David J. Malan
malan@harvard.edu
http://cs.harvard.edu/malan

CS50 is Harvard University’s introduction to the intellectual enterprises of computer science and the art of programming for students with a diversity of technological background and experience. CS50 for AP Computer Science Principles is an adaptation of CS50 specifically tailored to align with the AP Computer Science Principles curriculum framework. The course’s assignments, materials, and resources are all identical to the version of the course taught at the college-level, albeit adapted to suit a secondary school audience.

Among this course’s objectives is to supply you with a comprehensive introduction to the fundamentals of the discipline of computer science. We will do so using programming in several different languages as a vehicle to introduce these fundamentals, including such topics as algorithms, abstraction, data, global impact, and internet technologies. Though the course is programming-heavy, it should be stressed that this is not a “programming course”; rather, this course should be considered one of problem-solving, creativity, and exploration. By year’s end, you will have a richer understanding of the key principles of the discipline of computer science. You will be able to speak intelligently about how computers work and how they enable us to become better problem-solvers, and will hopefully be able to communicate that knowledge to others.

Whether you elect to take no other computer science courses in your lifetime or consider this class the first step in a longer course of study, it is our sincere hope that you feel more comfortable with—and indeed sometimes skeptical of—the technologies that surround us each day.

You are expected to submit all problems and coordinate with your high school to complete the create and explore tasks.

The only background required for CS50 for AP Computer Science Principles is completion of Algebra I or its equivalent.

This course lives at http://harvard.cs50.edu/ap.

Visit the course’s website to watch videos, to get help, to download handouts and software, and to follow links to other resources.

No books are required for this course. However, you may want to supplement your preparation for or review of some lectures with self-assigned readings relevant to those lectures' content from either of the books below. The first is intended for those inexperienced in (or less comfortable with the idea of) programming. The second is intended for those experienced in (or more comfortable with the idea of) programming.

Consistent with the AP Computer Science Principles curriculum framework, the course’s material is organized around seven so-called “big ideas” as well as six computational thinking practices. The seven big ideas are:

And the six computational thinking practices are:

All problems are due on April 30, 2017. You will receive a certificate of completion, if a satisfactory grade (60%) is earned on all problems.

The completion of this course does not guarantee AP credit through the College Board. To receive credit, you must coordinate with a high school administrator to turn in the additional through assessments, namely the Explore and Create tasks and AP Exam.

This course’s philosophy on academic honesty is best stated as "be reasonable." The course recognizes that interactions with classmates and others can facilitate mastery of the course’s material. However, there remains a line between enlisting the help of another and submitting the work of another. This policy characterizes both sides of that line.

The essence of all work that you submit to this course must be your own. Collaboration on problem sets is not permitted except to the extent that you may ask classmates and others for help so long as that help does not reduce to another doing your work for you. Generally speaking, when asking for help, you may show your code to others, but you may not view theirs, so long as you and they respect this policy’s other constraints. Collaboration on the course’s final project is permitted to the extent prescribed by its specification.

Below are rules of thumb that (inexhaustively) characterize acts that the course considers reasonable and not reasonable. If in doubt as to whether some act is reasonable, do not commit it until you solicit and receive approval in writing from the course’s heads. Acts considered not reasonable by the course are handled harshly.