1. Except for SuperSushi Construction and 24-Seven Construction quizzes (parts 1 and 3 of exam 2), the exams are open book, open notes, open computer, and open Internet, just like the real world, where you are expected to be skilled users of available resources. Unlike the real world, you are not permitted to consult another person by any means, including digitally or with digital files, while answering the questions. That means, for example, no email use, no text messaging, no IMing, and no looking at others' work or communicating with others in any way.
   
   
2. Answer exam questions in uLearn in the specified time period. Results will be available after everyone has taken the quiz, usually the next day.

Overall learning objective:

Analyze data to provide insights about business operations and performance

1. Car maker/Car dealer case
   1. Perform the querying for the case. Repeat the querying until you can query the database without referring to the explanations in the "Query creation" links and can complete each part in 30 minutes.
   2. Answer the questions in uLearn about the case. Think about the structure and logic of the questions until you can answer them independently. Imagine similar questions in the context of the WheelsNow case. The question structure and logic are important because the WheelsNow case questions have similar structure and logic.
      
      
2. Inventory database querying: Perform the querying until you can create all the queries in less than 30 minutes.
   
   
3. WheelsNow case Parts 1 and 2
   1. Exam questions are in the context of the WheelsNow case.
   2. Complete the WheelsNow case by:
      1. Developing analysis objectives
      2. Performing the analyses to satisfy analysis objectives
   3. Prepare to answer quiz questions based on the WheelsNow situation with the following sub-objectives:
      1. Query databases to provide insights about business operations and performance
         1. Develop analysis objectives
         2. Import data from Excel to Access
         3. Compose query strategy
         4. Identify relevant attributes
         5. Configure joins
         6. Formulate queries
            1. Set criteria
            2. Use built-in functions
            3. Construct expressions
            4. Develoip IIF statements
         7. Assess query correctness
         8. Interpret query results

Reasons:

1. The best preparation for analyzing data is to analyze data, including developing analysis objectives.
   
   
2. The WheelsNow questions are patterned after the Car Maker/Car Dealer questions. Being able to answer them will help you answer the WheelsNow questions.

Resources:

1. Alexander's explanations of querying: Chapters 1-2 and the Aggregate Queries section in chapter 3 (pp. 1-60), chapter 5 through the section Understanding the Order of Operator Precedence (pp. 121-131), Appendix A (pp. 355-396)
2. Explanations of common spreadsheet errors
3. WheelsNow case
   1. Part 1 and Part 2
   2. Querying strategy guide
4. Inventory database querying
   
5. Car Maker/Car Dealer case and questions in uLearn

Overall learning objective:

Design business processes and represent them with documentation tools

Part 1 Construction questions

Exam questions are in the context of the SuperSushi case. Prepare to answer questions by completing the construction of the process diagram for the SuperSushi case. All materials that can be used while answering the questions will be supplied through links in the questions.

The construction questions ask you to:

1. Identify errors in a diagram that someone else prepared and specify why there is an error
2. Verify correctness of a diagram that someone else prepared and specify why the diagram is correct

Part 2 Inferencing questions

Exam questions are in the context of the SuperSushi case. Prepare to answer questions by completing the construction of the process diagram for the SuperSushi case and reviewing the construction questions.

The inferencing questions ask you to:

1. Follow process flow
2. Characterize likely outcomes from a process
3. Make inferences about process behavior
4. Compare behavior of processes
5. Infer reasons for system design
6. Improve the system

To prepare for the quiz, try the following:

1. Reconstruct the diagram with only the outline of the steps as a guide. When you finish each step, compare your work with what the guidance shows for results.
2. When done with 1, imagine the operation of a restaurant that you're familiar with. Identify operational procedures that differ between the two and write yourself a question, e.g., if SuperSushi did x like the other restaunant instead of its current practice, what outcomes (better or worse) would occur in SuperSushi and why. When the other restaurant gets boring, think of another restaurant's differences and work with them.

Language difficulty

If you're feeling some language difficulty, e.g., because English is not your first language or because you're not used to college-level vocabulary, get in the habit of looking up every word you encounter that you're not absolutely certain about its meaning and usages. Understanding unfamiliar language is hard, but using online dictionaries will help build your vocabulary and fluency.

Reasons:

1. The process of preparing the diagram will make the processes explicit to you, which will help you answer the construction quiz questions.
2. The inferencing questions ask you to use the diagram as business people would, i.e., to help analyze the business situation.
   

Resources:

1. SuperSushi construction directions in uLearn

Overall learning objective:

Design business processes and represent them with documentation tools

Part 3 Construction questions

The questions are in the context of the 24-Seven part 1 case. Prepare to answer questions by completing the construction of the two process diagrams for the case. All materials that can be used while answering the questions will be supplied through links in the questions.

The construction questions ask you to:

1. Identify errors in a diagram that someone else prepared and specify why there is an error
2. Verify correctness of a diagram that someone else prepared and specify why the diagram is correct

1. Develop complete diagrams for the current system and the contemplated system and compare them to complete diagrams when they are made available

Part 4 Inferencing questions

The questions are in the context of the 24-Seven part 1 case. Prepare to answer questions by completing the construction of the process diagram for the SuperSushi case and reviewing the construction questions. To prepare for the quiz:

1. Answer the practice questions and think through the logic of determining the best responses to the questions.
   
2. Verify that you can answer questions with the following objectives from the diagrams:
1. Model business processes
   1. Follow process flow
   2. Identify role of a sub-process
2. Make inferences about processes
   1. Characterize likely outcomes from a process
   2. Make inferences about process behavior
   3. Compare behavior of processes
   4. Infer reasons for system design
3. Evaluate business processes
   1. Evaluate business strategy
   2. Identify dysfunctional aspects
   3. Improve the system

Language difficulty

If you're feeling some language difficulty, e.g., because English is not your first language or because you're not used to college-level vocabulary, get in the habit of looking up every word you encounter that you're not absolutely certain about its meaning and usages. Understanding unfamiliar language is hard, but using online dictionaries will help build your vocabulary and fluency.

Reasons:

1. The process of preparing the diagrams will make the processes explicit to you, which will help you answer the quiz questions in the allotted time.
   
   
2. Each quiz question focuses on one or more of these learning sub-objectives, which roll up to the overall objective of:
   Design business processes and represent them with documentation tools.

Resources:

1. SuperSushi construction directions in uLearn
2. 24-Seven part 1 case in uLearn
3. Practice questions in uLearn

Overall learning objectives:

1. Query databases to provide insights about business operations and performance
2. Design business processes and represent them with documentation tools
3. Design and implement well-structured databases to enable business processes
4. Evaluate internal control in information systems and design controls to mitigate risks associated with information systems

Exam questions are in the context of the BloomScape case. Prepare to answer questions by completing all the course activities by yourself without reference to the provided guidance or coaching from team members.

1. Complete all parts of the BloomScape project.
2. Answer and understanding the practice questions.
3. Prepare to answer quiz questions based on the BloomScape situation with the following sub-objectives:
   1. Design business processes and represent them with documentation tools
      1. Develop process implications
      2. Make inferences about process behavior
      3. Infer reasons for system design
      4. Improve the system or processes
      5. Evaluate business strategy
   2. Design and implement well-structured databases to enable business processes
      1. Develop data structures
      2. Match or convert data types
      3. Construct keys
      4. Match cardinalities to business processes
      5. Configure joins
   3. Query databases to provide insights about business operations and performance
      1. Develop business performance analysis objectives
      2. Compose query strategy
      3. Formulate queries for analysis objectives
      4. Construct expressions
      5. Interpret query results
      6. Document queries for others to use
   4. Evaluate internal control in information systems and design controls to mitigate risks associated with information systems
      1. Develop data quality monitoring objectives
      2. Detect and correct data errors
   5. Prepare journal entries based on query results

Reasons:

1. The process of preparing the parts is practice for thinking through questions about the parts.
   
   
2. The practice questions illustrate the level of understanding required to answer the quiz questions. Be sure to develop the logic of selecting the best responses rather than simply memorizing them.

Resources:

1. Alexander's explanations of querying: Chapters 1-2 and the Aggregate Queries section in chapter 3 (pp. 1-60), chapter 5 through the section Understanding the Order of Operator Precedence (pp. 121-131), Appendix A (pp. 355-396)
2. BloomScape
3. Practice questions in uLearn

Overall learning objectives:

1. Design business processes and represent them with documentation tools
   
   
2. Query databases to provide insights about business operations and performance
   
   
3. Evaluate internal control in information systems and design controls to mitigate risks associated with information systems

1. Complete the diagrams and table of control weaknesses and potential misstatements.
   1. Compare your diagrams with those of other students.
   2. Compare your diagrams with complete diagrams when they are made available.
      
      
2. Answer and understand:
   1. Apex case questions
   2. 24-Seven parts 1 and 2 practice questions
      
      
3. Verify that you can answer questions with the following objectives:
   1. Model business processes
      1. Follow process flow
      2. Make inferences about process
   2. Query databases to provide insights about business operations and performance
      1. Compose query strategy
      2. Formulate queries
   3. Evaluate internal control
      1. Identify control strengths and weaknesses pertaining to:
         1. Control objectives
            1. Authorization
            2. Accuracy
            3. Completeness
            4. Validity
         2. System development and change control
         3. Access control
      2. Design controls to mitigate control weaknesses pertaining to:
         1. Control objectives
            1. Authorization
            2. Accuracy
            3. Completeeness
            4. Validity
         2. System development and change control
         3. Access control
            

Reasons:

1. The process of preparing the diagrams and the table will make the processes explicit to you, which will help you answer the quiz questions in the allotted time.
   
   
2. Each quiz question focuses on one or more of these sub-objectives, which roll up to the overall objectives.

Resources:

1. Internal control in payables
2. Apex case
3. 24-Seven (part 1, part 2)
4. Practice questions in uLearn