Class Instructions for Take Home Coursework
Please follow these directions for the take home project carefully and let me know if
you have any questions. These notes also reflect how your reports will be marked.
You should submit a copy to LEARN. I will print a paper copy and have your
provisional mark within three weeks; with second marking as promptly as possible. If
you want the paper copy, you will be able to pick it up from Eileen in the
Garendon Wing of Holywell Park. Understanding that some of you are not on
campus, you may request that the paper copy of your marks and marked coursework
be emailed to you.
The purpose of the Coursework is to apply and extend what you have learned in
class to solve a meaningful system V&V problem or opportunity of interest to you.
The LEVEL AND QUALITY OF EFFORT must reflect the credits that you will receive
for post graduate studies. Given that 60% of your mark is for the take home project,
this means that your report should reflect about 80 – 100 hours of original individual
effort. A general estimate of the length of the report and word count that I am
expecting to see for the course work is 20 – 25 pages based on 11 point Arial in the
main body with 1.5 line spacing. This should roughly correspond to 4,000 – 5,000
words, depending on the use of figures (to include diagrams). DO NOT Plagiarise.
Your work will be marked to the standards of a research report. With permission, you
may use this as practise for writing your dissertation or project. Include an abstract;
table of contents; list of figures; aims and objectives; figure numbers and pagination.
The marking scheme is outlined in the next 5 subparagraphs:
1. Report Content and Problem Statement (10 of 60 points):
The report should have an Abstract, proper Introduction, and Conclusion;
clear structure and format, readability and quality writing; clear statement of the
problem or opportunity to be addressed, its significance; knowledge of the problem
domain (based on background research); an evident level of effort; and originality.
2. Aim and Objectives (10 of 60 points):
Clearly state your Aims; and specific Objectives that have logical connection
to the aim. Having stated the problem or opportunity you intend to solve or address
(or other clearly stated purpose of the report), it should be clear in the Conclusions
that you have achieved your aim and your objectives (modelling and analysis tasks).
The findings (and conclusions) should be technically correct.
3. Linkage of Results and Conclusions (10 of 60 points):
There needs to be clear linkage of your conclusions to the problem; using the
background research and technical analysis to support conclusions. A
knowledgeable reader of your work should be persuaded that if indeed you have
achieved your stated objectives, then you have also achieved your aim.
4. Technical Approach, Quality, Analysis, Results (20 of 60 points):
Your report should have a clear statement of your approach to the problem
and the methods you used. Your work should reflect your knowledge and
understanding of the practise of system V&V, demonstrating what you have learned
from the System V&V module and ideally extending what you learned.
Demonstration of system V&V thinking and skills; knowledge and understanding of
the practise of system V&V to include: the Requirements Model and
Traceability to the Narrative; Test Case Definition and Association of Tests with
Requirements; Compliance Matrix and Traceability to Requirements; Demonstration
Testing for Compliance (Yes-No/ Pass-Fail) and Fault Analysis; System Robustness
and Determination Testing (for characterisation and feedback to design); logical
soundness of the approach and arguments; analysis that uses clearly cited sources
and methods; technical correctness of analysis findings; correctness of the
conclusions. Ideally your report should also extend what you have learned in class,
i.e. citation and application of material from sources other than class notes.
5. Quality of Background Research and Referencing (10 of 60 points):
Your report should have clear use and citation of references (on your domain
of application and/or further elaboration of material from the class). Also use the
references to justify the significance of the problem you are addressing. All figures
taken from other sources need to be cited. Do NOT use copyrighted material. Include
a short bibliography for further reading. References + bibliography should total a
minimum of 8 – 12 documents; more if appropriate. Minimise citing online sources.
SAMPLE COURSEWORK PROPOSALS
Sample Coursework Proposal #1: Assessment of Radar to Countermeasures
Radar is an important and widely used technology for remote sensing of air
vehicles. However, in many applications, adversaries seek to defeat radar
capabilities through active countermeasures. The aim of this coursework is to
assess a generic radar system design against a collection of open source
[unclassified] countermeasures. The assessment will be a systematic
verification of radar performance to characterise baseline of radar operation
with and without the presence of countermeasures. Vulnerabilities will be
identified and recommendations offered for the future radar system design.
Sample Coursework Proposal #2: Assessment of Radar Safety
Radar is an important and widely used technology for remote sensing of air
vehicles. However, in many applications, the energy emitted from the radar
can interfere with electronics in the local area or even radiate people. The aim
of this coursework is to assess on or more commercial radar system designs
against a collection of government or agency standards for spectrum
management and health and safety. The assessment will be a systematic
verification of radar performance using these commercial radars and the
standards to demonstrate compliance or otherwise.