Page 1 of 7 BSc (Hons) Computing Level 6 Research Skills Assignment Project Proposal Date for Submission: See module timetable on iLearn for due date. Tutor: Dr. Adrian J Pullin Page 2 of 7 As part of the formal assessment for the programme you are required to submit a Research Skills assignment. Please refer to your Student Handbook for full details of the programme assessment scheme and general information on preparing and submitting assignments. Learning outcomes Answers to this assignment will demonstrate the ability to: 1. Compare and contrast different research methodologies 2. Critically evaluate, analyse and synthesise a range of literature and present it in a literature review 3. Analyse a novel and complex situation and develop an appropriate research proposal 4. Critically evaluate research undertaken by self and others Your assignment should include: a title page containing your student number, the module name, the submission deadline and a word count; the appendices if relevant; and a reference list in Arden University (AU) Harvard format. You should address all the elements of the assignment task listed below. Please note that tutors will use the assessment criteria set out below in assessing your work. Maximum word count: 3000 words Please note that exceeding the word count will result in a reduction in grade proportionate to the number of words used in excess of the permitted limit. Overview Your final year project is a significant implementation of a computer system designed to meet some specific requirements. At this level you are expected to use the latest techniques and technologies and to be operating at the leading edge of current knowledge. In order to produce a valid project, it is necessary to have clearly defined, achievable targets and to base the project on current knowledge and best practice in the field. Thus, a clear project proposal and a literature review are required. If you are studying one of the named routes, then your final project must be in an area related to your named route. NOTE: This assignment is a Project Proposal. i.e. you should be discussing what you will do, NOT actually doing it. Imagine that you are going on the holiday of a lifetime...you would spend significant time and effort planning what you will do, where you will go, how you will get there, what activities you will do when there etc. It is this planning phase that this module covers. The actual doing of the project (going on the holiday) comes later. Plan first, then do. So, make sure everything in this assignment relates to planning. Page 3 of 7 Task 1 Submit via e-mail to the tutor a one page maximum outline of your project idea for initial feedback and approval. The sooner you do this, the sooner you can get started on your assignment. YOU MUST GET APPROVAL. If you do not have approval for the topic that you cover in task 2, you may fail this assignment outright, no matter how good your actual submission is. All e-mails seeking approval and replies to such e-mails will be retained by the tutor for audit purposes. Task 2 Produce a detailed project proposal and an initial literature review for your proposed project. Additional Information Your submission is in three parts, all of which must be passed. You MUST use the structure given here, along with the section headings and the subheading shown below. The contents of each section should be in the correct place in the submission document, as listed below. You must provide material for all sections and subsections listed below. Page 4 of 7 Title page Table of Contents Proposal (Guideline length 1500 words) containing the following: Rationale and Context Outline the type of project you are doing (e.g. web site, database), the type of organisation you are doing it for (e.g. nature of business or activity, size, location), reason why they need this project (e.g. to properly manage the sports club’s membership records). Aims Overall aims of the project. E.g. to computerise the school’s student records. This should be a statement like this followed by a brief explanation, relating back to the context given above. Research Question(s) A small number (1-4) of research questions that your project will help to answer. These should be general; e.g. how can a computerised system help a school manage its student records. Proposed Research Method(s) The methods that you plan to use. There should be an overall research method (often but not always this is action research) and an outline of your proposed Systems Development Lifecycle (SDLC) model plus any other research techniques such as surveys you plan to use. This should be in sufficient detail to show that you know how you are going to tackle the project and to determine if your approach is valid. Ethical and Access Issues Using the form available from the module iLearn page inserted into this place in the report. Do NOT put it in an appendix. You MUST include the entire form, which must have all sections filled in. If you are doing a live project, you MUST be working with colleagues and so MUST provide supporting evidence of permission from the company. Similarly, anything involving children (school database, sports club web site for example) MUST identify that children are involved and include permission from the head teacher, club secretary or similar responsible person. Potential Value of Research Who is going to benefit from this project and how? This should include the client, company, sports club etc. who is the client. If there are wider benefits, you should identify these as well. Research plan (single A4 sheet) Outline of the tasks you will do and when you will do them. A Gantt chart or similar is an appropriate way to do this. This is the plan for doing the project. The dates MUST be in the future and the activities must be the things you will do in the actual project, NOT this assignment. It should be broken down into achievable goals that can be monitored and managed individually. Just listing “research, design, program, implement, test” is NOT enough. Again, this must be in this place in the report, NOT in an appendix. Initial Literature Review (Guideline length 1500 words): This should cover the research topic, the method(s) you propose to use, technical information relevant to your topic, selection of software etc. Everything you do in your project must be supported by current literature and you must show here that you have done some reading to make sure that you are doing things properly. Remember that a literature review is not just a reporting of published material. It must contain a critical review of the material showing that you are thinking about current knowledge and how it applies to your project. As this is a review of literature, it MUST contain citations to the credible sources that you are reviewing. References In Harvard format. No appendices are required for this assignment. Page 5 of 7 Formative Feedback You have the opportunity to submit one complete draft of your report to receive formative feedback. The feedback is designed to help you improve areas of your work and it helps you develop your skills as an independent learner. Your draft must be submitted to the tutor via e-mail to [email protected] at least two weeks prior to the submission date. This is to allow time for you to reflect on the feedback and draft your final submission. The draft should be complete in all respects. Formative feedback will not be given to incomplete drafts or those submitted after the above date. Student Guidelines You MUST underpin your analysis and evaluation of the key issues with appropriate and wide ranging academic research and ensure this is referenced using the AU Harvard system. The My Study Skills Area contains the following useful resources: Guide to Harvard Referencing http://moodle.bl.rdi.co.uk/guides/HarvardRef/AU_Harvard_Quick_Ref_Guide.pdf Guide to Harvard Citation http://moodle.bl.rdi.co.uk/guides/HarvardRef/AU_Guide_to_Harvard_Citation.pdf You must use the AU Harvard Referencing method in your assignment. Students are required to indicate the exact word count on the title page of the assessment. The word count excludes the title page, executive summary, reference list and appendices. Where assessment questions have been reprinted from the assessment brief these will also be excluded from the word count. All other printed words are included in the word count. Printed words include those contained within charts and tables. See ‘Word Count Policy’ on the homepage of this module for more information. Assignments submitted late will not be accepted and will be marked as a 0% fail. Your assessment should be submitted as a single Word (MS Word) or PDF file. For more information please see the “Guide to Submitting an Assignment” document available on the module page on iLearn. You must ensure that the submitted assignment is all your own work and that all sources used are correctly attributed. Penalties apply to assignments which show evidence of academic unfair practice. (See the Student Handbook which is on the homepage of your module and also in the Induction Area). You should write this assignment as detailed above, in coherent and appropriate English, complete with references in AU Harvard notation. Page 6 of 7 You may assume that the target reader has a degree in Computing but no specific knowledge of your area of study, so you must explain (supported by references) any terminology that is not in general use in Computing. The reader also has no knowledge of the particular problem or case study you are trying to solve, so that must be explained as well. This assignment specification includes an exact structure for the work. You MUST follow this exact structure. You will drop marks if you do not. You are expected to use a range of credible sources to support your proposal. A thorough search of both the Internet and available academic data bases will be required and you will have to filter your sources appropriately. The module tutor will answer questions via e-mail or the discussions forum for the module. Please ensure that all such communications include the module name, your name and id and when you are planning to submit the work. Page 7 of 7 Assessment Criteria Level 6 is characterised by an expectation of students’ increasing autonomy in relation to their study and developing skill sets. Students are expected to demonstrate problem solving skills, both theoretical and practical. This is supported by an understanding of appropriate theory; creativity of expression and thought based in individual judgement; and the ability to seek out, invoke, analyse and evaluate competing theories or methods of working in a critically constructive and open manner. Output is articulate, coherent and skilled in the appropriate medium, with some students producing original or innovative work in their specialism. Mark Bands Outcome Generic Learning Outcomes (GLOs) (Academic Regulations, Section 2) Knowledge & Understanding Intellectual (thinking), Practical, Affective and Transferable Skills Characteristics of Student Achievement by Marking Band 90-100% Achieves module outcome(s) related to GLO at this level Exceptional information base exploring and analysing the discipline, its theory and ethical issues with extraordinary originality and autonomy. Work may be considered for publication by either Arden or the validating partner Exceptional management of learning resources, with a higher degree of autonomy/exploration that clearly exceeds the assessment brief. Exceptional structure/accurate expression. Demonstrates intellectual originality and imagination. Exceptional team/practical/professional skills. Work may be considered for publication by either Arden or the validating partner 80-89% Outstanding information base exploring and analysing the discipline, its theory and ethical issues with clear originality and autonomy Outstanding management of learning resources, with a degree of autonomy/exploration that clearly exceeds the assessment brief. An exemplar of structured/accurate expression. Demonstrates intellectual originality and imagination. Outstanding team/practical/professional skills 70-79% Excellent knowledge base that supports analysis, evaluation and problem-solving in theory/practice/ethics of discipline with considerable originality Excellent management of learning resources, with degree of autonomy/research that may exceed the assessment brief. Structured and creative expression. Very good academic/ intellectual skills and practical/team/professional/problem-solving skills 60-69% Good knowledge base that supports analysis, evaluation and problem-solving in theory/ practice/ethics of discipline with some originality Good management of learning resources, with consistent self-directed research. Structured and accurate expression. Good academic/intellectual skills and team/practical/ professional/problem solving skills 50-59% Satisfactory knowledge base that supports some analysis, evaluation and problem-solving in theory/practice/ethics of discipline Satisfactory management of learning resources. Some autonomy in research but inconsistent. Structured and mainly accurate expression. Acceptable level of academic/ intellectual skills going beyond description at times. Satisfactory team/practical/professional/problem-solving skills 40-49% A marginal pass in module outcome(s) related to GLO at this level Basic knowledge base with some omissions at the level of theoretical/ethical issues. Restricted ability to discuss theory and/or or solve problems in discipline Basic use of learning resources with little autonomy. Some difficulties with academic/intellectual skills. Some difficulty with structure/accuracy in expression, but evidence of developing team/practical/professional/problem-solving skills 30-39% A marginal fail in module outcome(s) related to GLO at this level. Possible compensation. Satisfies qualifying mark Limited knowledge base. Limited understanding of discipline/ethical issues. Difficulty with theory and problem solving in discipline Limited use of learning resources. Unable to work autonomously. Little input to teams. Weak academic/ intellectual skills. Still mainly descriptive. General difficulty with structure/accuracy in expression. Practical/professional/ problem-solving skills that are not yet secure 20-29% Fails to achieve module outcome(s) related to this GLO. Qualifying mark not satisfied. No compensation available Little evidence of knowledge base. Little evidence of understanding of discipline/ethical issues. Significant difficulty with theory and problem solving in discipline Little evidence of use of learning resources. Unable to work autonomously. Little input to teams. Very weak academic/ intellectual skills. Work significantly descriptive. Significant difficulty with structure/accuracy in expression. Little evidence of practical/professional/problem-solving skills 10-19% Inadequate knowledge base. Inadequate understanding of discipline/ethical issues. Major difficulty with theory and problem solving in discipline Inadequate use of learning resources. Unable to work autonomously. Inadequate input to teams. Extremely weak academic/intellectual skills. Work significantly descriptive. Major difficulty with structure/accuracy in expression. Inadequate practical/professional/ problem-solving skills 1-9% No evidence of knowledge base; no evidence of understanding of discipline/ethical issues. Total inability with theory and problem solving in discipline No evidence of use of learning resources. Completely unable to work autonomously. No evidence of input to teams. No evidence of academic/intellectual skills. Work wholly descriptive. Incoherent structure/accuracy and expression. No evidence of practical/professional/ problem-solving skills 0% Awarded for: (i) non-submission; (ii) dangerous practice and; (iii) in situations where the student fails to address the assignment brief (eg: answers the wrong question) and/or related learning outcomes