Module 5: Portfolio & Specialization Assessment: Mistake Clinic

This clinic turns wrong moves into reusable judgment. Use it after each practice page and again before the quiz or checkpoint.

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Module-Specific Mistake Radar

Start with these traps. Replace or extend them with real mistakes from your own work.

Mistake to look for	Where it shows up	Symptom	Repair evidence
Finishing Case Study Writing Lab with only a final answer	Case Study Writing Lab	The work has no failed case, trace, test, proof gap, or design stress point.	Add the smallest broken example and show the repair that changes the result.
Finishing Portfolio Packaging Workshop with only a final answer	Portfolio Packaging Workshop	The work has no failed case, trace, test, proof gap, or design stress point.	Add the smallest broken example and show the repair that changes the result.
Finishing Specialization Decision Clinic with only a final answer	Specialization Decision Clinic	The work has no failed case, trace, test, proof gap, or design stress point.	Add the smallest broken example and show the repair that changes the result.
Finishing Defense Katas with only a final answer	Defense Katas	The work has no failed case, trace, test, proof gap, or design stress point.	Add the smallest broken example and show the repair that changes the result.
Treating Structure of a Strong Capstone Write-Up as vocabulary instead of a tool	Structure of a Strong Capstone Write-Up	The explanation names the concept but cannot decide between two cases.	Write one example, one non-example, and the rule that separates them.
Treating What To Show, What To Cut as vocabulary instead of a tool	What To Show, What To Cut	The explanation names the concept but cannot decide between two cases.	Write one example, one non-example, and the rule that separates them.

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Practice Mistake Checks

Pull any miss from these checks into your mistake log.

Case Study Writing Lab

Source: practice/01-case-study-writing-lab.md

For each statement, identify the error:

1. "I'll open the case study with the architecture, because it's the most interesting part."
2. "The more diagrams, the better -- I'll include six."
3. "I'll mention every framework I used so nothing gets missed."
4. "I don't need a 'tradeoffs' section because I made the right choices."

Portfolio Packaging Workshop

Source: practice/02-portfolio-packaging-workshop.md

For each, identify the error:

1. "I'll pin my ten best repos so reviewers see my range."
2. "I just added a tests/ folder last week; that should do it."
3. "My profile README is cool -- it has an animated typing banner and all my tech icons."
4. "The project isn't finished, but I'll pin it anyway to signal I'm working on something big."

Specialization Decision Clinic

Source: practice/03-specialization-decision-clinic.md

For each, identify the error:

1. "I'll pick the highest-market track -- the others will sort themselves out."
2. "My 12-month plan has 14 objectives; I'm ambitious."
3. "I rated myself 4 in distributed because I watched a great talk about Raft."
4. "The plan doesn't need artifacts -- they'll emerge naturally from the work."

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Repair Protocol

For each real mistake:

1. Reproduce the failure on the smallest example, trace, proof, query, command, or design sketch.
2. Name the hidden assumption.
3. Repair the artifact.
4. Save evidence that changed: failing then passing test, corrected proof step, revised diagram, safer command, benchmark, or review note.
5. Add one retrieval card beginning with Check... before... or Do not use... when....

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Mistake Log

Date	Mistake	Symptom	Root cause	Repair evidence	Retrieval card
Starter	Pick one radar row above	Explain how it would fail in this module	Name the assumption	Add a counterexample or corrected artifact	Write the card before closing the page

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Completion Standard

• At least five real mistakes are logged.
• At least two mistakes include a counterexample or failing test.
• At least one mistake connects to an older semester skill.
• At least one correction changes code, a proof, a diagram, a command transcript, a query, or a design decision.