AML 4213: Journeys to America
Summer 2011

 

REQUIRED DIAGNOSTIC EXAM

This Diagnostic Exam is mandatory, but the grade doesn’t count—take it to familiarize yourself with the sort of questions that will be asked on the first real exam, Exam#1.

It will only have a few questions, but otherwise will be in the same format as Exam#1, 2, & 3.

It covers all readings in the first ˝ week: First “Prof” lecture and e-texts on Columbus, Vespucci, & Montaigne.  It does NOT cover the “Prof” lecture on The Tempest or the play itself.

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General Exam Instructions:

After each exam is taken, I carefully look at performance patterns to make sure there were no inadvertent faulty/unfair questions.  I do not curve scores, but do adjust as necessary by throwing out “bad” questions, if the performance pattern reveals such (e.g., if the top quartile of students do not get the “bad” question around 70% of the time).  So, please be reassured, although there will be a mix of easy and hard questions, I conduct a post-exam review to weed out exam-question outliers should there be any.

You get to this Diagnostic Exam by clicking on the “Assessment” icon on the far left of the Blackboard menu.  It will be available for taking between Saturday July 2nd 9:00pm & Monday July 4th 11:59pm.

You must answer the questions within an allotted 1-hour time period.  Once you start, the clock begins to tick and cannot be turned off.  And you must save your answers and submit the exam 1 minute before midnight; otherwise the Blackboard system turns your exam into a rotten pumpkin.

Once the window for taking the exam closes, you should be able to go back to the exam, by clicking the assessment icon again, and see your score as well as, at the end of most questions, an explanation of correct/incorrect answers.

You are not expected to memorize dates or bullet-list type information in the Wikis.  But some of the questions will test your understanding of the basic historical/cultural contexts provided by the Wikis. or other outside web sites.

Do not read my “Prof.” lectures at your own risk!

Only extraordinary, documented emergencies will be accepted for a Make-up Exam.  Prudence (fancy professor word!) would dictate you have a back-up computer plan (an FIU library or computer lab, Kinko’s, a friend’s, etc.) should your dog decide to eat your computer.

Should there be some major glitch with the Blackboard testing system: please do not email me individually.  Use the “General Topic” posting area (right below the area where you filled-in your mini-autobios.) in the Discussion area of the Blackboard menu. That way, all students will see that the glitch has been noted.

All best on this and whatever tests you are taking this term, yours, Prof. Harvey