In academic

affiliation with

GULF COLLEGE – MUSCAT – SULTANATE OF OMAN

UNDERGRADUATE COMPUTING PROGRAMME

ACADEMIC YEAR: 2020-2021

[Semester 2]

WRIT1 – COURSEWORK

Module Title: Individual Project

Module Code: GIS3005

Method of Assessment: Coursework

Weighting: 80% Module Credits: 20

Level: 3 Semester/Teaching block: 2

Part-Time/Full-Time: Both Examiner: Raziyeh Moghaddas

Additional Information (if any):

This is an individual coursework and equivalent to 3,200 words.

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 GULF COLLEGE – FACULTY OF COMPUTING SCIENCES – In Academic
Affiliation with CARDIFF SCHOOL OF TECHNOLOGIES

Assignment/coursework general submission requirements

A. Written work
 A signed declaration that the work is your own (apart from otherwise referenced acknowledgements)
must be included after the reference page of your assignment
 Each page must be numbered.
 Where appropriate, a contents page, a list of tables/figures and a list of abbreviations should precede your
work.
 All referencing must adhere to School/Institutional requirements.
 A word count must be stated at the end of your work.
 Appendices should be kept to the minimum and be of direct relevance to the content of your work.
 All tables and figures must be correctly numbered and labelled.

B. Other types of coursework/assignments 3

 Where coursework involves oral presentations, discussions, poster presentations, etc., specific
instructions will be provided by your module leader/team.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rewrite below part just after the References of your coursework.

WORK DECLARATION

I, [Name of Student], hereby declare that the uploaded Assignment through Turnitin is my own work. I affirm that
this has been researched and completed in accordance with the college rules and regulations on plagiarism.

I acknowledge the advice given by the module tutors on proper referencing to avoid plagiarism and the rules on
the academic unfair practice.

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I acknowledge that I read and understand the plagiarism guide written at the end of this assessment. Any
academic misconduct will be handled according to the rules and regulations of the university.

__________________________
[Name of Student]
General instructions

Coursework must be submitted online through Turnitin before the specified due date. An acknowledgement
receipt will be given to you by your lecturer upon presentation of the finance clearance.

The only circumstance in which coursework can be uploaded late via Turnitin is if a Mitigating Circumstances (MC)
form is submitted at the same time. In these circumstances work may be submitted within five (5) working days.
Make sure to secure MC form and submit the same to the concerned staff.

Write the number of words used, excluding references, at the end of your assignment. Provide the list of sources
you used at the last page of your assignment with proper label ‘References’. You may include diagrams, figures
etc. without word penalty. The number of words will be + or – 10% of the total words allowed.

A work declaration must be included just after the reference page of your assignment. This ensures that you
prepare your work in good faith. Any form of collusion and/or academic unfair practice will be dealt with
according to the pertinent rules and regulations of the partner university. Please read carefully the plagiarism
guide.

ASSESSMENT DETAILS

This Individual Project is for level 3 block 2 students. The assessment is a coursework and weighted at
80%. Each student must SUBMIT a COMPLETE report based on the approved project topic. Students are
advised to name the project report as Student ID. Make sure you reference (proper Harvard
Referencing) any sources you have used to complete this coursework. Further, the students are
expected to develop the following skills during the preparation of the coursework:
 Research skills. Students will be able to choose an appropriate research / software methodology for a
particular project topic;
 Communication Skills. Students will be able to prepare a project report in a professional manner;
 Critical Thinking Skills and Cognitive Skills. Students will be able to reflect and analyse the issues and
challenges he/she is facing during the project; and

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Further, this coursework will assess the following learning outcomes:

 Specify the nature of the problem being investigated, stating aims and objectives that are appropriate,
realistic and achievable.
 Conduct a literature review within the context of the problem.
 Develop and apply appropriate academic theory and method in the resolution of the problem.
 Evaluate alternative approaches appropriate to a defined problem.

 Evaluate the research or development project and identify areas for further work.

ASSESSMENT TASK

This individual project requires each student to conduct a research or development project as per the
requirements described below. Each student is required to submit a project proposal including project title,
objectives of the study, statement of the problem, research and software methodology, etc (refer to Project
proposal form) to project coordinator in consultation with his/her supervisor. Students’ project should belong to
the current research areas of Computer Science and provide solution for the real-world problem of the research
topic.

Students are required to submit an academic report on the subject area chosen. The report must be accompanied
by relevant methodology, analysis, design, development, implementation, testing and evaluation of a project.

REQUIREMENTS:
At the end of Level 3 Block 2, the students must submit the following:
a. Academic Report. The report consist of sections (refer to project structure) with 3,200 words.
b. Research Ethics Form. Students should submit an research ethics form.

REPORT STRUCTURE

The report may contain recommended sections that are outlined below:

i. Title Page
ii. Acknowledgment
iii. Abstract (maximum of one page)
iv. Table of Contents
v. List of Figures
vi. List of Tables

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Chapter 1. Introduction
1.1 Introduction and Project Background
1.2 Problem Definition/ Problem Statement
1.3 Proposed Solutions
1.4 Scope and limitations of the Project
1.5 Diagram of current system (if applicable)

Chapter 2. Literature Review

2.1 Literature Review (minimum of 20 with proper citation)

2.1.1 Theoretical Review
2.1.2 Related Work
2.2 Synthesis

Chapter 3. Project Analysis

3.1 Investigation and Analysis
3.2 Research Methodology and Data Collection Procedure
3.3 Software Methodology
3.3 Specification Requirements
3.4 Hardware and Software Requirements
3.5 User Requirements

Chapter 4. Project Design

4.1 Design Objectives

4.2 System Overview and Design Constraints
4.3 Graphic Design / Interface Design
4.2 System Architecture (package diagram, deployment diagram, network diagram )
4.3 Process Model
4.4 Data Model
Note:
This chapter will depend on the nature of the project.

Chapter 5. Project Implementation, Testing & Evaluation

Note:
This chapter will depend on the nature of the project. However, it should include:
a. how the solution to the problem is realized; and
b. the selection of the implementation method should be described and justified
c. what type of software testing applicable; and
d. address the evaluation fo the solution againsts its objectives and succes criteria. This may include:
d.1 a description of the testing strategy and the choice of testing method
d.2 the planning and application of the tests; and
d.3 the conclusions that may be drawn from the results of the tests and any modifications to the design
and implementation that could be recommended

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PLEASE NOTE:
You may not submit your Individual Project without ethical approval. You MUST include a copy of
your approved research ethics application form (and supporting documentation) in the
Appendices of your final submission.

Research Ethics Statement

All research-type projects conducted by students in Gulf College - Cardiff School of Technologies must
comply with the university’s ethical requirements at the start of each academic year. Failure of a student to
secure ethical approval for a project prior to commencing data collection will result in the project being
ineligible for assessment. A mark of zero will be given for failure to comply with such requirement.
Complying with ethical requirements involves completing and submitting an Application for Ethics Approval
together with draft copies of all supporting documents. Guidance on completing the ethics application can
be sought from project supervisors.

Confirmation of Title, Aims and Objectives Form

To be completed by (Date to be announced) and discussed and approved with Supervisor

Confirmation of Title, Aims and Objectives Form

To be completed by (Date to be announced) and discussed and approved with Supervisor

Name of Student: ………………………….………………………………………………………..

Name of Supervisor: …………………………………………………………………………………

Individual Working Title: ……………………………………………………………………....

Individual Project Aim:…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
.....................................................................................................................................................

Dissertation Objectives:
1……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
2……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
3……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
4……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
5……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Outline Methodology:………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...................
......................................................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................................................

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Additional Notes:
Please refer to the attached Ethics Application form when conducting the approved research topic or research
title. Read every details of the Ethics form and accomplish it properly and sign it. Submit the ethics form to the
designated research supervisor prior to the start of the research. Should you have any issues and queries related
to the ethics form, feel free to consult your supervisor.

CARDIFF METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY

APPLICATION FOR ETHICS APPROVAL

When undertaking a research or innovation project, Cardiff Met staff and students are obliged to
complete this form in order that the ethics implications of that project may be considered.

The document Ethics application guidance notes will help you complete this form and is available from
the Ethics Governance Section of the Cardiff Met website. The School or Unit in which you are based
may also have produced some guidance documents which you can access via your supervisor or School
Ethics Coordinator.

PLEASE NOTE:

Participant recruitment or data collection MUST NOT commence until ethics approval has been
obtained.

PART ONE

1A: GENERAL INFORMATION

Name of applicant: Click here to enter text.
Supervisor (if student project): Click here to enter text.
School / Unit: Click here to enter text.
Student number (if applicable): Click here to enter text.
Programme enrolled on (if applicable): Click here to enter text.
Project Title: If using a working title, it should convey what the
project is about
Expected start date of data collection: Click here to enter a date.
Approximate duration of data collection: Click here to enter text.
Funding Body (if applicable): Click here to enter text.
Other researcher(s) working on the project: If your collaborators are external to Cardiff Met,
include details of the organisation they represent.
Will the study involve NHS patients or staff? If yes, attach a copy of your NHS application to this
form

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Will the study involve human samples Choose an item.
and/or human cell lines?

1B: Does your project fall entirely within one of the following categories:
Desk based, involving only documents and not involving the collection of data fromChoose an
participants item.
Laboratory based, not involving human participants, human samples, animals or Choose an
animal derived material item.
Practice based not involving human participants (eg curatorial, practice audit) Choose an
item.
Answering YES to any of these questions indicates that the project does not include any
participants and you will not therefore be collecting participant data.
If this is the case, please provide a short (150 words) non-technical summary of the project,
complete the Declaration at the bottom of the form and forward this form to your School Ethics
Committee (or equivalent).
No further information regarding your project is required and you do not need to complete any
more sections of this form.

If you have answered NO to all of these questions, please proceed to 1C.

Non-technical summary of the project:
Click here to enter text.

1C: Does your project fall entirely within one of the following categories:
Compulsory projects in professional practice (eg Initial Teacher Education) Choose an
item.
A project for which NHS approval has been obtained Choose an
NB If this is the case, please ensure that you submit copies of the following with item.
this form:
 any questionnaires to be used
 participant consent / asset form and withdrawal form
 participant information sheets

A project which is not compulsory in professional practice and has gained external Choose an
ethics approval from a body other than the NHS. item.
NB If this is the case, please ensure that you submit a copy of the approved ethics
application with this form.

If you have answered YES to any of these questions, please provide a short (150 words) non-
technical summary of the project and complete the rest of Part One of this form. You do not
need to complete Part Two.
Forward your completed form, along with any additional documents required (as indicated above)
to your School Ethics Committee (or equivalent).

If you have answered NO to all of these questions, please complete the rest of this form including
Part Two.
Non-technical summary of the project:

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Click here to enter text.

1D: DATA COLLECTION AND STORAGE

What types of data will you collect or create?
Click here to enter text.
How will you manage access to and security of the data?
Click here to enter text.
Will the data collected be subject to the data retention protocols of any of the following bodies?
 Human Tissue Authority (HTA)
 Health and Care Research Wales (HCRW)
 Applications involving the NHS which will be submitted via IRAS
Yes ☐
For any project which is subject to the data retention protocols of an external body listed, you
must develop a data storage plan to be submitted alongside this document for consideration by
your School or Unit Ethics Panel.

No ☐
Please confirm that the data collected will be stored in a manner which complies with Cardiff Met
requirements via one of the following statements.

STATEMENT 1: FOR STUDENTS ON TAUGHT COURSES

I confirm that any non-anonymised data related to research participants will only be stored
on OneDrive and that all data held elsewhere will be deleted, unless it is anonymised. ☐

STATEMENT 2: FOR STAFF APPLYING ON BEHALF OF STUDENTS ON TAUGHT COURSES

I confirm that all students covered by this application are aware of their obligation to
ensure that non-anonymised data related to research participants must only be stored on
their Cardiff Met student OneDrive account and that all data held elsewhere must be ☐
deleted, unless it is anonymised.

STATEMENT 3: FOR RESEARCH STUDENTS AND STAFF

I confirm that any non-anonymised data related to research participants will be stored in a
secure manner (using a platform such as OneDrive or FigShare) and that all data held
elsewhere will be deleted unless it is anonymised. ☐

DECLARATION:
I confirm that this project conforms with the Cardiff Met Research Integrity & Governance
Framework

I confirm that I will abide by the Cardiff Met requirements regarding confidentiality and
anonymity when conducting this project.

STUDENTS: I confirm that I will not disclose any information about this project without the prior
approval of my supervisor.
Signature of the applicant: Date:
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FOR STUDENT PROJECTS ONLY
Name of supervisor: Date:

Signature of supervisor:

Research Ethics Committee use only

Decision reached:
Click here to enter text.
Project reference number: Click here to enter text.
Name: Click here to enter text. Date: Click here to enter a date.
Details of any conditions upon which approval is dependant:
Click here to enter text.

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PART TWO
If you haven’t already done so elsewhere on this form, in the box below, provide a short (150 words),
non-technical summary of the project.
Click here to enter text.
A RESEARCH DESIGN
A1 Will you be using an approved protocol in your project? Choose an item.
A2 If yes, please state the name and code of the approved protocol to be used 1
Click here to enter text.
A3 Describe the research design to be used in your project
In this section, include details (as appropriate) of:
- research method(s);
- sample and sampling;
- participants including recruitment methods, activities to be undertaken, time commitment, details of
any proposed payments;
- analytical techniques
If your project does involve the use of an approved protocol, much less detail will be required but you
should indicate which areas of the project are covered by the protocol.
A4 Will the project involves deceptive or covert research? Choose an item.
A5 If yes, give a rationale for the use of deceptive or covert research
Click here to enter text.
A6 Will the project has security sensitive implications? Choose an item.
A7 If yes, please explain what they are and the measures that are proposed to address them
Click here to enter text.

B PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
B1 What previous experience of research involving human participants relevant to this project do you
have?
Click here to enter text.
B2 Student project only
What previous experience of research involving human participants relevant to this project does your
supervisor have?
Click here to enter text.

C POTENTIAL RISKS
C1 What potential risks do you foresee?
Include details of risks to the participants, the researcher and the project as a whole.
C2 How will you deal with the potential risks?
Click here to enter text.

When submitting your application you MUST attach a copy of the following:
 All information sheets
 Consent/assent form(s)
 Withdrawal of consent form

1
An Approved Protocol is one which has been approved by Cardiff Met to be used under supervision of designated members
of staff. For details of protocols in use in your School or Unit, contact your Ethics Coordinator
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An exemplar information sheet, exemplar participant consent form and exemplar participant withdrawal
form are available via the research section of the Cardiff Met website (see section on Ethics
Governance). These are based on good practice and will be useful in the majority of cases. However, it
is recognised that in some cases a project will be subject to requirements from an external body. Use of
these exemplars is therefore not obligatory.

Please refer to the URL Link for more details of the Ethical Approval and Withdrawal:
https://www.cardiffmet.ac.uk/research/Pages/Ethics-Governance.aspx

Plagiarism

Plagiarism, which can be defined as using without acknowledgement another person’s words or ideas and
submitting them for assessment as though it were one’s work, for instance by copying, translating from one
language to another or unacknowledged paraphrasing. Further examples of plagiarism are given below:

Use of any quotation(s) from the published or unpublished work of other persons, whether published in
textbooks, articles, the Web, or in any other format, which quotations have not been identified as such by being
placed in quotation marks and acknowledged.

Use of another person’s words or ideas that have been slightly changed or paraphrased to make it look different
from the original.

Summarising another person’s ideas, judgments, diagrams, figures, or computer programs without reference to
that person in the text and the source in a bibliography or reference list.

Use of services of essay banks and/or any other agencies.

Use of unacknowledged material downloaded from the Internet.

Re-use of one’s material except as authorised by the department.

2. Collusion, which can be defined as when work that has been undertaken by or with others is submitted and
passed off as solely as the work of one person. This also applies where the work of one candidate is submitted in
the name of another. Where this is done with the knowledge of the originator both parties can be considered to
be at fault.
3. Fabrication of data, making false claims to have carried out experiments, observations, interviews, or other
forms of data collection and analysis or acting dishonestly in any other way.

Plagiarism Detection Software (PDS)

As part of its commitment to quality and the maintenance of academic standards, the University reserves the right
to use Plagiarism Detection Software (PDS), including Turnitin. Such software makes no judgement as to whether a
piece of work has been plagiarised, it simply highlights sections of text that have been found in other sources.

The use of plagiarism detection software fulfils two functions. The first is to enhance student learning (i.e. as a
developmental tool); the second is to guard against and identify unfair practice in assessment.
Further information and guidance can be found in the University’s policy on the Use of Plagiarism Detection
Software

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