You need to complete and hand in your evaluation for the first program you wrote by:
Thursday 10th October 2013
You can look at the exam booklet for information about the evaluation, but look at the sheet I have given you which is a print of this blog entry
Thursday, 3 October 2013
Writing your report key points to explain
Refer back to this blog post I wrote Tips on how to write the report before looking at this as it covers all the elements of the report, what you need to show and what you need to write.
I'll be more specific in these examples:
Subroutines (& Functions)
You must state the names of the subroutines and what specific module they are in
You must mention any parameters that a subroutine uses, explain why they are a certain type and what they are used for in the subroutine.
Functions are subroutines that return a value, you need to explain what information is returned and what type it is.
You need to explain where the return value of a function is used, whether it is stored in a variable or whether it is used directly as part of some calculation or string manipulation.
String manipulation
You should remember that & joins text together in visual basic
SubString(), ToLower() are both examples of string manipulation and you should describe how they work and how they are used.
Selection
You need to explain the test being performed for the IF and what code runs when the condition is true and what code runs when the condition is false.
Make sure you explain nested if structures carefully, highlighting the chain of tests that get you to certain parts of the nesting.
With select case, you need to explain what value is being tested for a match and then explain each of the possible matches and the code that is executed when each match is found.
Iteration (Loops)
In for loops you need to state the loop variable, it's starting value and its stop value (the value it will have during the last run of the loop).
You need to explain how the loop variable is used inside the loop, whether it is just a counter or whether it's value is used to perform some other task like accessing an individual character in a string.
In While loops make sure you explain the general purpose of the loop what does it do. You need to explain the condition that is tested at the start of the loop, explaining that the loop only keeps working if this condition is true. Make sure you explain where the end of the loop is and that the code jumps back to the start of the loop to test the condition at the end of each run through.
I'll be more specific in these examples:
Subroutines (& Functions)
You must state the names of the subroutines and what specific module they are in
You must mention any parameters that a subroutine uses, explain why they are a certain type and what they are used for in the subroutine.
'This subroutine requires a parameter value
'of type string which is referred to using the name data
'this value is processed by the subroutine
Public Sub ReactToInput(data As String)
End Sub
'of type string which is referred to using the name data
'this value is processed by the subroutine
Public Sub ReactToInput(data As String)
End Sub
Functions are subroutines that return a value, you need to explain what information is returned and what type it is.
You need to explain where the return value of a function is used, whether it is stored in a variable or whether it is used directly as part of some calculation or string manipulation.
'function returns an integer value back to the caller
Function GenerateNumber() As Integer
' do some code
Return 45
End Function
Function GenerateNumber() As Integer
' do some code
Return 45
End Function
'call the GenerateNumber subroutine and store
'the return value in the variable saveMe
saveMe = GenerateNumber()
'the return value in the variable saveMe
saveMe = GenerateNumber()
'combine the text with the return value from the function GenerateNumber
s = "I generated " & GenerateNumber() & " for you"
s = "I generated " & GenerateNumber() & " for you"
String manipulation
You should remember that & joins text together in visual basic
SubString(), ToLower() are both examples of string manipulation and you should describe how they work and how they are used.
Selection
You need to explain the test being performed for the IF and what code runs when the condition is true and what code runs when the condition is false.
If saveMe < 105 Then
'code if condition is true (saveMe is less than 105)
Else
'code if condition is false (saveMe is 105 or more)
End If
'code if condition is true (saveMe is less than 105)
Else
'code if condition is false (saveMe is 105 or more)
End If
Make sure you explain nested if structures carefully, highlighting the chain of tests that get you to certain parts of the nesting.
If saveMe > 0 Then
'code if condition is true (saveMe is greater than 0)
Else
'saveMe is not greater than 0
If saveMe = 0 Then
'code if condition is true (saveMe is 0)
Else
'saveMe must be less than 0 (not greater than or equal to 0)
End If
End If
'code if condition is true (saveMe is greater than 0)
Else
'saveMe is not greater than 0
If saveMe = 0 Then
'code if condition is true (saveMe is 0)
Else
'saveMe must be less than 0 (not greater than or equal to 0)
End If
End If
With select case, you need to explain what value is being tested for a match and then explain each of the possible matches and the code that is executed when each match is found.
'examine lowercase version of choice
Select Case choice.ToLower()
Case "open"
'code if choice is open
Case "close"
'code if choice is close
Case "delete"
'code if choice is delete
End Select
Select Case choice.ToLower()
Case "open"
'code if choice is open
Case "close"
'code if choice is close
Case "delete"
'code if choice is delete
End Select
Iteration (Loops)
In for loops you need to state the loop variable, it's starting value and its stop value (the value it will have during the last run of the loop).
'loop variable called clock starts at 1
'increases each time by 1, stops at 12
For clock = 1 To 12
Next
'increases each time by 1, stops at 12
For clock = 1 To 12
Next
You need to explain how the loop variable is used inside the loop, whether it is just a counter or whether it's value is used to perform some other task like accessing an individual character in a string.
For count = 1 To 10
'add current value of count to the total so far
total = total + count
Next
'add current value of count to the total so far
total = total + count
Next
In While loops make sure you explain the general purpose of the loop what does it do. You need to explain the condition that is tested at the start of the loop, explaining that the loop only keeps working if this condition is true. Make sure you explain where the end of the loop is and that the code jumps back to the start of the loop to test the condition at the end of each run through.
total = 45
'loop happens if total is less than 100
Do While (total < 100)
'add 7 to the total
'this will eventually cause loop to stop
total = total + 7
'end of loop must go back to Do While to test condition again
Loop
'loop happens if total is less than 100
Do While (total < 100)
'add 7 to the total
'this will eventually cause loop to stop
total = total + 7
'end of loop must go back to Do While to test condition again
Loop
Tips on how to write the evaluation
You can refer to the Exam Booklet (U8 section of the ICT/Computing Intranet) for other details of the evaluation. When writing your evaluation you need to cover two strands:
Evaluation of the solution(s)
Strengths
Look at the strengths of your best program (these are some of the things you could write about if they are actually well done)
Weakness can cover any of the bullets above that could be strengths, but in the opposite way e.g poor naming of variables and interface elements.
If you have specific issues with either your first program (or even in the finished improved program), then explain them here (make sure you use a separate paragraph for each) list those issues with direct reference to the program code.
Looking at your improved program, for each improvement explain why they way you did it is better than the way you did it in the original program, this may be better for the user of the program or it may be better for another programmer (easier to maintain / better structure [modules, subroutines] / naming of variables/subs/functions).
This could be accompanied with screenshots from the code to illustrate the differences. It is important that this is clear, use a separate paragraph for each improvement
Future improvements
If you did not do an improved version you need to look at the program and identify anything that you could do to improve it (these should of already been mentioned in the weakness), make sure you identify more than one improvement (you don't have to do it just explain it what the improvement could be and why it would be better)
if you did an improved program then you need to also think of any other ways in which you could improve it, explain them clearly making sure you have explained why it would be an improvement. This is more likely to be extending the features of the program (unless you identified a weakness in the improved one)
Evaluation of your performance
Strengths
Try to identify what you feel your strengths were/are during the VB programming task. This is really asking you to talk about what you did well when you approached the task:
It is not wrong to have weaknesses with the way you approached the work, it gives you something to address for improvements Make sure you also discuss any areas in which you feel you have weaknesses and how you could improve them, these may be issues you had with the bullet points above or something else entirely.
For each weakness you identify you need to explain what you do on a future task to reduce the weakness, what would you do differently and explain why this would make a difference to the program produced.
Future improvements
If there is anything else you could do on top of what you did well, then explain those items here.Think about approaches to programming (you may need to look up some methods of program design), user feedback etc...
Evaluation of the solution(s)
Strengths
Look at the strengths of your best program (these are some of the things you could write about if they are actually well done)
- sensible clear comments
- meaningful variable names
- meaningful subroutine names
- Using camelCasing for variables, Pascal casing for subroutine and function names and CAPS_CASING for contsants
- careful use of comments
- clear solution
- Appropriate use of modules
- Use of constants where appropriate to make the program more meaningful
- Clear User interface
- Meaningful messages to user
Weakness can cover any of the bullets above that could be strengths, but in the opposite way e.g poor naming of variables and interface elements.
If you have specific issues with either your first program (or even in the finished improved program), then explain them here (make sure you use a separate paragraph for each) list those issues with direct reference to the program code.
Looking at your improved program, for each improvement explain why they way you did it is better than the way you did it in the original program, this may be better for the user of the program or it may be better for another programmer (easier to maintain / better structure [modules, subroutines] / naming of variables/subs/functions).
This could be accompanied with screenshots from the code to illustrate the differences. It is important that this is clear, use a separate paragraph for each improvement
Future improvements
If you did not do an improved version you need to look at the program and identify anything that you could do to improve it (these should of already been mentioned in the weakness), make sure you identify more than one improvement (you don't have to do it just explain it what the improvement could be and why it would be better)
if you did an improved program then you need to also think of any other ways in which you could improve it, explain them clearly making sure you have explained why it would be an improvement. This is more likely to be extending the features of the program (unless you identified a weakness in the improved one)
Evaluation of your performance
Strengths
Try to identify what you feel your strengths were/are during the VB programming task. This is really asking you to talk about what you did well when you approached the task:
- Preparation, prior learning
- Commenting as you went along
- How you tackled the task (e.g. did you put the interface elements together first?, then storage etc...)
- Clear testing
It is not wrong to have weaknesses with the way you approached the work, it gives you something to address for improvements Make sure you also discuss any areas in which you feel you have weaknesses and how you could improve them, these may be issues you had with the bullet points above or something else entirely.
For each weakness you identify you need to explain what you do on a future task to reduce the weakness, what would you do differently and explain why this would make a difference to the program produced.
Future improvements
If there is anything else you could do on top of what you did well, then explain those items here.Think about approaches to programming (you may need to look up some methods of program design), user feedback etc...
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