IMAT5314 MSc Information Technology: Assignment
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Added on 2019-10-18
IMAT5314 MSc Information Technology: Assignment
Added on 2019-10-18
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Faculty of TechnologyIMAT5314 MSc ProjectProject Guide MSc Information TechnologyMSc ComputingMSc Information Systems ManagementMSc Software EngineeringMSc Computer SecurityMSc Forensic ComputingMSc Intelligent Systems & RoboticsMSc Intelligent SystemsMSc Computer Games ProgrammingMSc Business Intelligence Systems & Data Mining
July 20151Introduction.......................................................................................................................11.1Project Aims...........................................................................................................................................11.2Types of Project....................................................................................................................................11.2.1Development Projects.............................................................................................................................21.2.2Research Projects......................................................................................................................................21.2.3Literature Study Projects.......................................................................................................................21.2.4Consultancy Projects...............................................................................................................................31.2.5Data Analysis Projects.............................................................................................................................31.2.6Conceptual Analysis Projects...............................................................................................................31.3BCS Standards.......................................................................................................................................31.3.1Requirements for projects in BCS accredited degree programmes......................................31.3.2Standards for professional conduct...................................................................................................32Submission Deadlines....................................................................................................42.1Full-Time Students..............................................................................................................................42.2Part-Time Students.............................................................................................................................42.3Resit projects.........................................................................................................................................52.4The Standard Project Submission Deadlines...........................................................................52.5The Viva Date........................................................................................................................................52.6Allowing for resits of taught modules.........................................................................................52.7Extensions, Deferrals and Interruptions of Study..................................................................62.7.1Extensions....................................................................................................................................................62.7.2Deferrals.......................................................................................................................................................62.7.3Interruptions of Study.............................................................................................................................62.8Absences Abroad..................................................................................................................................73Project Submission.........................................................................................................83.1Terms of Reference and Ethical Review Form........................................................................83.2Project Report.......................................................................................................................................83.3Project Files............................................................................................................................................84Project Management......................................................................................................94.1Supervision.............................................................................................................................................94.1.1Meetings with the Supervisor..............................................................................................................94.1.2Progress Reports....................................................................................................................................104.1.3PMP Meetings..........................................................................................................................................104.2Selecting a Project............................................................................................................................114.2.1Sources of Project Proposals.............................................................................................................114.2.2Part-Time and Distance Learning Students..........................................................................124.3Agreeing a plan: Terms of Reference and Ethical Review...............................................125The Terms Of Reference and Ethical Review Form........................................135.1Structure of the Terms of Reference document...................................................................135.2Risk Assessment.................................................................................................................................145.3Ethical Review....................................................................................................................................155.3.1University policies and good practice for ethical research...................................................155.3.2Ethical review procedure....................................................................................................................165.3.3Completing the Ethical Review Form.............................................................................................176Working On The Project.............................................................................................186.1Literature Survey or Fact Finding.............................................................................................186.2Presenting your Fact Finding......................................................................................................186.3Implementation Issues....................................................................................................................186.4SVN Repository for code.................................................................................................................19
7Writing The Project Report......................................................................................207.1Avoiding plagiarism and giving credit for other people’s work...................................207.1.1Plagiarism and Turnitin.......................................................................................................................207.1.2A note about quoting explanations.................................................................................................207.2Writing the Report...........................................................................................................................217.3The Deliverables................................................................................................................................217.4Evidence of Research and Critical Analysis...........................................................................227.5Critical Review...................................................................................................................................227.6Structure and Readability.............................................................................................................227.6.1Style.............................................................................................................................................................227.6.2Sections......................................................................................................................................................237.6.3Appendices................................................................................................................................................237.6.4Paragraphs................................................................................................................................................237.6.5English Language: Some Suggestions.............................................................................................237.7Abstract.................................................................................................................................................247.8Quoting References..........................................................................................................................247.8.1Applying a standard reference format...........................................................................................247.8.2Choosing a standard reference format..........................................................................................257.8.3Citations in text.......................................................................................................................................257.8.4References in the reference list........................................................................................................267.9Acknowledgements..........................................................................................................................277.10Presentation........................................................................................................................................277.11Copyright Protection.......................................................................................................................287.12Document Versioning under SVN...............................................................................................288The Viva Voce.................................................................................................................298.1Purposes of the viva voce examination....................................................................................298.2The viva voce examination is mandatory...............................................................................298.3Conducting the viva voce examination....................................................................................298.4Preparing for the viva voce examination...............................................................................299Project Assessment......................................................................................................309.1The Assessment Process.................................................................................................................309.2Assessment Criteria..........................................................................................................................309.3Audit Trail............................................................................................................................................3110Distribution of Project Reports...............................................................................3210.1Distribution by the student...........................................................................................................3210.2Distribution by De Montfort University...................................................................................3210.3Original copies...................................................................................................................................32Appendix I.Requirements of Masters Degrees...................................................33Appendix II.BCS Requirements for projects.........................................................34Appendix III.BCS Code Of Conduct.............................................................................36Appendix IV.Useful References...................................................................................38Appendix V.Indicative Project Timetable - Full-Time......................................39Appendix VI.Indicative Project Timetable - Part-Time.....................................40Appendix VII.Dissertation Page Layout.....................................................................41Appendix VIII.IMAT 5314 Official Forms...................................................................42MSc Project Final Assessment Summary.........................................................................43MSc Project Final Assessment – Resit Specification....................................................44
MSc Project Final Assessment Form.................................................................................45MSc Project Final Assessment Form.................................................................................47Demonstration / viva....................................................................................................51
1IntroductionThis document describes the operation of MSc projects, undertaken during the academic year 2014-2015, for the IMAT5314 project module.The project forms an important element of the MSc course, and must be passed to obtain the degree. Further, the project must be passed at distinction level before an overall MSc with distinction award will be made, and similarly must be passed at merit level before an overall MSc with merit award will be made.Note – the project is worth 60 credits, which makes it a third of your degree – this means that agood mark in this will have the same weight as 4 of the taught modules! This document contains the following:Information for staff and students with regard to the supervision processNotes for guidance on the planning, preparation and submission of a MSc project reportRequirements for postgraduate projectsAn explanation of what is expected from students and staff during the whole project lifecycle. This guide should be read in conjunction with the current version of the “Modular Scheme for Taught Postgraduate Courses: Handbook and Regulations” and any supplementary notes issued by the Course Leader or Project Co-ordinator.1.1Project AimsThe aim of the project is to provide the student with the opportunity to carry out an in-depth study involving critical analysis, and to demonstrate the application of skills acquired from the taught component of the course, to the solution of a particular problem.The project should be a self-contained piece of work of considerably greater depth than can be accommodated within a taught module. It should include a substantial element of scholarly research and fact-finding so that (a) it demonstrates research and analysis skills appropriate toa masters degree, and (b) the creative work of the project is based on a solid foundation of knowledge and conceptual understanding of the problem.The postgraduate nature of the project should be evident from the higher overall standard compared to an undergraduate project, in the depth of critical analysis, the insight required and the complexity of the task undertaken.Students will be expected to demonstrate project management and presentation skills throughout the period of the project when liaising with their Supervisors and Project Management Panels (PMPs).1.2Types of ProjectThere are a number of different types of project. At the present time all of these are acceptable for any of the MSc degree programmes that include IMAT 5314 projects. The most common types are development projects and research projects. However one type of project may be more feasible given the skills developed by a particular degree programme, or more appropriate for meeting the educational objectives of a particular degree programme. If you are concerned about this, you should consult your tutors or your Programme Leader. For any MSc project, of any of these different types, a significant element of background research is required. This should result in the acquisition of sufficient and extensive 1
knowledge to provide sound justifications for the methods used or the approaches employed in solving a given problem. The level of the research element should be defined when discussing the Terms of Reference with the PMP. You must determine the type of project you will undertake. The choice you make will affect the deliverables, content, presentation and assessment of the project work. These categories are not rigid: the balance between literature survey, primary research, software development and other activities can be set to suit the demands of the project and the interests of the student, and adapted to fit the nature of the project as the student’s work progresses.1.2.1Development ProjectsIn a Development Project, the student is normally expected to produce a working piece of software that serves a particular purpose, meeting a defined set of requirements. In some cases, the product may include self-designed and purpose-built hardware as well as software, for instance an innovative robotic system. The running system itself is normally the major deliverable, and is normally the most important factor in the assessment. However, the requirements analysis, the system design work, and the testing and evaluation of the software – and how they are documented and presented – are also important to the assessment of development projects. It is not essential to meet all the requirements to gain a pass level mark; it is normal and healthy to have realistic but ambitious plans so that a good piece of software for a successful project will do a lot of what is aimed for but not everything. In some cases, background research, requirements analysis and system design work of sufficient quality may justify giving a pass-level mark to a project that has an essentially unsuccessful piece of software. 1.2.2Research ProjectsIn a Research Project, the student is expected to carry out a thorough investigation of a particular topic, apply one or more theoretical frameworks for making sense of what is known about the topic, identify one or more unanswered research questions, and apply one or more research methodologies to gathering primary research data and analysing it to attempt to answer the research questions. The student is expected to produce a report detailing the research undertaken and its findings and implications, setting them in the context of related research and a clear conceptual framework. The benchmark for determining the degree of success in a research-based project will normally be whether or not the project and its report can form the basis of a publishable academic paper.1.2.3Literature Study ProjectsIn a Literature Study Project, the student is expected to carry out a thorough investigation of a particular topic, looking at previous research literature and other published or publicly available documents or sources of information, to produce a novel and creative analysis that attempts to answer one or more unanswered (or perhaps wrongly answered) research questions. The student is expected to produce a report describing and critically evaluating existing documents and other sources of information, setting them in the context of a clear conceptual framework, and presenting a cogent analysis. Doing a literature study to the standard required for an MSc project requires both hard work and hard thinking, as a considerable degree of intellectual sophistication is needed to do this well. The benchmark for determining the degree of success in a literature study project will normally be whether or not the project and its report can form the basis of a publishable academic paper.2
1.2.4Consultancy ProjectsIn a Consultancy Project, the student is normally expected to produce a consultancy-style report to meet a clearly defined need for a clearly defined client or audience, providing a detailed and sophisticated critical evaluation of existing techniques, approaches or systems, or how to solve a practical problem, with recommendations. The student should discuss with his/her Supervisor whether or not an implementation of any of the recommendations is required.1.2.5Data Analysis ProjectsIn a Data Analysis Project, the student is expected to evaluate, select and apply computational techniques for data analysis and knowledge extraction, to solve a novel data analysis or knowledge extraction problem, or develop a novel technique for solving a particular data analysis problem, or develop a novel technique for presenting data or statistical information tosupport a particular human activity. The student is expected to demonstrate and illustrate the application of the technique and evaluate how well it solves the problem.1.2.6Conceptual Analysis ProjectsIn a Conceptual Analysis Project, the student is expected to develop an analysis on paper of a system or of how to solve a problem. Such projects might involve developing an analysis of a working software system by applying one or more analytical techniques, for example for producing a usability evaluation; or analysing or modelling a process; or producing a notation or technique for describing a particular sort of information that a software system might generate or use; or devising a procedure for tackling a particular class of problem in software development. The student is expected to demonstrate and illustrate the application of the technique and evaluate how well it solves the problem.1.3BCS Standards The BCS (formerly known as the British Computer Society) is the Chartered Institute for IT. It accredits our computer science degree programmes.1.3.1Requirements for projects in BCS accredited degree programmesThe requirements for BCS accreditation for degree programmes specify standards that projectsfor computer science degrees must meet, both in terms of content and in terms of quality of work. Appendix II comprises Section 2.5 of the BCS document ‘Guidelines on Course Accreditation: Information for universities and colleges’ dated September 2010, updated for use from Autumn 2012, in which these requirements are stated.1.3.2Standards for professional conductAll students should, in their project work and elsewhere, seek to aspire to high professional standards. The professional standards the BCS expects of its members and other computing professionals are embodied in the BCS Code of Conduct, contained in Appendix III.3
2Submission DeadlinesPart of the challenge of doing an MSc project is getting it done on time. You have a deadline, and alterations to the deadline are not agreed lightly.2.1Full-Time StudentsThe normal duration of a project is 14 weeks of full-time work. Full-time students are normally required to complete their projects within the normal period of full-time attendance i.e. within 12 months of initial enrolment on the course. For most, this means starting taught modules in October, finishing taught modules in May, starting the project in June (at the beginning of “Semester X”), submitting in September and having a viva before October.Full-time students (usually starting in October) finishing taught modules in MayStart project in June, finish September, duration 14 weeks (Semester X)Full-time students (usually starting in February) finishing taught modules in JanuaryStart project in February, finish May, duration 14 weeks (Semester 2)CANALLOW: Start project in June, finish September, duration 14 weeks (between the twosemesters of taught modules), provided all four modules have been passed.Deadlines for students who do industrial placements between their taught modules and their projects will be determined on a case-by-case basis.In all circumstances, full-time MSc students must submit within 3 years of initial enrolment on the course; otherwise their registrations time out and they are automatically terminated.In some circumstances, full-time students may convert to part-time status, if they need to combine doing a project with employment or some other time-consuming activity. This requires the approval of the Programme Leader.2.2Part-Time StudentsPart-time and distance learning students are normally expected to take three years to complete their degrees, and do their projects in the academic year after they complete their taught modules. The normal duration of a part-time project is 11 months, with another month for the viva and marking. However part-time students who finish taught modules in May and officially start their projects at the beginning of the next academic year in October may do unsupervised preliminary work on their projects over the summer.Part-time students finishing taught modules in MayStart project in October, finish September, duration 11 months.CANALLOW: Start project in June, finish May, duration 11 months.Part-time students finishing taught modules in SeptemberStart project in October, finish September, duration 11 months.Part-time students finishing taught modules in JanuaryStart project in February, finish January, duration 11 months.CANALLOW: Start project in June, finish May, duration 11 months.4
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