Courses

IBDP

Computer science SL and HL

GCE A-Level

Computer science AS and A-Level

AP

Computer Science A
Computer Science Principles

IGCSE

Computer Science (9-1)

Tips of learning computer science well

Computer science topics are widely available on the internet. Therefore, there is a misconception that it is a trivial subject. But in the examinations, you need to learn more deeply than many online resources can tell you.

Another problem is that many people think that coding is the entirety of computer science. Of course this idea is wrong. Coding is only part of computer science. In fact, computer science covers many theory parts like computer architecture, operating system, computer networking, algorithms and data structures, and more. In public examinations, you have to master all of these parts.

To learn theory part well, I would recommend you to read a book entitled Computer Science Illuminated. It is a systematic introduction to various topics covered in many public examinations. This book is especially helpful to those who have not taken any computer science courses yet. After you have read the parts of this book related to examinations, you can drill other specific topics from other sources.

Many examinations involve Java programming. To learn it well, I would recommend Head First Java. It is a book that tells the essence of Java in a funnier manner. Though it does not include too many coding exercises, you’ll learn a lot of thinking in Java. This is also my first book to read about Java!

If you want to train your Java coding skills, I would recommend CodingBat. The practices there might not be exactly as what you get in examination papers, but you gain experience in computational thinking by completing them. Remember, coding trains your problem solving skills. You should be proud of figuring out a solution effectively, not of merely getting the syntax correct.

Don’t underestimate the difficulty of computer science subjects. It usually takes more time and energy than you think to master it.