Welcome to the Spring 2005 session of Grinnell College's CSC 302,
Programming Language Concepts. The course is described
fairly well in the official blurb. My take on this course is that
we'll be expanding your knowledge of the programming language paradigms
while investigating design issues in programming languages. While we
will touch on (and use) a number of languages, most of the emphasis will
be on higher-level issues.
This is a transitional session of CSC302. In every semester, we include
some formal aspect of languages. In the past, we have alternated between
work on denotational semantics and work on what we call "Gries-Style
Formalism" (after David Gries, the author The Science of Programming,
which we use for formal aspects). Gries now appears in CSC201, so in the
future, we will not use that book in CSC302. However, because many of
you have not worked with these formalisms, we will cover them this semester.
This is also an experimental session of CSC302. Rather than relying on
a textbook, I will have you read papers from journals and conference
proceedings. We should cover much the same material that we normally
cover, but in a different way.
You may also find it useful to read the class faq.
Meets: MWF 9:00-9:50 in Science 2435.
Instructor:
Samuel A. Rebelsky,
Science 2427. Office hours MWTh 1:15-2:05
Regular Work:
You will have a weekly assignment for the general languages stuff (due
Mondays) and a weekly assignment for the Gries-style stuff (due Fridays).
You are also expected to keep up with readings.
Grading (subject to change):
- Class participation: 15%
- Questions on readings: 15%
- Post-mid-semester examination: 35%
- Final examination: 35%
My experience shows that students who turn in work late learn
significantly less than students who turn material in on time. (I'm
not sure about cause and effect.) Hence, I strongly discourage late
assignments. Unless prior arrangements have been made, assignments
are due within five minutes of the start of class. After that they are
considered late. Late assignments are penalized one letter grade per
day late (or fraction thereof).
Textbook:
Gries, David (1998). The Science of Programming.
New York, NY: Springer-Verlag. ISBN: 0-387-96480-0.
This is the classic text on program verification and our core resource
for discussions of program correctness.
We will also use a variety of readings from the literature
, which
I will distribute to you as appropriate.
;
Check with Bobby