University of Sunderland

School of Computer Science

PROM06 Research Project

Assignment 1
This assignment contributes 35% to your final module mark.

The following learning outcomes will be assessed:

1. Independently conduct empirical and/or advanced technical research in the area under
study

2. Demonstrate self-direction and originality in tackling and solving problems or

conceptualising solutions

3. Reflect objectively on the approaches, methods, processes, management and outcomes of

the research project

Important Information

You are required to submit your work within the bounds of the University Infringement of
Assessment Regulations (see Programme Guide). Plagiarism, paraphrasing and downloading large
amounts of information from external sources, will not be tolerated and will be dealt with severely.
Although you should make full use of any source material, which would normally be an occasional
sentence and/or paragraph (referenced) followed by your own critical analysis/evaluation. You will
receive no marks for work that is not your own. Your work may be subject to checks for originality
which can include use of an electronic plagiarism detection service.

Where you are asked to submit an individual piece of work, 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.

Where referencing is required, unless otherwise stated, the Harvard referencing system must be
used (see your Programme Guide).

Please ensure that you retain a duplicate of your assignment. We are required to send samples of
student work to the external examiners for moderation purposes. It will also safeguard in the
unlikely event of your work going astray.

Submission Date and Time As advised on Canvas

Submission Location Via Canvas

PROM06 Assignment 1
Your Task

Your task is to create a portfolio of early-stage research project work to include updated
project plans ensuring the feasibility / viability of the proposed research and methods;
refined research questions, objectives and evaluation approaches; updated social, ethical,
professional and legal issues; and personal reflections on early stages of the project process.

Student Information

The contents of your portfolio should be either gathered into a single Word or PDF
document or a PDF containing a table of working, publicly available hyperlinks to your work.
This should contain the following items:

1. Draft literature review chapter

The chapter should provide a critical review of selected research relevant to your area of
study, providing the research background and a coherent argument to justify and/or
support the context of your project. It should be presented in a logical structure and
expand on the preliminary research carried out for your project proposal to form a full
draft chapter for your dissertation. Citations should be included throughout with a
reference list at the end of the chapter.

Your literature review should be approximately 4000 words

Note: you will be permitted to amend this chapter for inclusion in your dissertation to
address any feedback obtained from this assessment.

2. Personal reflection on early stages of the project process

A reflective progress report on project work carried out so far, including reference to
supporting evidence provided in the Appendices. This should also include details of, and
justification for, any changes made to research questions, objectives, methods and
evaluation approaches from those in your original proposal.

This section should be approximately 500-700 words

3. Project progress to-date

Evidenced through updated project planning documentation (or screenshots where

online project management tools are being used) showing tasks, milestones and
deliverables for the full project timeline. This should clearly identify work completed, in
progress and remaining, mapped against the project timeline (including proposed and
actual start and end dates for all tasks).

PROM06 Assignment 1
4. Supporting evidence (Appendices)

Documents or screenshots, providing supporting evidence of progress on the practical

aspects of the project. For projects involving human participants, for which ethical
approval is required, participant information sheet and consent form should be included
in the Appendices.

Submission Guidelines

Your portfolio should be spell checked and contain references. You must use the Harvard
style of referencing, both for citations within the text and your reference list. You should
expect to use 25-30 references for your literature review chapter.

It is important that you read thoroughly the information on the cover sheet regarding the
university assessment regulations, including those regarding plagiarism and collusion.

Assignment hand-in requirements are specified on the front cover sheet. The approximate
time you should spend on this assignment is 15-25 hours (this is the time to compile the
portfolio, additional to time spent on project work). Your assignment must be handed in
before the time specified.

Your assessment will be assessed according to the University’s Postgraduate Generic

Assessment Criteria, which are provided on the following pages.

You are required to submit your assignment through the turn-it-in submission system in the
module space on Canvas. If you choose to submit hyperlinks to your portfolio/blog space, it
is your responsibility to ensure that this work remains publicly available throughout the
assessment period.

Marking Rubric

The marks breakdown is as follows:

Draft literature review chapter (30 marks)

Personal reflection on early stages of the project process (20 marks)

Project progress to-date (20 marks)

Supporting evidence (Appendices) (30 marks)

Refer to marking scheme below:

PROM06 Assignment 1
PROM06 Research Project – Assignment 1 Marking Sheet

Name: Student Registration Number:

Total Mark: %

Mark Awarded Available Marks

Draft literature review chapter 30 marks

Personal reflection on early stages of the project process 20 marks

Project progress to-date 20 marks

Supporting evidence (Appendices) 30 marks

Marks awarded in accordance with the University’s Postgraduate Generic Assessment Criteria Rubric (provided over the page)

Comments

PROM06 Assignment 1
Postgraduate Generic Assessment Criteria Rubric

Categories
Grade Relevance Knowledge Analysis Argument and Critical Evaluation Presentation Relevance to Literature
Structure
Pass 86 – The work examined is exemplary and provides clear evidence of a complete grasp of the knowledge, understanding and skills appropriate to the Level of the qualification. There is also
100% unequivocal evidence showing that all the learning outcomes and responsibilities appropriate to that Level are fully satisfied. At this level it is expected that the work will be exemplary in all
the categories cited above. It will demonstrate a particularly compelling evaluation, originality, and elegance of argument, interpretation or discourse.

76 – The work examined is excellent and demonstrates comprehensive knowledge, understanding and skills appropriate to the Level of the qualification. There is also excellent evidence showing
85% that all the learning outcomes and responsibilities appropriate to that level are fully satisfied. At this level it is expected that the work will be excellent
in the majority of the categories cited above or by demonstrating particularly compelling evaluation and elegance of argument, interpretation or discourse and some evidence of originality

70 – The work examined is of a high standard and there is evidence of comprehensive knowledge, understanding and skills appropriate to the Level of the qualification. There is
75% clearly articulated evidence demonstrating that all the learning outcomes and responsibilities appropriate to that level are satisfied At this level it is expected that the standard of the work
will be high in the majority of the categories cited above or by demonstrating particularly compelling evaluation and elegance of argument, interpretation or discourse

60 – Directly relevant to the A substantial knowledge Comprehensive analysis Well supported, Contains distinctive or Well written, with Critical appraisal of up-
69% requirements of the of relevant material, - clear and orderly focussed argument independent thinking; standard spelling and to-date and/or
assessment showing a clear grasp of presentation which is clear and and begins to formulate grammar, in a readable appropriate literature.
themes, questions and logically structured. an independent style with acceptable Recognition of different
issues therein position in relation to format perspectives. Very good
theory and/or practice. use of a wide range of
sophisticated source
material.

50 – Some attempt to Adequate knowledge of Significant analytical Generally coherent and May contain some Competently written, Uses a good variety of
59% address the a fair range of relevant treatment which has a logically structured, distinctive or with only minor lapses literature which
requirements of the material, with clear purpose using an appropriate independent thinking; from standard includes recent texts
assessment: may drift intermittent evidence of mode of argument may begin to formulate grammar, with and/or appropriate
away from this in less an appreciation of its and/or theoretical an independent acceptable format literature, including a
focused passages significance mode(s) position in relation to substantive amount
theory and/or practice. beyond library texts.
Competent use of
source material.

40 – Some correlation with Basic understanding of Some analytical Some attempt to Sound work which A simple basic style but Evidence of use of
Pass 49% the requirements of the the subject but treatment, but may be construct a coherent expresses a coherent with significant appropriate literature
assessment but there addressing a limited prone to description, or argument, but may position only in broad deficiencies in which goes beyond that
are instances of range of material to narrative, which lacks suffer loss of focus and terms and in uncritical expression or format referred to by the tutor.
irrelevance clear analytical purpose consistency, with issues conformity to one or that may pose obstacles Frequently only uses a

PROM06 Assignment 1
 at stake stated only more standard views of for the reader single source to support
vaguely, or theoretical the topic a point.
mode(s) couched in
simplistic terms

Fail 35 – Relevance to the A limited understanding Largely descriptive or A basic argument is Some evidence of a Numerous deficiencies Barely adequate use of
39% requirements of the of a narrow range of narrative, with little evident, but mainly view starting to be in expression and literature. Over reliance
assessment may be very material evidence of analysis supported by assertion formed but mainly presentation; the writer on material provided by
intermittent, and may and there may be a lack derivative. may achieve clarity (if at the tutor.
be reduced to its of clarity and coherence all) only by using a
vaguest and least simplistic or repetitious
challenging terms style

30 – The work examined provides insufficient evidence of the knowledge, understanding and skills appropriate to the Level of the qualification. The evidence provided shows that some of the
34% learning outcomes and responsibilities appropriate to that Level are satisfied. The work will be weak in some of the indicators.

15 – The work examined is unacceptable and provides little evidence of the knowledge, understanding and skills appropriate to the Level of the qualification. The evidence shows that few of the
29% learning outcomes and responsibilities appropriate to that Level are satisfied. The work will be weak in several of the indicators.

0– The work examined is unacceptable and provides almost no evidence of the knowledge, understanding and skills appropriate to the Level of the qualification. The evidence fails to show that
14/% any of the learning outcomes and responsibilities appropriate to that Level are satisfied. The work will be weak in the majority or all of the indicators.

PROM06 Assignment 1