10.1. Data Literacy

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The first step in creating effective data is knowing which kind of data to create. A good repertoire of data types is a key part of a programmer's toolbox. A tutorial in data types is beyond the scope of this book, but the "Data Literacy Test" will help you determine how much more you might need to learn about them.


The Data Literacy Test

Put a 1 next to each term that looks familiar. If you think you know what a term means but aren't sure, give yourself a 0.5. Add the points when you're done, and interpret your score according to the scoring table below.

_____ abstract data type

_____ literal

_____ array

_____ local variable

_____ bitmap

_____ lookup table

_____ boolean variable

_____ member data

_____ B-tree

_____ pointer

_____ character variable

_____ private

_____ container class

_____ retroactive synapse

_____ double precision

_____ referential integrity

_____ elongated stream

_____ stack

_____ enumerated type

_____ string

_____ floating point

_____ structured variable

_____ heap

_____ tree

_____ index

_____ typedef

_____ integer

_____ union

_____ linked list

_____ value chain

_____ named constant

_____ variant

 

_____ Total Score


Here is how you can interpret the scores (loosely):

0 14

You are a beginning programmer, probably in your first year of computer science in school or teaching yourself your first programming language. You can learn a lot by reading one of the books listed in the next subsection. Many of the descriptions of techniques in this part of the book are addressed to advanced programmers, and you'll get more out of them after you've read one of these books.

15 19

You are an intermediate programmer or an experienced programmer who has forgotten a lot. Although many of the concepts will be familiar to you, you too can benefit from reading one of the books listed below.

20 24

You are an expert programmer. You probably already have the books listed below on your shelf.

25 29

You know more about data types than I do. Consider writing your own computer book. (Send me a copy!)

30 32

You are a pompous fraud. The terms "elongated stream," "retroactive synapse," and "value chain" don't refer to data types I made them up. Please read the "Intellectual Honesty" section in Chapter 33, "Personal Character"!


Additional Resources on Data Types

These books are good sources of information about data types:

Cormen, H. Thomas, Charles E. Leiserson, Ronald L. Rivest. Introduction to Algorithms. New York, NY: McGraw Hill. 1990.

Sedgewick, Robert. Algorithms in C++, Parts I-IV, 3d ed. Boston, MA: Addison-Wesley, 1998.

Sedgewick, Robert. Algorithms in C++, Part V, 3d ed. Boston, MA: Addison-Wesley, 2002.

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Code Complete
Code Complete: A Practical Handbook of Software Construction, Second Edition
ISBN: 0735619670
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2003
Pages: 334

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