Lecture 26 - Exam & Revision

Availability & Assignments

• The times that I am available during swot vac and the exam period will be on my office door and web page.
• The assignments will be marked before the exam. I will put a note on the web under Latest News when they are marked.

Revision

• When revising, put yourself in exam conditions to test your knowledge of the work. Simply reading your notes is a poor way to prepare for an exam.
• Finish all tutorials
• Try doing problems in exam conditions.
• The practise exam and tutorials are the best guide to the type of question that might be asked on the exam.

Practise Exams

• Practice exams (1 & 2) are available showing the examples of the types of questions that might be asked in the exam.
• The practise exams are handed out in this class.
• A solution to practise exam 1 will be handed out in the final lecture.
• There is no published solution to practise exam 2. Have a serious attempt at the questions and see your tutor if you have problems. If you see your tutor about the exam questions, they will be interested in seeing your solution (or attempt at a solution) to the question.

Old Exams

I first took the subject in 2003. There are no exam papers in the library for after 2002. The practise exams mentioned above should be used instead.

Prior to 2003 the subject was taken by a different lecturer. You may find the old exams useful, although not all questions are relevant.

Some questions from old exams that may be useful for revision are included below:

• 2002 Exam
• 2001 Exam
• 2000 Exam

Exam

• 2.5 hours
• 60% of the marks for the subject
• Minimum of 40% on the exam and 50% overall to pass the subject
• Closed book exam
• 100 marks (1.5 minutes per mark)
• Non programmable calculators may be used
• Non-electronic translation dictionaries may be used by NESB students

Exam Format

Question 1: Evaluate Expressions or Statements (approx. 10 marks)

You are required to evaluate Visual Basic expressions or statements. These questions are worth a few marks each. Typical types of questions are:

1. Evaluate an arithmetic expression (calculation).
2. Evaluate a condition.
3. Show what would be displayed by a Debug.Print statement or write a Debug.Print statement based on example output.

Question 2: Unix Commands (approx. 20 marks)

1. Writing Unix commands. A directory tree is provided showing existing files and directories.
2. You are required to provide written answers (point form is ok) to a few theory questions on Unix.

Question 3: Theory Questions (approx. 10 marks)

You are required to provide written answers (point form is ok) to a few theory questions. Code is not required.

Question 4: Desk Check (approx. 10 marks)

You are required to perform a Desk Check using the Pseudo Code and Data Dictionary supplied.

Question 5: Visual Basic Code (approx. 15 marks)

You are required to write Visual Basic code based on the Pseudo Code, Data Dictionary and Example Program Run supplied. Comments are not required.

Question 6: Java Code  (approx. 10 marks)

You are required to write a Java code based on the Pseudo Code, Data Dictionary and Example Program Run supplied. Comments are not required.

Question 7: Problem Solving (approx. 25 marks)

Based on a Problem Description and an Example Program Run you are required to develop the following.

1. A Defining Diagram
2. Pseudo Code
3. A Data Dictionary

Good luck with your exams.

Further Reading

• Lectures and Tutorials
• Assignments
• Practice Exams
• Old Exams
• Guides: Basic, Data Dictionary, Defining Diagram, Desk Check, Java, Pseudo Code, Unix
• Robertson, L. A. (2003) Simple Program Design: A Step-by-Step Approach. 4th ed. Melbourne: Thomson.
• Taylor, D. (2001) Sams Teach Yourself UNIX in 24 Hours. 3rd ed. Indianapolis, Indiana: Sams