CET351 2021-22 Assignment 2: Research Paper

This research paper is worth 50% of the module mark

The deadline for this work is specified on the module website

Please read all of these instructions carefully!

This is a negotiated research assignment. You are to propose and gain approval for a research paper title
on one narrow topic that is relevant to your degree. This paper must be focussed on one narrow aspect
of computing research and must not be the same as any other research you are doing, or will be required
to do, for any other module while doing your degree. Guidance will be given on your proposed title by
your local tutor but it is your responsibility to ensure you follow this advice and ensure that the paper
you submit in the end has an appropriate title.

Your research paper should describe and evaluate current research evidence (research aims, methods,
experimental results and a researcher conclusions) and in doing so present your analysis and your
conclusions. See the many good exemplars in the module materials.

Applied Business Computing Students… should write a research paper that is applicable to applied
business computing. For example evaluating current research that aims to:
 improve the design of computer systems in an application specific, but non-business specific,
setting (e.g. predicting stock market trends, applying business intelligence in marketing, business
intelligence to support research)
 improve the efficiency of businesses by developing new and novel computing systems (e.g. man-
aging climate change, novel health care systems or enhancing criminal, legal or government sys-
tems)
 improve any aspect of software enterprise or user experienced design (e.g. adoption of enter-
prise application software or testing user experience through eye tracking)
 develop novel business applications (e.g. wearable technologies, 5G applications, new medical
informatics or diagnostic systems)
 Note: a very wide definition of business applies here so this includes computing used within a
public sector setting e.g. hospitals, within the voluntary sector e.g. charities or within a social
setting e.g. online communications.

Computer Systems Engineering students… should write a research paper that is applicable to the design
or development of computing systems. For example evaluating current research that aims to:
 enhance the design or development of databases (e.g distributed database design or text mining
and database fusion)
 enhance the design or development mobile systems (e.g. usability issues, performance analysis,
analysing smart phone data or lifestyle and health applications)
 enhance the development of any advanced computing technique (e.g. artificial intelligence ap-
plied to medical diagnosis, scalable deep learning, natural language processing or machine vis-
ion)
 enhance any aspect of cyber security (e.g. risk assessment, anomaly detection, real time IDS,
mitigation of attacks or security architecture)
 enhance any aspect of the software lifecycle (e.g. large scale collaborative agile development,
quality assurance for deep learning)
 develop novel applications (e.g. Internet of Things, wearable technologies, medical implants,
smart cities)
Network Systems Engineering students… should write a research paper that is applicable to the design or
development of network systems. For example evaluating current research that aims to:
 Improve network security (e.g. securing the Control, Data or Management Planes of networking
devices, the Internet of Things, frameworks for security visualizations, intrusion detection meth-
ods or WAN communication)
 Improve network efficiency (e.g. tuning quality of service for real time traffic flows, traffic engin-
eering or routing protocols)
 Improve one aspect of cloud computing (e.g. failure management, scheduling or optimisation)
 Improve any aspect of mobile networks or telecommunications (e.g. protocol for wireless LANs
or distributed and scalable frameworks)
 Improve underpinning technologies or customer experience (e.g. Internet of Things, 5G, access in
remote locations)

Mobile and Web Technologies students… should write a research paper that is applicable to the design
or development of mobile or web information systems. For example evaluating current research that
aims to:
 enhance the design or development mobile systems (e.g. usability issues, performance analysis,
analysing smart phone data or mobile lifestyle and health applications)
 enhance the design or development web based systems (e.g. web-based learning environments,
web-based geographical information systems or enhancing web security)
 improve any aspect of web or mobile design or user experience (e.g. mobile game design or be-
haviour profiling on mobile devices)
 Improve any aspect of underpinning technology (e.g. telecommunications, operating systems, or
wearable devices)
 develop novel applications (e.g. medical informatics & diagnostics)

Business Intelligence and Data Analytics students… should write a research paper that is applicable to
the use of Business Intelligence and Data Analytics within a business or social setting. For example
evaluating current research that aims to:
 Improve data visualisation, user modelling or customer insights,
 Resolve current ethical issues (e.g. algorithm fairness, transparency or accountability)
 Improve any aspect of underpinning technology (e.g. databases, artificial intelligence, deep
learning or anomaly detection and prediction)
 Improve any aspect of the application of theory (e.g. enhancing business strategy, operations,
risk management or enterprise migration strategies)
 develop novel applications (e.g. medical informatics, home energy management, manufacturing
or education).
 Note: a very wide definition of business applies here so this includes computing used within a
public sector setting e.g. hospitals, within the voluntary sector e.g. charities or within a social
setting e.g. online communications.

Information and Communication Technology students… should write a research paper that is applicable
to methods or tools for IT Service Management within a business setting, including the application of
Business Intelligence or issues relating to Cybersecurity & Digital Forensics. For example evaluating
current research that aims to:
 Improve any aspect of IT Service Management (e.g. business processes, technical service report-
ing, cost estimation, impact of cloud computing, network management, data management or out
sourcing)
 Improve any aspect of the application of business intelligence theory (e.g. enhancing business
strategy, operations, risk management or enterprise migration strategies)
 enhance any aspect of cyber security or digital forensics (e.g. risk assessment, anomaly detec-
tion, mitigation of attacks, security architectures or frameworks for forensics investigations)
  develop novel business modelling applications (e.g. tourism, managing climate change, environ-
mental or sustainability applications, forecasting demand)
 Note: a very wide definition of business applies here so this includes computing used within a
public sector setting e.g. hospitals, within the voluntary sector e.g. charities or within a social
setting e.g. online communications.

You are to write a research paper with an appropriate title with reference to between 8 and 12 relevant
conference and journal articles. Your research paper should include a detailed discussion and evaluation
of current research on the topic under consideration leading to your own well-reasoned conclusions.

The word limit for this assignment is 3000 words (this includes the reference list but does not include
the assignment cover sheet). You must put the word count on your assignment cover sheet (details of
which are provided later) and you must explain why the topic chosen is relevant to the specific degree
you are studying.

In line with University policies regarding assignment length you will be penalised according to the
following table for breaking the limitations.
Exceeds limit by up to 10% No penalty
Exceeds limit by up to 20% -5 percentage points
Exceeds limit by up to 30% -10 percentage points
Exceeds limit by up to 40% -15 percentage points
Exceeds limit by up to 50% -20 percentage points
Exceeds limit by more than 50% Mark of zero

Your task in doing this assignment is not to undertake the research you proposed for assignment 1 but
to discuss and evaluate research published by other researchers. In doing so you are required to discuss
the research described in current research papers. Therefore, providing an introductory discussion, or
providing a detailed description of a technical subject will score very low marks.

Care should be taken to ensure that your paper is unbiased and accurately referenced using the Harvard
referencing system (see the lecture slides and publication template for guidance on this).

Any words not your own must be in quotation marks and sources cited. Quotations should be no more
than two lines long and, taken all together, should represent less than 10% of the words written. The
remaining 90% of this assignment must be entirely in your own words.

Your paper should be appropriately sectioned, well structured and should clearly set out your own
evaluation of the evidence, analysis and conclusions. Your conclusions should be backed up by well-
reasoned arguments and should be suitably illustrated with appropriate examples. It is not enough to
regurgitate or summarize material found in literature.

Good academic writing uses literature to present evidence and the conclusions reached by other
researchers and discusses this literature allowing the author draw out their own concrete conclusions.

Your conclusions should come from:-

 Your evaluation of the evidence presented in research papers,
 Your comparison of the theories proposed by researchers in research papers,
 Your consideration of the potential application of these theories to real world situations.

For a good balance you should aim to spend about 50% of the space devoted to presenting research
materials and 50% to your evaluation of this evidence, your comparison, your reasoned argument and
your conclusions.

A reference list must be included at the end of the research paper.

Your paper should be in a format suitable for publication. A publication template is available to help with
this. Students will have the opportunity to get their research papers published if their paper is good
enough and correctly formatted.

Assignment Submission and Marking

Your assignment should be submitted as one document. This should start with an assignment cover
sheet which includes the following information:-
 the module code,
 your name and student registration number,
 the name of the degree you are studying
 the name of the centre you are studying at (for off-campus students),
 the title of your paper
 the word count and
 a short statement that explains the relevance of this research to your degree (2 or 3 sentences
should suffice for this).

The title page should then be followed by the body of the assignment which should be a correctly
formatted a research paper. A research paper template is provided to help you with this within the
module materials. For reasons explained later the research paper, if correctly formatted, will duplicate
some of the information on the assignment cover sheet (ie. title and author name).

The assignment will be submitted electronically via your module space in the Virtual Learning
Environment (VLE). The submission is electronic and there is no requirement for any other form of
submission. Uploading your assignment constitutes the submission. Late submissions will not be
marked!

Please note that the assignment must be submitted as a Microsoft Word document.

Assignments are normally marked within 4 working weeks – this does not include the three week
holidays period at Christmas or Easter. You can view your assignment marks and feedback by returning
to the assignment link after this period.

Research Paper Publication

The best research papers have in the past been published in the University of Sunderland library. Sadly I
cannot yet confirm if this will still be possible.

Only papers that are formatted according to the publication template exactly and have an overall mark
of 75% or above will be considered for publication – and only the best 15 papers will be accepted.

Publication, or failure to be published, will have no impact on your module mark. The opportunity, if
still available, is entirely an optional extra and will be at the discretion of the module leader.

Assignment Marking Scheme

Content:- the quality of content that describes current research 20%

Critical Evaluation: - the quality of your critical evaluation of the evidence presented 15%
Reasoned Argument: -the quality of your reasoned argument and conclusions 15%
Citations: - how well the materials from the literature are cited in the body paper 15%
Literature Search: - the range and quality of the reference list 15%
Presentation:- the quality of formatting and structuring of the research paper 20%

A more detailed breakdown of this marking scheme is presented at the end of this document for further
guidance.

Essential Information

1) This is an individual assignment, the work must be entirely your own. The safety of your
assessments is your responsibility. You must not permit another student access to your work.

2) Your assignment will be submitted electronically via the module space. You must therefore sort out
any module registration \ log in problems within the first three weeks of the module and upload your
assignment by the date specified. If you cannot log in and upload an assignment by the due date you
will fail this assignment. You are strongly recommended to upload a draft assignment at least 1 week
before the deadline and to keep uploading revised versions. Technical problems on the deadline day will
not be accepted as a valid excuse for non-submission.

3) The assignment should be submitted by 4pm UK time on the date specified in the VLE however to
allow for internet problems assignments will be accepted up until 23.59.

4) You are required to submit your work within the bounds of the University Infringement of Assessment
Regulations (see your Programme Guide). Plagiarism, paraphrasing and downloading large amounts of
information from external sources, will not be tolerated and will be dealt with severely.

5) All text taken from other sources must be in quotations and the sources cited. Quotations should be
no more than two lines long and, taken all together, should represent less than 10% of the words
written. The remaining 90% of this assignment must be entirely in your own words.

6) You should upload a draft of your research paper via your module space early and respond to the
‘TurnItIn’ report generated. This report will indicate any non-original words in your paper including a)
correctly quoted text, b) the reference list and c) and any plagiarized text. Reports that come back rated
at less than 20% non-original text are usually fine. Those that come back with a score of over 25% i.e.
yellow, orange or red usually need fixing. Plagiarised text will not be tolerated. Please note that the
generation of originality reports can take up to 24 hours.

7) Where a word limit is specified the university has implemented a standard policy and penalties on
assignments that go over the word limit. On your assignment you must provide your word count and
lying about this is an academic offence.

8) You can repeatedly submit your assignment up until the deadline and the last assignment uploaded at
the deadline will be marked. You will be marked online and will be able to see your marks and feedback
online at the same location – usually marks and feedback will be available after 4 working weeks (this
does not include holidays).

9) If you cannot complete this assignment for reasons that are outside of your control, e.g. serious
illness, you can apply to the Extenuating Circumstances Panel asking for a deferral but you will need to
provide appropriate evidence e.g. medical evidence covering the appropriate period. Technical problems
on the day of the assignment deadline, module registration issues and failure to back up your work will
not be accepted as valid excuses. Therefore you should a) ensure you can log into the module b) upload
a draft assignment early and keep uploading revisions as you make changes c) keep electronic copies of
your work. If you provide a good reason your local tutor can grant an extension of 72 hours but there are
restrictions on this – see module guide for more details.

10) The following learning outcomes are assessed by this assignment:-

Knowledge

an understanding of current research, scientific principles and research methodology within an

area appropriate to the students named degree. 
Skills

the ability to critically evaluate current research within an area appropriate to the students named
degree and document this in the form of a research paper. 
Detailed Marking Scheme

Criterion Perfect Outstanding Excellent Very Good Good Acceptable Insufficient Very Poor Missing Total
100% 90% 75% 65% 55% 40% 30% 15% 0%
Content 20pts 18pts 15pts 13pts 11pts 8pts 6pts 3pts 0pts 20
20pts A perfect A professional An excellent A very good description A good description of Some description of research The description of Content is Missing or
description of description of description of current of current research and current research and is given but this fails to focus research is significantly virtually no
current current research, research, experimental results is experimental results is enough on the current insufficient. Though copied, or is far content
research is experimental experimental results provided on one provided. research. a topic may be too introductory, included.
presented results and and conclusions is focussed subject. described in some or lacks purpose
conclusions is provided that is very detail this is not and direction or
provided that is well developed and research. It may is otherwise
very well organised also be too definitely flawed
developed and introductory.
organised
Critical 15 pts 13.5pts 11.25pts 9.75pts 8.25pts 6pts 4.5pts 2.25pts 0pts 15
Evaluation A perfect An outstanding An excellent A very good evaluation A good attempt is made in Evidence is presented to The claims made in Evaluation is No evaluation
15pts evaluation of evaluation is evaluation is is provided of the a few places to evaluate justify the claims made in the the literature are entirely presented
current provided of the provided of the claims made by the evidence presented literature but little or no taken entirely on inadequate or is
research is claims made by claims made by researchers in several by researchers. attempt is made to evaluate trust and little or no significantly
presented researchers researchers places by discussing the this evidence attempt is made to copied.
throughout by throughout by research methodology present supporting
evaluating the evaluating the and/or research results evidence.
research research
methodology and methodology and
experimental experimental
research results research results
Reasoned 15pts 13.5pts 11.25pts 9.75pts 8.25pts 6pts 4.5pts 2.25pts 0pts 15
Argument Perfectly Very professional Excellent reasoned Very good reasoned Good reasoned argument Sufficient reasoned argument Insufficient Discussion is No discussion
15pts reasoned reasoned argument is argument is presented is presented leading to is presented but the reasoned argument entirely presented
argument is argument is presented leading to in places leading to reasonably justified, conclusions are very general is presented. inadequate or is
presented presented leading strongly justified and specific well justified conclusions. or weakly justified. Taking arguments significantly
leading to to strongly specific conclusions. conclusions. from the literature, copied.
perfect justified and as you may have
conclusions outstanding done, is not enough.
conclusions.
Citations 15pts 13.5pts 11.25pts 9.75pts 8.25pts 6pts 4.5pts 2.25pts 0pts 15
15pts Citations and Immaculate Excellent citations Very good citations and Citations and reporting Acceptable citations in almost Some sources are Sections of the Large
use of these citations and and accurate accurate reporting on the whole good, even if all places even if there is not cited or text text are sections of
are perfect accurate reporting at a fine overall. there are minor flaws in scope for improvement in that should be in plagiarised, not in this have
reporting at a fine grained level places format or use quotes is not. quotes OR been
grained level sources are not plagiarised.
cited.
Literature 15pts 13.5pts 11..25pts 9.75pts 8.25pts 6pts 4.5pts 2.25pts 0pts 15
Search The reference An outstanding Excellent list of Very good list of Good list of largely Some academic references (5 List of references is
List of references No reference
15pts list is perfect list of references references in terms of references in terms of quality academic or more journal or conference inadequate with is very short or of list is
in terms of quality, quantity and quality and quantity (8 references (7 or more papers) have been used but less than 5 journal very poor provided
quality, quantity focus (11-12 journal or more journal or journal or conference not enough and many weaker or conference standard i.e.
and focus (11-12 or conference papers conference papers with papers) though not quite sources may also have been papers used. Too unreviewed
journal or with full details on virtually full details) as many as expected and used. many weaker literature. Or
conference one coherent though a few weaker some weaker sources sources may also citations and
papers with full subject). sources may also have may also have been used. have been used. references
details on one been used substantially do
coherent subject). not match up.
Presentation 20pts 18pts 15pts 13pts 11pts 8pts 6pts 3pts 0pts 20
20pts The Spotless Excellent Very good and Good presentation, Acceptable presentation and Shows definite In very rough The
presentation presentation presentation which is consistent presentation structure and formatting structure on the whole flaws in presenting draft form or presentation
of the which is excellently structured which is well structured even if some minor though further work would a structured piece incomplete is totally
research excellently and excellently and very well aspects could be benefit of work unacceptable
paper is structured and formatted. formatted. improved
perfect perfectly
formatted to a
professional
quality
Total 100