EXAMS

  • Midterm 1

    • Exam Date: July 14th
    Exam Time: 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM
    Exam Location: CS 1240

  • Midterm 2

    • Exam Date: Aug 11th
    Exam Time: 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM
    Exam Location: CS 1240

POLICIES FOR EXAMS

  • Exam Materials: No textbooks, electronic devices, or help from neighbors are allowed during the exams.
  • Exam Conflicts: must be brought to the instructor's attention during the first two weeks of class.
  • Make-Up Exams: are given only with your instructor's permission when you are unable to take the regular exam due to extenuating circumstances. Requests for make-ups after an exam are rarely approved and only for verifiable emergencies.
  • Regrades: may be requested if you believe there was an error in the grading of your exam. You must contact your instructor within one week after the graded exam is returned.
  • Midterm 2 will not be returned, you may come and take a look at your answer sheet, but cannot take it back with you.

STUDYING TIPS

  • Attend lectures and take notes. Taking your own notes on the material covered in class requires you to organize your thoughts and think about the topics in ways that simply listening does not. Reread your notes soon after lecture to find points that are not clear.
  • Participate in class. Do in-class exercises and answer questions posed. These exercises give you additional practice on skills that you will need for homeworks, programming assignments and exams. Even more importantly, they help you identify which topics you do not understand. This will help you efficiently use your study time.
  • Do the assignments. This is obvious, but some students mistakenly believe that the purpose of homework and programming assignments is to evaluate student's skills. That is not the case, their purpose is to provide opportunities for you to practice the concepts taught in lecture. This practice is vital for learning and for performing well on the midterm exams.
  • Prioritize your studying. First focus on your lecture notes, then review the assignments, and finally go over the readings.
  • Study by re-organizing your notes. Successful studying requires you to be actively thinking about the material. An effective way to study is to re-organize and rewrite notes succinctly in terms that you understand.
  • Avoid getting bogged down on specific points. If you can't figure something out, move on to other material and wait to ask your instructor or TA for clarification.
  • You'll need to do some retention. Memorizing is a practical way to learn the definitions of terminology and concepts. A good way to retain information is through repeated exposure to the material.
  • Form a study group. Often it is easier and more motivating to work with others when studying for an exam. You can distribute the work by having each group member come up with a few questions on a topic and then going over the solutions collectively. If you run into a concept that causes confusion often others in the group will feel similarly while some will have explanations. Working together will help you learn things by providing multiple perspectives and insights into the material. Try to find a study group that provides you with ample opportunity to communicate your understanding. It is your effort to express information that will be of the most benefit to your learning.
  • Finally, avoid cramming! We all know this, but often we find ourselves waiting until it is too late. This habit is worth breaking! Research has shown that studying in half hour to hour intervals followed by half hour breaks is far more effective than non-stop cramming.