Computer Science Principals Definitions

Computing Innovation

Includes a program as an integral part of its function, can be physical, non-physical computing software, or non-physical computing concepts.

Personally Identifiable Information (PPI)

Information about an individual that identifies, links, relates, or describes them.

Decryption

A process that reverses encryption, taking a secret message and reproducing the original plain text.

Encryption

A process of encoding messages to keep them secret, so only authorized parties can read it.

Public Key Encryption

Pairs a public key for encryption and a private key for decryption. The sender does not need the receiver’s private key to encrypt a message.

Symmetric Key Encryption

Involves one key for both encryption and decryption.

Computer Virus Scanning Software

Protects a computing system against infection.

Multi-Factor Authentication

A system that requires at least two steps to unlock protected information, adding a new layer of security.

Keylogging

The use of a program to record every keystroke made by a computer user to gain access to passwords and confidential information.

Malware

Software intended to damage a computing system or to take partial control over its operation.

Phishing

A technique that tries to trick a user into providing personal information.

Rogue Access Point

A wireless access point that gives unauthorized access to secure networks.

Parameter

A variable in a function definition used as a placeholder for values that will be passed through the function.

Argument

The value passed to the parameter.

Return

Used to return the flow of control to the point where the procedure was called and to return the value of expression.

Procedural Abstraction

A process allowing a procedure to be used without knowing how it works, breaking down a problem into smaller subproblems.

Library

A group of functions (procedures) used in creating new programs.

API (Application Program Interface)

Specifications for how functions in a library behave and can be used.

Modularity

The subdivision of a computer program into separate subprograms.

List

An ordered collection of elements.

Element

An individual value in a list assigned a unique index.

Index

A method for referencing elements in a list or string using numbers.

Iteration

A repetitive portion of an algorithm which repeats a specified number of times or until a given condition is met.

Infinite Loop

Occurs when the ending condition will never evaluate to true.

Traversal

The process of accessing each item in a list one at a time.

Data Abstraction

Manage complexity in programs by giving a collection of data a name without referencing specific details.

Information

The collection of facts and patterns extracted from data.

Metadata

Data about data.

Cleaning Data

A process that makes data uniform without changing its meaning.

Data Filtering

Choosing a smaller subset of a data set for analysis.

Correlation

A relationship between two pieces of data, typically referring to how one varies in relation to the other.

Citizen Science

Scientific research conducted by individuals who contribute data to research using their own computing devices.

Crowdsourcing

The practice of obtaining input or information from a large number of people via the Internet.

Data Bias

Data that does not accurately reflect the full population or phenomenon being studied.

Expression

A combination of operators and values that evaluates to a single value.

Assignment Operator

Allows a program to change the value represented by a variable.

Variable

A named reference to a value that can be used repeatedly throughout a program.

String

An ordered sequence of characters.

Boolean Value

A data type that is either true or false.

Comparison Operators

Operators that indicate a Boolean expression:

Logical Operator

Operators that evaluate to a Boolean value: NOT, AND, OR.

Conditional Statement

A statement that affects the sequential flow of control based on the value of a Boolean expression.

Function

A named group of programming instructions, also referred to as a 'procedure'.

Function Call

A command that executes code within a function.

User Interface

Inputs and outputs that allow a user to interact with software.

Input

Data sent to a computer for processing by a program.

Output

Any data sent from a program to a device.

Program Statement

A command or instruction, also referred to as a code statement.

Program

A collection of program statements that run one command at a time.

Sequential Programming

Program statements run in order, from top to bottom.

Event Driven Programming

Program statements run when triggered by an event.

Documentation

A written description of how a command or piece of code works.

Comment

Program documentation written in the program to be read by people, not affecting how it runs.

Pair Programming

A collaborative programming style where two programmers alternate roles.

Debugging

Finding and fixing problems in an algorithm or program.

Development Process

Steps used to create a piece of software, including investigating, designing, prototyping, and testing.

Event

Associated with an action that supplies input data to a program.

Computing Device

A machine that can run a program, e.g., computers, tablets, routers.

Computing System

A group of computing devices and programs working together for a common purpose.

Computing Network

A group of interconnected computing devices capable of sending or receiving data.

Path

The series of connections between computing devices on a network.

Bandwidth

The maximum amount of data that can be sent in a fixed amount of time.

Protocol

An agreed-upon set of rules that specify the behavior of some system.

IP Address

The unique number assigned to each device on the Internet.

Internet Protocol (IP)

A protocol for sending data across the Internet that assigns unique numbers to each connected device.

Router

A type of computer that forwards data across a network.

Packet

A chunk of data sent over a network.

Redundancy

The inclusion of extra components so a system can continue to work if individual components fail.

Fault Tolerant

Can continue to function even with component failures.

HTTP

HyperText Transfer Protocol, used for transmitting web pages over the Internet.

Domain Name System (DNS)

Responsible for translating domain names into IP addresses.

Internet

A computer network consisting of interconnected networks using standardized protocols.

World Wide Web

A system of linked pages, programs, and files.

Digital Divide

Differing access to computing devices and the Internet based on various characteristics.