Final Exam Procedures

Introduction

The final exam will be a comprehensive two-hour assessment, covering the full scope of the course. It will predominantly focus on the material covered post-Exam 2 (approximately 60%), while also revisiting key concepts from early material (approximately 40%). This structure ensures a thorough evaluation of your understanding of the entire course content. You may fill out the front page before the exam starts. During the exam, be sure to write your name on every odd page. This cannot be done after time is called.

Exam Format

At the beginning of the exam there will be approximately 5-10 true and false Questions worth 2 points each and 4-10 multiple-choice questions worth 3 points each both of these will contain a mixture of new (post exam 2) and old material. The rest of the questions will be free response. All numeric answers should have four decimal places unless stated otherwise.

If graphs are needed they will be provided except for possibly a modified boxplot which you can be asked to draw or complete. All graphs will be labeled appropriately. It is acceptable for you to use graphics to answer your questions, where appropriate. All numbers that you use that are not provided in the question or calculated in previous parts must have work for them. Correct answer without work is considered incorrect.

You will not be required to write any code, but you will be required to recognize both the code and the output.

Exam Items and Procedures

We allow two 8 ½ x 11 inch pieces of paper for your crib sheets. You can use both sides of both pieces of paper and you can write anything that you want on it. The information can be typed or handwritten. I strongly suggest that the information be organized so that you can find it easily in the exam setting. For example, use color coding schemes to distinguish formulas, definitions, theorems, and techniques. Additionally, box off sections to help distinguish different topics.

You will also need a scientific calculator. No z-table will be needed for the exam all critical values/quantiles can be obtained from code output.

The only items allowed on your desk are crib sheets, writing utensils, erasers, scientific calculator, and picture ID. The rest of your personal belongings need to be stored away in your backpack, purse, or other secure location. Once the exam begins, you may not open your back pack/purse unless your instructor gives you permission. If you need scratch paper, please raise your hand and someone will bring it to you. Please write your name on the upper right-hand side of all scratch paper. Your cellphone must be packaged away in your backpack and cannot be with you at your desk. In addition, you cannot share anything with anyone else in the room.

When you finish the exam, you can proceed to turn in your exam at the location assigned by your instructor. You will need to show your PUID (or other ID with instructor’s permission) to the proctor or instructor and sign the attendance sheet of paper for your section indicating that you took the exam.

Exam Grading

We grade on consistency: Consistency can be helpful if you cannot figure out the answer to an early part of a problem.This means that how you solve one part of a problem can influence the grading of subsequent parts. Consistency can work both in your favor and against you, depending on your approach. Here’s how it works:

• Positive Impact of Consistency:
  • Example Situation: Consider a problem involving integration, where:
    • Part a) requires you to determine the initial coefficient (normalization coefficient).
    • Part b) asks you to compute a probability based on the coefficient from part a).
  • Grading Approach: If your answer in part a) is incorrect, we will still grade part b) based on your answer to part a). This means you could receive full marks for part b) if your calculations are consistent with the incorrect coefficient you determined in part a).
  • Note: It’s crucial to attempt an answer for part a), even if you’re unsure. Any plausible answer could benefit your grade in part b). However, proposing an impossible value (e.g., one that results in a probability density function being negative or zero) will negatively affect your score in both parts.
• Negative Impact of Consistency:
  • Example Situation: Suppose you are solving a hypothesis testing problem where:
    • Part a) requires you to state the alternative hypothesis, which you specify as a two-sided test (\(\neq\)).
    • Subsequent parts: Later, you calculate a one-sided confidence bound instead of a two-sided confidence interval.
    • Grading Consequence: Even if the one-sided confidence bound is technically correct for the problem, you will lose points for inconsistency. This is because your earlier statement of a two-sided alternative hypothesis indicates a different understanding or approach.