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mike-snhu edited this page Aug 15, 2026 · 1 revision

Assignment Problems and Support

Programming assignments can involve several systems at once: your repository, VS Code, Python, Git, GitHub, D2L Brightspace, and course feedback tools.

When something goes wrong, first identify what you were trying to do, what you expected, and what actually happened.

You do not need to know the cause before asking for help.

First: Identify the Type of Problem

Use this table to choose where to start.

Problem Start Here
Assignment requirement, rubric, due date, grading, accommodation, or feedback Your instructor in D2L Brightspace
Cannot find or understand a provided Module Two file Current repository README and this wiki
name_age.py does not run or gives wrong output Construct/Test README and Testing and Debugging
Provided automated test reports a failure Test README and SRS
Provided repository file, link, or tool appears broken Module Two GitHub Issues
Question about using the Module Two repository Module Two GitHub Discussions
Git/GitHub workflow problem Top-level assignment README and Git and GitHub During the Assignment
Course IDE setup/configuration problem Module One Setup Problems and Support
D2L Brightspace submission problem D2L instructions and your instructor

I Cannot Find a File

Start with the complete path given in the instructions.

For example:

Part-A/src/name_age.py

means:

  1. Open Part-A.
  2. Open src.
  3. Open name_age.py.

Do not search only by the filename when several folders contain similarly named files such as README.md.

The top-level repository structure is shown in:

https://github.com/GC-STEM/it140-m2-assignment

If a provided file is actually missing from a fresh repository created from the current course template, report that as a technical repository problem.

I Am Not Sure Which File to Edit

For Module Two, student work is limited to:

  • Part-A/name_age_sdw.md
  • Part-A/src/name_age.py
  • Part-B/ide_features.md

The top-level README explains which of those files are working files and which are deliverables.

Leave provided READMEs, requirements, designs, diagrams, pseudocode, and test files unchanged unless the current instructions explicitly tell you otherwise.

See Understanding the Assignment Documents.

My Program Will Not Run

Return to the Construct instructions:

https://github.com/GC-STEM/it140-m2-assignment/blob/main/Part-A/src/README.md

Check:

  • Did you change only the lines the instructions allow you to change?
  • Is code inside main() still indented correctly?
  • Do quotation marks match?
  • Do parentheses match?
  • Are names spelled consistently?
  • Did you remove or damage any provided structure?
  • Does VS Code show a useful message in the Problems panel?
  • What does the Python error message say?

Correct one problem at a time.

See Testing and Debugging.

My Program Runs but the Output Is Wrong

A program that runs is not necessarily a correct program.

Compare your result with:

  1. The SRS requirement
  2. The expected output format
  3. The provided design
  4. The related acceptance test case

SRS:

https://github.com/GC-STEM/it140-m2-assignment/blob/main/Part-A/analysis/name_age_srs.md

Do not change the requirement to match your current output.

Trace the behavior:

Requirement → Design → Code → Test

Then correct the code that implements that behavior.

My Local Automated Tests Do Not Pass

Use the Test README:

https://github.com/GC-STEM/it140-m2-assignment/blob/main/Part-A/tests/README.md

If the result is FAIL:

  • Identify which test failed.
  • Read the corresponding acceptance case in the SRS.
  • Correct name_age.py.
  • Do not edit test_name_age.py to force a pass.

If the result is ERROR:

  • Follow the Test README's environment and file-location checks.
  • Confirm the provided files remain in their original locations.
  • Confirm you did not modify the test file.

The local tests are optional and supplement the course feedback process.

VS Code Shows an Error or Warning

Read the message before changing code.

Ask:

  1. Which file is the message about?
  2. Which line is involved?
  3. Is that line one the assignment allows me to change?
  4. Does the message describe a syntax problem, style concern, or another issue?
  5. Does the program actually run?
  6. What do the assignment requirements say?

Some provided source structure uses concepts you have not studied yet.

Do not rewrite unfamiliar course-provided code simply because it looks advanced.

Git or GitHub Is Not Working

Start with the exact workflow in the top-level assignment README:

https://github.com/GC-STEM/it140-m2-assignment

Common questions include:

  • Am I signed into the correct GitHub account?
  • Am I in the correct local repository?
  • Does git status show my expected changes?
  • Did the commit succeed?
  • Did the push succeed?
  • Am I looking at my personal repository rather than the public course template?

See Git and GitHub During the Assignment for the concepts behind the workflow.

My Repository Is Missing or Damaged

Do not immediately delete your folders or GitHub repository.

The assignment README provides recovery options that preserve the existing copy before creating or cloning another one.

Use:

https://github.com/GC-STEM/it140-m2-assignment#reset-your-assignment-repository

Choose the option that matches the situation:

  • Restore a good personal GitHub copy to the local computer
  • Start over from the original course template

If you are unsure which copy contains your latest work, stop before deleting anything and ask for help.

My Course IDE Is Not Working

Module Two assumes that you completed the Module One Setup Tasks.

If the problem is with the environment itself rather than the assignment files, use the setup support resources:

https://github.com/GC-STEM/it140-m1-setup-tasks/wiki/Setup-Problems-and-Support

Examples include:

  • VS Code will not start
  • Python is unavailable
  • Git or GitHub CLI is missing
  • A course extension is missing
  • The CVD is not configured
  • A local course IDE no longer verifies correctly

If a supported local environment is blocking your coursework, the CVD remains the course reference environment.

I Am Not Sure What the Assignment Is Asking

Use the sources in this order:

  1. Module Two Assignment Guidelines and Rubric in D2L Brightspace — official assignment requirements, grading, and submission.
  2. Top-level Module Two repository README — repository setup and workflow.
  3. Part A or Part B README — step-by-step activity guidance.
  4. Phase README — Analyze, Design, Construct, or Test instructions.
  5. SRS/SDD/SDW and other provided artifacts — technical details for the current phase.
  6. Wiki — supplemental explanation.

If two sources appear to conflict, do not guess which requirement to follow. Contact your instructor and identify the conflicting sections.

I Have a Question About Grading

Contact your instructor through D2L Brightspace.

GitHub Issues and Discussions are not the grading system.

Questions about the following belong with your instructor:

  • Rubric interpretation
  • Grades
  • Instructor feedback
  • Deadlines
  • Late work
  • Resubmissions
  • Accommodations
  • Academic-policy questions
  • What must be submitted

Ask a Repository Question

Use Module Two GitHub Discussions for repository-related questions when appropriate.

Before posting:

  1. Search for a similar discussion.
  2. Give the file or README section you are using.
  3. Describe what you are trying to do.
  4. Describe what you expected.
  5. Describe what happened.

Do not post your complete graded solution.

Report a Technical Repository Problem

Use Module Two GitHub Issues for problems with provided course materials or tools.

Useful examples include:

  • Broken link
  • Missing provided file
  • Incorrect repository path
  • Starter file problem
  • Provided test problem
  • Course tool behavior that prevents following the instructions

Before reporting, collect:

  • CVD, Windows, macOS, or Linux
  • README section or step
  • File path
  • Exact command, if applicable
  • What you expected
  • What happened
  • Complete error message
  • Troubleshooting already attempted
  • Screenshot when useful

Protect Your Private Information

Before posting a screenshot, command output, error message, or log, check it for private information.

Do not post:

  • Passwords
  • Authentication or verification codes
  • GitHub personal access tokens
  • Recovery codes
  • Student identification numbers
  • Private contact information
  • Other credentials or secrets
  • Complete solutions to graded assignments

If you are unsure whether something is safe to share, ask your instructor first.

Using AI for Troubleshooting

An AI assistant can help explain an error message or describe a technical concept.

For more useful help, provide information such as:

  • The exact error
  • The relevant small code section
  • What you expected
  • What happened
  • What you already tried

Do not ask an AI tool to replace work the assignment specifically requires you to complete in your own words.

If AI assistance contributes to your submitted work, follow the current assignment and SNHU acknowledgement and citation guidance.

See Sources, Citations, and AI Use.

Support Links

IT 140 Module Two Assignment

Assignment Links

Help and Course Resources

Clone this wiki locally