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Diploma in Higher Education Studies

Finding and fixing errors

HES 211 · Introduction to Programming with Python — Week 12 of 16

CourseHES 211
Week12 of 16
SemesterII
TutorOnline in the course chat

This week’s topics

Finding and fixing errors

  1. Syntax errors
  2. Logic errors

What you will be able to do

  • 5.1 Identify and fix syntax and logic errors.

Activity

Fix five broken programs.

Study materials

Further resources

  • Think Python, Appendix A: Debugging · PDF · Downey, Think Python 2e (Green Tea Press), Appendix A: syntax, runtime and logic (semantic) errors, pp. 193–200 · for registered students
  • Introduction to Python Programming, 1.6: Error messages · PDF · OpenStax Introduction to Python Programming (2024), 1.6: reading Python error messages, pp. 23–26 · for registered students
  • Python Notes for Professionals, ch. 103: Debugging · PDF · GoalKicker Python Notes for Professionals, ch. 103: stepping through code with a debugger, pp. 496–498 · for registered students
  • 37 million compilations: investigating novice programming mistakes on large-scale student… · Open-access article · Altadmri & Brown (2015), SIGCSE '15, ACM. Which syntax and logic errors beginners make most often. · for registered students
  • The hands-up problem and how to deal with it: teachers' experiences of debugging in class · Open-access article · Gale & Sentance (2026), Informatics in Education. How teachers help pupils debug, with practical strategies. · for registered students
Materials marked “for registered students” open in the student portal, which is set up as soon as you receive final acceptance.
Week 11Week 13
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Course plan
  • Week 1: What is programming? High- and low-level languages
  • Week 2: Your first Python program
  • Week 3: Variables, data types and constants
  • Week 4: Input, output and calculations
  • Week 5: Making decisions: if, elif and else
  • Week 6: Repeating code: for loops
  • Week 7: Repeating code: while loops
  • Midterm: Midterm evaluation
  • Week 9: Functions: reusable code
  • Week 10: Lists
  • Week 11: Looping through data; tuples and dictionaries
  • Week 12: Finding and fixing errors
  • Week 13: Tracing and testing a program
  • Week 14: Mini project: a small program step by step
  • Week 15: Review and coursework completion
  • Final: Final assessment and submission
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