Every piece of graded work in the course, what it is worth, and when it is due.
Assessment#
There are three pieces of graded work, weighted 20/30/50. Each one matches a stage of the course. Deal Autopsy is about seeing one real promotion clearly. Beat the Shopping Cart is about calculating what a messy cart really costs. Build a Buying Engine is the final task: build a tool or model that gives advice and explains it. The later tasks are worth more because they use more of the course.
| Assessment | Stage | Main evidence | What changes from the previous task |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deal Autopsy | SEE | One real promotion, its claim, source, reference price and restrictions | Students stop treating the sale badge as evidence by itself. |
| Beat the Shopping Cart | CALCULATE | A shopping cart, rule sheet, option table and true-cost comparison | Students move from reading one claim to working through several rules at once. |
| Build a Buying Engine | DECIDE | A working tool or model, example runs and a written explanation of assumptions | Students turn the semester into advice they can defend. |
Across all three assessments, marks come from clear reasoning. A lower number is not enough: students must show what they counted, what they left out, and why their final judgement follows.
Assessment 1 — Deal Autopsy
Pick one real promotion and show, with evidence, whether it is actually a good deal.
Due 21 August 2026 · Weight: 20%
Assessment 2 — Beat the Shopping Cart
A constrained shopping scenario with thresholds, coupons, exclusions and bundles. Find the best plan without buying extra things just to chase a discount.
Due 25 September 2026 · Weight: 30%
Assessment 3 — Build a Buying Engine
The final project. Build a small buying tool that explains its advice instead of just outputting a number.
Due 23 October 2026 · Weight: 50%