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Problem#1 (of the final exam)

The research paper (A Customizable Agile Software Quality Assurance Model) we studied suggested 20 KPAs (Key Process Areas) as follows:

Requirement Management , Process Audit, Test Planning, Test Case

Management , Peer Review, Defect Analysis, Defect

Reporting, Unit Testing, Performance Testing,

Configuration Management, Management Support,

Training, Test Environment Management, Test

Organization, Test Automation, Continuous Integration,

User Experience Management, Testing Level, Defect

Prevention and Static Analysis

The authors of the paper gave an example on the Peer Review (see page 384, section III KPA Implementations of the paper). In this problem you need to come up with examples on two key areas – Test Planning and Unit Testing.

FAQs:

Q. We haven’t reached the final week yet. Why do you give us a final problem now?

A. In this class we emphasize on the development of your own insights and it takes time to come up with something good. I would like to give you more time to contemplate the final exam problems.

Q. Where is the paper mentioned in this final exam problem?

A. Please see Week2 materials.

Q. Is this the only problem we have in the final exam?

A. No. All together we will have 3 or 4 problems.

Q.  Is the final exam open-books, notes, etc.?

A. Yes. You can use any references (you need to list those at the end of your answer) you see fit. That being said, you should not consult with other people. This must be your own independent work.

Q. Can I copy and paste something from Internet and turn those in as part of my work?

A. Sometimes it is necessary to quote other people's work. To do that you need to 1. put quotation marks 2. provide reference and 3. (very important and is required in this test) you need to highlight the portion you copy and paste with a red color font.

Q. I forgot to do the three steps you mentioned above for the "copy-and-paste" portion of my answer. It is not a big deal, right?

A. WRONG! If you conveniently "forgot" those three steps and got caught, you just committed plagiarism and will lose your degree . Please don't do this to yourself and to your love ones (who put their money and love on you)!!!

Q. I worry that there is no way that you can enforce the exam rules. This final exam may not be a fair one. For example, people in the class may work together as a group (they should not, but they still do). Is my concern legitimate?

A. Yes. Your concern is very reasonable. Unfortunately I can’t police everyone. Nevertheless, my grading policy hopefully can discourage this kind of bad behavior . Basically most people can achieve B-range grades (B-, B, B+) by showing effort alone (it is not too hard at all). My A-range grades (A-, A and A+) are reserved for people who demonstrate excellence. The total number of the A-range grades is also limited by “curving.” If a group of people who worked together to generate similar insights, those similar answers may become too common and will not receive a status of excellence. As a result, the whole group may just receive B-range grades. It is a waste of your effort (you can get a B-range grade without doing this unethical thing anyway) and a miss of your opportunity (thinking/contemplating is a very rewarding experience/skill in your graduate study ).

Q. I read the example on the "Peer Review" at the end of the paper. It seems to me that I can simply follow the authors’ template and answer this question. Is this correct?

A. Yes. The template is there. Please use it. Nevertheless, the contents that you need to generate to fill the template are obviously different and you really need to do some deep thinking.

Q. Do I need to worry about the other 17 KPAs?

A. No. You only need to work on two KPAs (Test Planning and Unit Testing).

Q. I don't see the template you mentioned. I am lost. What should I do?

A. Read the paper carefully one more time. If after a second reading you are still not sure, email me.

Q. How come you want us to read a research paper?

A. This is a graduate program and you need some research experience.

Q. I plan to finish this problem (Problem#1) next week. Can I turn it in right away?

A. No. Please hold on to your answer. You can only turn it in during the final week.

Q. Do I have to generate lots “ busy writing” to get good grade on this problem?

A. I believe that the “ busy ” work is a waste of your time as well as mine. Please avoid that strategy.

Q. Will you post other final exam problems later on (before the final week)?

A. Yes. I plan to.

Q. May I email you a clarification question?

A. Yes. Please do