Learning from C++ Juniors' Mistakes Case Study

This document is a case study presented at ACCU 2022 that analyzes the coding mistakes made by junior C++ developers. The study aims to identify common errors that occur in a learning environment, particularly those that are surprising and counterintuitive. It outlines the structure of an advanced C++ course and discusses the transition from a demo project to actual exercises. The document details the methodology used to gather data, including a questionnaire sent to students after project submissions. The findings indicate that juniors often make creative mistakes despite having received prior instruction. The case study emphasizes the importance of understanding coding by example and highlights common pitfalls such as not adapting examples to specific needs, choosing inappropriate examples, and failing to test external code snippets. The conclusions drawn from the study suggest improvements in teaching methods, mentoring practices, and code review processes to better support junior developers.