Tips for studying for the final exam and writing it.
The cover page of the final examination contains detailed instructions, the Examination Aids allowed, and the number of pages and questions (and marks per question).
Note that the final examination contains one bonus question worth 5 marks. The bonus question includes the following warning.
WARNING! This question is difficult and will be marked very harshly -- in particular, the 20% rule will not apply. We strongly suggest that you do not attempt it unless you have finished the rest of this examination.
We really mean what we say in this warning. It will be difficult to even get part marks on the bonus, unless your solution is mostly correct. Because the question is difficult, it is probably much better for you to spend your time answering the rest of the exam correctly before you even attempt the bonus.
Here are the final examinations from the last two times that I taught CSC378H. Other final exams for CSC378H can be found on the University of Toronto Libraries website.
Unfortunately, I do not have solutions already prepared for these exams, and I will not have time to prepare and post solutions before our own final exam. However, I will be happy to answer questions about these exams by e-mail or during office hours.
CSC263H has never been offered before, but the material of the course is very similar to CSC378H. Here are midterm tests from the last two times that I taught CSC378H. (Unfortunately, I do not have solutions typed up, and I do not have tests for terms when I did not teach the course. If you want more, you should try going to the CSSU to ask if they have copies of term tests or exams for CSC378H.)
The midterm test will be on all of the material that was covered before reading week. We suggest that you start by making sure that you understand the first two assignments well, then review the corresponding lecture and tutorial material.
Each term test will last 50 minutes and will be held during regularly scheduled tutorial -- see the "important dates" for the exact test date(s), and the course schedule for tutorial times.
If you have any serious conflict with the test time/date, please inform your instructor immediately to make alternative arrangements.
Each term test will be closed book (i.e., NO aids allowed), and should be written in pen (remarking requests for tests written in pencil will not be accepted) -- the test paper will always have lots of room for rough work.
We want to encourage you to be honest about what you know and what you do not know, because it's important to be aware of the level of your knowledge. For this reason, if you cannot answer a question (or part of a question) on a term test or on the final exam, you will receive 20% of the marks for that question (or part of a question) if you write
I do not know how to answer this question.
(or something similar) in the space reserved for your answer. You will NOT receive the 20% if you leave your answer completely blank, or if you write anything in addition to the sentence above, because neither of those cases show that you are aware of what you don't know. However, if you cross off an answer that you realized was wrong (so it will not be marked), and then write the sentence above, you will receive the 20%.
Note that it is certainly possible to get less than 20% on a question, if you write an answer that is mostly incorrect.