Computer Science
Principles Study Library.

Collaboration in program development · Program design: input and output specifications · Iterative development process · Debugging strategies: syntax errors, logic errors, runtime errors · Documentation and code comments · Program purpose vs. program function distinction

Binary representation: bits and bytes · Binary-to-decimal and decimal-to-binary conversion · Data types and their binary representation (integers, floating point, text) · Analog vs. digital data; sampling rate and resolution · Lossless compression vs. lossy compression · Metadata: definition and privacy implications · Extracting information from data: patterns, trends, and insights · Data analysis and visualization · Correlation vs. causation in data · Limitations of data: incomplete data, biased samples · Data privacy and security concerns · Analog-to-digital conversion

Variables and assignment using AP pseudocode (← operator) · Arithmetic, relational, and Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT) · Strings and string operations · Lists and collections: creation, access, INSERT, APPEND, REMOVE, LENGTH · AP pseudocode 1-based list indexing · Procedures: defining with parameters, calling, and returning values · Libraries and APIs: using existing procedures · Sequential, selection (IF/ELSE/ELSE IF), and iteration (REPEAT N TIMES, REPEAT UNTIL, FOR EACH) constructs · Developing and refining algorithms · Linear search vs. binary search (binary search requires sorted list) · Algorithm efficiency: conceptual comparison of time requirements · Heuristic approaches for intractable problems · Undecidable problems and the Halting Problem · Simulations and modeling

The Internet: packet switching and routing · TCP/IP protocol suite · DNS: how domain names resolve to IP addresses · HTTP and HTTPS: request-response model · Fault tolerance and redundant network paths · Parallel computing: tasks split across multiple processors · Distributed computing: tasks split across multiple computers · Bandwidth and throughput · Symmetric encryption (same key to encrypt and decrypt) · Public-key (asymmetric) encryption: public key encrypts, private key decrypts · Digital certificates and certificate authorities · Common cybersecurity attacks: phishing, malware, DDoS

Beneficial and harmful effects of computing innovations on society · Digital divide: unequal access to technology by geography, income, and age · Bias in algorithms and training data · Crowdsourcing: leveraging many contributors to solve problems or gather data · Copyright, Creative Commons licenses, and open source licensing · Intellectual property and software piracy · Privacy: data collection, data ownership, and surveillance · Computing and civil liberties: freedom of expression and censorship · Cybersecurity ethics and computing-related laws · Safety, security, and authentication methods

Program code: developing a complete, functioning program in any language (Python, JavaScript, Scratch, App Inventor, etc.) · Video submission: ≤60 seconds showing program input, functionality, and output · Personalized Project Reference (PPR): two code segment screenshots (procedure with sequencing/selection/iteration; list storage and use) · Row 1 — Program Purpose and Function: video evidence + written description of purpose and function · Row 2 — Data Abstraction: list/collection storing multiple elements; written explanation of what data represents · Row 3 — Managing Complexity: written explanation of logical necessity of the list · Row 4 — Procedural Abstraction: student-developed procedure with ≥1 parameter; written explanation of parameter's effect on behavior · Row 5 — Algorithm Implementation: procedure containing sequencing, selection, and iteration all within the same procedure · Row 6 — Testing: two documented test cases with specified conditions, expected result, actual result, and an error identified and corrected · Written Response Section II: WR1 (Program Design, Function, and Purpose), WR2(a) (Algorithm Development), WR2(b) (Errors and Testing), WR2(c) (Data and Procedural Abstraction) · AP Digital Portfolio submission platform · 850-word maximum / 750-word recommended limit for Written Response