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Intro to Modern Algebra I Math GU New York, 2020/12/
Rules for on-line Exams
The following rules apply to the 2 midterms and the final exam of the course Intro to Modern Algebra I.
1 How to prepare before the exam
Be there
The exams will be synchronous. You have to be available at the right time. If you cannot make it at the right time, please write me in advance, and explain your situation. If you wish to schedule a make-up exam, this is possible if your advisor/advising dean confirms your situation of necessity. In this case, please just contact your advisor and ask him or her to send me a short e-mail.
Find and prepare the room
For the on-line exam you will need to arrange a room where you can be left alone and undisturbed for the entire duration of the exam. If it is impossible for you to find such a room, please let me know in advance. Nobody must be in the room with you, and nobody must enter the room during the exam. In this room you will need to prepare a desk where you can write comfortably. You will need 2 distinct electronic devices with camera, one for Zoom and one for scanning and uploading your work at the end. Ideally, you will use a laptop for Zoom and your mobile phone for scanning. You will need to position your Zoom camera in a way that it shows both the lower part of your face, your hands and the part of the table where you are writing. For example, you can try to place your laptop 25-30 inches from you, and slightly tilt your screen downwards. The lower part of your face and your hands should be on camera at all times during the exam. Try to check in advance what is a good position for your Zoom camera. You will receive the link to the pdf of the exam on Zoom. Make sure your Zoom device can open pdf files.
Prepare the other objects you will need
The device you will use for scanning will be on your desk in front of you, visible by the camera, muted and positioned face down. You will not touch it during the exam until you are done and ready to scan everything. You will also need to prepare two black pens, and enough white paper. A ruler might be useful. Electronic calculators are not allowed. If you want to write with pencil, consider that it
usually gives a bad result when scanned. Try it in advance if you plan to use a pencil. A black pen gives much better quality when scanned. You can have a cheat-sheet with you, see below. Bring your Columbia ID, or an official photo ID I can use to check your identity during the exam. If you have a cold, bring tissues. During the exam, your desk may contain only these things, all other objects must be far away from you, and you cannot use them.
Know your math
In order to prepare for the exam, you have to review the content of the lectures. Try to solve by yourself all the exercises I discussed in the lectures, and then compare with the solutions I gave you. Moreover, you have to solve all the Homework exercises. The exam will have exercises that can be solved using techniques and methods similar to the ones discussed in class or in the Homework. You can prepare a cheat-sheet and have it with you during the exam. The cheat-sheet consists on one page of handwritten notes, written on the two sides. It must be hand-written, no printed writing is allowed. Preparing the cheat-sheet is a good exercise in itself, because it allows you to think about what are the most important notions we saw during the course.
2 The day of the exam
Just before the exam
Make sure your electronic devices are fully charged. Switch them on in advance, and check that everything works. Put your phone on mute, without vibration. Make sure your computer screen is not going to switch off after some time of inactivity. Prepare your desk with all the objects you will need during the exam (pens, paper, ruler, ID, phone, cheat-sheet). Put your phone on the desk, face down, in a position where it is visible by the camera and doesn’t impede your writing. You cannot touch your phone for the duration of the exam, until are done and you have to scan. Use the restroom just before the exam. No restroom breaks are allowed during the midterm exams. It is only one hour and 15 minutes, and healthy students can manage without restroom for such a short time. If you have reasons to believe that you will need the restroom during the exam, please let me know in advance. The final exam is longer, and a restroom break will be allowed. For the midterms, we will use the usual Zoom session of the class. For the Final exam and makeup exams I will send you a Zoom link in advance. Few minutes before the starting time of the exam, connect to the correct Zoom link. Leave your video on all the time. Your microphone will be off. A couple of minutes before the beginning of the exam, I will put the link to the pdf of the exam in the Zoom chat.
who are taking the exam or will take the exam in the same day.
3 Cheating and honor code
I would like to remind you that you have recited the following pledge:
We, the undergraduate students of Columbia University, hereby pledge to value the integrity of our ideas and the ideas of others by honestly presenting our work, re- specting authorship, and striving not simply for answers but for understanding in the pursuit of our common scholastic goals. In this way, we seek to build an academic community governed by our collective efforts, diligence, and Code of Honor.
Moreover, you all signed a card with the following:
I affirm that I will not plagiarize, use unauthorized materials, or give or receive illegitimate help on assignments, papers, and examinations. I will also uphold equity and honesty in the evaluation of my work and the work of others. I do so to sustain a community built around this Code of Honor.
