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7-Day Study Schedule for the AIOS Midterm

Exam date: Friday, May 29, 2026 at 11:00–13:00 Location: EDUC-BETA (Rupert D for extra time) Format: 9 essay questions, 2 hours, laptops provided

Use the site as your base. Use the source PDFs and the actual papers as the check that you understand the material. Drill flashcards at the end of each day.

Keep the same loop all week: 1. Read one lecture summary 2. Skim the matching slide PDF in source/ 3. Close notes and write the core argument from memory 4. Drill that lecture's flashcards

Day 1 - Friday, May 22 (start day)

  • Read lecture_08_synthesis.md first — it tells you what the exam looks like (includes the in-class mock Van Rooij showed)
  • Read lecture_01_intro_and_ios.md: Open Society (4 elements), Institutions (formal/informal), IOS framework (3 pillars / 15 platforms), Elliott et al. 2021 (TRUST + CDR)
  • Skim AIOS_lecture_intro_2026_DvR.pdf and AIOS_lecture8_summary_2026_DvR.pdf in source/
  • Write from memory: the four-level scaling framework (cognition → psychology → networks → society)
  • Flashcards: L1 + L8

Checkpoint: you can name the three IOS pillars and the four-level scaling framework without notes.

Day 2 - Saturday, May 23 (methodological half)

Checkpoint: you can sketch Coleman's bathtub on paper and explain what each arrow means.

Day 3 - Sunday, May 24 (thematic half)

Checkpoint: you can list Grimmelikhuijsen & Meijer's six threats and the calibrated-response idea.

Day 4 - Monday, May 25 (read the actual papers)

  • Source the Elliott et al. 2021 (L1) PDF from UU library and skim TRUST + CDR
  • Source Palada et al. 2016 (L2) and skim the workload-ATC setup + LBA fits
  • Source Grimmelikhuijsen & Meijer 2022 (L7) and read fully — there are no slides
  • Source van der Vegt et al. 2023 (L5) and skim the "proceed with caution" argument
  • Re-read any lecture summary that felt thin yesterday
  • Light flashcard pass on weak spots

Checkpoint: you can quote at least one specific finding from each of the four papers above.

Day 5 - Tuesday, May 26 (flashcard day)

  • All ~90 flashcards in one session, no notes
  • List the cards you missed → re-read just those summary sections
  • Second flashcard pass, only on the missed cards
  • Re-read lecture_08_synthesis.md — it's the closest preview of the exam

Checkpoint: you get >85% of the flashcards right on the first pass.

Day 6 - Wednesday, May 27 (mock exam under timed conditions)

  • Sit the mock exam with a 2-hour timer, no notes, laptop only (mirror exam conditions)
  • Self-grade against the answer outlines and marking hints
  • Identify the 2-3 weakest questions → write the model answer from memory after re-reading the source
  • Light flashcard pass on whatever the mock exposed

Checkpoint: you have a clear list of which lectures/papers need targeted review tomorrow.

Day 7 - Thursday, May 28 (targeted review + light evening)

  • Targeted re-read of yesterday's weak spots only — don't try to re-cover everything
  • Re-read lecture_08_synthesis.md once more — Van Rooij's in-class mock is the closest preview you have
  • One quick flashcard pass
  • Pack laptop + charger + ID. Set alarm. Stop studying by ~20:00.
  • Sleep early — the exam is at 11:00, not the afternoon

Checkpoint: you've stopped studying by evening and you trust the prep.

Day 8 - Friday, May 29 (Exam Day)

  • Arrive 15 min early at EDUC-BETA
  • Read all 9 questions first before writing anything — plan time allocation (~13 min/question)
  • Start with the questions you know best — bank easy points first
  • If stuck on one, move on and come back
  • Keep one eye on the clock — never let one essay eat someone else's time