IS 216: COBOL I

Course Description:

The student will develop structured, modular algorithms. The student will implement algorithms using COBOL. The student will learn the basic features of COBOL. Suggested prerequisite: CS 151.

Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of this course, the student should be able to:

1. Implement key concepts of structured design and programming.
2. Apply COBOL elements (i.e. reserve words, programmer supplied names, literals, symbols, and picture clauses)
3. Demonstrate creativity and problem solving skills
4. Debug and test COBOL programs for compilation, execution and data errors
5. Write COBOL programs that use:
   • Do while loop, do until loop and in-line PERFORM
   • Nested IF's and EVALUATE
   • Data editing of input and output
   • Data validation
   • String processing
   • Definition and processing of single level table
   • Four digit year processing
   • Arithmetic processing
6. Write COBOL programs that use proper style, documentation and application of coding standards

Assessment Measures:

Assessment Tool	Linkage to Learning Outcome #:
Assign sufficient programming assignments or programming related exercises to cover objectives.	1-5
Create coding standards to be distributed, followed and graded based on adherence to. General accepted practices include documentation throughout code, standard programmer supplied names, use of scope terminators, and top-down programming. All programs should include a flowchart, pseudocode or like documentation.	6
To achieve "creativity and problem solving skills," students must be required to produce programming project solutions from a given problem description. Note that objective 3 is not met if a student is only able to produce solutions by pasting together given code fragments. Although this is appropriate at times, it does not enforce the development of these skills.	3
Chapter tests will be used to evaluate students' ability to understand terminology and basic concepts of COBOL. This should include at minimum a final and include at least one or more of the following: short answer, trace given code, debug given code, and/or develop a fragment of code given a problem description.	1-5

Textbooks

To view the approved textbook list, click here.