Grading Principles

Partial credit is to be generously awarded.

Try to avoid taking off points multiple times for the same error.

Full credit if the solution meets the spec.

Example. Consider the problem “Write an infinite loop in x86 assembly.” The answer “L3: jmp L3” is correct. So is the answer “L3: jmp L3; ret”; the “ret” is never reached, but so what? The spec doesn’t require that you write the minimal infinite loop in x86 assembly.

All grades are to be written as positive numbers. If you must write a negative number (“−1”, meaning “1 point off”), also write the positive number.

Exam Construction

Avoid problem formats that encourage mistakes. The 2012 final had a question where x86 instructions were identified by number (to simplify checking). But people wrote the wrong numbers. Mnemonics are better.