FIT2053 Web-based information systems - Semester 2 , 2007

Prerequisites

Relationships

Unit leader

Lecturer(s) :

This unit is conducted through the Walkabout u-Learning Environment.

Students self manage their learning with the help of the Walkabout environment. On campus drop in help sessions, and evening on line help sessions using the Marratech system are available for students to obtain timely assistance.

The Walkabout u-Learning Environment provides content notes, pre-recorded lectures, exercises and quizzes.

On campus lectures will also be given as useful. Drop in help sessions and online help sessions are also conducted.

Communication, participation and feedback

Monash aims to provide a learning environment in which students receive a range of ongoing feedback throughout their studies. You will receive feedback on your work and progress in this unit. This may take the form of group feedback, individual feedback, peer feedback, self-comparison, verbal and written feedback, discussions (on line and in class) as well as more formal feedback related to assignment marks and grades. You are encouraged to draw on a variety of feedback to enhance your learning.

It is essential that you take action immediately if you realise that you have a problem that is affecting your study. Semesters are short, so we can help you best if you let us know as soon as problems arise. Regardless of whether the problem is related directly to your progress in the unit, if it is likely to interfere with your progress you should discuss it with your lecturer or a Community Service counsellor as soon as possible.

Unit Schedule

Prescribed text(s) and readings

Recommended text(s) and readings

Castro, Elizabeth. HTML for the World Wide Web with XHTML and CSS, Peachpit Press; Berkeley CA, 5 edition, 2003

Required software and/or hardware

The following software can be downloaded from the unit web site. This software is also available in designated laboratories, and can be downloaded from the unit website

 Firefox. Browser

Microsoft Internet Explorer Version 6.0 or later. Browser for viewing web pages.

40tude HTML Editor

Top Style Lite Editor

Install Zip.

XML Writer Version 2

Microsoft XML Component (MSXML 4).

WS-ftp.

Openwave Phone Emulator (Version 7.0).

Visual Web developer is available from the lecturer.

Study resources

Study resources we will provide for your study are:

Library access

The Monash University Library site contains details about borrowing rights and catalogue searching. To learn more about the library and the various resources available, please go to http://www.lib.monash.edu.au.  Be sure to obtain a copy of the Library Guide, and if necessary, the instructions for remote access from the library website.

Monash University Studies Online (MUSO)

All unit and lecture materials are available through the MUSO (Monash University Studies Online) site. You can access this site by going to:

1. a) https://muso.monash.edu.au or
2. b) via the portal (http://my.monash.edu.au).

Click on the Study and enrolment tab, then the MUSO hyperlink.

In order for your MUSO unit(s) to function correctly, your computer needs to be correctly configured.

For example :

• MUSO supported browser
• Supported Java runtime environment

For more information, please visit

http://www.monash.edu.au/muso/support/students/downloadables-student.html

For further contact information including operational hours, please visit

http://www.monash.edu.au/muso/support/students/contact.html

Further information can be obtained from the MUSO support site:

http://www.monash.edu.au/muso/support/index.html

Unit assessment policy

In order to pass a this unit, a student must gain all of the following:

• at least 40% of the examination component
• at least 40% of the assignment component
• at least 50% of the total marks for the unit

Where a student gains less than 40% for the examination component, the final result for the unit will be the examination result. Where a student gains less than 40% for the assignment component, the final result for the unit will be the assignment component result. Where a student fails to gain 40% of assignment component and 40% of the examination component, then the final mark for the unit will be the lesser of the two marks, unless one of the marks is zero, in which case the other mark will be awarded.

Assignment tasks

• Assignment Task

  Title :

  XHTML Assignment

  Description :

  Assignment 1

  This assignment gives practice in the material covered in the early topics of the course. It is linked in with the exercises for those topics. Completing these exercises will provide a good approach to completing the assignment.

  Select a topic that is of interest to you, e.g. a history of radio, or the art of caligraphy, or ship wrecks, or public speaking or anything you like.

  You will need to research your topic and assemble a reasonable body of interesting information. Assume that your audience will be the general public. Viewers will have no prior knowledge of your topic area.

  Construct a web site consisting of a main page (which must be called "index.html") and exactly five subsidiary pages, with links to and from the main page.

  The main page ("index.html") will announce the topic and give a visual introduction to it. The subsidiary pages will contain the detailed information on the topic.

  The main page will use an image map to link to the subsidiary pages. This image map must be a client side image map stored within the HTML document. You must not use any image map making package to create the image map. The graphic used for the image map must be created entirely by yourself. As well as the image map for linking to subsidiary pages, include text based links also. Note: all links in the site must be relative. Do not use absolute links.

  Make sure there is a clear indication how the user is to use the image map. The purpose of this main page is to announce the topic of web site. A user should be able to tell what the site is about, with just a quick look at the graphics and display text.

  The first subsidiary page will contain:

  • Information about your topic (at least 50 lines of information).
  • Appropriate use of text formatting, including the use of font faces, colours and sizes.
  • A suitable background colour
  • Multiple internal links. Name at least five points in the web page (including one point at the top of the page) and place multiple links at each of these points so that users can jump from any point to any other point.
  • Two jpeg images created entirely by yourself
  • One animated gif you have constructed. The animated gif must be focused towards the topic area, for example, contain some text directly related to your topic area. The animated gif must not be just for decoration, e.g. a flashing light.

  The second subsidiary page will contain:

  • More information about your topic (at least 20 lines, not counting the information in the lists, detailed below)
  • A suitable background image, tiled over the page and created by yourself.
  • Appropriate use of text formatting, including the use of font faces, colours and sizes.
  • Construct an ordered list of four items. Each of these four items will be another ordered list of three items. Each of the three items in these four ordered lists will be an unordered list of two items. Each of the five ordered lists must use a different numbering scheme, and within the twelve unordered lists use three different bullet symbols.
  • A transparent gif image created entirely by yourself, (separate from the background image)

  The third subsidiary page will use tables to present an on-screen newspaper or magazine, focused in the area of the site. For example, the page might feature "What's New" in the topic area and present this in newspaper format. The newspaper or magazine must fill two screenfuls only, and contain both text and at least three pictures. Design your paper so that:

  • The name of the paper spans the width of the page
  • The page has three columns of text.
  • Individual articles and their headings are set out to run across one, two and three columns.

  The first step is to sketch out your design on paper. Then think about how you will implement it. You must use column and row spanning and nested tables.
  
  The fourth subsidiary page will contain:

  • Links to three pages on the Web that are related to your topic. Use good linking style.
  • A link to download a zip file. Construct a zip file containing some files, which do not need to be related to the web site: use any suitable files. Use good linking style with the download link.
  • Also include a link to the standard Monash course disclaimer: http://www.monash.edu.au/legals/course_disclaimer.html

  The fifth subsidiary page will be an author page, and will contain:

  • This unit's name
  • Subject provider
  • Assignment number
  • Date of submission
  • Student name and ID number and head and shoulders photo of yourself
  • An email link to the author
  • A link to this page which gives the assignment specification
  • Documentation of image creation. Also on this page, include the documentation of the construction of all images you use in your site, including buttons and bullets. Consequently, include the display of two or three intermediate states of the images to show them under construction. Where you are resizing or cropping photographs, show them in their original and final forms. Add suitable text to explain what you did to create each image. Note that you will be given zero marks for any image that is not documented. If you used any images from copyright free sources (e.g. ArtToday) then indicate where the original image came from. If you used copyright material, include the permission obtained to use that material. Show the original permission document to your tutor for approval prior to submitting the assignment.

  Note carefully that the various features required must be on the pages stipulated above. For example, page 1 must have a background colour, and page 2 a background image. If you put the background colour on page 2 and the background image on page 1, then you will get zero marks for those features.

  All text used in the site must be your own writing. You must use a HTML or text editor (e.g. 40tude or Notepad) to create your page. You may not use any HTML generating package. Assignments created in this way will score zero marks.

  Everything in the site must be your own work. All text must be original. All graphics must be original. You may use photographs taken by you personally, and graphical images constructed by you from scratch using a graphics package. You may not use images taken from the Internet, from CD collections or any other source, even if the images are not subject to copyright. The exception to this is as follows:

  You may incorporate a copyright free image into a graphic you are creating. For example: suppose your site is a commercial site for a car dealership. You may well have images of cars from a CD collection, for example. You may not include an image of a car by itself straight from the collection. You may, however, include a car as one element of an image you are constructing with other elements, such as text. (You must show the stages in your image construction on your author page.)

  Substantial marks will be deducted where non-original material is included. If you wish to use copyright material, you must get permission from the copyright owner. You must be able to show evidence that permission has been granted. Note that copyright extends to ideas as well as textual or graphical material. You cannot, for example, do a site on "Star Wars" or "The Simpsons", even if you do your own drawings of the various characters. You would still be breaking copyright.

  Use an FTP program, like WS_ftp, to create a sub-directory in your home directory on the Triton student server. This sub-directory must be called "assignment1". Store the HTML files and any associated files that make up your assignment in this "assignment1" sub-directory. You must also have sub-directories within "assignment1" to store the various files of the assignment: e.g. a separate sub-directory for each sub-page and its image files. You must not have all the files for your site in one directory. The starting file for your pages must be called "index.html" and it must be in "assignment1" sub-directory. Marks will be deducted for failing to follow these directions.

  Use an FTP program, like WS_ftp, to transfer your files to your directories on the Triton server. See the software download section of this website to obtain a copy of WS_ftp.

  For a video tutorial on how to use WS_ftp, please click here.
  For a short static tutorial on how to use WS_ftp, please click here.

  The ftp facility on the Triton server will be disabled at 12 midnight (Friday night), Melbourne time, or 4.00pm, South African time, on the date that the assignment is due (see the Calendar on menu at left of screen for the submission date). By this time the assignment must have been transferred to your directory on the Triton server. At this time, an image is taken of student assignments and this is used for correction purposes. So although you may be able to transfer files after that time, they will not be considered for correction. Consequently, do not leave it to the last day to transfer files. No consideration will be given for failing to transfer files before the required time.

  You must test the transfer procedure well before time to make sure you know how it works. After you have transferred your assignment, test it thoroughly. Do not assume that just because the assignment works properly from your hard disk, that it will also work properly from the student server. For example, if you have spaces in the names of your files, they may not work properly from the Triton server, but may work from your hard drive. To view your assignment after it has been transferred, point your browser to:
  
  http://triton.infotech.monash.edu.au/unitcode/99999999/assignment1/index.html

  Note: insert your ID number in place of "99999999", and your unit code in place of "unitcode", e.g. "fit1011" or "fit9016". You will be prompted for username and password: that is your Walkabout username and password.

  If you fail to transfer your assignment before the closing time you will be given zero marks. The only exceptions will be in cases of sickness or other serious cause, for which documentary evidence (e.g. a doctor's certificate) must be produced. As a computing professional, you need to manage your technology: have backup copies etc if a disc crashes, for example, or make allowance for down time at your ISP.

  Download a copy of the assessment sheet (an Excel spreadsheet). The spreedsheet has two worksheets. The first is a cover sheet for the assignment. Read this carefully and then fill in your details in the boxes at the top of the worksheet. The second worksheet is for staff to enter your marks. Do not make any changes to this second worksheetsheet. Use an FTP program to transfer your assessment sheet to your root directory on the student server. Do not rename the assessment sheet file name under any circumstances. After correction, your marks will be added to the assessment sheet, the ftp facility will be turned on again and you will be able to download your sheet to see your marks. Please note: 30 marks will be deducted for failing to fill out the assessment sheet and placing it in your root directory.

  Please note that the assignment will be corrected using either Internet Explorer 6.0 or later or Firefox 1.0 or later. Check that all your features work with both of these browsers. Design your web pages to be viewed with an 1024 by 768 screen resolution.

  Go through the assessment sheet carefully and check that you have done everything for which marks will be awarded. Remember, marks will be awarded for the assignment that has been set, not the assignment you might like to do. Make sure that the various features are on the pages as detailed above: if you place a feature on the wrong page you will be given zero marks for that feature.

  The author must write all submitted web pages. Where there is evidence of similarity with other assignments, students will be heavily penalised. Students may be interviewed as part of the assessment requirements of the assignment. Students will be asked question(s) to explain their submitted assignment. If a question is not answered satisfactorily, up to two marks will be deducted and successive questions asked until satisfactory answers are forthcoming or there are no more marks to deduct.

  Students must not transfer any documents containing viruses to the student server. Any such document will be given zero marks and a further 20 marks will be deducted from the assignment total.

  Weighting :

  13%

  Criteria for assessment :

  See detailed marking guide available on unit web site.

  Due date :

  17th August see website for time

• Assignment Task

  Title :

  XHTML Assignment

  Description :

  Good marks in this assignment will be awarded for originality in concept and quality in implementation through well-written text and well designed and original graphics, all incorporated into a series of well laid out pages. The particular focus of this assignment is in the skillful use of a linked stylesheet.

  You are to construct either an organisational or a commercial site. Your site should contain material in accordance with either of these two categories of sites. The organisation or commercial enterprise can be real or fictitious.

  The site will be made up of HTML documents as indicated below:

  • A framest document (which must be called index.html) sets up frames, as shown below:

  A menu is loaded into the Menu frame, a display title into the title frame and the home page into the main frame. The title across the top does not change. The optional frame can be used to accommodate various screen resolutions. Alternatively, this optional frame can be ommitted and screen resolutions handled with tables or layers. Note: the above diagram of the frame layout is indicative only, minor changes are allowable: for example, the title frame might go right across the top of the screen.

  The menu page will provide a menu of links to the seven other pages, which are displayed in the main frame. Note: all links in the site must be relative. Do not use absolute links. The menu will be down the left-hand side of the screen in its own frame, as indicated, and must be visible at all times. The order of pages in the menu must be the same as the order of pages given below. The seven other pages will be as follows:

  Page 1. (Home page) This is the home or title page. It will have a graphic and some display text to introduce the topic of the web site. It will clearly indicate what the site is about.

  At the bottom of this page include the following:

  • date last changed, date valid to; any appropriate credits.
  • a link to the standard Monash course disclaimer: http://www.monash.edu.au/legals/ course_disclaimer.html.
  • email links to the page author and the server webmaster, (use your own email address for both).
  • A copyright notice. The notice must only refer to the material to which you, the author, own copyright. This will include all the text and your original graphics.
  • Acknowledgements. Acknowledge the sources of any material which is not your own, and which is either copyright free or for which you have permission to use: java applets, javascripts, clipart, or music files.

  Page 2 (JavaScript, backgrounds and boxes, embedded object). This page will open up your subject material with suitable text (at least 20 lines). Use stylesheet backgrounds and boxes on this page. Include an embedded object which inserts another page containing two images, into this page .

  On this page, also include a JavaScript. You do not need to write your own. You can use a copyright free script available on the Web. Make sure you acknowledge the source of the script in your acknowledgements at the bottom of the title page. Use a serach engine to find a suitable JavaScript

  Place this logo next to where the JavaScript operates to indicate that JavaScript is being used on this page. Next to the logo include some text to indicate what the JavaScript is doing. No marks will be given for the JavaScript if this logo and explanation are missing.

  Page 3 (Layers, lists). This page will contain more content, at least twenty lines of text and at least two images. Additionally, use two lists on this page, each list with different output presentation, controlled by the stylesheet. These lists are additional to the twenty lines of text.

  Additionally, use one layer on this page as listed:

  • position the layer on the page,
  • use a background colour, different from the rest of the page's background,
  • place a transparent gif and some text on the layer

  The layer's properties are set in the stylesheet.

  Page 4 (Java, tables). This page will contain more content, at least twenty lines of text and at least two images. Additionally, use one table, with at least 20 cells, on this page. The table formatting is controlled by the stylesheet. Include a border (of 1 pixel width) around the table to identify it clearly.

  Also include a Java applet on this page. You do not need to create one of your own. Download a copyright free one from the Web. Make sure you acknowledge the source of the applet in your acknowledgements. Use a search engine to find a suitable Java applet.

  Place this logo next to where the Java applet operates to indicate to your lecturer that a Java applet is being used on this page. Next to the logo include some text to indicate what the Java applet is doing. No marks will be given for the Java applet if this logo and explanation are missing.

  Page 5 (Forms) This page will contain one form, which would be used to purchase goods or services, to send in feedback or some such similar task. Create a form which contains at least 10 input fields, including at least one of each of the following:

  • text box,
  • password box,
  • text area,
  • radio buttons,
  • check boxes,
  • a drop down menu
  • reset and submit buttons.

  On submission of the form, its contents are to be mailed to yourself.

  Make sure the form is well set out and easy to use, use at least one table to control the layout of the form. Label the form fields carefully and clearly. Above the form clearly explain the purpose of the form. After the form, include the site's privacy policy.

  Page 6 (Links, download). This page will be a links page, which will contain three links to relevant or related sites. Links must be to good quality sites. Use the correct linking style.

  Provide the option of downloading a large image file, by providing a thumbnail image and a text caption. Clicking on the thumbnail or the text caption will load the large version of the image in a fresh copy of the browser. The image can then be downloaded using a right click of the mouse.

  Page 7 (Author, documentation). This will be the author and documentation page. Place the following items on this page, in the order listed below:

  • Your name and ID number
    
    
  • The name of this unit and a link to its homepage.
    
    
  • Assignment number
    
    
  • Date of submission
    
    
  • A head and shoulders photo of yourself. This must be a clear photo.
    
    
  • A link to the assignment specification.

  After this initial information, provide the following documentation as listed below, in the order listed below. All this documentation must be on this page, do not provide links to other pages.

  • The aims of the web site as part of the overall aims of the commercial or organisational body. The functionality of the site. The intended audience for the site.
    
    
  • A series of major bullet points of information that your site wishes to present. Under each bullet point place two or three lines of elaboration on the bullet point.
    
    
  • Outline your multiple-resolution strategy: how you made allowances for your site to be viewed at multiple screen resolutions.
    
    
  • Show the main colours you are using in your colour scheme, and write a brief explanation as to why these colours were chosen. Indicate the fonts used, and the reasons for using them
    
    
  • Display a copy of your stylesheet, embedded in the page (do not use a link to a separate document). Failure to display your stylesheet will mean no marks will be awarded for the stylesheet features. To embed your stylesheet in the web page, cut and paste the code from the stylesheet editor and place the code between <pre> tags as indicated below:

  <pre> ....... .row1 { background-color: #ffffff; text-align: left; vertical-align: middle; width: 700px; } ........ </pre>
  
  

  • Document the construction of all images you use in your site, including buttons and bullets. To do this, include the display of two or three intermediate states of the images to show them under construction. Where you are resizing or cropping photographs, show them in their original (which may be quite large) and final forms. Embed all this material in the page, do not use links to other pages or documents.
    
    

    Failure to document the construction of all graphics will imply that the graphics are not original, break copyright and will, consequently, incur a substantial reduction in marks.

  General points.

  All text must be displayed in one or more columns of suitable width. Do not have very wide columns of text that are difficult to read.

  Use only one linked style sheet for the whole site. Do not use any embedded style sheets or inline styles. Use <div> tags with classes to set up all styles in the style sheet.

  The XHTML code must not contain any tags associated with formatting, apart from the <div> tags, of course. For example, there must be no font setting tags or any other formatting tags, including <p> and <br> tags. There should be no attributes used in other tags, that in fact define styles, for example when setting up the layers. Note that one third of the marks for the assignment are associated with the correct and imaginative use of the style sheet.

  In the single style sheet, group your styles under the following four headings:

  1. FORMATTING TEXT (including backgrounds and boxes)
  2. LAYERS
  3. LISTS
  4. TABLES

  Place these headings at the top of each group respectively, as shown below, leaving three blank lines above and below each heading:

  /********************************************************/ /* 1. FORMATTING TEXT */ /********************************************************/

  All text used in the site must be your own writing. You must use an XHTML or text editor (e.g. 1-4-All or Notepad) to create your page. You may not use any HTML generating packages. Assignments created in this way will score zero marks.

  Everything in the site must be your own work. All text must be original. All graphics must be original. You may use photographs taken by you personally, and graphical images constructed by you from scratch using a graphics package. You may not use images taken from the Internet, from CD collections or any other source, even if the images are not subject to copyright. The exception to this is as follows:

  You may incorporate a copyright free image into a graphic you are creating. For example: suppose your site is a commercial site for a car dealership. You may well have images of cars from a copyright free CD collection, for example. You may not include an image of a car by itself straight from the collection. You may, however, include a car as one element of an image you are constructing with other elements, such as text. (You must show the stages in your image construction on your author page.)

  Substantial marks will be deducted where non-original material is included. If you wish to use copyright material, you must get permission from the copyright owner. You must be able to show evidence that permission has been granted. An email reply to a request for use of copyright material is sufficient. Such an email must be displayed at the top of the documentation of images. Note that copyright extends to ideas as well as textual or graphical material. You cannot, for example, do a site on a television show or video game, unless you have permission from the copyright holder.

  Use an FTP program, like WS_ftp, to create a sub-directory in your home directory on the student server. This sub-directory must be called "assignment2". Store the XHTML files and any associated files that make up your assignment in this "assignment2" sub-directory. You must also have sub-directories within "assignment2" to store the various files of the assignment: e.g. a separate sub-directory for each sub-page and its image files. You must not have all the files for your site in one directory. The starting file for your pages must be called "index.html" and it must be in "assignment2" sub-directory. Marks will be deducted for failing to follow these directions.

  Use an FTP program, like WS_ftp, to transfer your files to your directories on the Triton server. See the software download section of this website to obtain a copy of WS_ftp.

  For a video tutorial on how to use WS_ftp, please click here.
  For a short static tutorial on how to use WS_ftp, please click here.

  Note: where these tutorials refer to "triton.netcomp.monash.edu.au" please substitute "triton.infotech.monash.edu.au", as the server domain has changed.

  The ftp facility on the Triton server will be disabled at 12 midnight (Friday night), Melbourne time, or 4.00pm, South African time, on the date that the assignment is due (see the Calendar on menu at left of screen for the submission date). By this time the assignment must have been transferred to your directory. At this time, an image is taken of student assignments and this is used for correction purposes. So although you may be able to transfer files after that time, they will not be considered for correction. Consequently, do not leave it to the last day to transfer files. No consideration will be given for failing to transfer files before the required time.

  You must test the transfer procedure well before time to make sure you know how it works. After you have transferred your assignment, test it thoroughly. Do not assume that just because the assignment works properly from your hard disk, that it will also work properly from the student server. To view your assignment after it has been transferred, point your browser to:
  
  http://triton.infotech.monash.edu.au/unitcode/99999999/assignment2/index.html

  Note: insert your ID number in place of "99999999", your unit code in place of "unitcode", e.g. fit1011 or cpe9005. You will be prompted for username and password: that is your Walkabout username and password.

  If you fail to transfer your assignment before the closing time you will be given zero marks. The only exceptions will be in cases of sickness or other serious cause, for which documentary evidence (e.g. a doctor's certificate) must be produced. As a computing professional, you need to manage your technology: have backup copies etc if a disc crashes, for example, or make allowance for down time at your ISP.

  Download a copy of the assessment sheet (an Excel spreadsheet). The spreedsheet has two worksheets. The first is a cover sheet for the assignment. Read this carefully and then fill in your details in the boxes at the top of the worksheet. The second worksheet is for staff to enter your marks. Do not make any changes to this second worksheetsheet. Use an FTP program to transfer your assessment sheet to your root directory on the student server. Do not rename the assessment sheet file name under any circumstances. After correction, your marks will be added to the assessment sheet, the ftp facility will be turned on again and you will be able to download your sheet to see your marks. Please note: 30 marks will be deducted for failing to fill out the assessment sheet and placing it in your root directory.

  Please note that the assignment will be corrected using either Netscape 6.2 or later or Internet Explorer 6.0 or later. Check that all your features work with both these browsers. Design your web pages to be viewed with an 1024 by 768 and higher screen resolutions.

  Go through the correction sheet carefully and check that you have done everything for which marks will be awarded. Remember, marks will be awarded for the assignment that has been set, not the assignment you might like to do. Make sure that the various features are on the pages as detailed above: if you place a feature on the wrong page you will be given zero marks for that feature.

  Weighting :

  15%

  Criteria for assessment :

  See detailed correction spreadsheet for allocation of marks, available on unit website

  Due date :

  14th September see website for time

• Assignment Task

  Title :

  Visual web developer assignment

  Description :

  Under construction, to be advised

  Weighting :

  12%

  Criteria for assessment :

  See detailed spreadsheet on website for assessment criteria

  Due date :

  12th October 2007 see website for time

• Assignment Task

  Title :

  Quiz question submission

  Description :

  Each topic in the unit has associated quiz questions. You do not gain any marks towards your final mark for doing quiz questions, you do the quizzes to monitor your own prgress. However, you can gain marks for composing new quiz questions.

  Each sub-topic in this unit has the facility for students to make up and submit multiple choice quiz questions (See the "Add quiz" option under each sub-topic in the menu at the left of the screen. Note that if the "Add quiz" option is not visible in a given sub-topic, it means that sub-topic has enough quizzes and the facility has been turned off.) When you have completed a topic or a sub-topic, you can make up a quiz question which will be useful for other students to test their knowledge of the sub-topic. As well as making up the quiz question, you will need to supply the correct answer, and four incorrect (but look as though they might be correct) answers.

  When you submit a quiz question and its answers, an automatic email will be sent noting the question has been received. The unit lecturer will check the submitted quiz question and answers and send another email either confirming the quiz question is suitable or not suitable. For each accepted question, you will gain 1% of your final mark for the unit, up to a maximum of 5%.

  You may submit as many quiz questions as you wish during the semester, but you will not gain any further marks after you have gained 5. Assuming all your submissions are accepted, you would need five submissions over the semester to gain full marks.

  Weighting :

  5%

  Criteria for assessment :

  Assessed on content correctness, quiz structure, grammar and spelling.

  Due date :

  Throughout semester weeks 1 - 12

• Assignment Task

  Title :

  Exercise submission

  Description :

  Each topic has associated exercises. You do not gain any marks towards your final mark for doing exercises, however, you can gain marks for composing new exercises. Students who are aiming for a HD or D grade should complete this part of the assessment. Please note that this part of the assessment is quite challenging!

  Sub-topics in this unit have the facility for students to make up and submit new exercises.(See the "Add Ex" option under sub-topics in the menu at the left of the screen. Note that if the "Add Ex" option is not visible in a given sub-topic, it means that sub-topic has enough exercises and the facility has been turned off.) When you have completed a topic or a sub-topic, you can make up a new exercise which will be useful for other students to test their knowledge of the sub-topic. As well as making up the exercise, you will need to supply its correct solution. Detailed instructions on submitting new exercises are given on the exercise submission page ("Add-Ex" in sub-topic menues).

  When you submit an exercise and its solution, an automatic email will be sent noting that the exercise has been received. The unit lecturer will check the submitted exercise and solution and send another email confirming whether the exercise is suitable or not and the mark it has gained. For each accepted exercise, you may gain up to 5 marks, i.e 5% of your final mark for the unit.

  You may only submit a given number of exercises (shown on the "Add Ex" pages in sub-topic menues). The "Add Ex" pages also show you many marks you have currently gained, and how many exercises you have waiting to be assessed.

  The standard required for accepted exercises is quite high. An exercise should be of the standard of a final examination question. Read the deatiled instructions on how to submit a new exercise on the "Add Ex" pages.

  Exercise submission closes at the same time and date as the submission of the final assignment.

  Weighting :

  5%

  Criteria for assessment :

  Assessed on standard of exercise, correct solution, structure, grammar and spelling

  Due date :

  Thoughout semester weeks 1 - 12

Examinations

• Examination

  Weighting :

  50%

  Length :

  3 hours

  Type ( open/closed book ) :

  Closed book

Assignment submission

Assignment coversheets

The assignment correction sheet contains information on plagiarism, and the student declaration on plagiarism

Due dates and extensions

The due dates for the submission of assignments are given in the previous section. Please make every effort to submit work by the due dates. It is your responsibility to structure your study program around assignment deadlines, family, work and other commitments. Factors such as normal work pressures, vacations, etc. are seldom regarded as appropriate reasons for granting extensions. Students are advised to NOT assume that granting of an extension is a matter of course.

It should be noted that there is no such thing as a "late" assignment. Late assignments are not accepted for correction, and zero marks are awarded accordingly. The only exception to this is in the case of illness or other serious cause.

If you wish to apply for an assignment extension, please download the application form from this link. Complete the form, attach proper documentary evidence and deliver to the unit leader.

Please note that, as stated on the form, proper third party documentation (e.g. a doctor's certificate) would have to be supplied. Where a doctor's certificate is supplied, then an extension may be allowed for time specified on the doctor's certificate. If, for example, the doctor's certificate specifies the person was unfit for work or study for one day, then an extension of one day, and no more, may be given. Do not, for example, hand in a doctor's certificate a week after the assignment is due, when the certificate says the illness was for two days: the assignment will not be accepted, since it is then five days late. Please note that a doctor's certificate must be from a registered practitioner, with a Medicare provider number, which is shown on the certificate.

Late assignment

Return dates

Students can expect assignments to be returned within two weeks of the submission date or after receipt, whichever is later.

Assessment for the unit as a whole is in accordance with the provisions of the Monash University Education Policy at:

http://www.policy.monash.edu/policy-bank/academic/education/assessment/

Plagiarism, cheating and collusion

Plagiarism and cheating are regarded as very serious offences. In cases where cheating  has been confirmed, students have been severely penalised, from losing all marks for an assignment, to facing disciplinary action at the Faculty level. While we would wish that all our students adhere to sound ethical conduct and honesty, I will ask you to acquaint yourself with Student Rights and Responsibilities (http://www.infotech.monash.edu.au/about/committees-groups/facboard/policies/studrights.html) and the Faculty regulations that apply to students detected cheating as these will be applied in all detected cases.

In this University, cheating means seeking to obtain an unfair advantage in any examination or any other written or practical work to be submitted or completed by a student for assessment. It includes the use, or attempted use, of any means to gain an unfair advantage for any assessable work in the unit, where the means is contrary to the instructions for such work. 

When you submit an individual assessment item, such as a program, a report, an essay, assignment or other piece of work, under your name you are understood to be stating that this is your own work. If a submission is identical with, or similar to, someone else's work, an assumption of cheating may arise. If you are planning on working with another student, it is acceptable to undertake research together, and discuss problems, but it is not acceptable to jointly develop or share solutions unless this is specified by your lecturer. 

Intentionally providing students with your solutions to assignments is classified as "assisting to cheat" and students who do this may be subject to disciplinary action. You should take reasonable care that your solution is not accidentally or deliberately obtained by other students. For example, do not leave copies of your work in progress on the hard drives of shared computers, and do not show your work to other students. If you believe this may have happened, please be sure to contact your lecturer as soon as possible.

Cheating also includes taking into an examination any material contrary to the regulations, including any bilingual dictionary, whether or not with the intention of using it to obtain an advantage.

Plagiarism involves the false representation of another person's ideas, or findings, as your own by either copying material or paraphrasing without citing sources. It is both professional and ethical to reference clearly the ideas and information that you have used from another writer. If the source is not identified, then you have plagiarised work of the other author. Plagiarism is a form of dishonesty that is insulting to the reader and grossly unfair to your student colleagues.

Register of counselling about plagiarism

The university requires faculties to keep a simple and confidential register to record counselling to students about plagiarism (e.g. warnings). The register is accessible to Associate Deans Teaching (or nominees) and, where requested, students concerned have access to their own details in the register. The register is to serve as a record of counselling about the nature of plagiarism, not as a record of allegations; and no provision of appeals in relation to the register is necessary or applicable.

Non-discriminatory language

The Faculty of Information Technology is committed to the use of non-discriminatory language in all forms of communication. Discriminatory language is that which refers in abusive terms to gender, race, age, sexual orientation, citizenship or nationality, ethnic or language background, physical or mental ability, or political or religious views, or which stereotypes groups in an adverse manner. This is not meant to preclude or inhibit legitimate academic debate on any issue; however, the language used in such debate should be non-discriminatory and sensitive to these matters. It is important to avoid the use of discriminatory language in your communications and written work. The most common form of discriminatory language in academic work tends to be in the area of gender inclusiveness. You are, therefore, requested to check for this and to ensure your work and communications are non-discriminatory in all respects.

Students with disabilities

Students with disabilities that may disadvantage them in assessment should seek advice from one of the following before completing assessment tasks and examinations:

• Faculty of Information Technology Student Service staff, and / or
• your Unit Coordinator, or
• Disabilities Liaison Unit

Deferred assessment and special consideration

Deferred assessment (not to be confused with an extension for submission of an assignment) may be granted in cases of extenuating personal circumstances such as serious personal illness or bereavement. Special consideration in the awarding of grades is also possible in some circumstances. Information and forms for Special Consideration and deferred assessment applications are available at http://www.monash.edu.au/exams/special-consideration.html. Contact the Faculty's Student Services staff at your campus for further information and advice.