Delivered at:: School of Psychology

Course type:: Elective course

When:: 3 year, 1 module

Abstract

Behind every mouse click and touch-screen tap, there is a computer program that makes things happen. This course introduces the fundamental building blocks of programming and teaches you how to write fun and useful programs using the Python language.

Learning Objectives

To introduce the fundamental building blocks of programming
To teach how to write useful programs using the Python language

Expected Learning Outcomes

Basics of Python Syntax and Semantics
Fundamentals of Programming
Use of strings and design of functions in Python
Use of Boolean expressions
Understand the concept of Python module
Learn to repeat code (using a For loop)
Manipulate strings in Python
Use a debugger to watch a program execute
Learn to repeat code (using a While loop)
Learn to document code in Python
Understand the concept of mutation
Master manipulations with lists using Python
Master tuples (an immutable version of lists)

Course Contents

Python, Variables, and Functions.
This module gives an overview of the course, the editor we will use to write programs, and an introduction to fundamental concepts in Python including variables, mathematical expressions, and functions.
Strings and Designing Functions.
This module introduces strings (a Python data type used to represent text), and a process to follow when creating a function.
Booleans, Import, Namespaces, and if Statements.
This module introduces Booleans (logical values True and False), how to convert between types, how to use Boolean expressions in if statements to selectively run code, and the concept of a Python module.
For Loops and Fancy String Manipulation.
This module introduces one way to repeat code (using a for loop), how to manipulate strings, and how to use a debugger to watch a program execute step by step.
While Loops, Lists, and Mutability.
This module introduces another way to repeat code (using a while loop), how to properly document your code to help other programmers understand it, Python's list data type, and the concept of mutation.
For Loops Over Indices, Parallel and Nested Lists and Strings, and Files.
This module introduces how to use a for loop over the indexes of a list, how to nest lists, and how to read a write files.
Tuples and Dictionaries.
This module introduces tuples (an immutable version of lists), and Python's dictionary type.

Assessment Elements

Final exam
Assignment 1
Assignment 2
Assignment 3

Interim Assessment

Interim assessment (1 module)
0.15 * Assignment 1 + 0.15 * Assignment 2 + 0.15 * Assignment 3 + 0.55 * Final exam

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

Gries, P., Campbell, J., & Montojo, J. (2017). Practical Programming : An Introduction to Computer Science Using Python 3.6 (Vol. Third edition). [Place of publication not identified]: Pragmatic Bookshelf. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1716748

Recommended Additional Bibliography

Andrew Bird, Dr Lau Cher Han, Mario Corchero Jiménez, Graham Lee, & Corey Wade. (2019). The Python Workshop : A New, Interactive Approach to Learning Python. Birmingham: Packt Publishing. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=2291496
Gerrard, P. (2016). Lean Python : Learn Just Enough Python to Build Useful Tools. [Place of publication not identified]: Apress. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1360162

Bachelor’s Programme 'Psychology'

Learn to Program: The Fundamentals

Course Syllabus