CSci 487: Senior Project
Fall Semester 2013
General Information

Locations

The 2013 Fall semester class meets in Weir 235 at 4:00 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays.

The class is taught by Prof. Conrad Cunningham, whose office is in 203 Weir Hall. The official office hours for this class are 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays and by appointment at other times.

Prof. Cunningham's voice telephone number is (662) 915-5358 and fax number is (662) 915-5623. His WWW home page is http://www.cs.olemiss.edu/~hcc/ and his email address is hcc ATSIGN cs DOT olemiss DOT edu.

The WWW home page for this class is http://www.cs.olemiss.edu/~hcc/csci487/ .

Source Materials

This course does not require a textbook.

Student Disabilities Services Statement

It is the responsibility of any student with a disability who requests a reasonable accommodation to contact the Office of Disability Services (915-7128). Contact will then be made by that office through the student to the instructor of this class. The instructor will then be happy to work with the student so that a reasonable accommodation of any disability can be made.

Course Description from Catalog

Each student conducts an in-depth study of a current problem in computer science or a related area. Upon completion, the student presents the results in both oral and written forms.

Prerequisites

Completion of at least 6 hours of CSci 300 or above courses with a minimum grade of C-.

Course Outomes/Objectives

Senior Project represents the capstone experience in the BSCS program and the BA computer science major and so is usually taken during a student’s last semester on campus. Its outcomes therefore mirror most of the program outcomes. Specifically, students in CSci 487 should, in the course of the semester, demonstrate:

1. An ability to apply knowledge of computing and mathematics that are appropriate to the discipline (Program Outcome a)
2. An ability to analyze a problem and to identify and define the computing requirements appropriate to its solution (Program Outcome b)
3. An ability to design, implement, and evaluate a computer-based system, process, component, or program to meet requirements (Program Outcome c)
4. An understanding of professional, ethical, legal, security, and social issues and responsibilities (Program Outcome e)
5. An ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences (Program Outcome f)
6. An ability to analyze the local and global impact of computing on individuals, organizations, and society (Program Outcome g)
7. An ability to use current techniques, skills, and tools necessary for computing practice (Program Outcome i)
8. An ability to apply mathematical foundations, algorithmic principles, and computer science theory in the modeling and design of computer-based systems in a way that demonstrates comprehension of the tradeoffs involved in design decisions (Program Outcome j)
9. An ability to apply design and development principles in the construction of software systems of varying complexity (Program Outcome k)

Oral Communications Expectations

The University of Mississippi expects all of its graduates to be competent in basic oral communications skills. In this and other computer science courses, students are expected to demonstrate this competency by exhibiting the following fundamental skills:

Appropriate interactive communication skills.

Students should have the ability to listen effectively and to respond appropriately to orally transmitted messages from others. This may involve a verbal or non-verbal response to an instruction or a reasonable and appropriate engagement in conversation.

Adequate oral delivery.

Students should have the ability to elicit a comprehensible oral message, regardless of the topic or nature of the setting. The student should be able to communication with adequate clarity (articulation, pronunciation, volume, rate, and language usage) to be understood, given that listeners have reasonable tolerances for different dialects and accents.

Ability to construct a coherent and logical message.

Students should have the ability to deliver a coherent and logical argument or response to a question. The student should be able to adapt this message to a level of discourse that is appropriate for the audience.

Ability to communicate in the context of the computing discipline.

Students should have the ability to communicate effectively in a professional computing setting. This includes use of appropriate technical language, use of abstraction, interviewing skills, formal presentation skills, conducting a meeting, and working cooperatively with others in groups.

Professional Conduct

As a student in CSci 487, you are expected to conduct yourself in a professional manner according to the Honor Code of the School of Engineering, the Information Technology (IT) Appropriate Use Policy, the M Book, and any other relevant policies.

The first three by-laws of the School of Engineering Honor Code are reproduced here for your reference:

1. The Honor Code shall apply to all undergraduate students seeking degrees through the School of Engineering, registered in School of Engineering courses. Graduate students in the School of Engineering are subject to the Academic Discipline Code published in the University of Mississippi M Book. Undergraduates from other disciplines who are registered for courses in the School of Engineering also are subject to the M Book's Code. The Honor Code shall be understood to apply to all academic areas of the School such as examinations, quizzes, laboratory reports, themes, computer programs, homework, and other possible assignments. Only that work specifically identified by the class instructor not to be under the Honor Code is excluded. The intent of the Honor Code is to recognize professional conduct and, thus, it shall be deemed a violation of the Honor Code to knowingly deceive, copy, paraphrase, or otherwise misrepresent your work in a manner inconsistent with professional conduct.
2. Enforcement of the Honor Code shall be the duty of each student and faculty member in the School of Engineering. Failure by a student to report a violation of the Honor Code will, in itself, be a violation of the Honor Code.
3. Academic dishonesty is serious. It is important to recognize that applications for graduate and professional school as well as applications for employment and professional licenses frequently require the applicant to state whether he or she has been found guilty of academic dishonesty. Moreover, when the penalties of suspension and expulsion are imposed for academic dishonesty, they will be recorded permanently on a student's transcript.

Grading

CSCI 487 is a regular, graded course. Your semester grade will be based on the instructor's overall evaluation of the quality of your work. You are expected to attend all required class meetings, to prepare high-quality materials and presentations, to submit all required material on time, and to interact with your sponsor, instructor, and fellow students in a professional and effective manner.

The instructor will not view the grading for this course as a strict point system. The following factors with the given relative weights, will contribute to the determination of your semester grade:

Department Grading Policy

It is the policy of the Department that no grades of "I" (Incomplete) will be assigned in this course for failure to complete the project on schedule. If you do not complete the project by the end of the semester, a grade of "F" will be assigned.

Honor Code Statement

All aspects of CSCI 487 fall under the provisions of the School of Engineering's Honor Code. For each document that you submit as part of your project, you must attach and sign the following Honor Code statement:

In keeping with the Honor Code of the School of Engineering, I affirm that I have neither given nor received assistance in preparing this assignment.

Signature: ______________________________

Documents will not be accepted by the instructor unless the Honor Code statement is included and signed.

Important Note on Grading of Assignments

This is a senior-level class at an institution of higher learning, designed to be taken during the final regular semester of your undergraduate computer science program. This course is the culmination of your entire undergraduate degree program. Thus your written work, your oral presentations, and your interactions with your instructor and sponsor, as well as your programming and technical work, must be at the highest level of quality and professionalism.

Your written work must reflect that you have a college degree; be certain that there are no misspelled words or grammatical errors in any document that you submit. The instructor will deduct points on any assignment containing misspelled words or grammatical errors.

The instructor may, in some circumstances, ask you to revise and resubmit a document within some specified period of time.

Similarly, your oral presentation must also reveal that you have a college degree; your final presentation must be free from grammatical and spelling errors.

Take advantage of the features (e.g., spelling and grammar checking) of your word processor and, especially, of the resources provided by the University. The University provides the Writing Center to help you with these problems.

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