CISC2000: How are labs graded?

Approximately 70% points are for the correct implementation of required functionalities.

• No compilation or linker errors! Otherwise, half of the points are taken off from the project.
• Implement all of the requirements
• Include appropriate amount of error checking

Late labs lose points every day during until the grace period ends, then the lab closes. The first six labs and all minilabs have about a week of grace. Later labs have 2 weeks or more.

As much as 30% of the points are reserved for following directions and good coding style/practice:

• Follow the following program structure:

  /* 
    This program .... 
    Author: 
    Last Modified: 
    Known bug:
  */
  #include ... 
  using namespace std;
  
  /* Function declarations (comments and function heads) go here.... */
  
  /*  swap two int variables' value 
     @param v1, v2: the two int variables 
     post condition: v1 and v2's values are swapped
  */
  void swap (int & v1, int & v2);
  
  int main()
  {
   .... 
  
  }
  
  /* Function definition (function comments, headers and bodies) go here ... */
  // swap v1 and v2's value 
  void swap (int & v1, int & v2)
  {
     int tmp; 	// local variable used in the swapping
  
     tmp = v1;
     v1 = v2;
     v2 = tmp;
  }
  
  

• Appropriate amount of comments (for each block, function)
  1. Each function's comments should be sufficient so that others by reading the comments and head, know how to use the function
  2. Comment on important variables (what they store...)
  3. Comment important algorithms
• Meaningful variable names
  • Two ways to name your variables are: “cpu_cycle_length” or “CPUCycleLength”.
  • Do not use literal constants for values other than 0, instead define a constant and capitalize characters in the its name. For example, instead of writing 12.39 (which is, say, the price of medium pizza) in the code, declare a constant as follows:

    const double PRICE_MEDIUM_PIZZA=12.39;
    

• Use indentation (i.e., start each statement with an appropriate number of spaces depending on its indentation level) to make the structure of your code clear. Use not less than 2 spaces for each indentation level.

  The following are the indentation rule.

  1. indent statements within a block statement by one more level, including every statements with the body of a function.
     • write the braces of the block statement in separate lines, and align them with the if, else, or that precedes it, (i.e., this is the so-called Allman style).
  2. indent the body (i.e., the yes_statement, and no_statement) of if statement and if/else statement by one more level

  In the following program, each statement's indentation level is marked in the comment:

  #include <iostream>
  using namespace std;
  
  int main()  			//indentation level 0
  {				// take a line, and align with the function header and matching }
     int a, b;			//level 1
     
     // enter value of a and b    
     cout <<"Enter a and b:";	//level 1
     cin >> a >> b;		//level 1
  
  
     // calculate the GCD (greatest common division of a and b
     while( 1 )			//level 1
     {				//opening brace take a line, align with while and the matching }
        a = a % b;		//indentation level 2
        if ( a == 0 )		//level 2
           return b;		//level 3, yes_statement of if, indented by one more level
        b = b % a;		//level 2
        if ( b == 0 )		//level 2
           return a;		//level 3
     }				// align with matching }
  }				// align with matching {
  

Quick Hints:

You are strongly encouraged to pay attention to indentation level in the first place, as doing so will help you see the logic structure of your code, and minimze chances of making mistakes. Most IDEs will help you apply indentation rule.

If you haven't paid enough attention to style when you first type your program, but want to go back to fix indentation (in order to understand some logic or syntax errors). There is the following quick fix. The following command can be used to fix the indentation of a program. Note, run this program from a command line (terminal).

$indent lab4.cpp