Adaptive Documentation: An Optimized Approach To The Documentation Dilemma

Instruction in computer programming includes both an introduction to program documentation and opportunities to practice program design and coding. A trade-off exists between these two programming elements (coding and documentation.) Assuming that student time is finite, time devoted to one must come at the expense of the other. A change in programming language from FORTRAN to C required that students devote additional time to coding because of the subtle language complexities of the C language. An approach that permits additional focus on coding while neither abandoning appropriate emphasis on documentation nor overloading the students, is presented. A related effort to improve programming instruction in MATLAB by carefully adapting documentation requirements is discussed.