CSE5811 - Semester 2 , 2006 unit guide

Semester 2, 2006

Chief Examiner

Associate Professor Bin Qiu

Lecturers

Clayton : A/P Bin Qiu

Outline

The Digital Communications project requires a student to carry out a significant individual task in the Digital Communications field under academic supervision. The project can be conducted in a variety of topic areas, which may include:

  • the design, development, prototype construction and testing of a significant protocol or device item in software or hardware;
  • an in-depth investigation and report of a relevant topic in information technology;
  • an in-depth investigation and report of an employment based topic with innovative and/or creative solutions.
  •  

    The project topic and summary must be approved by the project coordinator prior to its commencement.

    Objectives

     

    Knowledge and Understanding (Cognitive Domain Objectives)

    On successful completion the student will be able to understand:

    C1. a field of consolidated knowledge in digital communications.

    C2. the technology and development in the project topic area.

    C3. the concept of a significant individual task that involves research and innovation in digital communications.

    They will also have knowledge of:

    C4. standards and protocols for the topic area.

    C5. trends and developments in the topic area,

    and be able to:

    C6. analyse some specific protocols and technologies in the topic area and their operations.

    C7. evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of particular technologies in specific topic area.

    Attitudes, Values and Beliefs (Affective Domain Objectives)

    Upon completion of this unit, students will have an appreciation of

    A1. the importance of carrying out a reasonably large piece of individual research, investigation and development and reporting under supervision.

    A2. the importance of report writing and its related skills.

    Practical Skills (Psychomotor Domain Objectives)

    Upon completion of this unit, students will have the ability to

    P1. carry out an investigation into the selection and deployment of particular digital communicaitons technologies.

    P2. describe the characteristics of the key technologies in the topic area, and the role they play.

    Relationships, Communication and TeamWork (Social Domain Objectives)

    Upon completion the student have gained experience

    S1. communicating information on one or more advanced topics in digital communications area in written and/or oral form

    S2. working individually on one or more advanced topics in digital communications technology.


    Prerequisites

    Before attempting this unit you must have satisfactorily completed

    At least four approved subjects from the list of Master of Digital Communications.

    or equivalent. You should have knowledge of

    Depending on the project topic, and the prior knowledge and skills of the student, the supervisor or course coordinator may require one or more graduate subjects to be completed prior to commencing the project, or to be studied concurrently with the project. These subjects would be taken as part of the course structure, and would be counted towards the points requirement of the course.

    Unit relationships

    CSE5811 is a core project unit of the Master of Digital Communications degree (non minor thesis option).

    It is a prerequisite/corequisite Before attempting this unit you must have satisfactorily completed

    At least four approved subjects from the list of Master of Digital Communications.

    or equivalent. You should have knowledge of

    Depending on the project topic, and the prior knowledge and skills of the student, the supervisor or course coordinator may require one or more graduate subjects to be completed prior to commencing the project, or to be studied concurrently with the project. These subjects would be taken as part of the course structure, and would be counted towards the points requirement of the course.

     

    You may not study this unit and

    Other graduate project subjects.

    in your degree.

     

    Texts and software

    Required text(s)

    As recommended by the supervisor.

    Textbook availability

    Text books are available from the Monash University Book Shops. Availability from other suppliers cannot be assured. The Bookshop orders texts in specifically for this unit. You are advised to purchase your text book early.

    Software requirements

    As recommended by the supervisor.

    Hardware requirements

    On-campus students, and those studying at supported study locations may use the facilities available in the computing labs. Information about computer use for students is available from the ITS Student Resource Guide in the Monash University Handbook. You will need to allocate up to 20 hours per week for use of a computer (12 point enrolment).

    Recommended reading

    As recommended by the supervisor.

    Library access

    You may need to access the Monash library either personally to be able to satisfactorily complete the subject.  Be sure to obtain a copy of the Library Guide, and if necessary, the instructions for remote access from the library website.

    Study resources

    Study resources for CSE5811 are:

    The unit web site has guideline for the project. The project supervisor may provide additional resource if necessary.

    Unit website

    http://www.infotech.monash.edu.au/courses/postgraduate/2406/

    Structure and organisation

    Week Topics Key Dates
    1 Project Proposal Due on Friday
    2 Progress
    3 progress report
    4 progress
    5 progress report
    6 progress
    7 progress report
    8 progress
    9 progress report
    10 progress
    Non teaching week
    11 progress report
    12 progress
    13 Project Report Completion Due on Friday

    Timetable

    The timetable for on-campus classes for this unit can be viewed in Allocate+

    Assessment

    Assessment weighting

    Assessment for the unit consists of a final report which is 100% of the assessment.

    Assessment Policy

    To pass this unit you must:

    Pass the report assessment.

    Your score for the unit will be calculated by:

    Report marks (100%)

    Assessment Requirements

    Assessment Due Date Weighting
    Final Report 100% 20 October 2006 00%
    Final Report 100% Exam period (S2/06) starts on 23/10/06 00 %

    Assignment specifications will be made available Unit Web Page.

    Assignment Submission

    A hard copy and a soft copy of the final report should be submitted to the supervisor.

    Extensions and late submissions

    Late submission of assignments

    Assignments received after the due date will be subject to a penalty of 5% per working day.

    This policy is strict because comments or guidance will be given on assignments as they are returned, and sample solutions may also be published and distributed, after assignment marking or with the returned assignment. 

    Extensions

    It is your responsibility to structure your study program around assignment deadlines, family, work and other commitments. Factors such as normal work pressures, vacations, etc. are seldom regarded as appropriate reasons for granting extensions. 

    Requests for extensions must be made in writing to the supervisor at least one week before the end of the semester. You will be asked to forward original medical certificates in cases of illness, and may be asked to provide other forms of documentation where necessary.

    Grading of assessment

    Assignments, and the unit, will be marked and allocated a grade according to the following scale:

    Grade Percentage/description
    HD High Distinction - very high levels of achievement, demonstrated knowledge and understanding, skills in application and high standards of work encompassing all aspects of the tasks.
    In the 80+% range of marks for the assignment.
    D Distinction - high levels of achievement, but not of the same standards. May have a weakness in one particular aspect, or overall standards may not be quite as high.
    In the 70-79% range.
    C Credit - sound pass displaying good knowledge or application skills, but some weaknesses in the quality, range or demonstration of understanding.
    In the 60-69% range.
    P Pass acceptable standard, showing an adequate basic knowledge, understanding or skills, but with definite limitations on the extent of such understanding or application. Some parts may be incomplete.
    In the 50-59% range.
    N Not satisfactory failure to meet the basic requirements of the assessment.
    Below 50%.

    Assignment return

    The report can be returned to you upon request.

    Feedback

    Feedback to you

    You will receive feedback on your work and progress in this unit. This feedback may be provided through your participation in tutorials and class discussions, as well as through your assignment submissions. It may come in the form of individual advice, marks and comments, or it may be provided as comment or reflection targeted at the group. It may be provided through personal interactions, such as interviews and on-line forums, or through other mechanisms such as on-line self-tests and publication of grade distributions.

    Feedback from you

    You will be asked to provide feedback to the Faculty through a Unit Evaluation survey at the end of the semester. You may also be asked to complete surveys to help teaching staff improve the unit and unit delivery. Your input to such surveys is very important to the faculty and the teaching staff in maintaining relevant and high quality learning experiences for our students.

    And if you are having problems

    It is essential that you take action immediately if you realise that you have a problem with your study. The semester is short, so we can help you best if you let us know as soon as problems arise. Regardless of whether the problem is related directly to your progress in the unit, if it is likely to interfere with your progress you should discuss it with your lecturer or a Community Service counsellor as soon as possible.

    Plagiarism and cheating

    Plagiarism and cheating are regarded as very serious offences. In cases where cheating  has been confirmed, students have been severely penalised, from losing all marks for an assignment, to facing disciplinary action at the Faculty level. While we would wish that all our students adhere to sound ethical conduct and honesty, I will ask you to acquaint yourself with Student Rights and Responsibilities and the Faculty regulations that apply to students detected cheating as these will be applied in all detected cases.

    In this University, cheating means seeking to obtain an unfair advantage in any examination or any other written or practical work to be submitted or completed by a student for assessment. It includes the use, or attempted use, of any means to gain an unfair advantage for any assessable work in the unit, where the means is contrary to the instructions for such work. 

    When you submit an individual assessment item, such as a program, a report, an essay, assignment or other piece of work, under your name you are understood to be stating that this is your own work. If a submission is identical with, or similar to, someone else's work, an assumption of cheating may arise. If you are planning on working with another student, it is acceptable to undertake research together, and discuss problems, but it is not acceptable to jointly develop or share solutions unless this is specified by your lecturer. 

    Intentionally providing students with your solutions to assignments is classified as "assisting to cheat" and students who do this may be subject to disciplinary action. You should take reasonable care that your solution is not accidentally or deliberately obtained by other students. For example, do not leave copies of your work in progress on the hard drives of shared computers, and do not show your work to other students. If you believe this may have happened, please be sure to contact your lecturer as soon as possible.

    Cheating also includes taking into an examination any material contrary to the regulations, including any bilingual dictionary, whether or not with the intention of using it to obtain an advantage.

    Plagiarism involves the false representation of another person's ideas, or findings, as your own by either copying material or paraphrasing without citing sources. It is both professional and ethical to reference clearly the ideas and information that you have used from another writer. If the source is not identified, then you have plagiarised work of the other author. Plagiarism is a form of dishonesty that is insulting to the reader and grossly unfair to your student colleagues.

    Communication

    Communication methods

    Directly contacting or emailing to lecturer.

    Notices

    None.

    Consultation Times

    Mondays 10-12

    Wednesdays 10-12

    If direct communication with your unit adviser/lecturer or tutor outside of consultation periods is needed you may contact the lecturer and/or tutors at:

    Associate Professor Bin Qiu
    Associate Professor
    Phone +61 3 990 53226
    Fax +61 3 990 55157

    All email communication to you from your lecturer will occur through your Monash student email address. Please ensure that you read it regularly, or forward your email to your main address. Also check that your contact information registered with the University is up to date in My.Monash.

    Last updated: Jul 20, 2006