CSC 492: CSC 326, Senior Status

The primary objective of this course is to provide seniors in computer science an opportunity to relate classroom topics to the working environment of a computer science professional; they will demonstrate the ability to participate in professional practices related to software engineering.

The outcomes associated with this objective are that, upon completion of CSC 492, students should be able to:

1. Negotiate, clarify, and document customer requirements
2. Apply knowledge of fundamental algorithms, programming language concepts, and design patterns to determine an overall design for a software system
3. Implement a fully specified system
4. Test a fully specified system
5. Plan and monitor the progress of software projects to ensure on time delivery of a high-quality system

Another objective is that students will be able to communicate effectively about computer science-related topics.

The outcomes associated with this objective are that, upon completion of CSC 492, CSC students should be able to:

1. Deliver an audience-sensitive oral technical presentation
2. Write an audience-sensitive technical document

The final objective of this course is to provide students with experience in teamwork, by creating an environment in which it is necessary to cooperate with each other to achieve a technical goal.

The outcome associated with this objective is that, upon completion of CSC 492, CSC students should be able to:

1. Contribute to software-based system development teams

Fall 2009 Course Pack.

1. Lecture Topics
   1. Team Formation & Development
   2. Software Engineering Process From a Team Perspective
   3. Project Management
   4. Team Task Planning
   5. Sponsor & Team Meetings
   6. Writing & Speaking
2. Operating Rules/Expectations
   1. Team
      All projects in CSC 492 are based on formation of teams and appropriate teamwork throughout the semester. Teams are expected to:
      1. Develop ground rules, assign roles, & function as a unit
      2. Participate in project activity & observe deadlines:
         1. Project development via a defined software engineering process
         2. Documentation & presentation preparation
         3. Posters & Pies
         4. Final project delivery & final presentation to sponsor
      3. Meet with faculty and/or industrial sponsor approximately every two weeks to review progress
      4. Provide instructors/team members/sponsors with team meeting agendas & minutes
      5. Keep lab space orderly & garbage free. Teams will be subject to penalties for unkempt team spaces
   2. Individual
      As an individual member of a team, you are expected to:
      1. Join a project team & fully participate. This means that there must be evidence that each team member has contributed to design, coding, or testing
      2. Attend all team meetings & all class meetings
      3. Maintain project documents -- rotate responsibility
      4. Give progress presentations to entire 492 class at regularly scheduled class meetings -- rotate responsibility (help each other with presentation content and preparation)
      5. Keep an Individual Project Log (i.e., a personal journal of individual project activity - see web site) and summarize monthly individual contribution using the personal contribution section of the peer eval. Project Logs will be collected four times during the semester per the calendar.
      6. Check email on a daily basis and keep boxes under quota so instructors' email is not blocked. Since the instructors' main vehicle for communication with students is via email, this is extremely important

      Noncontributing individuals- Evaluation of an individual's contribution comes from three sources: instructors, sponsors, and peers. During the course of the semester, if any two of these three elements judge an individual's contribution as negligible or belligerent, that individual will be "fired" from the team. Such a determination will not be made lightly, will imply that numerous attempts at reconciliation have failed, and will have serious consequences on the grade of the individual. In particular, his/her grade for the course will become zero and the individual will be immediately removed from any responsibility for the assigned team or project. Alternatives for a subsequent course of action are:

      1. A late drop recommendation will be made to the Dean
      2. An individual project may be negotiated between the instructors and the student for which the maximum grade will be 'C' if all project goals are met by semester's end

The grading scheme for CSC 492 will be based on the degree to which course objectives are met and mutual accountability of individual team members.

1. Grade Calculation

   Your grade in CSC 492 is based on an individual grade and a team grade.

   Your Individual Grade (I), worth 50%, is a weighted sum of grades for:

   • Your Personal Activities (30%)
     • Oral Progress Report (15%) = I_O
     • Personal Tasks (15%) (based on your logs & Statements of Personal Contribution) = I_T
   • Your Personal Contribution To The Team Effort (20%)
     • Peer Evaluations (10%) = I_P
     • Instructors' Observations (10%) (your project leadership & professional demeanor) = I_I

   Your Team Grade (T), worth 50%, is a weighted sum of grades for:

   • Project Progress (40%) = T_R

     Based on quality, content and timeliness of completed code or activity and written progress reports, as follows:

     • Progress Report 1 (2%)
     • Progress Report 2 (4%)
     • Progress Report 3 (4%)
     • Final Report (30%) (For report format and content, see course pak).
       
       
   • Team Cohesiveness (10%) = T_C

     Based on instructors' evaluation of teamwork as evidenced by team planning, team participation in progress reports (both oral and written), and team participation in final delivery of project product.

   Your Course Grade = I + T = (I_O + I_T + I_E + I_P + I_I) + (T_R + T_C)

2. Other Grading Information
   1. Team documents returned as unsatisfactory will be counted as non-existing
   2. All deadlines must be met (or revised -- with justification). If a document is given to the instructors after established deadline, a 10% penalty/day will be imposed
   3. Peer evaluation -- Each team member will rate the performance of fellow team members four times during the semester. See calendar for due dates and access forms via web site. If an individual does not submit a timely peer evaluation for other members of his/her team, that individual's peer evaluation score will be 0%
   4. Oral Progress Reports - One graded Oral Progress Report per student (15%) - lowest grade will be dropped
   5. In some cases sponsor evaluations may be counted
   6. Attendance - Your attendance during class time (lecture, oral progress reports, and Team Work Days) is mandatory. You will be allowed a total of two excused absences from class. Excused absences from class require written permission in advance. Judgment of instructors is final. For each unexcused absence, there will be a 3-point deduction from your total semester numeric grade (see A above). Tardiness is unacceptable as it disrupts the class or team meetings, and it displays disrespect toward our learning community. Two "tardies" during class time will count as one unexcused absence. On Team Work Days (see calendar), you are required to work in your assigned lab space. Attendance will also be monitored on Team Work Days. If you will not be in the lab on a particular Team Work Day because of a sponsor meeting, please notify Ms. Heil before that class period.
      
      Friday Sessions: Check the calendar carefully. Attendance at course events pre-scheduled for Fridays is mandatory [8/28/09 (for two teams only), 9/11/09, 10/30/09, 11/20/09 (for presenters/clickers only) & 12/4/09]. If sponsor schedules require Friday meetings, then Friday attendance is mandatory. If instructor or faculty mentor schedules require Friday meetings, then Friday attendance is mandatory. Otherwise, attendance at Friday sessions is optional.
3. Grading Scale
   • 98% <= calculated grade <= 1XX% -> A+
   • 92% <= calculated grade <= 97% -> A
   • 90% <= calculated grade <= 91% -> A-
   • 88% <= calculated grade <= 89% -> B+
   • 82% <= calculated grade <= 87% -> B
   • 80% <= calculated grade <= 81% -> B-
   • 78% <= calculated grade <= 79% -> C+
   • 72% <= calculated grade <= 77% -> C
   • 70% <= calculated grade <= 71% -> C-
   • 68% <= calculated grade <= 69% -> D+
   • 62% <= calculated grade <= 67% -> D
   • 60% <= calculated grade <= 61% -> D-
   • calculated grade <= 59% -> F