Year 2 Semester 1 (AY 2009/10)

CS4249 - Design of Advanced User Interfaces
Credits: 4
Grade: B+
Comment: Taught by Professor Zhao Shengdong, who previously taught CS3248. It is similar in style to CS3248, in fact almost identical. Expect heavy workloads (Naturally given, since its NUS), literature reading and documentation. Sadly, my team mates were terrible in that they dragged the project (Supposed to start on Week 5) till Week 10, and we didn't do well (By my standards). The project topic is on robots, and this marks the beginning of a trend where my lack of talent manifests in unfamiliar territory...

CS3243 - Foundations of Artificial Intelligence
Credits: 4
Grade: B
Comment: We had two heavy assignments where we programmed lego robots to move in a maze environment. I could have gotten a better grade if it had not been for my team mates (One dropped out of the module, leaving me with a badly-programmed robot and another student who can't program). Anyway, for this module you will also have a theory exam which may or may not be challenging depending on the lecturer. Apparently, Prof. Chua Tat Seng's exams are easier, but his teaching leaves a lot to be desired.

CS2105 - Introduction to Computer Networks
Credits: 4
Grade: A+
Comment: This is my first and probably the only A+ grade I got in NUS, which kind of gives me the perception that I only do well in memory work (Closed book). A useful basic module nonetheless. Doing the tutorials and readings are important to help you to be familiar with the concepts. Programming assignments (Mine was to implement an FTP Client) are fun but otherwise straightforward.

LSM1301 - General Biology
Credits: 4
Grade: B
Comment: Fun module? Lab sessions are heavy and should keep you busy throughout each 2 hours session, so slowcoaches like me might want to bear that in mind. I got a final grade which I don't begrudge the lecturer for but I wished that I made better preparations for the final paper. You need a quick hand and fast reading eyes in the exam, which require you to answer 60 MCQ questions in 2 hours, and some of the questions can be very long...

ST2334 - Probability and Statistics
Credits: 4
Grade: B+
Comment: The first Maths module where I got below an "A" letter grade. Admittedly I did not put in as much effort as I did for MA1505, because it is arguably easier than MA1505 - Implying high competition and therefore I was left in the dust. The exams questions are problem-solving based. You need to be familiar as to what formula to use. Using the wrong formula will cost you dearly.

NM3216 - Game Design
Credits: 4
Grade: A
Comment: We had two projects: One is to create a new physical board game while the other is to create a new computer game. Both projects are not exactly free and easy - We were given constraints to work within. For instance, the computer game cannot have any scoring mechanics, plus a few other do-nots. NM modules are such that students are not allowed to choose their team mates. If you are unlucky, you get lazy, uncooperative, or untalented people (Including me I guess, but my problem is more of poor versatility).

Overall Results:
MCs taken: 75 + 24 = 99
CAP: 4.21
Promoted from COM2 to COM3

Notes/Trivia:

• Probably the worst semester ever (24 MCs)
• First and only time I failed a programming assignment in my entire school life, a heavy one no less (CS3243)
• Had bad project team mates (CS3243 and CS4249), and the projects that went well did not succeed by my hand (NM3216)
• Despite that, CAP only dropped modestly by 0.02
• General trend in my Math modules' grade dropping. MA1301 was a solid A, MA1505 was an A-, and now ST2334 a B+...

Advice for any student who bothers to listen:

• To do well in group projects, always take the initiative and/or consume the lion's share of the work by doing your best to make the project a success.
• Backstabbing works in school by complaining discreetly about the free-riders to the lecturer at the end of a project.

I do sound like I tend to blame my team mates for bad project results and yet tend to include my own effort in for good project results. That is how humans work psychologically and I can't help it. Whatever.