGRAMMING         	1.00

Contents


STAFFING:

Examiner: B. WICKS
Moderator: H. LAHEY
Instructional design: J. WORDEN

PRE-REQUISITE(S)

75111


RATIONALE:

COBOL is the most commonly used commercial programming language today. This is due to its ability to handle complex input/output functions for large volumes of data, its suitability to commercial applications and its transportability between hardware. Since the 1970's when programming became a major profession there has been much discussion about improving the design of COBOL programmes. This has led to the technique known as structured programming. Structured programmes are easier to read, test, modify by programmers and their peers and have led to greater productivity and reliability in developed applications.


SYNOPSIS:

This unit introduces students to the procedural programming language of COBOL. Students design, write, test, debug and evaluate well- structured computer programs in accordance with production standards to solve non-trivial problems. Advanced programming techniques and language use are presented and practised. Structured programming tools and techniques are applied to commercial problem-solving applications.


OBJECTIVES:

Completion of this unit will enable students to:

  1. Demonstrate an understanding of: (a) the COBOL programming
    language from the elementary concepts through to its more
    advanced features; (b) the tools and techniques of structured
    programming; (c) how to design programs which are easy to
    read, debug, modify and maintain;
  2. Design, write, test, debug and evaluate well-structured
    elementary, intermediate and advanced programs in accordance
    with installation standards to solve non-trivial problems
    using the COBOL programming language;
  3. Demonstrate the ability to critically evaluate and compare
    various computing techniques;
  4. Demonstrate an ability to analyse a problem and produce a
    logical and concise programming solution.

TOPICS:

 Description                                                    Weighting(%)
  1. Input and Output Operation 5.00

  2. Arithmetic Operations 10.00

  3. Conditional Operations 10.00

  4. Sequential File Handling 10.00

  5. Field Editing and Output Formatting 5.00

  6. Reports 5.00

  7. Sort/Merge 5.00

  8. Cobol Tables-single dimensional 5.00

  9. Cobol Tables-multi dimensional 5.00

  10. Screen Handling 5.00

  11. COBOL Subprograms and Segmentation 5.00

  12. Direct Access Files 10.00

  13. Indexed Sequential Files 10.00

  14. Character Oriented Data Processing 5.00

  15. Internal Data Representation 5.00


TEXT and MATERIALS required to be PURCHASED or accessed:

Stern, N.B. & Stern, R.A. 2000, Structured COBOL Programming, 9th
edn, John Wiley and Sons, New York.

Stern, N.B., Stern, R.A. & Janossy, J. 1997, Getting Started with
RM/COBOL-85
(including COBOL software), John Wiley and Sons, New
York.

Smith, B. & Summers, J. (eds) 1997, Faculty of Business Communication
Skills Handbook
, 2nd edn, Faculty of Business, USQ, Toowoomba, Qld.

Lahey, H. (ed), 2000, Information Systems Developers Handbook: A Road
Map for Students
, Faculty of Business, USQ, Toowoomba.


REFERENCE MATERIALS:

Reference materials are materials that, if accessed by students, may improve their knowledge and understanding of the material in the unit and enrich their learning experience.

Yourdon, E. 1979, Managing the Structured Techniques, Yourdon Press,
New York.

Welburn, Tyler 1983, Advanced Structured COBOL, Mayfield, Palo Alto.

Eaves, R.W. & Medley, D.B. 1984, Programming Principles with COBOL,
Vol. 1, South-Western Publishing Co, Cincinnati.

Haggard, G. & Jones, W. 1985, Structured COBOL, Heath & Co,
Lexington.

Weinberg, G. 1972, The Psychology of Computer Programming, Van Nost,
Reinhold.

Weinberg, G., et al 1976, High Level COBOL Programming, Winthrop,
Cambridge, Mass.


STUDENT WORKLOAD REQUIREMENTS:

	ACTIVITY				HOURS
Private Study                                 	140
Assessments                                   	25

ASSESSMENT DETAILS:

No  *F/S Marks     Due        Description                              Wtg(%)    LBL WWW
1   S    20.00     11/05/01  ASSIGNMENT 1                              20.00     Y   N
2   S    20.00     15/06/01  ASSIGNMENT 2                              20.00     Y   N
3   S    100.00    END S1    3 HOUR FINAL EXAMINATION                  60.00     N   N

*F=Formative, S=Summative

OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

1    Grades  are  not based only on the aggregate mark for  the  unit,
     therefore, to obtain a pass in this unit, students must normally:
     (a)  obtain a passing mark in aggregate for the unit's assessment
     items; and (b) obtain a passing mark in the examination; and  (c)
     obtain  a passing mark in the assignments; and (d) submit genuine
     attempts for the items of assessment.
1.1  In  order to obtain a credit, distinction or high distinction  in
     this unit, students must satisfy the requirements shown above and
     perform at a proportional level in the examination as well as  in
     the assignments.
2    The due date of an assignment is the date by which a student must
     dispatch  the assignment to the University, and is normally  that
     defined  in the relevant unit specification. The onus is  on  the
     student to provide, if requested, proof of date of dispatch.
3    Students  should organise their affairs to ensure that they  meet
     due  dates  for all assignments. Extensions will be granted  only
     under exceptional extenuating circumstances, normally involving a
     significant  medical  condition.  Work  commitments   would   not
     normally constitute exceptional extenuating circumstances.
4    Students  may  apply  for  an  assignment  extension  either   by
     application  through  DEC before the due  date  or  by  including
     application  with the submitted assignment after  the  due  date.
     Such  applications  should be in writing and  include  supporting
     documentary evidence. The authority for granting extensions rests
     with the relevant Unit Leader.
5    All  assignments  dispatched after due dates without  appropriate
     extension  approvals  or after approved extension  dates  may  be
     penalised  up to a maximum of 20% of the assigned mark  per  work
     day.
6    Students  must  retain a copy of all assignments  which  must  be
     produced if/when required by the Unit Leader.
7    Unit  weightings of topics should not be interpreted as  applying
     to  the  number  of  marks allocated to questions  testing  those
     topics in an examination paper.
8    Unless  otherwise directed by the Unit Leader,  all  written  and
     oral  assignments  submitted  by students  must  conform  to  the
     guidelines  laid out in the {Communication Skills  Handbook}  and
     the{{  Inf}ormation Systems Developers Handbook: A Road  Map  for
     Students}.  Any  work  not  prepared  in  accordance  with  these
     handbooks   may   be  subject  to  penalty  or  requirement   for
     resubmission.
9    Any  appeal  against the award of a grade in  the  unit  will  be
     conducted  in  accordance  with  University  Regulations.   These
     Regulations are published in the University Handbook.
10   Students  should also refer to the Academic Regulations  and  the
     Guide  to  Policies and Procedures of the Faculty of Business  in
     the  University  Handbook for further information  on  the  above
     matters.

This information is accurate as at 15/01/02