Nova Southeastern University
Graduate School of Computer and Information Sciences

Course Syllabus

MCIS 625: Computer Graphics; 3 credits

Winter 2004: January 5 – March 26 (online format)

• Instructor
• Class Web Site
• Course Description
• Textbooks
• Required Software
• Exit Competencies
• Course Outline
• Instruction Methods and Tools
• Assignments
• Examinations and Quizzes
• Grading Criteria
• Course Rules
• Bibliography
• Policy

Instructor
Dr. Michael Laszlo

Address
Nova Southeastern University
Graduate School of Computer and Information Sciences
3301 College Avenue
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314-7796

Email
mjl@scis.nova.edu

Phone
(954) 262-2076 (voice)
(800) 986-2247 x2076 (voice)
(954) 262-3915 (fax)

Class Web Site
http://scis.nova.edu/~mjl/625w04

Course Description
This course provides an introduction to computer graphics for information managers. It combines both theory and practice. Topics to be covered include an overview of graphics systems; basic operations of raster graphics; graphical attributes; a survey of 2D and 3D modeling methods; user interfaces and virtual reality; color models; animation; and the use of computer graphics in common MIS applications.

Textbooks
Required:
VRML 2.0 Sourcebook, by Ames, Nadeau, and Moreland, John Wiley and Sons, 1997.

Recommended:
Introduction to Computer Graphics by Foley, vanDam, et al., Addison-Wesley, 1994.

Required Software
We will use VRML 2.0 in this course. The Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML) requires a Web browser, a VRML 2.0 plug-in, and a text editor, all of which are available for free. See my course software page for more information.

Exit Competencies

• To understand the concepts and principles of raster computer graphics.
• To understand the concepts and principles of 3D computer graphics.
• To gain experience with principles of 3D computer graphics and virtual reality through use of VRML.
• Gain familiarity with concepts and principles relating to computer graphics, including graphical user interfaces and virtual reality, graphics devices, color and color models, and graphical file formats.

Course Outline
The course will be organized around two components: theory and practice.

Theory

• Fundamental methods of 2D raster graphics: scan-conversion of graphical primitives (lines, circles, and polygons); fill algorithms; 2D transformations; and modeling techniques.
• Basic elements of 3D graphics: modeling; hidden surface removal; ray tracing.
• Display technologies; graphic file formats; color.
• Applications of computer graphics: the presentation of information; graphical user interfaces; virtual reality.

Practice
We will use VRML 2.0 in this course. VRML will give us an opportunity to explore concepts in 3D computer graphics, as well as the use of 3D graphics on the Web. VRML requires a Web browser, a VRML 2.0 plug-in, and a text editor, all of which are available for free.

Instruction Methods and Tools

• Weekly assignments: Every Tuesday morning I will post a new assignment page to our course site which can be reached from a link in the weekly schedule page. The assignment page will include this week's reading assignment, homework assignment, and lecture. You should review the new assignment page each Tuesday.
• Forum: We will use our course forum to discuss topics and pose questions. I will set up some threads and will participate in the forum. I encourage you to also create new threads as necessary and to participate. Also, I will invite you to post one or more assignments to our forum so you can share your ideas with other students. The forum will include a Messages thread which I'll occasionally use to post messages to the class. You should check for new messages whenever visiting the forum.
• Email: You may email me throughout the term with any questions or comments. If they are of a general nature from which other students will benefit, your remarks probably belong in our course forum. But if they apply only to your circumstances, then it is better for us to correspond through email.
• Virtual conferences: We will hold two virtual conferences during the term, using Placeware. See my virtual conferences page for more information including the schedule.
• Homework submission: Homework assignments and projects should be submitted via ESET. I will set up an ESET category for each assignment. The category name will clearly indicate the assignment and its due date. The acceptable formats are ascii plain text (.txt), rich text format (.rtf), and Microsoft Word (.doc). If your solutions span more than one file, please concatenate your work into a single file for ESET submission. If you submit more than one file for a given assignment, I will grade only the most recent submission. If you have difficulty submitting an assignment via ESET, try again a bit later. However, if the deadline for the assignment is imminent and you still can't submit it via ESET, send your assignment to me as an email attachment.

Assignments

• There will be a weekly online lecture. Each lecture will be keyed to sections in the Foley, vanDam book which you are welcome to read.
• There will be two programming assignments in VRML. This course does not assume any prior knowledge of or experience with VRML.
• You will be asked to write a paper, the terms of which will be described in the second week of the course.
• You will have at least several weeks to complete each assignment. Consequently, late assignments will not be accepted.

Examinations and Quizzes

• There will be no exams or quizzes in this course.

Grading Criteria

Course equirements will be weighted as follows:

• Two VRML programming projects: 30% each
• Paper proposal: 5%
• Paper: 35%

The scale for determining the final course grade is as follows, where ties round up to the higher letter grade:

Class Rules

• Each student in this course will be required to participate in the forum throughout the course. The purpose of the bulletin board is to provide an asynchronous communcication mechanism through which the instructor and the students can communicate questions, issues, and insights pertaining to the course.
• It is hoped that students will attend the virtual conferences scheduled for this course, but pursuant to SCIS policy, attendance is not required. Moreover, a recording of each conference will be posted to our course site no more than two days after the conference is held.
• Students are expected to complete all reading and written assignments, and the final exam. As noted, late assignments will not be accepted.
• See instruction methods and tools for more information.

Bibliography

Ames A, D. Nadeau, and J. Moreland, VRML 2.0 Sourcebook, John Wiley and Sons, 1997.

Carey R, and G. Bell, The Annotated VRML 2.0 Reference Manual, Addison Wesley, 1997.

Farin G, Curves and Surfaces for Computer Aided Geometric Design: A Practical Guide, Academic Press, 1990.

Foley J, A. vanDam, S. Feiner, J. Hughes, and R. Phillips, Introduction to Computer Graphics, Addison-Wesley, 1994.

Foley, J., A. van Dam, S. Feiner, and J. Hughes. Computer Graphics: Principles and Practice (2nd Edition), Addison-Wesley, 1990.

Glassner, A (Editor). An Introduction to Ray Tracing, Academic Press, 1989.

Hall, R. Illumination and Color in Computer Generated Imagery, Springer Verlag, 1989.

Hardy, V. Java 2D API Graphics, Prentice Hall, 2000.

Hearn, D. and M. Baker. Computer Graphics (2nd Edition), Prentice Hall, 1994.

Hudak, P., The Haskell School of Expression: Learning Functional Programming through Multimedia, Cambridge University Press, 2000.

Laszlo, M. Object-Oriented Programming Featuring Graphical Applications in Java, Addison Wesley, 2002.

Laszlo, M. The Schemer's Guide to Solid Modeling, Schemers Inc, 1998.

Mandelbrot, B. The Fractal Geometry of Nature, Freeman Press, 1982.

Mantyla, M. Introduction to Solid Modeling, Computer Science Press, 1988.

Mortenson, M. Mathematics for Computer Graphics Applications, Industrial Press, 1999.

O'Rourke, J. Computational Geometry in C, Cambridge University Press, 1994.

O'Rourke, M. Principles of Three-Dimensional Computer Animation, W.W. Norton, 1995.

Pokorny, C. Computer Graphics: An Object-Oriented Approach to the Art and Science, Franklin, Beedle, & Associates, 1994.

Preparata, F., and M. Shamos. Computational Geometry, Springer-Verlag, 1985.

Rogers D, Procedural Elements for Computer Graphics, McGraw-Hill, 1985.

Rogers, D., and J. Adams. Mathematical Elements for Computer Graphics, McGraw-Hill, 1990.

Samet H, Design and Analysis of Spatial Data Structures, Addison-Wesley, 1990

Samet H, Applications of Spatial Data Structures, Addison-Wesley, 1990.

Spalter, A, The Computer in the Visual Arts, Addison Wesley, 1999.

Sowizral, H, K. Rushforth, and M. Deering, The Java 3D API Specification, Addison Wesley, 1998.

Walsh, A., and D. Gehringer, Java 3D: API Jump-Start, Prentice Hall, 2002.

Watt A, 3D Computer Graphics, Addison Wesley, 1999.

Watt, A., and M. Watt. Advanced Animation and Rendering Techniques, Addison Wesley, 1992

Policy Paragraphs

1. Academic Integrity and Student Original Work (See Catalog for additional policies, especially Policy on Acceptable Use of Computing Resources, and Policy on the Use of Material in Web Pages.)

Each student is responsible for maintaining academic integrity and intellectual honesty in his or her academic work. It is the policy of the school that each student be academically honest, which means that each student must:

1. Submit his or her own work, not that of another person
2. Not falsify data
3. Not engage in cheating (giving or receiving help during examinations, acquiring and/or transmitting test questions prior to an in-class examination, or falsifying any records, including admissions material)
4. Not receive nor give aid on assigned work that requires independent effort
5. Properly credit the words or ideas of others according to accepted standards for professional publications (See, for example, The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association.)
6. Not use term paper writing services or consult such services for the purpose of obtaining assistance in the preparation of materials to be submitted in courses
7. Not engage in plagiarism. Webster’s defines plagiarism as "stealing or passing off ideas or words of another as one’s own" and "the use of a created production without crediting the source." Extreme caution must be exercised by students involved in collaborative work to avoid questions of plagiarism.

2. Writing Skills: Each student must demonstrate proficiency in the use of the English

language in all work submitted for this course. Grammatical errors, spelling errors, and writing that does not express ideas clearly will affect your grade. The professor will not provide remedial help concerning writing problems that you might have. Students who are unable to write correctly and clearly are urged to contact their program office for sources of remedial help.

3. The Grade of Incomplete (I): The grade of Incomplete (I) will be granted only in cases of extreme hardship. In such cases, a student requiring an incomplete must submit a written appeal with full rationale to the instructor at least three weeks prior to the end of the term. The student does not have a right to an incomplete, which may be granted only when there is clear evidence of just cause. Should the instructor agree, an incomplete contract will be prepared by the student and signed by both student and instructor. The incomplete contract must contain a description of the work to be completed and a completion date. The completion period should be the shortest time possible. In no case may the completion date extend beyond 30 days from the scheduled course completion date for master’s courses nor beyond 60 days from the scheduled course/project completion date for doctoral courses.

4. Withdrawal: Withdrawal requests must be submitted to the student’s program office and must be made in writing by the student. Requests for withdrawal received after the last day of the term will not be accepted. Failure to attend classes or participate in course activities will not automatically drop or withdraw a student from the class or the university. Students who have not withdrawn by the last day of the term will receive letter grades that reflect their performance in the course. When a withdrawal request is approved, the transcript will show a grade of W for the course. Depending on the date of withdrawal, the student may be eligible for a partial refund.

[ Home | Course | Syllabus ]