Computer Science: An Overview, Global Edition, 13th edition

Published by Pearson (February 6, 2026) © 2027

  • J Glenn Brookshear Marquette University
  • Dennis Brylow Marquette University
Products list
£29.99
Instant access

In this eTextbook — More ways to learn

  • More flexible. Start learning right away, on any device.
  • More supportive. Get AI explanations and practice questions (select titles).
  • More interactive. Bring learning to life with audio, videos, and diagrams.
  • More memorable. Make concepts stick with highlights, search, notes, and flashcards.
  • More understandable. Translate text into 100+ languages with one tap.
Products list
£29.99
Instant access

In this eTextbook — More ways to learn

  • More flexible. Start learning right away, on any device.
  • More supportive. Get AI explanations and practice questions (select titles).
  • More interactive. Bring learning to life with audio, videos, and diagrams.
  • More memorable. Make concepts stick with highlights, search, notes, and flashcards.
  • More understandable. Translate text into 100+ languages with one tap.

Title overview

Build a strong foundation in your understanding of computer science.

Computer Science: An Overview, 13th edition, offers a secure foundation in the subject, encouraging a practical and realistic understanding of computer science. The book exposes you to the breadth of the subject and teaches you how to relate to the technical society in which we live, using Python to provide programming tools for your learning.

This edition has over 1,000 questions and exercises, chapter review problems and questions on social issues to reinforce core concepts.

This text is comprehensive and highly accessible, making it ideal for undergraduate studies in computer science.

This title has a Companion Website.

Table of contents

* Asterisks indicate suggestions for optional sections.

  1. Introduction
  • 0.1 The Role of Algorithms
  • 0.2 The History of Computing
  • 0.3 An Outline of Our Study
  • 0.4 The Overarching Themes of Computer Science
  1. Data Storage
  • 1.1 Bits and Their Storage
  • 1.2 Main Memory
  • 1.3 Mass Storage
  • 1.4 Representing Information as Bit Patterns
  • *1.5 The Binary System
  • *1.6 Storing Integers
  • *1.7 Storing Fractions
  • *1.8 Data and Programming
  • *1.9 Data Compression
  • *1.10 Communication Errors
  1. Data Manipulation
  • 2.1 Computer Architecture
  • 2.2 Machine Language
  • 2.3 Program Execution
  • *2.4 Arithmetic/Logic Instructions
  • *2.5 Communicating with Other Devices
  • *2.6 Programming Data Manipulation
  • *2.7 Other Architectures
  1. Operating Systems
  • 3.1 The History of Operating Systems
  • 3.2 Operating System Architecture
  • 3.3 Coordinating the Machine's Activities
  • *3.4 Handling Competition Among Processes
  • 3.5 Security
  1. Networking and the Internet
  • 4.1 Network Fundamentals
  • 4.2 The Internet
  • 4.3 The World Wide Web
  • *4.4 Internet Protocols
  • *4.5 Simple Client Server
  • 4.6 Cybersecurity
  1. Algorithms
  • 5.1 The Concept of an Algorithm
  • 5.2 Algorithm Representation
  • 5.3 Algorithm Discovery
  • 5.4 Iterative Structures
  • 5.5 Recursive Structures
  • 5.6 Efficiency and Correctness
  1. Programming Languages
  • 6.1 Historical Perspective
  • 6.2 Traditional Programming Concepts
  • 6.3 Procedural Units
  • 6.4 Language Implementation
  • 6.5 Object-Oriented Programming
  • *6.6 Programming Concurrent Activities
  • *6.7 Declarative Programming
  1. Software Engineering
  • 7.1 The Software Engineering Discipline
  • 7.2 The Software Life Cycle
  • 7.3 Software Engineering Methodologies
  • 7.4 Modularity
  • 7.5 Tools of the Trade
  • 7.6 Quality Assurance
  • 7.7 Documentation
  • 7.8 The Human-Machine Interface
  • 7.9 Software Ownership and Liability
  1. Data Abstractions
  • 8.1 Basic Data Structures
  • 8.2 Related Concepts
  • 8.3 Implementing Data Structures
  • 8.4 A Short Case Study
  • 8.5 Customized Data Types
  • 8.6 Classes and Objects
  • *8.7 Pointers in Machine Language
  1. Database Systems
  • 9.1 Database Fundamentals
  • 9.2 The Relational Model
  • *9.3 Object-Oriented Databases
  • *9.4 Maintaining Database Integrity
  • *9.5 Traditional File Structures
  • 9.6 Data Mining
  • 9.7 Social Impact of Database Technology
  1. Computer Graphics
  • 10.1 The Scope of Computer Graphics
  • 10.2 Overview of 3D Graphics
  • 10.3 Modeling
  • 10.4 Rendering
  • *10.5 Dealing with Global Lighting
  • 10.6 Animation
  1. Artificial Intelligence
  • 11.1 Intelligence and Machines
  • 11.2 Perception
  • 11.3 Reasoning
  • 11.4 Additional Areas of Research
  • 11.5 Artificial Neural Networks
  • 11.6 Robotics
  • 11.7 Considering the Consequences
  1. Theory of Computation
  • 12.1 Functions and Their Computation
  • 12.2 Turing Machines
  • 12.3 Universal Programming Languages
  • 12.4 A Noncomputable Function
  • 12.5 Complexity of Problems
  • *12.6 Public-Key Cryptography
  • Appendixes:
    • A. ASCII
    • B. Circuits to Manipulate Two's Complement Representations
    • C. Vole: A Simple Machine Language
    • D. High-Level Programming Languages
    • E. The Equivalence of Iterative and Recursive Structures
    • F. Answers to Questions & Exercises

    Index

    Need help?Get in touch