Degree Project - CN3070 Handbook 2013-14

Undergraduate Double Computing Projects Module Handbook 2013/14 CN3070

FTMS College, Malaysia pg. 1

MODULE HANDBOOK 2013/14

CN3070 Double Computing Projects

Module Leader Riyaz Ahamed A.H. Rev: July 31, 2013



Contents

1.0 Module Summary ............................................. 3 2.0 Module Details 2.1 Module Introduction ............................................. 4 2.2 Module Aims ............................................. 4 2.3 Lecture Schedule ............................................. 5 2.4 Assessment ............................................. 9 2.5 Feedback ............................................. 11 2.6 Reassessment ............................................. 11 3.0 Final Year Undergraduate Computing Projects ............................................. 11 3.1 The Requirements of Final Year Undergraduate ............................................. 11 Computing Projects 3.2 The Project Proposal ............................................. 12 3.3 Project Aim and Objectives ............................................. 13 3.4 Project Planning ............................................. 15 3.5 Maximising the use of your time with your ............................................. 17 Project Supervisor 3.6 Additional Support for Project Students ............................................. 17 3.7 Referencing your work ............................................. 18 3.8 Submitting your written work ............................................. 19 3.9 Conducting ethical research ............................................. 22 3.10 Client-based Project ............................................. 22 4.0 Appendices ............................................. 24 4.1 Appendix A ............................................. 25 4.2 Appendix B ............................................. 26 4.3 Appendix C ............................................. 31 4.4 Appendix D ............................................. 32 4.5 Appendix E ............................................. 34 4.6 Appendix F ............................................. 35



1. Module Summary

Module Title CN3070 Project Module Leaders Riyaz Ahamed

Ext : 241 Email : [email protected]

Learning Outcomes At the end of this module, students will be able to: Knowledge 1. Select and apply appropriate research and development

methodologies, tools and techniques 2. Demonstrate a sound knowledge and understanding of the

subject area to which their project pertains Thinking skills 3. Frame a research topic and develop a project proposal 4. Critically reflect on the ethical, legal, and social

considerations of a chosen project topic 5. Constructively critique both the research of others and

their own project work Subject-based practical skills 6. Construct a literature review and analyse the problem

domain to which the project relates Skills for life and work (general skills) 7. Deliver a presentation on a chosen project topic 8. Demonstrate a proven ability to organise, manage, and

document a sizeable piece of independent academic work. Assessment A 7,500 word project report (including

literature review) and a 1,000 word Personal Development Plan

LOs 1-6, 8 85%

A 15 min live demonstration and poster LO 7 15% Schedule Lectures

Tutorials Essential and background reading, tutorial preparation, research activities, practical work, report production and assessment preparation Total:

24 hours 24 hours 352 hours 400 hours

Essential Reading Dawson, C. W. (2009) Projects in Computing and Information Systems: A Students Guide. 2nd edn. Harlow, Essex: Pearson Education.

Recommended Reading

Cottrell, S. (2011) Critical Thinking Skills: Developing Effective Analysis and Argument. 2nd edn. Basingstoke: Palgrave-Macmillan.

Denzin, N. K. and Lincoln, Y. S. (2008) The Landscape of Qualitative Research. 3rd edn. London: SAGE.

Murray, N. and Hughes, G. (2008) Writing Up Your University Assignments and Research Projects: A Practical Handbook. Maidenhead, UK: Open University Press



Pears, R. and Shields, G. (2010) Cite Them Right: The Essential Referencing Guide. 8th edn. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

2. Module Details

2.1 Module Introduction

This document details the requirements for the double project for undergraduate computing programmes and is relevant to the following programmes: BSc Business Information Systems (single and major honours) BSc Computer Networks (single and major honours) BSc Software Engineering (single and major honours) Final year undergraduate computing projects are a 40 credit, two semester learning experience.

2.2 Module Aims

To enable students to: Develop sound knowledge of good research and professional practices Develop an awareness of the ethical and legal issues relating to the

development of a sizeable computing project Plan and prepare for the construction of a computing project Apply academic and technical skills and techniques acquired throughout their

undergraduate studies

To provide students with the opportunity to pursue individual study in depth in a

subject relevant to their chosen programme

a. Teaching and Learning Methods This module is a student driven learning experience directed by the module tutors. The lectures will introduce students to the key aspects of level 3 project work including the identification of relevant research topics, how to carry out a literature review, suitable research methods, legal and ethical issues, project management and academic writing and presentation skills.

b. Module Schedule

The table below summarises the key project milestones and deadlines. For further details of each milestone or deadline, please see the course work question.



Week

Activity Comment

1 Introduction to the module and staff Overview of assessment process Introduction to selection of project areas

2-5 Literature Review, Research methods. Refining of student project proposal

Lectorials followed by practical activities to identify a project area and specific aspects of interest. Students will produce 2 project proposals and discuss with tutors relevant aims and objectives, iterating this process until a project proposal is framed.

6 Present Project proposal and PDP Review of student progress against feedback from presentation

Students present and submit proposal, initial project plan, supporting bibliography and supporting research. 0% of final mark. Review student progression on project. Review project plan. Report of preliminary research findings.

7-10 Student progress review Individual project tutorials reviewing student progression on project research (including any practical activities).

11 Presentation of work to date Non Contributory interim review of initial work (Objective, Problem statement, Literature review and Research Methodology)

12-16 Student progress review Individual project tutorials reviewing student progression on project research (including any practical activities).

17-18 Evaluation and finalisation of project documentation.

Write up of project documentation with evaluation. Students meet with tutor for individual project tutorials.

19 Interim Presentation of project

Presentation of project to tutors and peers for feedback on project.

21 Submission of project portfolio

85% of project mark

23 Demonstration session 15% of project mark



2.3 Lecture Schedule Weeks 1-2

Topic Introduction to the Final Year Undergraduate Computing Project and setting of Project Aims and Objectives

Lecture Content

These lectures will provide an introduction to and outline of the final year undergraduate computing project and explain how the modules which form a part of it relate to each other.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this topic, you should be able to: Identify the requirements of the final year project. Write an initial project proposal for a suitable final year

project.

Essential Reading

This Handbook. Dawson, Chaps. 1

Week 3

Topic Introduction to Research and Research Methods

Lecture Content

This lecture will outline the principles, characteristics and process of research and identify the various research methods relevant to computing.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this topic, you should be able to: Distinguish between what is and what is not research. Identify the characteristics of good research. Outline the research process and methods used therein. Identify the circumstances in which you would apply each of

the methods to computing research. Essential Reading

Dawson, Chaps. 2 & 3

Week 4

Topic Literature Reviews

Lecture Content

This lecture presents a rationale for literature reviewing and identifies the various factors to consider when reviewing a piece of literature.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this topic, you should be able to: Answer the questions What is a literature review? and Why

is it important? Demonstrate a clear understanding of what questions to ask in

order to review a piece of literature. Distinguish between the types of literature that can be

reviewed. Identify the main factors to consider when reviewing a piece of

literature in the context of the final year project.

Essential Reading

Dawson, Chap. 5



Week 5

Topic Use of Electronic Sources

Lecture Content

This lecture will identify the various electronic sources and journals available for research purposes, how they can be found, how they should be used and how they compare with printed sources and journals.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this topic, you should be able to: Identify the various electronic sources and journals relevant to

computing research. Locate these electronic sources and journals and use them. Explain the differences between electronic and printed sources

and journals. Essential Reading

Dawson, pps. 98 - 101

Week 6

Topic Presenting Your Project Proposal

Lecture Content

This lecture will identify the key ingredients of a successful presentation of a project proposal.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this topic, you should be able to: Identify the key elements of a successful presentation. Structure a presentation appropriately. Prepare suitable materials for a presentation. Plan and prepare your presentation for this module.

Essential Reading

Dawson, Chap. 9

Week 7

Topic Plagiarism and Referencing

Lecture Content

This lecture will introduce students to the issues relating to plagiarism and appropriate referencing.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this topic, you should be able to: Show understanding of what it means to have plagiarised. Identify the effects of plagiarism. Reference your own work appropriately.

Essential Reading

Dawson, Chap. 8.5



Week 8

Topic Legal and Ethical Issues

Lecture Content

This lecture will provide an insight into why legal and ethical issues should be considered when carrying out a piece of research.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this topic, you should be able to Demonstrate an awareness of the reasons for considering legal

and ethical issues when embarking on a piece of research. Discuss specific legal and ethical issues that should be

considered when carrying out a piece research. Identify the legal and ethical issues relevant to your project.

Essential Reading

Dawson, pps. 48 50 & Section 10.3

Week 9

Topic Project Management for Final Year Projects

Lecture Content

This lecture will introduce students to the tools and techniques available to them for the management of their final year projects.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this topic, you should be able to Prepare a detailed plan for the remainder of your project. Select tools appropriate for the management of your final year

project. Essential Reading

Dawson, Chaps. 4 & 7

Week 10

Topic Personal Development Planning for the Final Year Project Lecture Content

This lecture will introduce students to the role of personal development planning within the final year project.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this topic, you should be able to Reflect upon your learning, performance and achievements

within the context of the final year project. Articulate your project development needs and evaluate

progress towards their achievement. Plan for your personal development in the context of the final

year project. Essential Reading

Dawson, pps. 40 41 and 156 157



2.4 Assessment

The assessment of this module consists of a number of components:

Initial Project Proposal Finalised Project Proposal Personal Development Plan Presentation of Project Proposal and Personal Development Plan Interim Presentation (Week 11) Interim Presentation (week 19) Project Report Demonstration

To pass this module, you must achieve an overall mark of 40% and a minimum mark of 30% in each of the two assessment components: Project Report; and a Poster Session and Live Demonstration.

For details of dates for submission and weightage of assessment components please see course work question.

2.4.1 Assessment Requirements 2.4.1.1 Initial Project Proposal

Please see appendix A for details

2.4.1.2 Finalised Project Proposal

Please see appendix B for details

2.4.1.3 Personal Development Plan Length of plan: 1,000 words Purpose:

To provide you with an opportunity to assess your skills / knowledge in the context of your project.

Content: Your plan should include the following:

An identification and brief explanation of the skills / knowledge that are required to fulfil the aim and objectives of your project and which you already possess.

An identification and brief explanation of the skills / knowledge that are required to fulfil the aim and objectives of your project but which you do not already possess.



An identification of the actions that you need to take in order to acquire the skills / knowledge that you need.

2.4.1.4 Presentation of Project Proposal and Personal Development Plan

Please see course work question for details

2.4.1.5 Interim Presentation (Week 11)

Please see course work question for details 2.4.1.6 Interim Presentation (week 19)


2.4.1.7 Project Report

Please see section 3.8 and the course work question for details. Content:

The overall structure of your report should be consistent with the guidelines in Section 3. The structure of the main body should reflect the objectives contained within the final version of your project proposal. Typically, you will have one section or chapter in your report for each of the objectives in your proposal. You will need to include a discussion of literature review / research methods; a discussion of ethical issues; details on the selection of tools, methods, and techniques used; details on the analysis, design, implementation, and verification of the practical component; and your evaluations and conclusions. The example below illustrates how the main body of the report might be structured

Section 1 - Introduction This gives an introduction to the project, the real world problem that you are trying to solve and why you are undertaking it i.e. your rationale. It also contains your project proposal Section 2 Literature Review topics This gives a critique of the literature that you examined and concludes with the factors that should be taken into account in your practical. Section 3 Legal, Ethical, and Social issues This section examines the legal, ethical, and social factors that are relevant to your project and concludes with the factors that should be taken into account in your practical Section 4 Selection of tools, techniques, and methods Here you summarise the tools, techniques, and methods that you will use in the construction of your project and practical and justify their selection. Section 5 Practical Here you use the methods, tools, and techniques to perform an analysis, design, implementation and verification of the practical component of your project



Section 6 Evaluation and Conclusion Here you evaluate your work in terms of relevance of the literature reviewed, the product produced, and how you undertook the project. You conclude as to your overall success and discuss future considerations.

2.4.1.8 Demonstration


2.5 Feedback

You are entitled to receive feedback relating to each component of your assessment. Feedback to the Majority of assessment components will be given by the project tutor through the use of the course work question. Feedback on the project report and presentation will be provided by the module leader within a maximum of 4 working weeks from the date of submission. You will be advised of the dates, times and venues of these feedback sessions via FTMS Website. If you are unable to attend these feedback sessions, you should contact the module leader who will arrange a separate meeting for you.

2.6 Reassessment

If you do not pass the module at the first opportunity, you will need to resubmit the entire project report and poster

3. Final Year Undergraduate Computing Projects

3.1 The requirements of final year undergraduate computing projects

You may choose your own topic as the basis of your project. Alternatively, you can choose one of the topics/projects suggested by members of supervisor assigned for the CN3070 module. If you are interested in a staff project, you should contact the relevant member of staff at the earliest opportunity. Staff projects will normally be allocated to students on a first-come, first-served basis. There is no guarantee therefore that you will be allocated your chosen project. Whether you choose your own topic or a staff project, there are a number of conditions attached to your choice:

Your project must contain both a theoretical and a practical component. In

other words, you must either

Research your chosen topic, identify a problem and then develop a solution to that problem or

Identify a practical component that you wish to build, then research into how that product should be built.



Your project must be consistent with the aims and learning outcomes of the particular programme you are studying e.g. if you are a Software Engineering student then your project must contain some software engineering!

Your project must involve the solution of a problem by the application of information technology. The problem should meet a real need in a wider context. You will need to analyse the problem and design and implement one or more solutions using a systematic approach and appropriate tools and techniques.

Your project must involve topics/issues that are appropriate to level 3 study. Projects which involve little more than the application of level 1 skills e.g. the development of a basic Access database or the creation of static HTML web pages, are not appropriate.

Your project should contain an element of originality. You should not be repeating the work of others or trying to solve a problem which has been solved before unless you are going about it in a new or novel way.

You must critically evaluate both product and process i.e. the solutions that you have produced and the methods, tools and techniques that you have used to produce them.

Your project must be feasible in terms of time, resources and the skills at your disposal but nevertheless should be challenging and provide opportunities for advancing your knowledge and expanding your skills set.

You must have access to the facilities you will need to undertake your project. It is pointless attempting something which requires resources which neither you nor the college is in a position to provide. Your project tutor will be able to advise you regarding the availability of college resources.

If your project involves the development of a system, application or software artefact for a client then that client must i) give his/her written consent to the project, ii) guarantee to provide you with access to the necessary resources including his/her time and iii) provide some form of evaluation of your work which can be documented in your final project report. Please note that it is not appropriate for you to fulfil the role of both client and developer. For more information regarding client-based projects, please see Section 3.10.

Whatever topic you choose as the basis of your project, it should be something that interests you. This is more a suggestion than a requirement. However, you will find it very difficult to maintain your enthusiasm over the period of the two semesters, if you choose a topic that does not particularly inspire you or does not scratch a personal itch.

3.2 The Project Proposal

Every project student is allocated a project supervisor. Before allocation can take place, you must submit an initial project proposal. The purpose of the initial proposal is to identify the aim of your project and the rationale for undertaking it. A initial proposal is needed for a number of reasons:

So that we know roughly what it is that you are trying to achieve, why you are

trying to achieve it and that it is appropriate for a final year project. So that we can allocate you a suitably qualified supervisor. So that you know roughly what it is that you are trying to achieve and, hence,

you can start to plan your time.



You must submit your initial proposal during week 3. All initial proposals should be submitted to module leader. An electronic copy of the template for the initial proposal is available for download from FTMS Website and is shown in Appendix A of this document. Please ensure that you use this when submitting your initial proposal.

Your initial proposal should contain the following:

Your programme name The current year and semester Your student number The proposed title of your project The proposed aim of your project The proposed objectives of your project The rationale for your project Suggested project tutor(s) (this is optional)

Every effort will be made to ensure that you are allocated (one of) your suggested project supervisors. Writing an initial proposal is a difficult task. Whilst you will have a couple more weeks to finalise your proposal with your project tutor, it is nevertheless very important that the initial proposal clearly identifies your topic of interest and what you hope to achieve during your project. If you are having difficulty writing your initial proposal, please discuss your ideas with a member of staff who teaches the module or, alternatively, with a project tutor who, ideally, teaches on your particular programme. Before you submit your initial proposal, you should read the sample final project proposals in Appendix B. Shortly after its submission, a preliminary assessment of your initial proposal will be made. Please note that this preliminary assessment is informal and does not contribute to your project marks.

3.3 Project Aim and Objectives

By the end of week 5 you must produce, in conjunction with your supervision, a final version of your project proposal. This final version must contain both the aim and objectives. Your aim should be succinct, i.e. no more than two short sentences, and should contain a statement of what you want to have achieved by the end of your project. Your objectives should state how you intend to achieve your aims i.e. the deliverables required. The number of objectives that your proposal should contain is not fixed and will depend upon what you consider to be appropriate. However, it is good practice to have deliverables that cover the literature review/ research part, the practical part, and the evaluation part of the project. If you find it difficult constructing your aim and objectives, try working backwards. Start by asking yourself What do I want to achieve? Then ask yourself How do I achieve it? The following example might be instructive.



Step 1 Imagine that you were interested in Linux and its viability as a desktop operating system. Your project aim might therefore be to assess the viability of Linux as a desktop operating system. It is worth noting at this point that, if your aim was to assess the viability of desktop Linux, you should reach some conclusion at the end of your project about the viability of desktop Linux. Whether you conclude that it is, is not or may be viable is actually less important than the fact that you do reach some conclusions, you document those conclusions and that you base them on evidence presented in your project. If you do not do so then you have not done what you said you would do and this will be reflected in our assessment of your work! Step 2 Having decided that your aim is to assess the viability of desktop Linux, you must now decide how you would do that assessment. There are potentially many ways in which an assessment could be performed but you would certainly need some assessment criteria (or critical success factors (CSFs) as they might be referred to in this instance) against which Linux could be assessed. Your criteria would depend, to large extent, on your definition of a desktop operating system. Having devised a set of criteria or CSFs, you would then need to evaluate Linux against those CSFs and draw key points from this process yields the following initial objectives:

To define the term desktop operating system and to identify the factors (CSFs)

critical to the successful adoption of a desktop operating system. To evaluate Linux against the CSFs To draw conclusions about the viability of desktop Linux based on the

evaluation

The above objectives are a good start but some (particularly the first two) are too high level and hence it would be difficult to construct a project plan around them. They need further decomposition so that actual tasks and deliverables can be clearly identified and allocated to appropriate modules.

Step 3 How could the first two objectives be further refined? In the case of the first objective, an understanding of the term desktop operating system requires an understanding of the differences between a desktop and server-based operating system. You would therefore need to identify and explain the differences between a desktop and server-based operating system before you can establish a working definition of a desktop operating system. In the case of the second objective, you would need to devise set experiments which would enable you to evaluate Linux against your CSFs, the most important one of which is arguably usability. Devising suitable usability tests requires knowledge and understanding of usability issues. As part of your experiments, you might also wish to compare Linux against other desktop operating systems such as Windows 7 or Apples OS X. You now have a sufficiently detailed set of objectives in order to write the final



version of your project proposal. See Section a) in Appendix B for details of a project proposal based on this discussion. If you are still having problems expressing the objectives of your project in a clear and focussed manner then try to adapt the following standard template (around which most, if not all projects could be fitted) to your needs: 1. To analyse the problem for which the solution(s) is being sought. 2. To identify and evaluate the tools, techniques and methods that could be used

to develop solution(s) to the stated problem. 3. To establish a set of criteria by which the solution(s) will be evaluated. 4. To implement one or more of the solution(s) and to document the

implementation process. 5. To evaluate the solution(s) against the criteria established in 3. 6. To evaluate the tools, techniques and methods used in the implementation of

the project. 7. To draw conclusions from 5 and 6 and to consider what has been learnt by

carrying out this project. Bear in mind that the initial proposal which you submit during or before week three is a working document, designed to help you get your project started. Over the course of the module, you will need to develop your initial proposal. This development should take account of the preliminary assessment, discussions with your project tutor. Furthermore, as you conduct your research during the module, your understanding of your chosen topic will grow. You may find that the nature of the problem that you are trying to solve is not what you originally thought and this will need to be reflected in an updated project proposal. As your understanding of your chosen topic grows, the precise content of the practical work that you will be carrying out during the module should also become clearer. It is very important to check that the practical work is feasible. If the practical work is not feasible then you may need to amend your original project aim. Whatever changes you make to your initial proposal, your proposal should be finalised and agreed by your project tutor the end of week 5. Any subsequent changes should also be agreed by your project tutor.

3.4 Project Planning

To make the most effective use of your time, you need to draw up a project plan for yourself. This should detail which activities you are going to undertake, when you are going to start them and when you expect to complete them. This plan should take into account factors such as the work load for the other modules that you are studying, holiday periods and the various deadlines specified in both this and your other modules. An assessment pack is also available to guide you in the requirements for specific stages of your project. You should keep this plan up to date, as it will of course need amending over the period of the project.



3.4.1 Finding the Project Activities

The tasks identified in your project plan should be consistent with the objectives in your project proposal since these objectives are essentially your project deliverables. The main activities in the corresponding project plan might look like the following:

Main Activities A. Investigate the differences between desktop and server-based

operating systems. B. Establish a working definition of the term desktop operating system. C. Identify CFS. D. Investigate the concepts of usability and the principles of usability

testing. E. Devise experiments to enable the evaluation of Linux. F. Devise experiments to facilitate comparison of Linux with other

desktop operating systems. G. Conduct the experiments identified in E. H. Conduct the experiments identified in F. I. Write conclusions based on G and H J. Evaluate product and process K. Submit draft project report to supervisor L. Make final amendments to project report M. Submit final version of project report

Most of the main activities will need to be broken down further. For example, activity A could be broken down into the following sub-activities:

AA Review leading operating systems textbooks and journals. AB Write up summary of operating systems review.

Likewise, activity G could be broken down into

GA Set up the experiments identified in E. GB Conduct the experiments identified in E. GC Evaluate the results of the experiments in GB. GD Write up the results of the experiments and their evaluation.

You could continue to develop the activity list in this way until it reaches a level of detail at which it is possible to allocate start dates and durations and to identify dependencies between tasks. However, it is not a good idea to break down activities into too many levels if they will not start for some considerable time. You are free to use whichever project planning tools and techniques you wish. These include work breakdown diagrams, Gantt charts and CPA diagrams. Please note however that, as a minimum, you will be required



to produce an up-to-date version of your project plan, in the form of a Gantt chart, as part of the assessment requirements for the module.

3.5 Maximising the use of your time with your Project Supervisor

Your project is your responsibility! Your project supervisor role is to provide you with academic guidance but not to do your project for you. Your project supervisor is not obliged to chase you if you fail to keep appointments with him/her but there is a strong correlation between attendance at and participation in supervision and a students project mark. Furthermore, if you do not maintain regular contact with your project supervisor during the two semesters you will be withdrawn from the module. Your project supervisor has a maximum of 12 hours over the period of two semesters to supervise you and assess your work. Your time with your project supervisor is limited. It is very important therefore that you make the most of this time. You should come to an agreement with your project supervisor, as to how you could best benefit from his/her academic advice and you should mutually agree the time and date of meetings in advance. Typically, meetings with your project supervisor will take place once a week for 20 minutes. In some cases however, you may prefer to communicate via email or other means. This is acceptable provided that it is by mutual consent and it enables both you and your project supervisor to fulfil your responsibilities in an adequate manner. To make the most effective use of your project supervisor time, you need to have a firm idea of what you wish to achieve during supervision. You will be given an assessment pack that you should get your supervisor to complete during each session with you. You may also wish to complete a record of what was said and requested at the meeting with the project tutor. You can do this on the course work question or as an additional piece of documentation (Appendix C contains a form, also available via FTMS website, which is designed to help you do this). Your supervisor will use the assessment pack to keep an accurate record of your attendance. You need to include copies of this document, and any additional feedback forms, in the documentation that you submit at the end of the project as an appendix to the report. You should make initial contact with your project supervisor as soon as possible but no later than week 4 of teaching by which time allocation of supervisors should be complete. You should take copy of your initial project proposal to the first session with your project supervisor so that s/he can give you feedback.

3.6 Additional Support for Project Students

Extensive use of FTMS website will be made. The FTMS website for the module will contain a variety of information and resources including examples of past projects, project documentation and forms, teaching and learning materials, calendars of important events and coursework deadlines and important news regarding the operation of the modules. You are urged to visit the site on a regular basis to ensure that you keep abreast of important events and to



use the discussion forums to share problems and discuss issues with fellow students.

provide details of/links to useful information that you have found whilst studying this module which would be helpful to other students.

3.7 Referencing Your Work

You are asked to submit a significant piece of written work. You will need to undertake a review of literature. You are encouraged to use the electronic services available in both UEL. Bear in mind however that, in all cases, it is essential that the sources of information that you use are properly referenced. Doing so avoids accusations of plagiarism and enables other people to build upon the work that you have done. The FTMS College and University requires all its students to use the Harvard system for referencing their work. Details of the Harvard system can be found at http://www.uel.ac.uk/lls/support/harvard1.htm. There is also an on-line plagiarism prevention tutorial known as PLATO, available at https://www.uel.ac.uk/lls/plato/index.html. To access this tutorial, you will need to log in using your normal UEL network username and password. To help you organise your references, you should keep a record of the sources of

information that you use. These records could be kept in an ordinary database,

spreadsheet or possibly on index cards (see Figure 1 below). The indexing and

subsequent easy transfer to your reference list can then be done by sorting the

records (or cards) into an appropriate order. If you prefer, you can use EndNote,

a specialist tool designed to help researchers search

online bibliographic databases and organise their references. Details of EndNote can be found at http://www.uel.ac.uk/lls/support/tutorials.htm. Direct quotes should be given in quotation marks and, according to Cottrell (1999, p122), used sparingly and only if the words are really worth quoting. They should be indented if they are longer than 40 words or are a complete subsection of someone elses work. Cottrell (1999, p122) also says that You must give a reference whenever you draw on a source of information: As your inspiration As the source of a particular theory, argument or viewpoint For specific information, such as statistics, examples, or case studies For direct quotations For texts which you paraphrase rather than quote.



Authors name and initials: Date of Publication: Title: Item type: Book/Article/Other Page numbers: Journal Name: Vol no: Issue: Place of publication: Publishers: Summary: Recording Your Sources of Information Fig. 1 Cottrell (1999, p122) also says that You must give a reference whenever you draw on a source of information: As your inspiration As the source of a particular theory, argument or viewpoint For specific information, such as statistics, examples, or case studies For direct quotations For texts which you paraphrase rather than quote. To help you improve your referencing skills, you should make use of the Turnitin service. You may submit your work to Turnitin as many times as you wish and you are encouraged to do so regularly. As part of the assessment of the project module (see Section 3.8 below) you are required to submit a Turnitin report with your project report. However, you should not wait until the end of the module until you submit your report to Turnitin. If there are problems at that stage then you will not have time to remedy them. Ideally you should submit your work to Turnitin after each chapter or section has been written. Adopting such an approach will help you to develop good habits more quickly.

3.8 Submitting Your Written Work

It is a good idea to let your project supervisor have a copy of each section or chapter of your reports as they are completed rather than waiting until you think you have completed the reports in their entirety. By doing this, you can take account of your tutors comments at an early stage. This should also mean that when you submit the drafts of the final versions of your reports to your supervisor, changes should be limited to minor amendments and not major rewrites. The Turnitin report for the final version of your project report must be contained within the project report as an appendix to the report. Printed copies of the report (containing the full Turnitin report) must be submitted to the Graduate School counter using the standard procedures. Work not submitted to both Turnitin and the counter by the deadline date will receive an automatic mark of 0%. The submission of your report should contain two hard copies of the final report and one electronic copy.



3.8.1 The Contents of Your Reports

Your reports should include the following sections: Title page showing the title, student number, programme, year and

semester of submission. Abstract Acknowledgements (if you wish to acknowledge people that have

helped you) Contents page(s) Body of report List of references or bibliography Appendices

For precise details of the contents of individual reports,

Please observe the following guidelines when writing your reports: Your reports must be word-processed. Hand written submissions will

not be accepted. Pages must be numbered but you will find paragraph numbers easier

for cross-referencing. Appendices should only contain supporting documentation which is

relevant to the report in which they are included. Their size should be kept to a minimum. Please see Section 3.8.5 below for further guidance on the content of appendices.

Material must be accurate and presented in a structured manner. The information contained within your reports should be presented in

such a way as to allow both staff and students in the future to read, understand and learn from you.

Word limits should be adhered to. If you are struggling to keep within the word limit, you should consider moving some of the content from the body of your report and placing it within the appendices whose content does not count towards the word limit. Placing content in appendices is not however a substitute for writing concisely.

Your marks will suffer if your reports are longwinded, tortuous, ill-structured or otherwise difficult to read; do not make clear the sources you are using or uses them uncritically

(criticism may not necessarily be adverse); are full of generalisations without supporting evidence or argument; fail to draw useful general conclusions from a body of detailed

information; lack perception, logic, coherence or balance. exceed the specified word limit by more than 10%.



3.8.2 Size and Binding

Use A4 paper. Large diagrams may go on A3, folded paper. Reports must be securely bound so that they do not fall apart whilst being marked or stored for subsequent use. You have a choice of binding; heat (glue) binding or spiral (wire) binding.

3.8.3 Numbering and Headings

A well-established method is as follows: Each section of your reports should have a title and should start on a new page, unless the sections are very short. These sections will be numbered 1, 2, 3 and so on. Side headings may be used to subdivide sections. Within each section, subsections may be numbered .1, .2, .3 and so on. Lists may be labelled (a), (b), (c) and so on, and within that, by (i), (ii), (iii) and so on. These are not necessary unless you wish to refer to selected items in the lists. If desired, sections can be grouped, without affecting the numbering, into parts, labelled Part I, Part II, Part III and so on. Appendices may be treated the same way with a number prefixed by 'A'. Thus 'A2.5' would be paragraph 5 of appendix 2.

3.8.4 Figures and Tables

Position them for easy reference when reading the text. Diagrams drawn too large, consisting of mostly blank paper are no help to the reader, so keep them neat with a reasonable information density. Tables and graphs should indicate axes and scales clearly and should be accompanied by a note on the source of the data or a reference, if the table/graph has been taken directly from the source. Numbering can be simply Fig.1, Fig.2, Fig.3 (Smith, 2008, p99) etc., Table 1, Table 2, Table 3 (adapted from Jones, 2006, p67) and so on, each with a brief title.

3.8.5 The Contents of Appendices

As part of the FTMS college and Universitys commitment to reduce its carbon footprint and its impact on the environment generally, please consider ways in which you can reduce the amount of printing that you do. If you need to submit large quantities of supporting documentation, such as completed questionnaires, interview transcripts, system



specifications and program code, these should be included with the electronic copies of your reports but NOT the printed versions. Be aware however that if you do submit supporting documentation in electronic-only form then you should make this clear by including an explanatory note in the printed copy of the report. This will ensure that the contents of the electronic copy are brought to the attention of the person marking your report.

3.8.6 Privacy and Confidentiality

Please bear in mind that your written work becomes part of the college research material. It may therefore be made available to other students or staff. If your reports contain sensitive information which should not be made public then you should inform the module leader, in writing or via email, by the date of the deadline for the submission of the report which contains the sensitive information. Personal information about individuals should never be included within your reports without the permission of the individuals concerned. Even with that permission, the true identity of the individuals concerned should not be revealed unless absolutely necessary. Names of individuals can be replaced by letters e.g. observation of Ms. X took place at the company HQ at 14.00 on 23 October 2010, based on the feedback from Mr. Y

3.8.6 Project Certificate

Attach the project certificated in the beginning of the document. Appendix F.

3.9 Conducting ethical research

As a student at UEL, you should ensure that your research is conducted in accordance with the Universitys Code of Good Practice in Research. The Code can be found at www.uel.ac.uk/qa/manual/codeofpractice.htm. Further information about research ethics can be found at www.uel.ac.uk/gradschool/research/ethics.htm. If your project involves research that requires human participation e.g. interviews, questionnaires, observation etc. then you must obtain the approval of your supervisor before conducting the research. Before seeking approval, you should complete a copy of the form in Appendix D. Once completed and signed by your supervisor, a copy of the form should be given to the module leader.

3.10 Client-based Projects

Client-based projects provide you with opportunities to gain valuable experience of real working environments and successful completion of them can enhance your CV. It is important however that you do not find yourself in a position where your client is unable to fulfil his/her obligations to you. Such a situation may make it difficult for you to achieve your aim and objectives which, in turn, may adversely affect your marks. It is essential therefore that all students intending to undertake a client-based project obtain the written consent and commitment of



their client. This commitment needs to be obtained by the end of week 4. This deadline will leave you sufficient time to amend your project aim and objectives if you are unable to gain the commitment of your proposed client. Your client needs to complete a copy of the form in Appendix E. Once completed, a copy of this form should be given to both your project supervisor and the module leader. Under no circumstances should you proceed with a client-based project beyond week 4 without the above consent.



Appendices

Appendix A . Initial Project Proposal Form Appendix B . Sample Final Project Proposals Appendix C . Record of Supervision Form Appendix D . Application for the Approval of Research Activities Appendix E . Client Consent Form Appendix F . Project Certificate



Appendix A Initial Project Proposal Form

Final Year Undergraduate Computing Project Initial Proposal Form

Programme : Year : Semester :

Student Number :

Proposed Title :

Proposed Aim : (Please provide a brief summary of what you hope to achieve by the end of your project. Your proposed aim should clearly identify your topic of interest.)

Proposed Objectives: (Please a list of objectives that state exactly what your project will deliver.)

Rationale : (Please provide a detailed explanation of why you think this project needs to be undertaken.) Suggested Project Tutor(s):



Appendix B Sample Final Project Proposals (a)

Final Year Undergraduate Computing Project Final Proposal Form Programme : BSc Computing Year : 2010 Semester : A Student Number : 0123456 Title : Is Linux ready for the Desktop? Aim : To assess the viability of Linux as a desktop operating system. Objectives: 1. To identify the key differences between desktop and server-based operating

systems and to establish a definition of the term desktop operating system. 2. To identify the factors critical to the success of a desktop operating system. 3. To investigate the various techniques used to conduct usability tests. 4. To devise a set of experiments which will enable i) an evaluation of Linux

against the criteria in 2., ii) an evaluation of its usability and iii) a comparison of it with other desktop operating systems.

5. To conduct the experiments identified in 4. and to evaluate their results. 6. To draw conclusions about the viability of desktop Linux based on the

evaluations in 5. Rationale : During the current economic climate, companies need to find ways of trimming their IT budgets. Open source software such as Linux provides one possible means of doing so. The purpose of this project is to produce an objective assessment so that IT managers can assess the feasibility of replacing their existing desktop OSes with Linux. Facilities required : Ubuntu Linux, Windows 7, Apple OS X A PC with a removable hard disk



(b)

Programme : BSc Business Information Systems Year : 2008 Semester : A Student Number : 0123456 Title : A Stock Management System for Barnet Hair Salons Aim : To design and implement a web-based stock management system for a chain of local hairdressers. Objectives : 1. To identify Barnet Hair Salons core business activities and to determine the

need for a web based stock management system. 2. To investigate the most appropriate tools for the development of the web

based stock management system for Barnet Hair Salons. 3. To investigate HCI and usability issues which might impact upon the design of

a web based stock management system for Barnet Hair Salons. 4. To design and implement a database system for stock management at Barnet

Hair Salons. 5. To design and implement a web based front end for the database system in 4. 6. To evaluate the tools, techniques and methods used to design and implement

the web based stock management system for Barnet Hair Salons. Rationale : Barnet Hair Salons is an expanding business which currently lacks an effective IT system. My proposed system will help the employees manage their business more effectively. The majority of employees at Barnet Hair Salons have very limited IT experience hence the emphasis placed on usability by my project proposal. Facilities required : Microsoft SQL Server or MySQL Microsoft IIS or Apache web server Supervisor allocated: YYYYYYYY



(c) Final Year Undergraduate Computing Project Final Proposal Form

Programme : BSc Information Security Systems Year : 2008 Semester : A Student Number : 0123456 Title : Assessing the vulnerability of a Schools Network Infrastructure Aim : To assess the vulnerability of a large secondary schools computer network and to recommend measures for improved security. Objectives : 1. To investigate the existing network infrastructure at the school and to identify

the security measures currently in place.

2. To identify a number of tools which could be used to carry out a vulnerability assessment at the school.

3. To conduct a vulnerability assessment of the network at the school. 4. To recommend measures to be implemented for improved security at the

school.

5. To evaluate the tools used to assess the vulnerability of the network at the school.

6. To draw conclusions about the value of vulnerability assessments and the ease with which they can be carried out.

Rationale : I am currently employed by a large secondary school as a network administrator. The security of the schools computer network has been compromised on a number of occasions in the last two years. This project will help me to identify the causes of these security breaches and the measures that could be taken to prevent them from reoccurring. This will be beneficial to both me and my employer. Facilities required : Nmap port scanner Snort intrusion detection system NetStumbler wireless network scanner Nessus vulnerability scanner



Supervisor allocated: Alexis Colby (d)

Final Year Undergraduate Computing Project Final Proposal Form Programme : BSc Software Engineering Year : 2008 Semester : A Student Number : 0123456 Title : Objects, Agents, Square Pegs and Round Holes: Are Agents a Silver Bullet for Software Engineers? Aim : To investigate the functionality offered by software agents in comparison to objects. Objectives : 1. To define the terms object and agent in the context of software engineering. 2. To distinguish between agent oriented and object oriented software

engineering. 3. To compare and contrast the functionality offered by agents with that offered

by objects. 4. To show how agents can be used as a replacement for objects by i) the

specification of and ii) the implementation of a prototype agent system. 5. To evaluate the relative merits of agents and objects. 6. To draw conclusions showing the circumstances in which agents might be

useful replacements for objects and when objects might be better suited. Rationale : The advantages of object-oriented software are well known and understood. The advantages of agent-oriented software are much less understood. The purpose of my project is to illustrate the benefits of agent-oriented software so that software developers and IT managers can make informed choices about their development environments. Facilities required : Java JACK Supervisor allocated: XXXX



(e)

Final Year Undergraduate Computing Project Final Proposal Form Programme : BSc Computer Networks Year : 2008 Semester : A Student Number : 0123456 Title : Improving Service Delivery in the Cloud Aim : To develop an architecture that will minimise the impact of network performance unpredictability in cloud computing environments Objectives : 1. To review the different types of cloud computing environments. 2. To identify the network performance issues associated with the various cloud

computing environments. 3. To investigate the methods, tools and techniques used to develop cloud

computing environments. 4. To design and implement a cloud computing architecture that is resilient when

network performance is degraded. 5. To test the cloud computing architecture implemented in 4. using a range of

network performance levels scenarios. 6. To analyse and evaluate the results of the tests in 5. and to draw conclusions

about the effectiveness of the proposed cloud computing architecture. Rationale : Many organizations are reluctant to move their IT systems to the Cloud because of the unpredictable nature of Internet connectivity. This project seeks to develop a resilient cloud computing architecture which can continue to function at an acceptable level in situations where network performance is significantly degraded. A resilient architecture would enable cloud service providers to improve the quality of service provided to their customers. Facilities required : Ubuntu Linux Eucalyptus cloud software Oracle VirtualBox Supervisor allocated : XXXXXXXX



Appendix C Record of Supervision Form

Final Year Undergraduate Computing Project

Record of Supervision

Student No : Supervisors Name : Date : Time : Location: Summary of main points discussed: Actions agreed for student : Actions agreed for supervisor : Date of next supervision : Students signature : Supervisors signature :



Appendix D Application for the Approval of Research Activities

UNIVERSITY OF EAST LONDON

School of Architecture, Computing and Engineering Undergraduate Computing Projects.

APPLICATION FOR THE APPROVAL OF RESEARCH ACTIVITIES INVOLVING

HUMAN PARTICIPANTS

YOU MUST NOT CONDUCT RESEARCH WITH PEOPLE UNDER THE AGE OF 18. 1. Student Number : Year : Semester : Programme : 2. Purpose of research? Describe briefly. How will you collect your data (e.g. by interview, questionnaire, observation etc.)? 3. Nature of participants (general characteristics e.g University students, staff at clients premises, etc.)? Number of participants (approximately)? How will you identify them? Where will the research take place (e.g. on University premises, at the Clients premises, on-line etc.)? 4. Probable duration of the research? from (starting date): to (finishing date): 5. Is there a possibility that your participants might suffer harm or experience discomfort (either physical or emotional) as a result of your research? YES/NO If yes, what is the nature of the harm or discomfort? What precautions will you take to prevent your participants from suffering harm or experiencing discomfort?



6. DECLARATION

I agree to abide by the University of East Londons Code of Good Practice in Research when carrying out my research. Personal data will be treated in the strictest confidence and not passed on to third parties without the written consent of the subject. The nature of my investigation and any possible risks will be fully explained to all participants. They will be informed that (a) they are not obliged to participate in my research nor are they obliged to give reasons why they should not participate and (b) they may withdraw from my research at any time, without disadvantaging themselves and without having to give reasons.

NAME OF STUDENT : Signed : (Person responsible) Date : SUPERVISOR : Signed : Date :



Appendix E Client Consent Form

Final Year Undergraduate Computing Project Client Consent Form

Programme : Year : Semester :

Student Number :

Client Name :

Client Address : I hereby give my consent to the above student to conduct a project on my behalf.

I guarantee that the above student will be given access to all the necessary resources by my company, my organisation or by myself and that this includes my, or my representatives, time.

I, or my representative, undertake to provide a written evaluation of the above students project upon completion of that project and within sufficient time that the evaluation can be included with the students final project report.

Signature: Date:

If you have questions about this form, please contact the Project Coordinator, Riyaz Ahamed, on (603) 8991 9500 Fax : (603) 8991 9599. Alternatively, you can email him at [email protected].

Thank you for providing our student with this opportunity.



Appendix F Project Certificate

A prject work sunmitted to the UNIVERSITY OF EAST LONDON

in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of the degree of

BSc (Software Engineering) / BSc (Business Information Systems)

By

Guided by

School of Engineering & Computing Sciences (SOECS)

FTMS COLLEGE KUALA LUMPUR

MALAYSIA

JANUARY 2014



FTMS COLLEGE

School of Engineering & Computing Sciences (SOECS)

This is to certify that this project work entitled

is a bonafide record of the work done

by

at FTMS College, Malaysia during the year 2013-2014 in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of the degree of

BSc (Software Engineering) / BSc (Business Information Systems)

Submitted for the University of East London and the Presentation and Viva held at FTMS College, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on _________________.



(Certificate from the Internal Guide) Guide Name Designation FTMS College Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that this project entitled submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of the degree of BSc (Software Engineering / BSc (Business Information Systems) to the University of East London, UK through FTMS College, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia is a bonafide record of the work done by (Reg.No. ) under my supervision and guidance.

Date : Signature of the Guide

Degree Project - CN3070 Handbook 2013-14

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