2 questions

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SIT105 – Critical Thinking and Problem Solving

Assignment 1

Due: 8:30am, Monday 18 August 2014

Goals of the Assignment There are two main goals for the assignment. The first is to fully understand the meaning of some of the terms used in “Critical Thinking”. The second goal is to undertake research with correct referencing. The Vancouver style of referencing is to be used for this assignment. This referencing style is described at: http://www.deakin.edu.au/current-students/study-support/study-skills/handouts/vancouver.php

Submission Instructions & Late Submission Penalty Information  Print your assignment and MIBT assignment coversheet.  The coversheet should be filled and stapled along with the assignment.

 You need to submit your assignment online on (or before) the due date.

 You also need to submit a hardcopy of your assignment to your lecturer either in person or you can drop off the hardcopy in the mailbox located on building LA, Level 4.

 The mailbox number is D6 and you will see lecturer’s name on the mailbox. Make sure that you are dropping the assignment in the right mailbox. Check with the MIBT Reception if you have trouble locating it.

 Any assignment submitted after the due date and time, will be penalized according to the penalty rules.

Assignment Instructions  Total Marks for this assignment is 75. It is worth 15% towards your final grade.

 Read the marking criteria carefully and make sure your answers meet all the criteria.

 Answer all five questions. Write your answers in MS Word document.

Questions 1. For each of the following terms:

 Find TWO sources that contain a meaning of that term and write in your own words. Note: The prescribed text “Critical Thinking” by Moore & Parker & Lecture/Prac Materials is NOT to be used as a referenced source. Also any Wiki or Wikipedia references are NOT allowed.

 Think critically and write a single definition in your own words, relating your definition to IT. Give an example to match your definition.

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a. Problem Solving Techniques b. Specifications Stage of Requirements Engineering c. Problems with many voices d. Root Cause Analysis e. Brainstorming

[3 marks each, 15 marks]

2. Read the excerpt from the article (see last page) by Ross Gittins and identify all of the claims, issues and arguments presented. You should answer this question using a table like the one shown below

- Column 1 indicates whether you have identified a given sentence as a Claim, Issue, or Argument.

- Column 2 contains the text of that claim, issue or argument. If you classify the sentence to be an argument, you need to identify the premise and conclusion correctly as shown in the below example.

- Keep the order of the text in Column 2 the same as the actual text

Claim She swiftly glued a canary yellow certificate on my windscreen

Claim Part of me died

…

Issue How you going, mate?

…

Argument Premise/Conclusion

My car was on high-beam because there was something wrong with the dip-switch

Claim The handsome policewoman allowed me to carefully drive my car home

[15 marks]

3. Diagram the following arguments using Structure Diagram.

The problem is with the power supply. The reason being, the lights that indicate the power supply for the three phases are not on. If those lights are not on, then either the fuse is shot for your apartment or there is no electricity for the whole building. But if the problem is with the fuse, then the fuse indicator light would be on. Since the fuse indicator light isn’t on, the problem must be with the power supply.

I. Identify the key words in the above problem statement II. Break down the problem statement into simple sentences and highlight the

irrelevant information (if there is any) III. number the claims IV. Draw the structure diagram using the method described in the text book.

[15 marks]

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4. Define a short problem related to the Information Technology field. The problem can be of your own imagination but a realistic one and should be programmable using any programming language. Apply the 6 stages of Requirements Engineering to this problem and write a short paragraph for each stage, describing how you would address each stage in the process.

[10 marks]

5.

a. Use the full truth table method to determine the validity of the following argument ((A v B) & C)  D (~A & C)  B

B  D - - - - - - - - -

B

[10 marks]

b. Use the short truth table method to determine the validity of the following argument. A step-by-step description as to how the value in each cell was arrived at should be given. ~P v (Q & R) R  ~Q

~R & ~P - - - - - - - - -

~Q

[10 marks]

4

Article to be used for Question 2

Ross Gittins

By far the biggest development in the economy in recent years is the mining boom, and it's likely to roll on for at least the rest of this decade. But Australians are having a lot of trouble getting their minds around the boom's implications. The area abounds with worries and misperceptions.

Economists keep banging on about the mining boom because it's the biggest factor driving the economy's growth. We've had a surge in export income because the world is paying such high prices for our coal and iron ore. And we're also getting huge spending on the construction of new mines and natural gas facilities.

A lot of people are uncomfortable about the mining boom ... they see digging stuff out of the ground as a pretty unsophisticated way to make a living.

The other reason economists get so excited about the topic is that this is hardly the first commodities boom Australia has experienced (the first was the gold rush) and most of our previous booms have ended in tears. We've quickly spent all the extra money coming our way, but that's led to rapidly rising prices. The authorities' efforts to stamp out inflation have ended up causing a recession and rising unemployment.

The present managers of the economy are determined to ensure that doesn't happen this time by keeping spending and inflation under control. This explains why, until recently, the Reserve Bank was always thinking about putting up interest rates, and why the Gillard government has been so keen to get its budget back into surplus.