ESC180: Introduction to Computer Programming

It is totally okay to come into EngSci not knowing how to code yet! Even if ESC180 is your first exposure to programming, you can do well in the course. You will not be alone, and there are many online resources, as well as upper years/peers who will want to help you.

We recommend starting ESC180 projects as soon as they are released. They require a lot of thought and iteration; they cannot be completed in one go, the night before the due date. You will need to brainstorm a solution, try it out, debug, and probably try again. Don’t be fooled by the “simplicity” of the problem statement: even if a function seems easy to write, it might take you several hours to debug.

Some experienced programmers can write their code immediately after seeing a problem. However, we recommend that beginners write an outline in pseudo-code before writing any code. Pseudo-code refers to an informal version of code, written in words explaining what your program does. Plan how your functions will interact and what they need to do to achieve your desired result. This way, you’ll avoid making mistakes, writing unnecessary code, and confusing yourself. Planning and sketching things out on paper is especially important when tackling projects.

Complex programming problems are often difficult to solve using one function. However, they become significantly simpler if you break the problem into smaller sub-problems. You can solve each of these sub-problems with different functions, called “helper functions.” You can then put everything together to obtain a final solution.  Helper functions might be very useful on ESC180 projects!

Everyone wants to write short and efficient programs. However, focusing too hard on elegance or efficiency can stop you from making working code. Always make a program that can produce the results you need before you take it apart to make it more efficient or less ugly. Even professional software developers often show that their initial method works before making small improvements. 

Labs will be released a few days before the practical, so you get a chance to attempt them before asking your TA questions. Always attempt the labs! If you’re stuck on one for too long, take a break and ask your TAs and peers for help. They’re meant to be finished within a certain time frame (about three hours) but getting stuck is completely normal. Sometimes it can be a simple error or a trick you don’t know that prevents you from completing them. If you miss a deadline, don’t stress. Labs are great practice, but you have five other courses with larger assignments to manage. Use your judgment!

Aside from the midterm and the final, you will almost always write and practice coding on an IDE (Integrated Development Environment). While you may become very good at writing, debugging and running code this way as you do the labs, solving problems with just pen and paper without being able to test or debug them on an IDE is a completely different experience. During labs, you may get into the habit of writing, running, and debugging code line-by-line; however, during exams, you will have to go through the program you have written line-by-line in your head and identify the errors yourself. So, it is important to practice without an IDE regularly, so you are better prepared for written assessments along with the labs and projects.

Like any other skill, it will take time and practice to become comfortable at programming. You’ll make mistakes and feel frustrated when you don’t know what to do. The key is regular practice. Looking at code will not be as useful as writing code on your computer. Without actual practice, it’s impossible to improve. Experimenting is the best way to learn coding. You’ll learn to use many useful methods and tools by playing around with code.