6 | Create Performance Task: Written Responses | Practice Sessions | AP Computer Science Principles

Summary

In this AP Daily practice session, Dan Bono from Riverside Brookfield High School guides students through the Create Performance Task (CPT) by reviewing sample written responses. The focus is on three key areas: algorithm development, errors and testing, and data and procedural abstraction. The session highlights how to analyze conditional statements, procedure calls, and lists in program code. By exploring examples from pet recommender programs, maze games, and choose-your-own-adventure games, students gain insight into crafting precise, effective answers to CPT prompts. This practice session helps prepare students for the AP exam by demonstrating how to meet the scoring criteria.

Takeaways

• 😀 The practice session focuses on preparing for the AP Create Performance Task, specifically looking at sample written response prompts and answers.
• 😀 The written response prompts in the session are for illustrative purposes only, and scoring guidelines may change each year.
• 😀 The Create Performance Task focuses on algorithm development, testing, and data abstraction, and responses are based on the personalized project reference (PPR).
• 😀 It is crucial to accurately address the first conditional statement in the program when responding to algorithm development prompts.
• 😀 When describing a conditional statement, the response should describe the condition that triggers the statement and the result in the program's context.
• 😀 In testing-related written responses, it's important to describe a specific call to a procedure with arguments and explain its behavior in the testing strategy.
• 😀 For data abstraction prompts, responses should describe how a program can function without the use of a list or describe limitations without one.
• 😀 It’s important to note that the personalized project reference (PPR) is the only document available on the AP exam, not the full program code.
• 😀 Scoring criteria for written responses require that the answer be accurate, consistent with the program, and must refer specifically to the first conditional statement or procedure.
• 😀 Understanding the specifics of the personalized project reference and how to adapt responses based on it is crucial for earning points in the Create Performance Task.

Q & A

What is the purpose of the sample written responses provided in the video?

The sample written responses are for illustrative purposes only, helping students understand what a good response might look like for the AP Create Performance Task. They are intended to prepare students for the exam, though the actual prompts will differ each year.

What is the first thing students should focus on when responding to a conditional statement prompt in written response 2A?

Students should focus on identifying the first conditional statement in the program, as the prompt specifically asks them to describe the condition that causes this particular statement to execute, along with the resulting effect in the context of the program.

In the provided sample response for written response 2A, what triggers the conditional statement in the pet recommender program?

The conditional statement in the pet recommender program is triggered when the user inputs 'a'. This condition increments the global variable 'points' by 1, which is then used to calculate the total points and suggest a personalized pet.

What is the significance of correctly identifying the first conditional statement in response 2A?

Correctly identifying the first conditional statement is crucial because the prompt specifically asks students to describe the result of this particular statement's execution. If students describe another conditional statement, their response may not be accurate or consistent with the scoring guidelines.

What does written response 2B focus on, and what should students explain in their answer?

Written response 2B focuses on errors and testing. Students are asked to describe a call to a procedure and explain the behavior that this call tests in the program. It is important that students refer to a procedure with an explicit parameter.

In the example response for written response 2B, what behavior is tested by the procedure calls in the pet recommender program?

The procedure calls 'pointCalc a' and 'pointCalc d' test whether the appropriate number of points is added when a user answers 'a' or 'd'. The ultimate test is whether a personalized pet is recommended based on these inputs.

Why can't students earn credit for written response 2B if no procedure with an explicit parameter is identified?

Without an explicit parameter, students cannot describe a procedure call with an argument, which is a key part of the response. Therefore, they cannot earn the point for explaining the behavior of a procedure call in testing the program.

In written response 2C, what should students do if their program relies on a list?

Students should describe how the program could be written without using the list, or if it’s not possible, they must explain how the program’s functionality would be limited without the list.

What was the main limitation of the program without a list in the pet recommender program example in written response 2C?

Without the list, the program would require multiple if/else statements to account for different ways to answer 'yes'. This would make the program less efficient and more complex.

In the maze game example, how would the program be affected without the use of the 'waterHitList'?

Without the 'waterHitList', the program would require numerous if statements to check if any object is touching the water, which would complicate the code and reduce its efficiency.

What makes the list usage in the Choose Your Own Adventure game trivial, and why does this matter for written response 2C?

The list in the Choose Your Own Adventure game was used to store player stats (strength, intelligence, harmony), but the list was not fully utilized in a complex way. Despite this, students could still earn credit for describing a plausible way to rewrite the program without using the list.