MIS 3510, Systems Analysis & Design
Midterm Exam Preparations
(Questions I and II)
Updated Oct. 13, 2014
The midterm exam will contain three kinds of questions:
I) Short Answer question (5 questions)
II) Multiple choice & True/False (30 questions combined)
III) Diagrams (3): use case, activity, class.
Preparations for the Multiple choice & True/False questions imply acquiring knowledge of
(a) definitions of concepts (in your own words, not memorized by heart out of book or class
notes,
(b) concepts’ relationships (comparisons, differentiation) and
(c) additional details about concepts/topics.
See Class Concepts on the course Web site for the concepts that will be covered. Examples
follow.
I) Short Answer question (marks each: 4-6, tentatively)
Form 1. Name (or define) two (or three) items or aspects related to some concept/topic,
and for each provide an example (or an additional detail).
Key: The questions can address any concept in the Concepts List (e.g., aspects of object
orientation, methods of collecting system requirements, aspects of the
specialization/generalization relationship, etc.).
If naming is required, then it suffices to provide the appropriate word or phrase without
defining it.
Knowledge of definitions and additional details is required. The number of pieces (items,
aspects) required can vary (2, 3).
Form 2. Compare two concepts on two (or three) similarities and differences (e.g., class
and object, use case diagram and use case description, etc.). (6 marks)
Key: This is question probes on understanding concepts’ relationships, and it requires
knowing definitions (where difference usually lie) and some overlapping characteristics
(additional details) that make the given concepts similar.
The answer can be formatted into a table as shown below.
Class
Object
Similarity
Similarity
Difference
Difference
Difference
Difference
Form 3. Discuss a concept/topic
This question requires putting together the above cited pieces of knowledge (definitions,
relationships, additional details) as it is appropriate.
- Example: Discuss three characteristics of activity diagram.
- Key (an option): Define the role of activity diagram in systems analysis. Cite the key
symbols (e.g., activity, decision, and swim line). Specify a relationship between activity
diagram and a related diagram (e.g., use case diagram).
Some questions from previous exams:
1. Describe parts of an information system.
Marks: 4
The common description of IS includes: data (input, inside the system), software, hardware, and
procedures. (each 0.5 marks)
For example, a customer order system contains data on orders placed by customers, software is
the package used for creating a database of orders, hardware is a computer on which the database
and its data are stored, and procedures are those for manipulating software and hardware, for
entering data and any manual activities included in the system. (each 0.5 marks)
2. Explain relationships between use case diagram and
a) information system
b) use case description (intermediate, full)
c) activity diagram.
Answer (marks: 2 ea., sum=6 )
a) Use case diagram presents main functions in an IS (1 mark), so an IS can be seen as a set of
functions (use cases) performed on data (1 mark).
b) Use case diagram names a function (1 mark), while use case description shows a breakdown
of steps in the function (1 mark).
c) Activity diagram presents the same steps of a system function as use case description (1
mark), but it does it in graphical rather than textual format (1 mark).
True/False
1. Prototyping is a necessary part of collecting system requirements via the technique of Joint
Application Design.
F; differentiation question
2. An information system may include manual steps.
T; additional detail question
3. In object oriented methodology of system development, iterations are performed only in the
construction phase.
F, in all phases; additional detail question
4. In an insurance management system, the necessary checking of the customer’s risk level as
part of determining the insurance premium is most likely to be modeled as an extend use case.
F, any necessary function is an include use case; definitional question
5. The property of polymorphism applies at the sub-class level.
T, definitional question
Multiple Choice
1. The message "read()" is sent to an object, which responds by displaying certain data. Which
term best describes this behavior?
a. Inheritance
c. Encapsulation
b. Composition
d. Polymorphism
C, data are “encapsulated” in an object and can be accessed by other objects only by messaging
the object to which the data belong; additional detail question.
2. The Unified Process methodology is _____ driven.
a.
data model c.
program
b.
use case
d.
activity
B, additional detail question
3. The _____ approach is a SDLC methodology that assumes the various phases of a project can
be completed entirely sequentially.
a.
b.
waterfall
life cycle
c. prototyping
d. object-oriented
A
4. _____ is a system development process in which work activities - analysis, design, and
implementation - are repeated until the system part tests as acceptable.
a.
Decomposition
c.
Multiplicity
b.
Iteration
d.
Reuse
B, definition/additional detail question.
5. Each hourly employee has a wage for the job he/she performs, and a wage is a product of
hours worked and the hourly rate. In a class diagram, wage would be modeled as
a. attribute of class HourlyEmployee
b. class belonging to the association between classes HourlyEmployee and Job.
c. class
d. sub-class of class HourlyEmployee
C, involves definitions and comparisons (definitions of class as a set of attributes, sub-class,
association, association class; differentiation from concepts of attribute, sub-class, association
class).