Idiom?

[Punchinello]

I read these in a book:

Students who are new to programming tend to make certain errors Frequently. Focusing on these common Programming Errors reduces the likelihood that students will make the same mistakes and shortens long outside instructor's offices during offic hours!

Could you please tell me what the last part regarding offices probably mean? Is it an idiom? Thank you in advance!

[jamiep]

Can you double check what's in the book? As you have quoted it it doesn't make any sense.

[Monticello]

I read these in a book:

Students who are new to programming tend to make certain errors Frequently. Focusing on these common Programming Errors reduces the likelihood that students will make the same mistakes and shortens long outside instructor's offices during offic hours!

Could you please tell me what the last part regarding offices probably mean? Is it an idiom? Thank you in advance!

Hi Punchinello,

You may have misquoted your excerpt. If not, the two sentences as written (or translated) are rather awkward. Without making any substantive change, the following adjustment --which supplies the key missing word, lines -- might help you to make more sense of it:

Students who are new to programming tend to make certain errors frequently. Focusing on these common Programming Errors reduces the likelihood that students will make the same mistakes and shortens long lines outside instructor's offices during office hours!

In other words, by focusing on the common programming errors that a novice programmer is likely to make, student programmers will be less likely to repeat these same common mistakes. Thus, the lines (of students needing help) that form outside an instructor's office will be shorter. (i.e., fewer students will need help from their instructor.)

[Punchinello]

Please excuse me! I think I must have misquoted it. I do think that it must be what Monticello suggests and I suppose I got the idea now. Thank you very much! The book is not at hand at the moment but I sure will double check it. Thank you again!