writing code on paper

hi guys i have a huge problem

i cant write code on paper

actually i can, but im not good at it

this year i took 2 exams on C and C++ programming where i coded using a compiler, I took two A's

but now i took an exam where I thought there would be just theory, not again coding and that's because this is how this exam is called ("theory in programming") well he put 3 problems, each of them wanted us to code a C/C++ program

i had in my mind the algorithm for each problem, but i couldnt write it on paper :(

i think i didn't do well

because i had only 2 sheets of paper, and i needed space for the code, whenever i forgot to declare a variable, i needed to erase the code and rewrite it again, so frustrating

can you please suggest me, any technics, advice etc that would help me learn how to write proper code on paper?

Thanks in advance :)

Learn the language.

Seriously, I can think of 2 reasons you can write code on a compiler properly:
1. You look up everything on the internet, maybe even copy code from others.
2. You compile a lot, the compiler shows you the errors, which you solve.

Well, everybody has "2" more or less. I think it's good practice to compile often, and even experts will make mistakes often enough. But if you use it too much, it will impact your grade.

So you tell use, which of the two is true? Or did you just happen to have a full black-out at the exam? I think you should just learn the language better...

nothing of the above

when i took these 2 exams using a compiler we had no internet access, and no reference with us

i told you why i can hardly write code on paper

and this why im asking for advice

it's not that i dont know the language, it's just the way i use to code in the compiler

for example sometimes when i forget to declare something or make a stupid mistake or need another line, i just go and add it without any problems, well this is a problem when you use just a paper

learn the language better, yes that's true actually, it would help, I mean even if you dont know something, using a compiler is easy to figure it out, but i dont think i didnt know something in this exam, nevrmind thanks for the advice

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for example sometimes when i forget to declare something or make a stupid mistake or need another line, i just go and add it without any problems, well this is a problem when you use just a paper

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-Double space on paper
-Abuse whitespace rules (or lack of them);-You can put all your declarations on one line if it really comes to that
-Does your prof. let you use scratch paper? He probably does. Write out the general structure of the program and list what you need to declare based on that.

Code on paper is a guide, not an answer.

It depends what your professor is after. A demonstration of your thought processes is one thing, a page of syntactically valid code is another.

If it's the former, then forgetting to declare a loop variable, or missing a ; or not quite matching the braces is just fluff. What matters is that you know enough about the problem to express something in code.

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Originally Posted by bernt

-Double space on paper
-Abuse whitespace rules (or lack of them);-You can put all your declarations on one line if it really comes to that
-Does your prof. let you use scratch paper? He probably does. Write out the general structure of the program and list what you need to declare based on that.

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actually no he doesn't, I know it seems weird, but he doesn't give any scratch paper and even if you ask him to give one like one of my class mates did he gave nothing, because he said that the space required is enough

i hope he gets the logic right though, I have the logic correct everywhere, I hope he appreciates that

but anyway, thanks guys for your advice, I will try to work it out, so that next year I will have no more problems related to this

it's all practise I guess, I just never had to write code on paper this year, and this was just too much for me, especially when you wait something more that has to do with theory instead of writing code again

I will practise this summer though and try to get better

thanks for your help ;)

I can't imagine having to write 100% syntactically correct code on paper. Man, I don't even require interview candidates to do that on a whiteboard.

I think Salem has it right that your prof. probably just wants to see that you understand the concepts, algorithms, and in general just wants to see your thought process. Syntax is just sugar and I cannot imagine getting graded on pure syntax.

I hate interview coding tests where you have to code in pencil. Ugh. You have my sympathies.

i hope it is like this, i will just wait and see

the problem is that it's not just me, i ve asked many students and all are very dissapointed with the exercises, because we expected to have plain theory, with small coding exercises that require to create simple functions, show what the result is for example you have an exercise with pointers etc functions and show what the results would be

usually this is what he puts in these kind of exams, we already had coded using a compiler and took grades for that, and we were just expecting theory, and this is what we get again

maybe wrong syntax is ok, but at least it would be good if he specified what he really wanted

but nevermind, this has already passed, i will just try to prepare myself better for the next time

Coding on paper is brutal. Sorry, dood :(

I don't mind coding on the whiteboard for interviews. I think it's better because I can think out loud, and it's usually the thought process that gets me the job.

Just leave lot's of space between lines.

They don't really care about syntax anyways. Everyone knows the syntax. I usually go half C half pseudo-code even. Probably not a good idea on tests, though.