Fall 2026
Introduction to Scripting Languages
Instructor: Matthew Gonzales
Email: mgonzales1@lamarpa.edu
Phone: (409) 984-6418
Office Hours: None
Additional Contact Information:
Introduction to scripting languages including basic data types, control structures, regular expressions, input/output, and textual analysis. This section uses Python as its primary scripting language. You will learn to design programming solutions, then write, test, and debug scripts covering variables, data types, decision and repetition structures, lists, functions, exceptions, file input/output, and recursion. The course closes with an introduction to SQL — the query language of databases — covering database concepts, table creation, and single-table queries.
Textbooks (both via Cengage MindTap, accessed through Blackboard): Programming with Python, 1st Edition, by McMullen, Matthews, and Parsons (Cengage), and A Guide to SQL, 10th Edition, by Shellman, Afyouni, Pratt, and Last (Cengage). A single Cengage Unlimited subscription covers both titles — this is the most economical option and is strongly recommended.
Software: Python 3 (free download from python.org) and a code editor — IDLE (included with Python), VS Code, or Thonny. Installation instructions are provided in Week 1. Python runs on Windows, Mac, and Linux. If you are unable or unwilling to install Python on your machine, you may use Google Colab.
No database installation is required. All SQL labs are completed in MindTap’s built-in browser-based environment.
Technology: Reliable computer and internet access.
Textbook Purchasing Statement: A student attending Lamar State College Port Arthur is not under any obligation to purchase a textbook from the college-affiliated bookstore. The same textbook may also be available from an independent retailer, including an online retailer.
Python / Google Colab
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Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
PSLO 1. Design programming solutions to real-world problems using appropriate languages, tools, and techniques.
PSLO 2. Write clear, well-structured code that follows accepted programming conventions.
PSLO 3. Test, debug, and refine programs to produce reliable, working software.
PSLO 4. Store, retrieve, and manipulate data as part of a programming solution.
PSLO 5. Demonstrate professionalism and ethical conduct within the computing field.
Week 1 (Aug 24–29) – Course orientation; Computational Thinking and Programming Tools (Python Modules 1–2) — ungraded startup week
Week 2 (due Sat, Sep 5) – Literals, Variables, and Constants; Numeric Data Types (Modules 3–4)
Week 3 (due Sat, Sep 12) – Strings (Module 5)
Week 4 (due Sat, Sep 19) – Decision Control Structures (Module 6)
Week 5 (due Sat, Sep 26) – Repetition Structures (Module 7)
Week 6 (due Sat, Oct 3) – Midterm Exam (Python Modules 1–7)
Week 7 (due Sat, Oct 10) – Lists (Module 8)
Week 8 (due Sat, Oct 17) – Functions (Module 9)
Week 9 (due Sat, Oct 24) – Exceptions and File Operations (Modules 10–11)
Week 10 (due Sat, Oct 31) – Recursion (Module 12)
Week 11 (due Sat, Nov 7) – Introduction to Databases (SQL Module 1)
Week 12 (due Sat, Nov 14) – Single-Table Database Management (SQL Module 3; Module 2 is optional enrichment reading and is not tested)
Week 13 (due Sat, Nov 21) – Single-Table Queries: SELECT, WHERE, sorting, functions, and grouping (SQL Module 4)
Week 14 (Nov 23–28) – Thanksgiving Break — no work assigned
Week 15 (due Sat, Dec 5) – Final Exam
Week 16 – Last week of semester — no work assigned
Major Assignments Schedule
All exams are due Saturday at 11:59 PM Central Time. No late work is accepted.
Midterm Exam – Week 6, due Saturday, October 3 (covers Python Modules 1–7)
Final Exam – Week 15, due Saturday, December 5 (covers Python Modules 8–12 and SQL Modules 1, 3–4)
Major Assignments Schedule
All exams are due Saturday at 11:59 PM Central Time. No late work is accepted.
Midterm Exam – Week 6, due Saturday, October 3 (covers Python Modules 1–7)
Final Exam – Week 15, due Saturday, December 5 (covers Python Modules 8–12 and SQL Modules 1, 3–4)
Final Exam – Week 15, due Saturday, December 5 (covers Python Modules 8–12 and SQL Modules 1, 3–4)
Grading Scale
A = 90–100
B = 80–89
C = 70–79
D = 60–69
F = 59 and below
Assignments – 30%
Exams – 40% (Midterm Exam and Final Exam)
Quizzes – 30%
Late Work: No late work is accepted for any reason. All graded work for each week closes Saturday at 11:59 PM Central Time. All assignments become available on the first day of class — start early and plan around work schedules, family events, and holidays. Do not wait until Saturday night of the due date to start; technology problems are not an excuse for missing a deadline.
Attempts and Timing: Coding assignments are one-time submissions — one attempt, no resubmissions — and are graded with a gated rubric: if your program does not run, the assignment receives an automatic zero, so test your code thoroughly before submitting. Quizzes, the Midterm Exam, and the Final Exam allow 3 attempts and are timed at 4 minutes per question. MindTap work is auto-graded in the browser.
Communication: The best way to reach me is through my LSCPA email. I respond within approximately 24 hours on weekdays; messages sent over the weekend will be answered the following business day. Please include your course and section number in your email.
Academic Integrity: All submitted work must be your own. Academic dishonesty — including cheating, plagiarism, and collusion — is governed by LSCPA policy (Faculty Handbook, Section IX, Subsection A). A student found responsible for academic dishonesty will receive a zero on the assignment or exam involved, and a flagrant offense will result in an F for the course, at the instructor's discretion. Student submissions may be checked for plagiarism through Blackboard.
Use of AI Tools: In a programming course, the goal is for you to learn to write, test, and debug code. AI tools (ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot, etc.) may be used to help you understand concepts, explain error messages, and troubleshoot your own code. However, submitting AI-generated code as your own work on coding assignments is academic dishonesty, and use of AI on quizzes and exams is prohibited. A good rule of thumb: use AI like a tutor, not like a ghostwriter — if you can't explain every line, don't submit it.
Technology Requirements: This course requires regular access to a computer with a reliable internet connection. Python is free and runs on Windows, Mac, and Linux. No database installation is required — all SQL labs are completed in MindTap's built-in browser-based environment. Contact me during the first week if technology access presents a problem.
If the syllabus doc from the ITSE build phrases the submission/rubric rule differently, match that wording exactly so the two documents don't contradict each other — but one-shot coding submissions with the run-or-zero gate is the structure we landed on.
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Be sure to check your campus email and Course Homepage using MyLSCPA campus web portal. You can also access your grades, transcripts, academic advisors, degree progress, and other services through MyLSCPA.
Academic honesty is expected from all students, and dishonesty in any form will not be tolerated. Please consult the LSCPA policies (Academic Dishonesty section in the Student Handbook) for consequences of academic dishonesty.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities. If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact the Accessibility Services Coordinator, Room 119, in the Ruby Fuller Building. The phone number is (409) 984-6241.
No food or tobacco products are allowed in the classroom. Only students enrolled in the course are allowed in the classroom, except by special instructor permission. Use of electronic devices is prohibited.
This syllabus is part of LSCPA's efforts to comply with Texas House Bill 2504.
As per Texas law and LSCPA policy, all LSCPA employees, including faculty, are required to report allegations or disclosures of child abuse or neglect to the designated authorities, which may include a local or state law enforcement agency or the Texas Department of Family Protective Services. For more information about mandatory reporting requirements, see LSCPA's Policy and Procedure Manual.
LSCPA is committed to establishing and maintaining an environment that is free from all forms of sex discrimination, including sexual harassment, sexual violence, and other forms of sexual misconduct. All LSCPA employees, including faculty, have the responsibility to report disclosures of sexual misconduct, including sexual harassment, sexual assault (including rape and acquaintance rape), domestic violence, dating violence, relationship violence, or stalking, to LSCPA's Title IX Coordinator, whose role is to coordinate the college's response to sexual misconduct. For more information about Title IX protections, faculty reporting responsibilities, options for confidential reporting, and the resources available for support visit LSCPA's Title IX website.
For more information about the Clery Act and crime reporting, see the Annual Security & Fire Safety Report and the Campus Security website.
If you have a grievance, complaint, or concern about this course that has not been resolved through discussion with the Instructor, please consult the Department Chair.