Semester 0 Common Failure Modes
Use this page during weekly review and before the checkpoint gate. These are the ways a learner can appear busy while still failing the semester's real intent.
Failure Mode Table
| Failure mode | Repair evidence |
|---|---|
| Collecting vocabulary without being able to explain it through examples. | Add one concrete artifact proving the opposite: a trace, test, proof, benchmark, review note, or decision record. |
| Mistaking friendly introductions for durable understanding. | Add one concrete artifact proving the opposite: a trace, test, proof, benchmark, review note, or decision record. |
| Skipping small programs because the ideas feel obvious. | Add one concrete artifact proving the opposite: a trace, test, proof, benchmark, review note, or decision record. |
| Failing to connect clean-code habits to future project reviewability. | Add one concrete artifact proving the opposite: a trace, test, proof, benchmark, review note, or decision record. |
Weekly Review Prompt
At the end of each week, answer these in writing:
- Which failure mode was most tempting this week?
- What evidence shows you avoided or repaired it?
- What will you change in next week's study plan?
- Which older semester skill did this weakness depend on?
Do Not Advance If
- you can only describe the topic using resource titles rather than examples
- your artifact has no tests, traces, diagrams, or written reasoning
- you cannot explain the hardest mistake you corrected
- your checkpoint answers depend heavily on copied notes or solution videos