Watch for the new technical terms!

Note that Alcock introduces a variety of technical terms in this chapter - such as directive, block, statement etc. He generally italicises such technical terms on the first occasion on which they are used. This specialised technical language is very important in this subject - as, indeed, it is in most other engineering subjects; if you do not realise which terms are being used with specialised meanings, and what those meanings are, from the very start, then you will quickly find that you are becoming very confused.

So, I suggest you acquire a notebook to use exclusively as a glossary for the duration of this course. Organise it alphabetically. Each time you come across a word which seems to be used in a special technical sense, write it in, together with a definition in your own words, and an example or two. You may well have to go back over certain definitions at various times, and revise or correct them - but that is perfectly OK. If there are words that seem to have a technical meaning, but you cannot quite see what the meaning is, then e-mail a question, or ask in the lecture.

Start constructing your glossary now, by going through the whole of Chapter 1 carefully.