Important
GitHub repository options
Do not select Fork or Use this template. These options will interfere with the repository setup commands later in this README.
- 🚫 Fork — Do not use
- 🚫 Use this template — Do not use
- ⭐ Star — The setup commands later in this README will bookmark this repository for you.
- 👁️ Watch
- Students: Not recommended. Watching is not needed and may generate unnecessary notifications.
- Faculty: Consider selecting Watch → Custom → Releases + Issues to receive major repository updates and follow reported issues.
Note
🆕 New for 2026 C-5: IT 140 now uses GitHub repositories to provide assignment starter files, development resources, and supporting documentation.
If you find a problem with this GitHub repository or its instructions, or have a suggestion for improvement, please open GitHub Issues to review existing issues or create a new issue.
- Course: IT 140 - Introduction to Scripting
- Task Title: 3-3: Introduction to Pseudocode and Flowcharts
- Task Type: Required, graded, one submission required
- Repository Version: 1.0.2
- Repository Version DTG: 2026-08-30-12-56
- Design Problem: Employee Paycheck Calculator
- Graded Deliverables:
Required assignment progress: 0 Start Here → 1 Analyze → 2 Design → 3 Submit
Optional SDLC practice: Construct → Test
Important
The Module Three Assignment Guidelines and Rubric in D2L Brightspace is the official source for assignment requirements, grading criteria, and submission requirements. This repository provides starter files, reference documents, and step-by-step guidance to help you complete those requirements.
In Module Two, you worked from a provided design toward a Python program. In Module Three, the focus moves earlier in the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC): you create the design.
You will design a paycheck calculator that follows the company pay rules in the assignment. Your two graded files represent the same planned program in two different ways:
- A flowchart shows the logic visually.
- Pseudocode describes the logic as ordered, indented steps.
The repository also includes optional Python construction and testing practice so you can continue through the complete simplified SDLC:
Analyze → Design → Construct → Test
For the graded Module Three assignment, however, your required path is:
Analyze → Design → Submit
Construct and Test are optional practice and do not add graded deliverables.
Edit and submit both of these files:
design/paycheck_calculator.drawio— graded flowchartdesign/paycheck_calculator.pseudo— graded pseudocode
You may also edit:
paycheck_calculator_sdw.md— Software Development Worksheet (SDW) working notes
The SDW is a learning aid. It is not a graded deliverable unless your instructor specifically tells you otherwise.
After your graded designs are complete, you may edit:
src/paycheck_calculator.py— optional Python construction practice
The provided test file is a practice tool. Do not edit it to make a test pass.
Do not edit the SRS, SDD, README files, tests, .github files, repository configuration, or other course-managed files. They provide requirements, guidance, examples, checks, or configuration.
Before starting this assignment:
- Complete the GitHub and Course IDE portions of the Module One Setup Tasks.
- Complete the assigned Module Three zyBooks activities before relying on the assignment to teach decision branching from the beginning.
- Open the Module Three Assignment Guidelines and Rubric in D2L Brightspace and read the complete assignment before editing the starter files.
Relevant Module Three topics include if/else branching, relational operators, Boolean expressions, and code-block indentation.
You create your personal it140-m3-assignment repository only once.
Use the VS Code integrated terminal. On Windows, use PowerShell or Git Bash, not Command Prompt (cmd.exe).
First confirm the GitHub account you use for IT 140:
gh auth statusIf the correct account is not active, use the GitHub CLI sign-in or account-switching instructions from the Module One Setup Tasks before continuing.
Then run:
cd ~/Repos
gh auth setup-git
gh api --method PUT /user/starred/GC-STEM/it140-m3-assignment
gh repo create it140-m3-assignment --template GC-STEM/it140-m3-assignment --private --clone
cd it140-m3-assignment
git remote -vConfirm that the final remote belongs to your GitHub account.
Note
These creation commands are for the first successful setup only. If a personal repository or local folder already exists, open that existing work instead of creating another repository.
Open VS Code and select File > Open Folder, then open:
~/Repos/it140-m3-assignment
If you are on another computer and your personal repository exists on GitHub but not locally, clone your existing repository:
cd ~/Repos
gh repo clone "$(gh api user --jq .login)/it140-m3-assignment"
cd it140-m3-assignment
git statusOpen Analyze Phase.
During Analyze, focus on what the paycheck calculator must do. Use:
- the official Guidelines and Rubric in D2L Brightspace;
- the provided Software Requirements Specification (SRS); and
- the optional Software Development Worksheet (SDW).
Pay particular attention to the distinction between the first 40 hours and hours above 40. Do not add requirements such as negative-input validation or exact output formatting when the assignment does not specify them.
Open Design Phase.
Complete both graded files:
Your flowchart and pseudocode must describe the same planned program. Compare them before submission and review each file against the current Guidelines and Rubric.
Save your files normally while you work in VS Code. Periodically commit and push your assignment work so your personal GitHub repository contains a current backup.
You can use the Source Control tools in VS Code or run the following from the repository root:
cd ~/Repos/it140-m3-assignment
git status
git add paycheck_calculator_sdw.md design/paycheck_calculator.drawio design/paycheck_calculator.pseudo src/paycheck_calculator.py
git commit -m "Save Module Three assignment progress"
git pushThese commands stage only the student working, graded design, and optional practice files.
If Git reports that there is nothing to commit, your local files do not contain new changes that need to be saved to GitHub.
Note
GitHub is used to develop and back up your work. Assignment submission, grading, and instructor feedback remain in D2L Brightspace.
Each push runs the Assignment Checks workflow in your personal repository.
While you are still working, a red X can simply mean that one or both graded design files are still in the starter state. As you complete your work, the checks can verify basic repository conditions such as:
- required course files are still present;
- committed changes are limited to student-editable files;
- both graded design files changed from their starter state;
- the Draw.io file remains readable XML;
- the pseudocode retains its outer structure and no longer contains starter
TODO:prompts; and - course-provided Markdown and configuration remain internally consistent.
The Assignment Checks do not grade the quality or correctness of your design. A green check is not a grade and does not submit your assignment.
To review a run:
- Open your personal repository on GitHub.
- Select Actions.
- Open the most recent Assignment Checks run.
- Open Check assignment repository to see the results.
In D2L Brightspace, open the Module Three Assignment and follow the current submission instructions.
Submit exactly the two graded design files required by the assignment:
Do not submit the SDW, optional Python practice file, test file, GitHub Actions output, SRS, SDD, or repository README files unless your instructor specifically requests them.
After both graded design files are complete and ready to submit, you may continue through the remaining SDLC phases for practice:
- Construct — translate your own design into a small Python program.
- Test — manually test the program and optionally run the provided acceptance tests.
Optional practice is intended to help you connect design to implementation. It does not change the two-file Module Three submission.
Choose the recovery method that matches the problem. Preserve existing work whenever possible.
Use this when the copy you previously pushed to GitHub is good but the local folder is damaged or confusing.
cd ~/Repos
mv it140-m3-assignment "it140-m3-assignment-local-backup-$(date +%Y%m%d-%H%M%S)"
gh repo clone "$(gh api user --jq .login)/it140-m3-assignment"
cd it140-m3-assignment
git statuscd ~/Repos
Rename-Item it140-m3-assignment "it140-m3-assignment-local-backup-$(Get-Date -Format 'yyyyMMdd-HHmmss')"
gh repo clone "$(gh api user --jq .login)/it140-m3-assignment"
cd it140-m3-assignment
git statusUse this only when you intentionally want a fresh assignment copy. Preserve the old local folder and GitHub repository first.
cd ~/Repos
backup="it140-m3-assignment-backup-$(date +%Y%m%d-%H%M%S)"
mv it140-m3-assignment "$backup"
gh repo rename "$backup" --repo "$(gh api user --jq .login)/it140-m3-assignment" --yes
gh repo create it140-m3-assignment --template GC-STEM/it140-m3-assignment --private --clone
cd it140-m3-assignment
git remote -vcd ~/Repos
$backup = "it140-m3-assignment-backup-$(Get-Date -Format 'yyyyMMdd-HHmmss')"
Rename-Item it140-m3-assignment $backup
gh repo rename $backup --repo "$(gh api user --jq .login)/it140-m3-assignment" --yes
gh repo create it140-m3-assignment --template GC-STEM/it140-m3-assignment --private --clone
cd it140-m3-assignment
git remote -vImportant
Starting over does not automatically copy work from the preserved repository into the new one.
Use the Module Three Assignment Wiki for supplemental explanations of the SDLC, assignment documents, flowcharts, pseudocode, course IDE tools, Git/GitHub, testing, sources, and AI use.
- Use GitHub Discussions for questions about using this repository that do not request a completed graded solution.
- Use GitHub Issues to report a technical problem with the provided repository, starter files, documentation, automated checks, or course tools.
- Contact your instructor through D2L Brightspace for assignment requirements, grading, feedback, or course-specific questions.
Do not post your completed graded flowchart or pseudocode publicly when asking for help.