Exams
Introduction to Computer Networks
Fall 2021
There will be 3 exams -- once every 5-6 weeks (as opposed to having just the midterm and final). The exam questions will be in
the Q&A form on Google Form. Most of the questions are to double
check whether you are able to absorb the lectures, the discussions and the programming assignments. The rest will be to set apart those who really do get the
lessons from those who don't.
Basic Rules:
- The exams are online via Google Form.
- It is open book and open Internet.
- The only thing not allowed is to have any (physical or virtual) exchange with other students during the exam.
System/Action Requirements:
- A reliable Internet connection to stay online throughout the exam.
- A camera to join a Google Meet session so that your face from shoulder up is visible throughout the exam.
- An email account to fill out a Google Form. The Google Form is the exam.
- The first thing to do is entering your student ID, name and email address. This email address will be where you receive a copy of the Google Form you have submitted.
- One may submit the exam form multiple times to add or to modify the solutions. It is in fact advised that you submit the form periodically during the exam. Google will send you an email each time letting you know the URL/link to access the latest form. This is going to be very helpful in case there's an Internet glitch. Think of it this way -- submitting the exam form is like saving a file you're working on.
- Try not to submit at the very last seconds. Google might prompt you to a captcha test that can be challenging to click through sometimes.
Cautions:
- You have limited time to answer the questions. Skim through all questions and start from the questions you feel more confident with.
- If you have any questions during the exam, just speak or slack the exam adminitrator. We'll will attend to the questions asap.
Handling Anxiety:
- The form of taking exams is new to many of you. For things that we are not familiar with, the uncertainty adds to the anxiety taking an exam.
- Please do work through these sample (old) exams so you are more familiar with the formality. Spring 2020: Midterm Exam, Fianl Exam.
- The exam is extremely long. This adds to the anxiety as normally the length is so that the students can complete in time. This is not by mistake nor mischief. This is a design necessary to minimize side-channel exchanges among the students. We do have Internet access and texting each other under the table without being detected is rather easy to pull off. The exams will fail their purpose if we can't maintain a reasonable level of fairness.
- All students are given the same exam to work on. The exam grades reflect still an individual's effort and ability picking up the subject. As the grading policy suggests (i.e., grade on a curve), the score does not tell where you stand in the class, the % does.
- We understand that some of you might need 'closure' for everything. Check out how one might be trained to deal with open ends.
Solutions:
Old Exams: