2. Intake Survey

2.1 Purpose of the intake survey

This assignment will not be graded or returned to you, but we'll discuss the survey results in the next class. The survey's purpose is two-fold: to give us some statistical information about the composition of the class and to let us know early who will need special help to get through the class.

2.2 Pre-requisite verification

If you do not have the pre-requisites for CMPE 185 (or if the registrar can't figure out that you have the pre-requisites), you have to get a permission code from the instructor in order to register. For our benefit, we'd also like to know exactly how everyone meets the requirements. Please answer these questions:

• How did you fulfill the Subject A (the high-school writing requirement) requirement? (test in high school, transfer credit from elsewhere, test at UCSC) If you haven't fulfilled the Subject A requirement, you may not take this class.

• How have you fulfilled the general-education code C requirement? (Normally fulfilled by taking Writing 1 at UCSC, by transfer credit, or by exam.)

• Do you have reading knowledge of C? What verification can you offer? (Note: most programmers who have learned a block-structured language such as java, pascal, or algol have a reading knowledges of C at the level required for this class. You must be able to understand a simple recursive program.)

• Have you taken CMP 16 (Applied Discrete Math) or CMP 12B (second programming course)? If not, how can you show that you are familiar with induction and recursion?

2.3 Language background

Please write two paragraphs: one about your language background, and one about your writing experience and ability as you understand them. Self-knowledge about your own writing will be a constant theme in this class, and it begins here. Here are some questions to help you focus your paragraphs (don't answer these questions in order--write decently structured paragraphs):

What is your native language? (If Chinese, which language?) What other languages do you speak? What languages are spoken in your home and in the community where you grew up? If English is not your native language, how long have you been using English? Where did you learn English? How much of your formal education has been in English?

Do you like to write? What writing instruction have you had before? How much do you write for other courses, for work, or for pleasure? What process do you use when writing long reports? What kinds of writing do you do best? worst? What has been your experience with writing tutors? What kinds of improvement have you seen in your own writing in the past two or three years? If there has been no improvement that you know of, in what ways do you think your skills have gone downhill?