Throughout, students work in groups of 2 to 4, as they focus on specific components of a large class project. CSC 153 emphasizes lab-based group work. Write-ups include experimental observations, hypotheses and explanations, and conclusions, as well as segments of program code. A group project, culminating with a larger write-up and oral presentation, is required. Students write up weekly labs.
Writing also is required for the solutions of a range of textbook problems.
While much of the course will involve principles and implementation considerations of operating systems and parallel algorithms, some assignments will require students to synthesize approaches to problems and concepts underlying classes of algorithms. These latter assignments will involve writing several paragraphs about problem-solving paradigms and techniques. Material covered in this course will range from general views of problem solving through implementation considerations to specific applications. In addition to writing solutions for problem sets and developing programs, writing assignments will encourage students to integrate ideas at several levels. Students write solutions to weekly problem sets.