Mid-semester test

This is an important announcement so please read it top to bottom.

You’ve all put in a lot of hard work so far, and hopefully had some fun too. This means it’s time to show off some of your new skills in the mid-semester test.

The mid-semester test time has been set to start at our lecture time: 2:15pm, 31 March. It will run for one hour (including five minutes of reading time), that is, you need to submit by 3:15pm. The test will remain open till 3:30pm to allow for “technical consideration.” If submitted between 3:15pm and 3:30pm, you need to supply evidence of technical difficulties to avoid late penalties (one mark per minute late according to policies of the School of Computing and Information Systems). Submissions after 3:30pm will not be accepted. All the times mentioned above refer to Melbourne time. The test will be done online in Grok (accessed via Canvas -> Assignments -> Mid-Semester Test.

Reading time

As reserving time for “reading” is unenforceable over Grok, you may use the five minutes of reading time as you see fit. There will be no penalty for writing during reading time.

Sample tests

There will be two sample tests, both accessed from Canvas Assignments page:

• Sample test 1 will be activated at 8pm Thursday 24 March and run for an hour to simulate the exam setting. It will be converted to a regular Grok exercise module with sample solutions and reopened on 1am Sunday 27 March.

• Sample test 2 (which is a past test from Semester 1, 2021) will be activated at 8pm Saturday 26 March and run for an hour to simulate the exam setting. It will be converted to a regular Grok exercise module without sample solutions and reopened at 1am Sunday 27 March.

The real test will be structured the same way as the sample tests. There are three programming questions in the test.

In-test support

During the test Dr. Jianzhong will be online and available on a Zoom call (via Canvas Zoom) to handle any urgent questions. Any issues of general interest will be broadcasted via Ed Announcement.

Authorised materials

While it would be awesome if your code compiles and runs perfectly, it is also not our expectation that you remember every semi-colon and fix every misspelling under test conditions. It is better to have code that is algorithmically correct, than code that compiles but does not solve the problem.

You may use Grok to compile and test your code, along with any materials offered by the subject, and your own notes. The following text of our expectations will also appear on the test:

You are allowed to refer to your own study notes created prior to the exam start time. You are also allowed to refer to any materials offered by the subject (textbook and sample code, lecture slides, exercise sample solutions, etc.) and any online materials created prior to the exam start time (e.g., according to the creation time of an online post), provided that you include suitable references. However, you may not:

• accept or request help from any other person in any way; this includes posting queries online and/or via any social networking apps.

• act in any manner that could be regarded as providing assistance to another student who is undertaking this assessment, or will in the future be undertaking this assessment.

What gets typed into your answer must be your own individual work.

After the conclusion of the test please do not discuss the contents until marks are released, as some may be sitting a similar test with alternate arrangements.

Getting help before the test

If you’re struggling with course material, there is still plenty of time to get help. Shaanan and I are here for you, as are your tutors. Please reach out, and we will do our best to equip you with the resources you need.

If you’re struggling due to other life circumstances or are having health issues (physical or mental), please contact Shaanan & me, or Stop1/Student Services. Your wellbeing is a priority beyond one mid-semester test.

Test content

The test will cover Chapters 1-7 inclusive but older material will be more heavily weighted. This means that arrays are on the test, but given they are new, you will only be expected to deal with single-dimensional arrays.

What is the best way to prepare for the test? Grok exercises and reviewing the lecture materials. The programming questions are designed to be very similar to work you’ve all accomplished already!

Conflicts

What if I have a legitimate and unavoidable conflict with the test time? Please email the lecturers ASAP for rescheduling

Academic adjustment

What if I have an academic adjustment plan? Please email both Shaanan and me to set up a proper arrangement.

Good luck!

Jianzhong and Shaanan