CS634H3 Final Exam– Formal Research Report or Q/A

Fall 201

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The Final Research Exam is due 02/20/2020. Late assignments will not be

accepted. Posting must occur in the appropriate area of Moodle. Hardcopy, email,

etc. will not be accepted. A total of 700 points will be awarded for a perfect score

for this exercise.

Each student may choose ONLY one (1) of the two options outlined below.

Option 1 is a Research Report

A student wishing to continue with his/her education beyond the Master’s Degree

and considering advancing to the Ph.D. level may wish to select Option 1 as it will

provide a foundation for a Master’s Thesis and Dissertation.

Option 2 is a Question / Answer summary of (specify discipline).

This option provides the less engaged student with the opportunity and challenges

of creating a proper Q/A sequence derived from the specific domain under study. If

selected, this option will also allow entries to be added to the question pool in

subsequent terms. If proper format is followed, insertion into the question pool can

easily be accommodated by the Learning House folks.

Option 1: Research Report / Individual Project (700 points)

Write a scholarly research report on a topic related to Software Engineering

(see Appropriate Topics). Please see Important Notes and Document Details for

detailed specifications.

Appropriate Topics:

The Research Report, select one of the following research areas:

i) Cloud Computing (Intranet, Extranet, and Internet)
ii) Machine Learning
iii) Artificial Intelligence
iv) Internet of Things (IoT)
v) Robotics
vi) Medical Technology
vii) Artificial Intelligence
viii) Business Intelligence
ix) Brain Linked Virtual Reality
x) Nanotechnology
xi) Game Programming Algorithms
xii) Video Gaming Algorithms

CS634 H3 Final Exam– Formal Research Report or Q/A

Fall 2019

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xiii) Knowledge Management Systems

Important Student Notes:

 Each student submission will be checked for plagiarism. Students should be
warned that Turnitin has a very good historical memory and is capable of

accessing reports from both internal and external resources (i.e. Universities,

Governments, etc.) including those originally written in non-English written

languages. Plagiarism will result in a grade of zero (non-negotiable) for the

assignment and may results in other university actions. The department

chairperson will be notified of the violation. Additional Campbellsville

University penalties may be applicable. Please see class syllabus for

additional details.

 Only one submission attempt is permitted – AS THE STUDENT TO BE
SURE BEFORE DEPRESSING ENTER.

 Acceptable file formats for submissions include Microsoft Word (doc, docx)
or Adobe Acrobat (PDF). No other formats are acceptable.

 The research paper must be at least 2,500 words supported by evidence
(citations from peer-reviewed sources). Note: the research should be

thorough and exhaustive.

 A minimum of four (4) peer-reviewed journal citations are required.

 Formatting should be double-spaced, one-inch boarders, no extra space for
headings, no extra white space, no more than two levels of heading, page

numbers, front and back matter).

 Extra white space use to enhance page count will negatively affect student
grade.

 Chapter 1 illustrates the document details of the research report and
constitutes Background/Introduction, Problem Statement(s), Goal(s),

Research Question(s), Relevance and Significance, Barriers and Issues

related to topic chosen. Chapter 2 should consist of student paraphrasing the

cited research material (i.e. what happened in case study x). Chapter

3

should be the reasoning for doing a basic compare/contrast or

advantages/disadvantage of what was stated in Chapter 2 (do not state

because the professor said so). Chapter 4 is a complete analysis, synthesis,

and evaluation of what was stated in chapter 2. In effect, chapter 3 is a

statement of what will be done and chapter 4 is what was done and what the

findings were. Again, thus far the writing is objective and must not contain

student opinion. Chapter 5 states results, conclusion, and future work

recommendations. Here is where student opinion (or any researcher) can

CS634 H3 Final Exam– Formal Research Report or Q/A
Fall 2019
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state their respective opinion as the student has now “done the work” and are

justified in stating results.

 Graduate student are expected to be proficient in the use of the English
language. Errors in grammar, spelling, or syntax will affect student grade.

The Professor, will not provide remedial help for writing problems. If the

student is unable to write clearly and correctly, the student should be urged

to contact the program office for sources of remedial help.

 IMPORTANT – please refer to the following url for additional help on
writing skills necessary at the graduate level

(https://owl.purdue.edu/site_map.html).

 Final Submission – the final report is due no later than the last day (Sunday)
of Week 14. A total of at least 15 full pages is required (no extra

whitespace). (700 points). Only Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF submission

is acceptable.

 The research paper must only include materials derived solely from peer
reviewed journals or peer reviewed conference proceedings. Newspapers,

websites (URLs), magazines, technical journals, hearsay, personal opinions,

and white papers are NOT acceptable citations. Please access the CU

Library at http://campbellsville.libguides.com/?b=g&d=a for appropriate

materials.

 APA formatted citations are required for the final submission.
IMPORTANT – please refer to the following url for help with APA:

https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_style_introd

uction.html. Please reach out to our librarians for additional citation

management and APA help.

 All images, tables, figures are to be included in the appendices and IS NOT
included in the 15 page requirement. This means appendices are not

included in the 15 page requirement.

 Long quotations (i.e. paragraphs) are NOT permitted. Only one quoted
short sentence (less than 14 words) is permitted per page.

 Footnotes are NOT permitted.

Document Details

This area provides additional details about the content of each of the needed

Research Report Chapters (5). For those instructing in Hybrid format, the

instructor may want to consider having the instantiated teams work on: 1) an

outline of the final research report and 2) a preliminary research report that

includes Chapters 1 and 2. For those instructing in Online or F2F formats the

instructor may want to consider using the Hybrid format (teams) or single student

https://owl.purdue.edu/site_map.html

http://campbellsville.libguides.com/?b=g&d=a

https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_style_introduction.html

https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_style_introduction.html

CS634 H3 Final Exam– Formal Research Report or Q/A
Fall 2019

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submission format. The final submission should include DETAILS of each of

following:

1) Chapter 1 – Introduction

2) Chapter 2 – Literature Review

3) Chapter 3 – Methodology Specifics (comparative analysis)

4) Chapter 4 – Findings and Results

5) Chapter 5 – Conclusion and Future Recommendations

6) References – APA

7) Appendices

Chapter 1 Introduction

Background/Introduction

In this section, present enough information about the proposed work such that the

reader understands the general context or setting. It is also helpful to include a

summary of how the rest of this document is organized.

Problem Statement

In this section, present a concise statement of a research-worthy problem addressed

(i.e., why the work should be undertaken – don’t say required for the class). Follow

the statement of the problem with a well-supported discussion of its scope and

nature. The discussion of the problem should include: what the problem is, why it

is a problem, how the problem evolved or developed, and the issues and events

leading to the problem.

Goal

Next, include a concise definition of the goal of the work (i.e., what the work will

accomplish). Aim to define a goal that is measurable.

Research Questions

Research questions are developed to help guide the authors through the literature

for a given problem area. What were the open-ended questions asked and why did

the student find (or not find) them adequate.

Relevance and Significance

CS634 H3 Final Exam– Formal Research Report or Q/A
Fall 2019

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The student should consider the following questions as they read through an article

stating how the author(s) supported, or left unsupported the evidence, relevance,

and significance of their research literature:

Why is there a problem? What groups or individuals are affected?

How far-ranging is the problem and how great is its impact? What’s the benefit of

solving the problem?

What has been tried without success to correct the situation? Why weren’t those

attempts successful? What are the consequences of not solving the problem?

How does the goal of the study address the research problem and how will the

proposed study offer promise as a resolution to the problem?

How will the research add to the knowledge base?

What is the potential for generalization of the results?

What is the potential for original work?

Barriers and Issues

In these paragraphs, identify how the problem is inherently difficult to solve. How

did the solution the author(s) propose address the difficulties?

Chapter 2 Literature Review

In this section, it is important to clearly identify the major areas on which the

student will need to focus the student research in order to build a solid foundation

for the study in the existing body of knowledge. The literature review is the

presentation of quality literature in a particular field that serves as the foundation

and justification for the research problem, research questions or hypothesis, and

methodology. The student will develop a more comprehensive review of the

literature as part of the research.

Chapter 3 Approach/Methodology

This chapter includes a summary of how the student are going to proceed with the

evaluation of the problem statement and associated research question(s). Given the

CS634 H3 Final Exam– Formal Research Report or Q/A
Fall 2019

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short time of this course, a compare / contrast or advantage / disadvantage analysis

is recommended that

Chapter 4: Findings, Analysis,

Synthesis

Include an objective description and analysis of the findings, results or outcomes of

the research. Limit the use of charts, tables, figures to those that are needed to

support the narrative. Most of these illustrations should be included as part of the

Appendix.

The following topics are intended to serve as a guide:

Data analysis

Findings & discussion

Analysis

Synthesis

Discussion

Chapter 5: Conclusions

Conclusions – Clearly state the conclusions of the study based on the analysis

performed and results achieved. Indicate by the evidence or logical development

the extent to which the specified objectives have been accomplished. If the

research has been guided by hypotheses, make a statement as to whether the data

supported or rejected these hypotheses. Discuss alternative explanations for the

findings, if appropriate. Delineate strengths, weaknesses, and limitations of the

study.

Implications – Discuss the impact of the work on the field of study and its

contributions to knowledge and professional practice. Discuss implications for

future research.

Recommendations – Present recommendations for future research or for changes

in research methods or theoretical concepts. As appropriate, present

recommendations for changes in academic practice, professional practice, or

organizational procedures, practices, and behavior.

CS634 H3 Final Exam– Formal Research Report or Q/A
Fall 2019

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References

Follow the most current version of APA to format the references. However, each

reference should be single-spaced with a double space in between each entry.

Formatting Details

Margins

The left-hand margin must be 1inches (4 cm.). Margins at the right, top, and

bottom of the page should be 1.0 inch. (See exception for chapter title pages

below.) The Research Report text may be left-aligned (leaving a ragged right edge)

or may be both left- and right-aligned (justified).

Line Spacing

Double-spacing is required for most of the text in documents submitted during the

Research Report process.

Paragraph Spacing

The text of the document is double-spaced. There should be no extra spaces

between paragraphs in sections; however, indent the first line of each paragraphs

five spaces.

Page Numbering

All pages should have page numbers in Arabic numerals in the upper right-hand

corner.

Type Style

The body text, the student should use 12-point Times New Roman. Text for the

cover page may be larger but should not exceed 14-point size. Text for the chapter

title text should be 14-point size. Be consistent in the use of typefaces throughout

the document. Do not use a compressed typeface or any settings on the word

processor that would decrease the spacing between letters or words. Sans serif

typefaces such as Helvetica or Arial may be used for relatively short blocks of text

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such as chapter headings and captions but should be avoided in long passages of

text as they impede readability.

Title Page

Every document that is submitted must have a title page. The title page includes

the exact title of the research report, date of submission, the team name, and the

name of each team member.

Chapter Title Heading, Subheadings, and Sub-Subheadings

It is required that submitted Research Report use no more than three levels of

headings in the body text. All headings should have only the first letter of each

word capitalized except that non-major words shorter than four letters have no

capital letters.

Instructions for heading levels follow:

Level 1: Chapter Title Heading

This heading starts two inches from the top of the page, is centered on the page,

and is set in 14point type. The first line contains the chapter number (e.g., Chapter

4). The second line is blank. The third line displays the chapter title, is centered on

the page, and is set in 14-point type.

Level 2: Subheading

Start the subheading at the left margin of the page, four spaces (i.e., two returns

when the document is set for double-spacing) down from the title, set in bold 12-

point type. Double-space (one return) to the subheading body text. Indent the first

line of the body text five spaces.

Level 3: Sub-Subheading

Start the sub–subheading at the left margin of the page, double-spaced (i.e., one

return when the document is set up for double-spacing) from the subheading, set in

12-point italics. Double-space (one return) to the sub-subheading body text. Indent

the first line of the body text five spaces.

CS634 H3 Final Exam– Formal Research Report or Q/A
Fall 2019
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Option 2 is a Question / Answer Bank (700 Points)

This option asks the student to thoroughly review the assigned course materials

(10 chapters of the assigned textbook, PPTs, and Discussion Forums). If this

option is selected, the student is to create a final exam derived from the materials

previously under study and as specifically outlined below. Questions posted in the

textbook, textbook website, or derived from Chegg or related websites will result

in a final grade of zero for the Final Exam. The question / answers must be in the

student’s own words as each submission should be checked for plagiarism by

Turnitin.

Create at least 5 questions per assigned textbook chapters (xx). The total number

of questions / answers is 70. Four Q/A and one Essay for each Chapter. The Q/A

may only be in the following formats: 1) Multiple Choice “MC”; 2) Fill-in “FI”;

3) Multiple Answers “MA”. Highlight the correct answer as indicated below.

1. Questions must identify the Chapter “Ch” and page number “P” (if derived
from the assigned textbook(s)), or Slide number “S” indicating where the

Q/A sequence was derived. Please note the highlighting of the correct

answer.

2.
The format of the question/answer are as follows:

o Sample MC
1. Ch1 P11 – Software Engineering includes:

a. Functional Requirements

Gathering

b. Non-Functional Requirements Gathering
c. Both Functional and Non-Functional Requirements

Gathering

d. None of the above
o Sample MC

2. Ch1 S14 – Software Engineering does not include:
a. Functional Requirements Gathering
b. Non-Functional Requirements Gathering
c. GUI
d. None of the above

o Sample FI
1. Ch1 P24 – ______ testing dictates the Q/A person has access to

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Fall 2019

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the source code:

a. White-Box
o Sample MA

1. Ch1 P12 – Software Engineering includes the following:
a. Requirements
b. Project Management
c. Configuration Management
d. Server Administration
e. Engineering Economics
f. Network Administration

2. Additionally, create one Essay question and suggested answer derived from
the assigned course materials.

o Sample Essay
1. Ch1 P15 – Identify each of the dimensions of Software

Engineering:

a. This first chapter begins with a 10,000 foot view of
software engineering knowledge areas. Specifically:

Requirements, Design, Construction, Testing,

Maintenance, Configuration Management, Engineering

Management, Engineering Process, Engineering Models

and Methods, Quality, Engineering Professional Practice,

and Engineering Economics.

Option 1 is a Research Report
Option 2 is a Question / Answer summary of (specify discipline).
Option 1: Research Report / Individual Project (700 points)
Appropriate Topics:
Important Student Notes:
Document Details
Option 2 is a Question / Answer Bank (700 Points)