For Professor Alyssa
ashamed2628IFSM 310 HW-SW Spring 2014
Projects and Written Papers
Contents
General Paper and Writing Requirements 1
Option 1 - Product Survey Project 5
Option 2 - Paper on Computer Architecture 6
Small System Design Project 11
General Paper and Writing Requirements
This applies to all projects and papers except where noted.
File Names
The files submitted should be named as follows: Your name, project ID or project title. For example: "Schank, DraftPlan.docx" or "Karl Schank, Draft Small System Design Project.doc".
All assignments are to be submitted in each student's Assignments Folder.
Format
Format is APA style, which means and includes the following:
· Use Microsoft Word. If you do not have Microsoft Word, "Save As" a word document in Word .doc or .docx format.
· Use Page Setup to configure it.
· Use 1" margins top, bottom, left and right sides.
· Use Times New Roman size 12; or Arial, or Verdana size 10.
· Line spacing should be no more than double-spaced.
· Use appropriate paragraph and section headings and subheadings. Headings and subheadings should be placed at the left margin.
· The first word of each new paragraph should be indented.
· For documents that are longer than one page, number each page in the bottom right corner. The title page should never be numbered.
· Size limit: A page limit and number of words are specified in the instructions for each project or paper. The limit refers to the body of the paper excluding the "front matter" (title page, table of contents, executive summary) and "back matter" (reference bibliography of works cited). The body of the paper should be neither shorter than the lower limits not longer than the upper limits. Filibustering will get you nowhere.
Title Page
Use an un-numbered title page as the first page of the document. Use whatever font, color, and type size you prefer, and add optional graphics if you wish, as long as it is professional looking. In the center of the page, double spaced, put:
· Your name
· The name of the project itself (e.g., "Computer Architecture Paper" or "Small System Design DRAFT")
· IFSM 310-6380: Hardware/Software Infrastructure Architecture
· Your title for the paper, if you choose to title it (e.g., "The Architecture of the ENIAC")
· The date
· You may add optional clip art or graphics if desired. It is not required and will not earn any additional points.
Nothing else needs to be added to the title page. Remember, the title page is not a separate document. It is the first (unnumbered) page of your document and does not count in the page size requirements.
Front Matter
For Draft papers, a table of contents and executive summary are optional.
Final papers should include a MS Word-generated table of contents; the kind that has hyperlinks to click on to get to the corresponding sections of the document. (If you need assistance in doing this, use MS Word's Help; instructions are also available in Course Content under "Supplemental Materials" or at Creating "Automatic" Clickable Tables of Contents in MS Word.)
Final papers should also include a 1/2- to 1-page Executive Summary that summarizes the purpose, approach, and conclusion of the document. (Again, if you need assistance, see Course Content "Supplemental Materials" or Tips on Executive Summaries and The secrets of writing a truly useful executive summary.)
Writing Quality
Unless otherwise noted, the written papers will be graded in part (≈≈30%) on format, style, and writing quality. The remainder (≈≈70%) will be based on substance, content, accuracy, and correctness.
Writing quality includes considerations such as (but not limited to) the following:
· Grammar, Verb Tenses, Pronoun Use, Spelling, Punctuation, and Writing Competency.
· Spelling. Remember to spell-check, and then to proofread. Better yet, have a friend or colleague read it before submitting it. Read it out loud to yourself. It’s amazing how many mistakes we find when we read out loud. This is because we are forced to slow down and LOOK at the words.
· In a professional paper one does not use contractions ("doesn't", "don't", etc.) and one does not use the personal pronouns "you" or "your". Although there may be some exceptions, it is preferable to not use the first person ("I", "me", "my", etc.).
· Use the impersonal as I have in the previous sentence. It is more business-like than saying, "Also in a professional paper you don't use contractions."
· In a professional or academic paper in the US, companies and organizations should be referred to as “it” not “they.” (It's true that this is done differently in Britain, but we are an American university.)
· Use references -- in APA format – (in text citations and Reference pages) even if you have all the information in your head. References add credibility to your work , provide sources for the reader to find more information and lend academic credence. References show the professor that members of the team did above and beyond what was required in order to produce a high quality deliverable.
References
Use the APA format for references and citations. Use a Reference List page as a bibliography or list of works cited when using references, as the last page of the document. Remember that the Reference page ONLY includes sources that you used in the text. APA format does NOT use a “bibliography”; only a Reference Page. If you are unsure of format, please review the APA tutorial in the Course Content area of our WebTycho classroom, or go through the UMUC ILS library website for other help and assistance, or contact the Effective Writing Center.
Your sources should be either scholarly or industrial. That is, they should come from scholarly papers found in ILS's research databases, from Google Scholar, from libraries, etc. Or, if referring to commercial products, they may be references to the company's Web site, white papers, user manuals, brochures, and similar materials. Wikipedia and other encyclopedias should not be used as a reference source (see below).
References and in-line citations go together. Neither is complete without the other. Your paper must also include in-line citations to the references in the "back matter" page. There should not be an in-line citation without a corresponding source in the reference page, and there should not be a source in the reference page that is not used or cited in-line in the body of the paper. For instructions, see the APA tutorial and other materials mentioned above.
Other Requirements
Original work. All papers must be your original work, in your own words, and written for this class. Do not simply copy/paste information from the Web or textbook. Such submissions will not be accepted for credit. Research projects should be original work for IFSM 310; therefore, you may not re-use of a paper written you’ve written for a different class.
In accordance with the policy in the Syllabus, students must submit all final papers (ArchPaper and FinDesn) to http://turnitin.com/ and must attach the TurnItIn "Originality Report" to the submission in the Assignments Folder along with the paper itself. Draft papers and topic selection (DraftPlan and ArchTopic) need not be run through TurnItIn. The Class ID to use is ___ and the submission password is ___. Register for TurnItIn use at http://turnitin.com/ where you can also see TurnItIn's instructions on paper submission. Please use your correct name and use the correct assignment item in TurnItIn.
Note: The correct TurnItIn report to submit is the Originality Report, not the Digital Receipt.
Wikipedia. Wikipedia is useful for background, but it is not a scholarly source and may not be used in your references. Sometimes, Wikipedia can point you in the right direction and can suggest other sources that can be obtained in ILS's research databases, such as scholarly papers, or can point you to manufacturers' explanatory materials. However, Wikipedia articles and other encyclopedia articles should not be used as a reference source.
Templates, etc. Use of outlines, examples, and templates that you may find (including those in textbooks) is acceptable for the structure and outline of some assignments. However, the substance of all assignments must be your own original work and must include proper quotation, citation, attribution, and bibliography of sources and works used.
Option 1 - Product Survey Project
Important Note: Your instructor may choose to assign either the product survey project or a paper on computer architecture. Both are described below. You will be assigned only one. Note that this the instructor's option, not the student's option.
Product Survey is due Sunday, ___ (2359 hours Eastern Time)
Post your submission into your Assignments Folder and I'll provide my feedback there.
You will use the theoretical studies of computer hardware and software and apply them to a study of real-world IT products. Using descriptions of computer hardware and software components from course lessons and the textbook, you are to write a 700 to 1000 word (no more than 1.5 line spacing and no more than 12 point type) summary of the hardware and software products that would be required for a small system for either a financial investment or architectural firm (your choice). You have a budget of $6,000. Be sure to include any specialized software in addition to the OS, and address connectivity, storage, and hardware component required. You will
a. discuss why you have chosen each component
b. list what the vendor indicates as benefits of the products
c. list how much the products cost
d. compare the major hardware and software selections to at least two other manufacturers' products
e. include security for the system, and
f. include references for your costs to document how you stayed within your budget.
You are encouraged to use the Web to research and select the component products and contact the vendor directly with any questions.
Grading:This activity is awarded 10 points towards the total grade in the course.
Attributes |
Value |
Description and justification of software requirements |
2 points |
Description and justification of hardware requirements |
2 points |
Vendor source information (benefit and cost) |
2 points |
Comparison between vendors |
2 points |
Readability, Style, Mechanics |
2 points |
Option 2 - Paper on Computer Architecture
Important Note: Your instructor may choose to assign either the product survey project or a paper on computer architecture. Both are described below. You will be assigned only one. Note that this the instructor's option, not the student's option.
(architecture topic selection due Wk 2; final architecture paper due Wk 4)
Initial topic selection and sources are due Sunday, ___ (Week 2)
Final paper is due Sunday, ___ (Week 4)
The goal of this assignment is to increase your understanding of the concepts of computer infrastructure architecture.
You will use the theoretical studies of computer hardware and software and apply them to a study of real-world systems and technologies. After using library and Internet research, you are to write a paper discussing and explaining the hardware and software architecture of the subject system or technology. You are encouraged to use a Web to research the computer architectures involved. The paper is not to be based solely or primarily on the textbook or WebTycho Course Content.
The paper must be your original work, in your own words, and written for this class. Do not simply copy/paste information from the Web or textbook. Such submissions will not be accepted for credit. Research projects should be original work for IFSM 310; therefore, you may not re-use of a paper written you’ve written for a different class.
The body of the paper should be no more than 12 point type, not less than 2 pages or 600 words and not more than 4 pages or 900 words, not including title page, table of contents (if any), executive summary (if any), and reference bibliography. The paper will require a title page, 2-4 pages of content with incorporation of a minimum of 3 external resources from credible sources, and a Works Cited/Reference page.
The "General Paper and Writing Requirements" for all papers (above) must be adhered to for this assignment, except as specifically noted (e.g., table of contents is optional, page limits are 2-4 pages, etc.).
The specific topic (including the specific computers and models or the specific technologies to be studied) for the paper must be submitted and approved in advance as described under "Topic selection", below. A list of suggested topics from which students can choose is provided under "Topics for Research Paper" below:
Topics for Research Paper
1. An in-depth case study of a particular machine or architecture type. E.g., …
a. A particular supercomputer and its architecture (Stretch, ILLIAC, Cray, CDC 6600, IBM 360/195, IBM Blue Gene, etc.)
b. Supercomputer concepts (pipelining, vector machines, massive multiprocessing, etc.). But it's a rather broad topic. Narrow it down and don't get in over your head.
c. Fault-tolerant architecture concepts
d. A unique or seminal concept or research computer (MULTICS, Burroughs tagged architecture machines (B5000, B6500, B1700), Rice tagged architecture, the Rice Research Computer (R1, R2, etc), the "Symbol" computer, etc.) and its contribution to computer technology
e. A seminal computer in history (ENIAC, EDVAC, IAS, Babbage's Difference Engine, Babbage's Analytical Engine, UNIVAC, Mark I, IBM 360 family, IBM 360/67, etc.) and its contribution to computer technology
f. How computer components such as ALUs and registers are designed at the lower levels from components such as flip-flops, logic gates, switching algebra, electronic circuits, etc., and how they work
g. Specific special-purpose computers, their architecture, and how they work (display processors, communication processors, I/O processors, graphics cards, NICs, etc.)
2. A comparative study of the architecture of 3 or more computers
3. The history of computer architecture. But it's a very broad topic. Narrow it down and don't get in over your head.
4. Similar topics that you may propose, which (as with the above) must be approved in advance by the instructor
Considerations
Some things to consider as you analyze your topic, follow. (This list is neither required nor sufficient; it is merely suggestive. Specifics will depend on the specific topic and approach.)
· What is the specific computer, system, technology, or architecture?
· What was unique about this computer, architecture, or technology?
· What was its architecture? What components was it built out of? How were they structured? How did they work together?
· What were the dynamics? How did the system work, operate, and do what it did?
· When was it first done? What was/were its dates?
· How did it compare to its contemporaries and its predecessors? How does it compare to its successors?
· Was it successful in terms of technology? How so? Explain.
· Was it commercially successful? How so? Explain.
· Computer history:
· How did technology and architecture change through history?
· What were the major trends?
· How did costs, capacities, speeds, etc. change?
· Comparative architecture:
· Compare and contrast the architectures and technologies, head-to-head.
· What is different between them? What is the same?
· How do they work?
· Which is more successful? Why?
· What are the relative costs of each?
If you can, please draw or try to provide a diagram of the architecture in question. In fact, if you can, please also attempt to draw a PMS diagram such as the ones I've been using throughout this course.
Submission and Grading
Topic selection (ArchTopic)
Initial ArchTopic topic selection and sources are due Sunday, 27.Jan.2013 (Week 2) - 1 pt.
Your topic selection should consist of your preferred topic from the above list, including the specifics of the item. For example, not "a particular supercomputer" but "ILLIAC IV" or "Cray-1" or "Cray X-MP" or "Blue Gene", etc; and not "a seminal computer in history" but "ENIAC" or "EDVAC", etc.
Your topic selection submission should also include at least three reference sources that you have found that have relevant material about your selected topic. You should list them in APA bibliographic format as a Reference page.
When completed, submit your topic selection with sources in your Assignments Folder. There is no need to post a copy in the weekly Conference.
The professor will either approve your topic selection if it appears viable, or if it appears problematic will disapprove it and send it back to you for re-work and re-submission.
Resubmission must be within 3 days from when it was disapproved and returned, and must be resubmitted via Tycho Private Messaging (because WebTycho will have locked the Assignments Folder).
Final paper (ArchPaper)
The final ArchPaper is due Sunday, 10.Feb.2013 (Week 4) - 5 pts for paper, plus 2 pts supplemental.
When completed, submit your final paper for grading in your Assignments Folder and post a copy in the Architecture Paper Conference so that your classmates can read about your selected architecture topic, and you can read about theirs. Only the Assignments Folder copy will be graded. Any paper that is posted only in the Conference and not in the Assignments Folder will not be graded and will earn a score of zero. Any paper that is also posted in the Conference will earn a few extra points for sharing.
Remember that in accordance with the policy in the Syllabus, students must submit all final papers (including this ArchPaper) to http://turnitin.com/ and must attach the TurnItIn "Originality Report" to the submission in the Assignments Folder along with the paper itself. Draft papers and topic selection (ArchTopic) need not be run through TurnItIn. See "TurnItIn Requirement" in "General Paper and Writing Requirements" for Class ID and password.
Remember that the correct TurnItIn report to submit is the Originality Report, not the Digital Receipt.
Grading rubric
Format, structure, style, and mechanics: approx. ≈30%
Content and substance: approx. ≈70%
Detailed elements of grading rubric:
* Format, structure, style, and mechanics (~≈30%) |
≈30% |
Title page; Font and Spacing; Page length and word count; Table of contents; Executive summary; APA In-text citations; APA Reference List (bibliography); Organization and style; Grammar, correctness, spelling; Etc.
|
|
* Content and substance (≈70%) (Specifics will depend on the specific topic and approach) |
≈70% |
What is the specific computer, system, technology, or architecture? What was unique about this computer, architecture, or technology? What was its architecture? What components was it built out of? How were they structured? How did they work together? What were the dynamics? How did the system work, operate, and do what it did? When was it first done? What was/were its dates? How did it compare to its contemporaries and its predecessors? How does it compare to its successors? Was it successful in terms of technology? How so? Explain. Was it commercially successful? How so? Explain. If Computer history: How did technology and architecture change through history? What were the major trends? How did costs, capacities, speeds, etc. change? If Comparative architecture: Compare and contrast the architectures and technologies, head-to-head. What is different between them? What is the same? How do they work? Which is more successful? Why? What are the relative costs of each? Etc.
|
|
Score Each of the above elements will earn … |
Criteria |
90-100% of the maximum possible for the element, when … |
All required elements are present. Content is complete, and demonstrate mastery of concepts, skills, etc. Performance and results above and beyond standards and requirements. |
80-89% of the maximum possible for the element, when … |
All required elements are present. Content demonstrates competence in concepts, skills, etc. Content is substantially complete. Performance and results generally exceed most standards and requirements |
70-79% of the maximum possible for the element, when … |
Major required elements are present. Content is substantially complete and demonstrates understanding of concepts, ability in required skills, etc., with few exceptions and minor incompleteness. Performance and results meet standards and requirements |
60-69% of the maximum possible for the element, when … |
Major required elements are missing. Content is incomplete, or incorrect or demonstrates lack of understanding of concepts, lack of ability in required skills, etc. Performance and results do not meet standards and requirements (No answer or response at all earns zero points, as does a response with evidence of plagiarism.) |
Small System Design Project
(Draft due Wk 5, Final paper due Wk 7)
Draft Due Sunday, ___ (Week 5)
Final paper Due Sunday, ___ (Week 7)
You will use the information learned throughout the course to identify and document a full information system for a small company. You will apply the basic steps of the SDLC to building the IT infrastructure for an electronic health care data system for an urgent care facility* for a (mythical) UMUC Student Health Service clinic by addressing what actions are taken and what decisions are made in each phase.
Make sure to address key technical issues from this course and to include and specify key elements and components of a computer system as covered in this course, including (but not limited to) the following (in no particular order):
· CPU type, speed, etc
· Memory type, size, speed, etc
· Needed I/O devices
· Networking
· Operating system
· Other required software
· Shared resources
· Data format
· Storage
· Common file format
· Databases and DBMS
· Security*
· Privacy*
· Etc.
The paper should make clear how the functional requirements of the clinic result in the specific technical design specifications, above.
The body of the paper should be no more than 12 point type, not less than 4 pages or 1200 words and not more than 10 pages or 2400 words, not including title page, table of contents, executive summary, and reference bibliography. The paper will require a title page, a hot-clickable MS Word generated table of contents, executive summary, 4-10 pages of content with incorporation of a minimum of 3 external resources from credible sources, and a Works Cited/Reference page.
The paper should either detail each step in the SDLC (Systems Development Life Cycle) or should detail each step in the The Formal Systems Approach , whichever you determine fits your paper and approach better. Either way, there should be an emphasis on the technology outcome and how it flows from the functional requirements.
Refer to both the document "SDLC Module 2 from IFSM 201" and other SDLC material in Course Content, and the material on the "The Formal Systems Approach" in Course Content and the Webliography or at http://polaris.umuc.edu/~kschank/Formal-Systems-Approach.htm.
(Remember that there are many variants of the SDLC other than what is presented in the above module. You may use any variant of the SDLC that you wish provided that (a) it is logical and complete (and not pulled out of the air), (b) it is appropriate for the system you are designing in your paper, (c) you identify which variant you are using, and (d) you explain it.)
Make sure your paper identifies which approach you will employ, but clearly articulate the steps used to:
1. Complete a preliminary investigation, requirements analysis, and system recommendation
2. Specify a detailed design based on your set of requirements.
3. Develop the system according to your design specification.
4. Outline how you would test the system and gain user acceptance.
In your submission, be sure to include any references used in APA style (see the tutorial in the COURSE CONTENT menu) for your source information in a bibliography as well as cite them within the body of your paper. Be sure to check your work for spelling and grammatical errors before submission. Yes, spelling and grammar count. The intent of these topics is to provide you with an opportunity to hone your writing skills.
The paper must be your original work, in your own words, and written for this class. Do not simply copy/paste information from the Web or textbook. Such submissions will not be accepted for credit. Research projects should be original work for IFSM 310; therefore, you may not re-use of a paper written you’ve written for a different class.
All "General Paper and Writing Requirements" for all papers (above) must be adhered to for this assignment, except as specifically noted (e.g., table of contents is required, page limits are 4-10 pages, etc.).
--------------
* (Note that since this is a medical facility, your design should comply with Congressional regulations. Since 1996, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) details patient privacy and regulations for health care-related businesses. In addition to HIPAA, there were two acts passed by Congress in 2009 that specifically garnered support for migrating to electronic medical records (EMRs). The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act is specifically geared at providing financial incentives to health care organizations that migrate towards EMRs, with the intention of eventually replacing the incentives with penalties if providers do not institute electronic record keeping. The second is the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA), which institutes funding for comparative effectiveness research (CER). Analysis and aggregation of anonymized patient data in regards to conditions, treatment and progress can provide an invaluable source of CER to physicians and healthcare organizations in the treatment of patients.
Therefore, privacy and security requirements should be addressed. However, computer architecture and system design are the primary subjects of this course and will be more important in the grading than the nuances of Federal law, privacy, and security. It would therefore be a mistake to take so much time researching and designing for health care privacy and security laws that your hardware and software infrastructure suffered as a consequence.)
You may want to incorporate tables of technical specs, as that is often a more effective way than narrative paragraphs for presenting them. Also, if you can, please try to draw a diagram of the system, either of its internal architecture and/or of its external connectivity, as appropriate.
Submission and Grading
Draft Paper
The Draft is due Sunday, ___ (Week 5)
The requirements for the draft paper are the same as for the final paper, with the following exceptions. For the draft:
· The table of contents and executive summary are optional.
· (The reference page is required for both draft and final.)
· The page and word count limits are relaxed for the draft. Just keep it fairly reasonable -- not trivially short and especially not too long. (For the final paper, the page and word count limit will be as specified above.)
· There is no requirement for TurnItIn for the draft paper. (The Final Paper, of course, must be run through TurnItIn and the originality report must be attached to your submission.)
· As the intent of the draft is to ensure that you are on the right track and to offer advice on improving the paper before final submission, the grading for the draft paper will be more lenient than the grading for the final paper.
· The grading elements, however, will be essentially the same.
Submit both the draft and final papers into your Assignments Folder.
Final Paper
The final paper is due Sunday, ___ (Week 7)
Submit both the draft and final papers into your Assignments Folder.
This paper earns 18% of the final course grade. The weight toward the course grade will be 3% for the draft and 15% for the final plan.
Remember that in accordance with the policy in the Syllabus, students must submit all final papers (including this FinDesn) to http://turnitin.com/ and must attach the TurnItIn "Originality Report" to the submission in the Assignments Folder along with the paper itself. Draft papers and topic selection (DraftPlan) need not be run through TurnItIn. See "TurnItIn Requirement" in "General Paper and Writing Requirements" for ClassID and password.
Remember that the correct TurnItIn report to submit is the Originality Report, not the Digital Receipt.
Grading rubric -- 15 points toward course grade for final paper; 5 points for draft
Format, structure, style, and mechanics: approx. ≈30%
Content and substance: approx. ≈70%
Detailed elements of grading rubric:
* Format, structure, style, and mechanics (~≈30%) |
≈30% |
Title page; Font and Spacing; Page length and word count; Table of contents; Executive summary; APA In-text citations; APA Reference List (bibliography); Organization and style; Grammar, correctness, spelling; Etc.
|
|
* Process and Approach (~15%) |
≈15% |
Concept Investigation, Planning, Requirements Analysis, Problem Statement; Business Requirements / Need Connection; Facts, Assumptions, Constraints; Systems Analysis, Problem Investigation; Analysis of Alternatives; Systems Design; Construction, Development, Building, Programming; Verification and Testing; Etc.
|
|
* HW-SW Design Components (~55%) |
≈55% |
Processor / CPU (w/ specs), Incl. cache, bus, graphics processor / card, etc.
|
≈6% |
Primary Memory / RAM (w/ specs)
|
≈3% |
Storage, incl. Secondary storage / disk (with specs); Tertiary / removable storage / backup storage; virtual memory; etc.
|
≈4% |
Networking, Incl. Network Interface (NIC or Wireless card); LAN/router; Broadband modem & ISP / Internet connection; System Networking HW (Routers, Gateways, etc); Network topology; Network protocols; Etc.
|
≈9% |
I/O and peripherals |
≈6% |
Operating System, Incl. OS Type and Characteristics; File Management; Utilities; Etc.
|
≈8% |
Application Software |
≈2% |
Security, Incl. Software (A-V, firewall, etc); Other security considerations; Privacy considerations; Etc.
|
≈7% |
Other, Incl. Business usage; Databases and DBMS; Other Shared Resources; Data format; Evidence of Requirements & analysis leading to specified design; Etc.
|
≈9% |
Score Each of the above elements will earn … |
Criteria |
90-100% of the maximum possible for the element, when … |
All required elements are present. Content is complete, and demonstrate mastery of concepts, skills, etc. Performance and results above and beyond standards and requirements. |
80-89% of the maximum possible for the element, when … |
All required elements are present. Content demonstrates competence in concepts, skills, etc. Content is substantially complete. Performance and results generally exceed most standards and requirements |
70-79% of the maximum possible for the element, when … |
Major required elements are present. Content is substantially complete and demonstrates understanding of concepts, ability in required skills, etc., with few exceptions and minor incompleteness. Performance and results meet standards and requirements |
60-69% of the maximum possible for the element, when … |
Major required elements are missing. Content is incomplete, or incorrect or demonstrates lack of understanding of concepts, lack of ability in required skills, etc. Performance and results do not meet standards and requirements (No answer or response at all earns zero points, as does a response with evidence of plagiarism.) |
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