University of Sydney Foundation Program

Assessment Notice

Information Technology B (ITB): Software for Programmers

2021 Semester 1


Type of Task: Online Week 7/8 written exam on Python Programming – delivered entirely through Study Smart and IRIS Invigilation

Date and Time of Exam: Week 7/8 Exam Period: Thursday 11 March 5:30-6:00PM (Note that this is a special exam period, no other classes or exams will be scheduled at the same time.)

Duration: 30 (THIRTY) minutes for the online exam plus about 5 additional minutes for check-in with IRIS Invigilation

Weighting: 10% of the final total mark for both components of ITB

Topics Covered: Programming fundamentals and introductory programming in Python, including:

●  what is computer programming,

●  interpretation vs. compilation,

●  the three categories of software errors (syntax, run-time, semantic/logic errors),

●  data types and Python functions for converting between data types,

●  variables and assignment (initialisation or update of variables),

●  mathematical operators and expressions in Python,

●  the ‘print()’ and ‘input()’ functions in Python,

●  common error messages in Python and debugging,

●  iteration using a ‘for’ loop statement,

●  the ‘range()’ function in Python,

●  using the ‘math’ module and its main constants/functions (e.g. ‘math.pi’, ‘math.sqrt()’),

●  relational operators and Boolean operators in Python,

●  conditionals and ‘if-elif-else’ selection,

●  chained or nested selection statements.


Exam Format:

You will have 30 (THIRTY) minutes to complete the given questions, worth in total 10 (TEN) marks out of 100 marks in the final total mark for both components of ITB.

Balance your time!!! For balancing time, you need to remember how many questions of a particular type this quiz contains and how much time each type of question requires on average:

●  2 programming questions are worth 3 marks each (on average, spend about 7.5 minutes on each) – these questions will require writing an original Python program that:

1) uses a 'for' loop to perform some calculations (requiring use of the math module) for each number from a list of numbers determined by a 'range()' function call

2) gets a user input and uses 'if-elif-else' selection to display different output depending on the user input

●  6 terminology matching questions are worth 0.4 marks each (on average, spend about 1.5 minutes on each) – these questions will be about the covered content of all textbook chapters up to and including "7. Selection" (but without the chapter "6. Functions")

  8 multiple-choice (or cloze or true/false) questions are worth 0.2 marks each (on average, spend about 45 seconds on each) – these questions will be about the covered content of all textbook chapters up to and including "7. Selection" (but without the chapter "6. Functions")

Once you answer (or skip) a question you can NOT go back!!!


Open-Book Exam (but ONLY with the Official Online Textbook and Python IDLE): 

This online exam invigilated with IRIS will be open-textbook, meaning that you are allowed to consult the official ITB Python online textbook ONLY (saved answers to questions and exercises within the official online textbook are allowed) and Python IDLE (but without any saved programs used via Python IDLE) on the same computer that is invigilated by IRIS. ANY OTHER written materials, whether online or in print, are strictly prohibited and their use during the quiz is academic dishonesty (exam cheating). However, to check your actual knowledge, the exam time will be very short – you will NOT have much time to check the online textbook or Python IDLE.

During the whole IRIS session with the exam, you are required to look directly into your computer screen and not elsewhere. Looking elsewhere will be interpreted as academic dishonesty (exam cheating trying to look at prohibited printed or electronic resources).

During the whole IRIS session with the exam, ANY communication in any electronic and non-elec-tronic ways (speaking, phoning, chatting, emailing, posting on social networks, etc.) with any other person except relevant Taylors College teachers or Taylors College IT help staff is strictly prohib-ited and is academic dishonesty (collusion or contract cheating).


Online Exam Rules:

To participate in this exam, you will need a reliable laptop with microphone, camera and good Inter-net service. The complete USFP "Taylors College Online Examination Rules edited 4 Jan 2021" may be found on Study Smart at: https://studysmart.taylorscollege.edu.au/mod/re-source/view.php?id=438184 . Before joining the exam IRIS session, you must read carefully and agree to these USFP Exam Rules, as well as all subject-specific requirements and rules posted on the Study Smart site for ITB, such as those specified in the document "2020 Semester 2 Require-ments and Rules for ITB Python Programming Open Online Textbook Exams Held in IRIS Invigilation Sessions" https://studysmart.taylorscollege.edu.au/mod/resource/view.php?id=456111 .


Academic Integrity:

Any form of academic dishonesty (cheating, collusion, plagiarism, contract cheating, impersonation, etc.) will result in a penalty, which is at least:

● 1st offence = 0 for task

● 2nd offence = 0 for coursework

● 3rd offence = 0 for that subject


Absence from an Exam and Medical Certificate for Missed Exam: 

A ZERO (0) will be awarded for missed test and examination tasks. However, if you miss this online exam due to illness, an Australian Medical Certificate covering the exam day needs to be completed by an Australian Registered Medical Practitioner (Doctor) and emailed to [email protected] in order to have the opportunity to reverse the above rules. Additionally, you must email [email protected] (your teacher) and [email protected] (read by your Deans) about your exam absence before the exam starts (if this is not possible due to medical reasons, email at least on the day of the exam). For more information, see the USFP "Taylors College Online Exami-nation Rules edited 4 Jan 2021" at: https://studysmart.taylorscollege.edu.au/mod/re-source/view.php?id=438184 .


Outcomes Assessed:

K1       knowledge and understanding about how software solutions utilise and interact with other elements of computer systems

CLO1   demonstrate knowledge of the theories, concepts and principles within the appropriate discipline areas

H1.1    explains the interrelationship between hardware and software

H1.2    differentiates between various methods used to construct software solutions

H2.1    explains the implications of the development of different languages

H2.2    explains the interrelationship between emerging technologies and software development

H4.2    applies appropriate development methods to solve software problems

H4.3    applies a modular approach to implement well-structured software solutions and evaluates their effectiveness