[CSE]  Advanced Operating Systems 
COMP9242 2013/S2 
UNSW
CRICOS Provider
Number: 00098G

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Final Exam Preparations

Overview

To prepare you for the exam, we will do an analysis of an actual research paper in a similar way as you'll have to do it during the exam. In order to make this exercise effective, it is essential that you spend significant time analysing the paper yourself prior to the lecture.

General experience in reading research papers is very helpful for this. Therefore we have regularly provided links to relevant papers for each lecture. Those of you who followed the recommendation and have read some of these papers will have a headstart.

Recommended Preparation

Carefully read the sample paper. Take notes as you are reading it, about what it is doing, but, more importantly, about any questions you have while reading. Some of these questions may indicate issues with the paper. They could be structural or presentational issues (paper doesn't explain things in the right order, or fail to explain things, leaving the reader guessing). Or they may indicate lack of general background knowledge, where you may want to do some more research. (Or they may indicate you've forgot things covered in lectures, or skipped lectures...)

When you are done, write a summary of what the paper is doing. Make sure you understand what they are doing, if not, re-read the relevant sections. Make sure you can explain what's going on.

Then go though your notes and see whether any of them point to actual issues with the paper. Summarise those issues. The questions listed on the exam page might help you with this.

Bring your summary and critique to class. Be prepared to talk about them.

Allow about half a day for this preparation! If you try to do a quick job on this, you'll likely pay for it during the exam. Also, it is probably best to do this no more than a week prior to the exam-preparation lecture, so details are still fresh in your mind.


Last modified: 29 Jun 2011.