The lab exam is typically given at the start of the lab section, though on occasion your TA may elect to give it starting 60 minutes into the section; it lasts for 50 minues. Taking the exam requires three basic steps:
The ics-21-jacobson server folder
Many ics classes have folders on the server; ours is called ics-21-jacobson. You get to it (most easily) by first clicking on the Start, then All Programs, then Instructional Files on Masterhit (it’s at the top of the menu). A window will appear; click on the ics-21-jacobson icon. Once you have opened the ics-21-jacobson folder, you access its folders in the same way as you do folders elsewhere (such as on the C: drive). Within ics-21-jacobson are three folders, Files, Lab Exams and Dropboxes; only the last two are used when taking lab exams.
The Lab Exams folder
Lab Exams contains one folder for each lab exam, labeled Lab Exam 1, Lab Exam 2, etc. Within each of these folders is a folder for each section of each lecture. These “section” folders are labeled with the word Section followed by a number indicating the particular section. So, for instance, a folder labeled Section 2 refers to section 2 of the class. Also present may be folders for sections designated with a letter, such as Section X. These folders are used during retake exams, as discussed below.
When taking a lab exam, you copy the folder for your section number to your computer.
The Dropboxes folder
Dropboxes contains section folders labeled the same way as the numbered section folders in Lab Exams. These folders are collectively called “dropboxes.” When you turn in a lab, we often say you “turn it in to your dropbox,” which means you copy the folder with your completed exam into the section folder inside Dropboxes that corresponds to your section.
Dropboxes are protected so that only course staff can take documents out of them (thus protecting your submissions from tampering).
Arrive at your priority lab on the day of the test (or, if retaking an exam, at the retake room at a designated retake time) on time.
Take a seat. Put away everything except, if you wish, these instructions, blank scratch paper and a writing implement. These tests are otherwise closed book, closed note and especially closed neighbor: you are not to converse with another student during the test. You may not have out any other part of the Lab Manual. You may not use code other than what we provide to you at the test. You may not copy the test materials to a memory device or paper; you may not access the Web or any email.
Log on, using the provided login and password. Do not use your account!
Important note: During the test, the right mouse button is disabled (for security reasons). Be sure you know how to accomplish the tasks described here using the left mouse button and Windows menus.
When taking a lab exam (the first time, during your priority lab section), copy the Lab Exam section folder for your section to the desktop. When retaking the exam, copy the Lab Exam folder the TA tells you to use to your desktop; this could be any of the Lab Exam folders present, including those with letters (e.g., Section X), if present. You cannot do the lab exam directly on the server.
Using the Open… command in TextPad (or another text editor) open the. java files inside that folder. Go to the Java file with the same name as one used to hold the main() method in the assignment that corresponds to the lab; in that file will be instructions for completing the exam.
Use the editor to first place your name and ID number at the top of the test where indicated and then to complete the indicated sections of the program. You may add any private constants, variables and methods; however, you cannot change any of the provided public constants or method signatures, nor the contents of any method that does not have the phrase "your code goes here" in its body. (If that last sentence sounded like a foreign language, don’t worry; it will make sense before the first test!)
Test your work by compiling and running it. Call up the command-line interface, change the disk drive to C (if necessary), and (using the cd command) set the window so you are “in” the folder that contains the exam material. There is a nice shortcut for doing this. For example, suppose you placed the exam folder on the desktop (as you should) and it’s called Section 3. Open the command line interface, enter C: (and hit the return key). Now enter cd followed by a space—the space is important! Leaving the window open, drag the Section 3 folder into the command line window (and let go of the mouse buttom once it is there). You will see the path to that folder appear in the window right after the cd you entered. Click on the command line winodw, hit enter, and you will then be placed into the Section 3 folder. It’s OK to ask your TA for assistance in getting “set up” to do the exam (but not to help you with the exam work itself).
Remember, use javac *.java at all times to compile your code (so you force Java to recompile every Java file in the folder, and avoid the risk of using an outdated class file).
When you are ready to submit the exam (or when time is up), rename the folder as discussed below and drag your completed lab exam folder onto the drop box folder for your section. If you place your work into the wrong folder, you will not be able to retrieve it; just put another copy of your work into the correct folder. We do not consider your exam turned in until it is placed into the correct drop box.
Important note: There is a Windows “feature” that can really mess up your submission. When you drag the folder over the dropbox and release the mouse button, a message may appear that warns you that once the folder is placed in the dropbox it cannot be accessed; it will ask if you wish to continue. Always click Yes. If you say No, Windows may place an empty folder into the drop box! You may be asked this question more than once; if so, answer Yes every time.
If you discover that you have made an error in your submitted work, reopen your folder and correct the problem. Resubmit your folder to your section’s dropbox, with the file name updated as discussed below.
When you are done, or time is called, erase all your work from the desktop—select the file(s) and enter Shift-Delete ; say yes when prompted to confirm the delete. This is critical: you do not want someone stealing your work and turning it in as her or his own!
Log out by selecting Shut Down… from the Start menu, clicking on the button labeled Close all programs and log on as a different user? and then clicking on Yes.
Warning: Once you log out, all your work on the desktop will be lost, so be sure you submit your work to the dropbox before logging out!
If you are taking this test in your priority lab section, immediately leave the room; you may re-enter the room (for thee remainder of your lab section) once the lab exam is over.
If you are taking this test during a retake session, you may either log out and leave, or you may ask the TA to retake a different exam and repeat steps 4 to 10 above; for example, if you just retook Lab Exam 3, you now retake any exam other then Exam 3. You must leave when then session is over, regardless of whether you have finished your test(s).
All your work for a lab exam must be in one folder.
For the initial taking of an exam (the one you take in your lab section) label the folder exam number-student id-I, where exam number is the number of the lab exam (1, 2, 3, 4 or 5) and student id is your student id number. So, 1-12345678-I would indicate the original taking of lab exam 1 for the student with ID 12345678.
If you submitted the exam material in error, or wish to correct it, or think you might have submitted an empty folder, append a “C” onto the folder name (1-12345678-IC, for example) and submit that new folder. If you have to correct a correction(!) add another C onto the end (1-12345678-ICC) and submit it, and so on. If you submit more than one folder for an initial exam, we grade the work in the one that ends in the most C’s.
For a retake of an exam, label the folder exam number-student id-Rtime retaken, where exam number and student id are as above and times taken is the number of times you have retaken this test. So, 3-12345678-R2 would indicate the second retake of lab exam 3 for the student with ID 12345678. As with the initial exam, indicate a folder with corrections by appending a C on the end of its name; again, we grade the work in the one that ends in the most C’s.
If you try to submit a folder that has the same name as one already in the dropbox, the computer will give you an error message and will not place your new folder in the dropbox (hence all this renaming of subsequent submissions).
We know this numbering is cumbersome, but it’s necessary to keep straight which exams you have taken, which submission we are to grade, and to keep your work separate from your classmates’ work. You are responsible for naming your folders correctly. If a properly labeled folder from you is not found in the dropbox for your section, we may not be able to find it and will conclude that you did not turn in the exam.