Exam 1: Description, How to Prepare, Admission Ticket, and How to Take the Exam Online (DRAFT)
Description

Each exam in CSSE 120 has two parts:

  1. A “Paper-and-Pencil” part.
    • These are written questions that you answer by writing (not by coding in PyCharm).
    • Typical questions include tracing snippets of code and writing implementations of short functions.
    • You may use a 1-page “Hint Sheet” that you prepare before taking the exam.
    • For this part, you may use your computer only when the exam is online, and then only for the mechanics of taking the exam.
  2. An “On-the-Computer” part.
    • These are questions that are presented as TODOs in PyCharm, just like the PyCharm exercises that you have been doing.
    • For this part, you can use anything on your computer, including the projects that you have done.
    • You are permitted only limited use of the internet.

See the next column for links that explain the details of the rules and what kinds of questions to expect, for each part of the exam.

If you have any questions or concerns about any of the information on this page, please contact your instructor BEFORE you begin the exam.

How to Prepare

Well before the exam, you should do the following:

  1. Read an explanation of the rules and what kinds of questions to expect for each part of the exam by following these links:
  2. Finish all of Sessions 1 through 6, to your instructor's satisfaction. If you have fallen behind, get your instructor's help to catch up!
  3. Complete your Admission Ticket, as described to the right.
  4. Prepare a 1-page "Hint Sheet" for the Paper-and-Pencil part of the exam, as described in the above link to the Rules for the Exam.
  5. Read this list of frequently asked questions (with answers) for Exam 1.
    • It contains questions that students have, in the past, wished they had understood answers to BEFORE taking Exam 1.
    • You may refer to this document while doing the On-the-Computer part of the exam.
Your Admission Ticket

For each exam in CSSE 120, you MUST have completed all the practice problems, both paper-and-pencil and on-the-computer, to your instructor's satisfaction, BEFORE you take the exam.

  • That is, completing those practice problems are your Admission Ticket for taking the exam.

For Exam 1, the practice problems are:

  1. The 05a-Debugging project in PyCharm.
  2. The 05b-Exam1Practice project in PyCharm.
  3. Practice Problems for the Paper-and-Pencil part of the exam, at this link: Paper-and-Pencil Practice Problems for Exam 1.

    Also, check your answers via this Answer Key for those problems.

    • The Answer Key is paginated in the same way that the questions are.
    • So, answer the questions on Page 1, then check your answers to Page 1. Likewise for pages 2 and following.
    • Of course, check the answers on a page AFTER (!) doing the problems for that page. To do otherwise would only harm your learning.

You demonstrate that you have completed the practice problems by submitting your solutions to Moodle in the usual way (in Sessions 5 and 6, respectively).

If the time for the exam arrives and you have NOT completed your Admission Ticket, ask your instructor what to do.

How to Take the Online Exam

Read an explanation of how to take the exam by following this link to How to Get, Take and Turn In the exam.

When and Where is the Exam?

When: The exam is:

  • Wednesday evening, December 16,
  • from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Terre Haute time, that is, Eastern Standard Time.
  • So NOT our regular class time.

If the above time will not work for you, contact David Mutchler and Sriram Mohan no later than Sunday, December 13 to arrange an alternative time. Valid reasons for asking for an alternative time include (but are not limited to):

  • You have a prior engagement/responsibility during the above time.
  • Your time zone makes the above time in the middle of the night for you or crosses a mealtime that you cannot rearrange.

Regular class on the day of the exam is optional. Come only if you have questions.

Where: You may take the exam wherever you like that has adequate internet access.

We will be available during the exam to answer questions, but we will not attempt to "watch" you or restrict you to an exam-limited browser.

You are on your honor to follow the rules for the exam.