The final project is intended as an opportunity for you to:
apply many of the skills you have learned
create an original project which solves a problem in your life
explore new territory
The project
Your project can take a number of paths. It can be heavily focused on
any or all of the topics we have covered in class, or (with the
instructor's permission) you can even work on topics we have not
explicitly covered (perhaps working with Java, VRML, databases or
ASP). The key is that you use the problem-solving skills we have been
focusing on to learn new concepts.
The plan
The most important part of your project is planning. You will be
required to turn in the STA part of a STAIR analysis of the project
before you work on the actual code. This will include a complete
description of the problem you are trying to solve, a complete
algorithm, and any parts of the problem that do not explicitly require
programming (EG, any text or graphics should be completed BEFORE you
start work on the programming piece.) You must also include a sketch
of every screen you intend the user to see, with notations about the
names of objects that will be visible, and what these objects will do.
Original work
Your work must be original. Programming does have a culture of
sharing code, so a certain amount of respectful, documented use of
existing code is acceptable, but here are the guidelines:
The project itself must be uniquely yours
When you use ANY intellectual property of others, you cite your
source
Intellectual property can include:
graphics and clipart
text
code fragments and programs
If in doubt, check with your instructor
Any violation of plagiarism rules will be dealt with in
accordance with the Academic Misconduct procedures of the University
Class presentation
You will be expected to present your work to the class. Please
prepare about five minutes of presentation. You will have access to
the same display equipment used throughout the course. If you need
any special equipment or software, please check with your instructor
as soon as possible. Be ready to answer questions about your code.
Grading
The grade will by necessity be somewhat subjective, but there will be
a panel of graders (at least two) who will compare impressions. These
are the general guidelines we start from:
Grade
Criterion
A
Exceptional work, student went beyond expectations
B
Good but not exceptional
C
Met the minimal expectations, but no outstanding effort
D
Barely acceptable
F
Unaccaptable
0
Not original work
Final projects MUST be posted on our (ds9) server.
HAVE FUN!!!
This should be the most enjoyable project of all. You will work very
hard, but you will produce something of which you can be very proud.