CSCI 544 — Applied Natural Language Processing

Exam study guide

As stated in the syllabus, the in-class exams will contain questions similar to those from the homework assignments and quizzes. This guide is intended to clarify questions about the exams and help students study for them.

When and where are the exams given?

Exams are given in class, at the beginning of the class period (that is, 4 PM). In-class exams are scheduled for 80 minutes, followed by a short break and a lecture on a new topic. The final exam will be taken on-line during the final exam period, and is due on May 6 at 6:30 PM.

What is the best way to study for the exam?

Work through the written homework assignments and quizzes, and compare your answers to the posted solution. Do not take shortcuts: complete each part of each problem, and for those parts that ask for an explanation, write down your explanation as you would on an exam. When comparing your answers to the posted solution, try to be critical in assessing whether your explanation addresses the same issues as the posted solution.

Do I need to study the optional readings for the exam?

The exams are not on readings: they are about working through problems and reasoning about them. The readings (both required and optional) are intended to supplement the lectures and help students understand the material better, so they can tackle the problems better. Memorizing and repeating text from the readings is not required for the exam, and is not a substitute for reasoning about a problem.

What is the material for each exam?

Each exam covers the material taught in class and in the assignments up to the date of the exam. The topics are listed in the syllabus under Schedule.

Are the exams cumulative?

The second exam does not directly give problems of a type that was covered by the first exam, but there may be some cross-bleeding if similar methods are used in multiple parts of the course. The final exam is comprehensive, and will cover material from the entire course.

What am I allowed to bring to the exam?

The in-class exams are closed: no books, no notes, no calculators, no electronic devices, etc. All arithmetic is simple and straightforward. You should bring a pen or dark pencil: exams will be scanned for grading, so the writing needs to be dark enough to show up on the scan.

The final exam is take-home, open-note, open-book; it is strictly individual, and no collaboration is allowed. The final exam will be taken online (on Blackboard), and will be made available at some point during the day on May 1. You may start the final exam as soon as it is available, and you may save your answers and come back to it at any time until you submit it. The final exam must be submitted by its due date on Monday, May 6 at 6:30 PM.