Lecture Notes/Worksheets

Introducing Modern Computational Tools
ICS-6: Lecture A/Lab 1
Spring 2011

Course Expectations

Lectures and Labs

Learning to use any complex software tool is an intensive activity. We will have class every day of the week: MWF lectures and TuTh labs. I expect to show material in lecture on MWF, which you will put to practical use and extend during labs on TuTh. I will try to provide written materials (readings) for each lecture, which will be accompanied by a workbook that further illustrates the material.

The readings will be text files: click a reading to display it in your browse; right click a reading and select Save Target As... to download your own copy (for example to print or annotate it). After each lecture, I expect student to read the complete notes for that lecture, and follow the instructions it contains (see "-->"), to build spreadsheets by using the Excel features covered in the lecture/notes.

So, I will act as the guide in lecture, as we tour new territory. But, you need to revisit this territory by yourself, exploring it in more detail, after lecture but before the next lab.

The workbooks are .xlsx files; right click a workbook and select Save Target As... to download your own copy (for example, onto your desktop), and then double-click the workbook icon to start Excel on that workbook.

Lecture Attendance and Decorum

I expect students to attend class daily, arriving on time. The announcements made at the start of class are often very important. (I reserve the right to give small pop-quizzes on the material). I expect students to neither carry on private conversations, nor use their computers to answer e-mail, surf the web, day trade stocks, or perform any other activities unrelated to this course.

Ringing cell phones disrupt my lectures. Unless you are responsible for someone's life, your cell phone should be turned off. Otherwise, you should set it to operate in some silent mode (as mine will be set); if it rings silently, please leave the lecture, with a minimum of disruption to the rest of the students, to answer it. If your cell phone rings audibly in lecture, you will be asked to leave the lecture for that day.

Finally, if you know that you must leave early, please sit near a door, so that you can exit quietly and without disturbing the class.

Overall, please strive to be a considerate class member, both to me and to your fellow students.

Schedule, Readings, and Workbooks (more coming soon)

Week Activity Date Reading Workbook

#1 Lecture #1 3/28 Introduction to Spreadsheets and Excel Lecture 1
Lecture #2 3/30 Fundamentals of Excel Formulas Lecture 2
Lecture #3 4/1 Some Special/Useful Functions Lecture 3
#2 Lecture #4 4/4 Scatter Charts Lecture 4
Lecture #5 4/6 Intermediate Worksheets, Cells, and Data Tables Lecture 5
Lecture #6 4/8 Finish Lecture #5 Lecture 5
#3 Lecture #7 4/11 Example Models Lecture 7 (.zip)
Lecture #8 4/13 Example Models (continued) + Questions for In-Lab Exam #1 Lecture 7 (.zip)
In-Lab Exam #1 4/14 Download .xlsx file for exam (available when lab starts)
Lecture #9 4/15 Reference Functions Lecture 9
#4 Lecture #10 4/18 Reference Functions (continued) Lecture 10
Lecture #11 4/20 Names for Values and Actions (macros) Lecture 11
Lecture #12 4/22 Charts with Names, Controls, Data Validation Lecture 12
#5 Lecture #13 4/25 A Quick Tour of Other Charts Lecture 13
Lecture #14 4/27 Arrays and Array Formulas Lecture 14
In-Lab Exam #2 4/28 Download .xlsm file for exam (available when lab starts)
Lecture #15 4/29 Arrays and Array Formulas (continued) Lecture 15
#6 Lecture #16 5/2 Introducing Data Bases and Simple Queries via Autofilter and Sorting Lecture 16
Lecture #17 5/4 More Complicated Queries via Cells Lecture 17
Lecture #18 5/6 Complicated Queries by Example Lecture 18
7 Lecture #19 5/9 Introducing Pivot Tables and Pivot Charts Lecture 19
Lecture #20 5/11 More Examples of Pivot Tables Lecture 20
Lecture #21 5/13 Class will NOT meet None
#8 Lecture #22 5/16 Importing Data into Excel Lecture 19
files.zip
Lecture #23 5/18 Introducing Visual Basic (VBA) Subroutines Lecture 23 (start)
Lecture 23 (finish)
In-Lab Exam #3 5/19 Download .xlsx file for exam (available when lab starts)
Lecture #24 5/20 Visual Basic Functions and Parameters/Arguments Lecture 24 (start)
Lecture 24 (finish)
#9 Lecture #25 5/23 Selection, Assignment, and IF Statements: Compute PI Example Lecture 25

Lecture #26 5/25 Indefinite Looping: Do Until Lecture 26

Lecture #27 5/27 More on Input/Two Examples Lecture 27

#10 Lecture #28 5/30 Memorial Day: Class will NOT meet None
Lecture #29 6/1 Excel's Solver Lecture 29

In-Lab Exam #4 6/2 Download .xlsm file for exam (available when lab starts)
Lecture #30 6/3 Course Wrap-up, review for Final None
Final Final Exam 6/8 Download .xlsm file for exam (available when lab starts)
Final Exams Week 6/8 We will have a comprehensive 2-hour IN-LAB final exam
on Wednesday, June 8th, 10:30pm - 12:30pm in ICS 183
(see the Final Exam Schedule, Spring 2011).
I will send email when I have computed/entered final grades,
which are due to UCI by Thursday, June 16 at 5pm.

Week	Activity	Date	Reading	Workbook
#1	Lecture #1	3/28	Introduction to Spreadsheets and Excel	Lecture 1
	Lecture #2	3/30	Fundamentals of Excel Formulas	Lecture 2
	Lecture #3	4/1	Some Special/Useful Functions	Lecture 3
#2	Lecture #4	4/4	Scatter Charts	Lecture 4
	Lecture #5	4/6	Intermediate Worksheets, Cells, and Data Tables	Lecture 5
	Lecture #6	4/8	Finish Lecture #5	Lecture 5
#3	Lecture #7	4/11	Example Models	Lecture 7 (.zip)
	Lecture #8	4/13	Example Models (continued) + Questions for In-Lab Exam #1	Lecture 7 (.zip)
	In-Lab Exam #1	4/14	Download .xlsx file for exam (available when lab starts)
	Lecture #9	4/15	Reference Functions	Lecture 9
#4	Lecture #10	4/18	Reference Functions (continued)	Lecture 10
	Lecture #11	4/20	Names for Values and Actions (macros)	Lecture 11
	Lecture #12	4/22	Charts with Names, Controls, Data Validation	Lecture 12
#5	Lecture #13	4/25	A Quick Tour of Other Charts	Lecture 13
	Lecture #14	4/27	Arrays and Array Formulas	Lecture 14
	In-Lab Exam #2	4/28	Download .xlsm file for exam (available when lab starts)
	Lecture #15	4/29	Arrays and Array Formulas (continued)	Lecture 15
#6	Lecture #16	5/2	Introducing Data Bases and Simple Queries via Autofilter and Sorting	Lecture 16
	Lecture #17	5/4	More Complicated Queries via Cells	Lecture 17
	Lecture #18	5/6	Complicated Queries by Example	Lecture 18
7	Lecture #19	5/9	Introducing Pivot Tables and Pivot Charts	Lecture 19
	Lecture #20	5/11	More Examples of Pivot Tables	Lecture 20
	Lecture #21	5/13	Class will NOT meet	None
#8	Lecture #22	5/16	Importing Data into Excel	Lecture 19 files.zip
	Lecture #23	5/18	Introducing Visual Basic (VBA) Subroutines	Lecture 23 (start) Lecture 23 (finish)
	In-Lab Exam #3	5/19	Download .xlsx file for exam (available when lab starts)
	Lecture #24	5/20	Visual Basic Functions and Parameters/Arguments	Lecture 24 (start) Lecture 24 (finish)
#9	Lecture #25	5/23	Selection, Assignment, and IF Statements: Compute PI Example	Lecture 25
	Lecture #26	5/25	Indefinite Looping: Do Until	Lecture 26
	Lecture #27	5/27	More on Input/Two Examples	Lecture 27
#10	Lecture #28	5/30	Memorial Day: Class will NOT meet	None
	Lecture #29	6/1	Excel's Solver	Lecture 29
	In-Lab Exam #4	6/2	Download .xlsm file for exam (available when lab starts)
	Lecture #30	6/3	Course Wrap-up, review for Final	None
Final	Final Exam	6/8	Download .xlsm file for exam (available when lab starts)
Final Exams Week		6/8	We will have a comprehensive 2-hour IN-LAB final exam on Wednesday, June 8th, 10:30pm - 12:30pm in ICS 183 (see the Final Exam Schedule, Spring 2011). I will send email when I have computed/entered final grades, which are due to UCI by Thursday, June 16 at 5pm.