S1 2022 CSC8001: Assignment 1

(You are required to complete reading Section “Important: Academic

Misconduct” in Page 1 of this document before working on any CSC8001
Assignment 1 question)

Important: Academic Misconduct

Please ensure that you do not share any information about your assignment with
anyone. Do not accidentally leave printouts or USB drives that contain your
assignment details where someone else can access them. Make sure not to store
your assignments on a computer where another student can access your
assignment.
Academic misconduct is unacceptable and includes plagiarism, collusion and
cheating. You will find further explanation at the link below:
https://www.usq.edu.au/library/referencing/plagiarism.

• This assignment must be all your own work

• The source of all information must be correctly cited and referenced

Assignments that do not adhere to these requirements have the potential to be

deemed to be the result of academic misconduct. Please make sure to read the
USQ policies.

Should you have any queries regarding this assignment, please do not hesitate
to email the course examiner.

Assessment policy
Please ensure to check the USQ assessment procedure
http://policy.usq.edu.au/documents/14749PL.

Late submission of Assignments

Students can apply for an extension of time to submit an Assignment at any
time up to the deadline. Students are strongly advised to make a request for an
extension as soon as their need becomes apparent. Delay in making a request
involves the risk that there will be insufficient time (with consequential loss of
Marks) if the request is refused.
Please email the course examiner if you require an assignment extension. Any
requests for extension must follow the USQ policies. Further information is
available at these links:
• How do I apply for an assignment extension:
https://usqassist.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/2950
• What are the penalties for late assignment submission?
https://usqassist.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/5955
 Assignment 1 Questions (CSC8001)

Your CSC8001 Assignment 1 consists of TWO (2) parts:

• Part A(35 marks: questions are listed below). Please submit your
solution in a PDF (.pdf) file. A pdf file originated from a picture
(screenshot, scanning etc.) is not acceptable.
• Part B (65 marks; please refer to the other file: S1-2022-CSC8001-A1-
PartB.ipynb) and submit your solution in a Jupyter Notebook
(.ipynb) file.

Part A Questions (35 marks): Essay Questions

All essays must be appropriately referenced. Essays will be marked for content
and referencing of sources as well as proper grammar, punctuation and spelling.

The indicated word lengths in Part A questions are a general guideline,

with <=5% (shorter or longer) tolerance allowed.

Essays should include relevant referenced sources beyond course specific

material, i.e. not just the course textbook or notebooks. Many relevant sources
are provided in the course textbooks and notebooks.

University policy mandates the use of the Harvard Style (AGPS) defined by this
referencing guide: https://www.usq.edu.au/library/referencing/harvard-agps-
referencing-guide

Question 1: Reproducible Research (15 marks: 10 marks for content, 5

marks for grammar and referencing)

Please write an essay (~600 words in total) to address the following three
questions:

1) What is reproducible research?

2) Why is it important?
3) How Jupyter notebooks can be used to assist in this area

Please do provide appropriate references including examples to support your

discussion.
Question 2: The Science of Science Communication
(20 marks: 20 marks: 15 marks for content, 5 marks for grammar and
referencing)

In Chapter 3 of the book “The Truthful Art”, the author Alberto Cairo states that
for religiously or politically contentious issues better information may not lead to
better understanding but to more polarization. Write an essay (~600 words in
total) discussing this topic by addressing the following two questions.

1) Why does this happen?

2) How does dissonance reduction and confirmation bias contribute to this?

Please do provide appropriate references including examples to support your

discussion.

Appendix:

Marking Criterial for CSC8001 Part A Essay Questions

• Academic misconduct: if any academic misconduct is found, your

Assignment 1 will be given zero marks, furthermore, your (academic
misconduct) case will be forwarded to the School of Sciences as per the
school’s requirement.

• Hard criteria: For each essay question, the number of words should be
600 words with <5% tolerance (shorter or longer).

• Marks will be deducted if any issue with grammar and referencing. Please
follow the Harvard Style (AGPS) as mentioned above.

• Contents: you must address all the questions as required (please read
carefully all the requirements in each question)