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OK, I'm doing REALLY poorly in Data Structures and Algorithms. In fact, this class is a pre-req for virtually all of my classes next semester. I really have no idea if I'l pass or not.

I go to class for the first time in like a month on Friday and I'm like, "hey do we have a test coming up?"" and the dude I asked is like, "LOL, yeah, on Monday" anyway. I check online and it turns out we have a <frankikng> TAKE HOME TEST! So instead of having to cram for Monday's test I have a take-home test due Firday. Any idea how awesome that is!?

I'll basically pass the class now.

Just so you know, take home tests are usually significantly more in depth than a normal test. In a 200 level Ethics class in undergrad, I spent over 15 hours on a takehome final. They usually ask about everything and you have to really reread everything unless you took great notes to begin with.

Glad you contributed to this topic, Buzzkill.

Kyle wrote:Glad you contributed to this topic, Buzzkill.

Take home test WOOOHOOOOO!!!!!!! Here's to just doing well enough to get by:

amen!

Knock it out the park, Kyle!

JCShutout wrote:Just so you know, take home tests are usually significantly more in depth than a normal test. In a 200 level Ethics class in undergrad, I spent over 15 hours on a takehome final. They usually ask about everything and you have to really reread everything unless you took great notes to begin with.

Yep. Take home tests are basically really hard homework assignments. For everyone I had, I guarantee I spent more time working on it that I would have spent studying for a normal test.

The professors seem to think it's OK to dump such difficult assignments on students because they're being nice by taking away a normal test. I think it's just laziness on their part - instead of having to craft questions that are challenging and probe a students understanding of the material yet still capable of being answered in an hour or so, they just open their materials bank and pick the 10 hardest questions they can find.

Not saying that's how your test will go, but that's been my experience.

JCShutout wrote:Just so you know, take home tests are usually significantly more in depth than a normal test. In a 200 level Ethics class in undergrad, I spent over 15 hours on a takehome final. They usually ask about everything and you have to really reread everything unless you took great notes to begin with.

OK, sorry about the stupid reply last night. I had been drinking.

Anyway, this test was originally planned as a "normal" test, but she decided at the last second to make it a take-home test. She did something similar with a quiz earlier in the year. So really, I don't think this is going to be any more difficult than an in-class one.

Kyle wrote:

JCShutout wrote:Just so you know, take home tests are usually significantly more in depth than a normal test. In a 200 level Ethics class in undergrad, I spent over 15 hours on a takehome final. They usually ask about everything and you have to really reread everything unless you took great notes to begin with.

OK, sorry about the stupid reply last night. I had been drinking.

Anyway, this test was originally planned as a "normal" test, but she decided at the last second to make it a take-home test. She did something similar with a quiz earlier in the year. So really, I don't think this is going to be any more difficult than an in-class one.

That's good. And no worries, I wasn't trying to be a buzzkill, I was trying to give you a heads up so you woulden't be screwed if you started too late.

New Pagodi wrote:The professors seem to think it's OK to dump such difficult assignments on students because they're being nice by taking away a normal test. I think it's just laziness on their part - instead of having to craft questions that are challenging and probe a students understanding of the material yet still capable of being answered in an hour or so, they just open their materials bank and pick the 10 hardest questions they can find.

I'll bet that is the case sometimes, but I also think it is a good assignment because in almost every job you'll ever have, its not about memorizing everything as much as it is knowing where to go to get the information, and how to apply it. I think take home tests, or really hard open-note tests do this, as long as they are significantly more difficult than a regular test would be..

It's a very important class, hopefully you have built a good foundation for future work. One of those few classes that I actually feel like I use on almost a daily basis in my real job, not to mention it being a building block for more advanced courses.