Final Research Report or Q/A

CS630 Final Research Report or Q/A (800 points max.)

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The Final Research Report is due 05/31/2020. 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 800 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 (800 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) Software Engineering and UML ii) Software Engineering and INTRANET Cloud Computing iii) Software Engineering and EXTRANET Cloud Computing iv) Software Engineering and Software Security v) Software Engineering and Machine Learning vi) Software Engineering and Artificial Intelligence vii) Software Engineering and design of computing technologies (e.g. processor

design, networking, etc.)

CS630 Final Research Report or Q/A (800 points max.)

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Important Student Notes:

Follow the guidelines of the CU Research guide for structure

Following the specifications of APA for format

REMINDERS:

 Each student submission will be checked for plagiarism. Note: 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 – BE SURE BEFORE DEPRESSING ENTER.

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

 The research paper must be at least 3,500 words supported by evidence (citations from peer-reviewed sources).

 A minimum of five (5) peer-reviewed journal articles 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.

 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 due date assigned. A total of at least 15 full pages is required (no extra whitespace, does not include appendices). (800

points). Only Microsoft Word 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

CS630 Final Research Report or Q/A (800 points max.)

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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_introduction.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 ARE NOT included in the 15 page requirement. This means appendices are not included in the 15 pages

minimum 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 (Refer to the CU Research Guide)

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

Report Chapters (5). 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

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

CS630 Final Research Report or Q/A (800 points max.)

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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

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

CS630 Final Research Report or Q/A (800 points max.)

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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 is going to proceed with the evaluation of

the problem statement and associated research question(s). Given the short time of this course, a

compare / contrast or advantage / disadvantage analysis is recommended

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

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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.

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.

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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 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 14-

point 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.

CS630 Final Research Report or Q/A (800 points max.)

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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.

Option 2 is a Question / Answer Bank (800 Points)

This option asks the student to thoroughly review the assigned course materials (xx 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, 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 10 questions per assigned chapters (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, and

14). Fourteen chapters are assigned for this exercise. A total of 140 correct and related

questions / answers are required. Nine Q/A and one Essay for each assigned chapter is

required. The Q/A may not replicate any of the quiz questions and must be in one if the

following formats: 1) Multiple Choice “MC”; 2) Fill-in “FI”; 3) Multiple Answers “MA”

and “ES” Essay. Highlight the correct answer as indicated below.

1. Questions must identify the Chapter “Ch” and Question (“Q”) .

The format of the question/answer are as follows:

o Sample MC 1. Ch01Q01 - 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

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2. Ch01Q02 - 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. Ch01Q03 - ______ testing dictates the Q/A person has access to the source

code:

a. White-Box o Sample MA

1. Ch01Q04 – 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 ES 1. Ch01Q10 – 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.