Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!mit-eddie!ll-xn!ames!lll-tis!ptsfa!ihnp4!homxb!mhuxt!mhuxm!mhuxo!ulysses!gamma!pyuxp!rruxa!gwl From: gwl@rruxa.UUCP (George W. Leach) Newsgroups: comp.edu Subject: Re: readable [was: first] languages Message-ID: <293@rruxa.UUCP> Date: Mon, 24-Aug-87 09:40:41 EDT Article-I.D.: rruxa.293 Posted: Mon Aug 24 09:40:41 1987 Date-Received: Wed, 26-Aug-87 07:31:56 EDT References: <405@ndsuvax.UUCP> <1010@argus.UUCP> <290@rruxa.UUCP> <1039@bsu-cs.UUCP> Organization: Bell Communications Research Lines: 43 Summary: stress writing style In article <1039@bsu-cs.UUCP>, neubauer@bsu-cs.UUCP (Paul Neubauer) writes: > > However, that is not the point in question here, we are talking about > STUDENT programmers in their first CS course. These are people who usually > have never thought about _reading_ programs. The typical view among CS1 > student programmers (at least around here, but I would be surprised if we > were unique) seems to be "if it runs, it's done." Documentation, intrinsic > or add-on, comes as an afterthought, if at all. These are people who need > every possible encouragement to write programs that can be read. > I agree 101%!!! If left to their own devices these people will never think about anything but getting the program to produce the desired effect, A GOOD GRADE! If a reasonable portion of that grade will be decided by such qualities as readability, then they will do a better job on that part. What I typically do is to allow the first program to be graded without taking off any points for such things as non mnuemonic naming, lack of adequate indentation, etc.... I will then get up on my soap box after handing back the first assignment. I try to show people concrete examples from the assignments of good and bad practices. I then will progressively start taking more and more credit off for such infractions as the semester marches on. If I notice that someone is continuing to exhibit the same bad habits over and over again despite the lost credit, I either (a) think this person is a masochist and is beyond help or (b) have a talk with this person and point them to the path of correct programming behavior. > -- > Paul Neubauer UUCP: {ihnp4,seismo}!{iuvax,pur-ee}!bsu-cs!neubauer George W. Leach Bell Communications Research New Jersey Institute of Technology 444 Hoes Lane 4A-1129 Computer & Information Sciences Dept. Piscataway, New Jersey 08854 Newark, New Jersey 07102 (201) 699-8639 UUCP: ..!bellcore!indra!reggie ARPA: reggie%njit-eies.MAILNET@MIT-MULTICS.ARPA From there to here, from here to there, funny things are everywhere Dr. Seuss "One fish two fish red fish blue fish"