Hello!

Before the exam:

• Start studying early (like today). It is hard to get things into long-term memory in only a short period of time (cramming only works for a small percentage of people).
• When studying algorithms, don't just memorize the pseudocode! Try and understand the algorithm itself, THEN look at the code. If you don't understand the algorithm (the idea), understanding the code is much harder.
• Try and find places where the various algorithms and data structures you've been taught fit into programs that you use. How would you implement a spell-checker? What about a symbol table in a compiler?
• Know the pros and cons of each algorithm and data structure. Why would we want to use a stack instead of a queue for problem X? Is depth-first search always guaranteed to terminate with a solution?
• If you were given an iterative [recursive] implementation of something, could you convert it into a recursive [iterative] one? How would you implement a tree-traversal algorithm iteratively? (depth and breadth first)
• Try to build a "mind map" of the various algorithms and data structures. Can you think of a way to implement linked-lists with a hash table? Can you correlate the various algorithms and their complexities?
• Know where the room is! Do it today and draw a small map if you really need it. Being late for a test disturbs your thinking AND the other people writing -- remember that!

Night before the exam:

• Get a good night's rest, and try to keep studying down to reviewing of points.
• RELAX! I usually veg out the night before an exam, letting my brain assimilate what I've been learning.

Morning of the exam:

• EAT!! Remember a few weeks ago when I didn't eat my Wheaties? Look what happened! Eat a good breakfast that will keep you feeling full -- getting hungry during an exam can be distracting, and falling asleep due to lack of energy... well..
• Get up early, and get HERE early! People seem to have a lot of car trouble around when assignments are due - if you leave early enough you can avoid traffic, and have a time buffer in case there is a problem.
• Coffee is NOT your friend! Seriously, coffee is a diuretic (makes you go to the bathroom) and if you end up coming off your "caffeine high" during the exam... not a good thing *yawn*.
• Do some light review to get your brain into "algorithms mode", but don't over do it! Remember to relax before; I usually don't study within an hour of taking a test, unless it's small things that I need to refresh.

During the exam:

• Read over all the questions first and then tackle the easy questions (the ones you know cold). Here, employ a "greedy strategy" with respect to marks.
• Budget your time wisely -- this is more of an art than a science. Make sure you aren't spending too much time on a question that isn't worth the trouble. When you get stuck, MOVE ON!
• Near the end of the exam (like 5-10 mins) if you haven't completed a particular question write SOMETHING [related to the question] down! You could maybe squeeze a few part marks from a question rather than get zero.

After the exam:

• Don't browbeat yourself (literally or figuratively) after the exam. I try not to talk/think about an exam right after taking it -- I find it just stresses me out. Sleep on it, THEN go over it
• Learn by doing. Taking an exam IS a skill, and it'll get easier the more you do it.

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Hope that helped, and good luck!
Elliot Wilshire