MSc Project Interim Progress Report

This Assignment assesses the following module Learning Outcomes (from Definitive Module Document): Successful students will typically be able to

1. critically evaluate advanced literature in software engineering topics relevant to their chosen project;
2. refer to the findings of other academic writers and the outcomes of their own investigations to justify their choices and conclusions;
3. combine their knowledge of the subject, their reading of research papers andthe outcome of their own investigations to conceive original ideas of their own;
4. plan and manage a substantial body of work, identify any risks inherent in their chosen approach, and work independently with minimum supervision;
5. select and use appropriate software engineering models, methodologies, measures and tools in order to conduct a practical investigation or solve a  particular software engineering problem.

Assignment Brief:

To report on what you have done so far in your MSc Project module. It also gives you an opportunity to practice, and to get feedback on your report writing skills.

Submission Requirements:

When you are ready to submit your report, convert it (and any accompanying documents) into a single Word file. The name of the file submitted should be your student registration number followed by your name. There is no need to submit this assignment briefing sheet.

Then upload that file to Canvas by 4:55 pm on Friday 23rd April 2021.

The Interim Progress Report (IPR) has online submission ONLY.

Marks will be deducted if you do not follow these simple instructions.

This assignment is worth 5% of the overall assessment for this module.

Marks awarded for:

100marks in total are awarded as below:

(1) Background research

(2) Summary of progress to date

(3) Consideration of ethical, legal, professional and social issues

(4) Project plan

(5) Appendices

(6) Referencing

(7) Report structure and coherence

(8) Readability, grammar and spelling

The project is a showpiece opportunity for you to demonstrate what you know about current research and practices in your field of study and show off your skills in selecting and using appropriate techniques and tools employed in these areas to conduct a practical investigation into a particular problem. It is a self-directed piece of work, conducted with minimum supervision that demonstrates your ability to plan and manage a substantial piece of work, and steer your own efforts. You are expected to be thorough in your work, and particularly, identify and tackle any difficult or challenging aspects of the problems they are trying to solve. It is not just the quantity, or even the quality of work that is considered when grading the project, but the level of difficulty and the scope of the problem being addressed.

The aims of the MSc Project are to enable the students to

1. Select and use appropriate tools and techniques in order to conduct a practical investigation or solve a problem, and critically evaluate their own work.
2. Demonstrate that they can work independently with minimum supervision, plan their work effectively, and present the outcome of their work in written and oral form.
3. Draw on what they already know about the subject area to identify further areas of study, and extend their knowledge by making critical use of the technical and scientific literature and other materials, and conceive original ideas of their own.

There are eight different project modules, but only TWO really different kinds of project, investigative or development. You must do the type of project specified by the award you seek.

Learning outcomes for ALL students

1. be able to plan and manage a substantial body of work, identify any risks inherent in their chosen approach, and work independently with minimum supervision;
2. be able to both critically evaluate and discuss the outcome of their project work in written and oral form
3. be able to articulate the broader contexts of their work in relation to legal, social, ethical, and professional issues, and assess the economic impact of their project.