COMP2310/6310 CDS: Assessment 2013

Proposed  Assessment  Scheme

The proposed assessment scheme for Concurrent & Distributed Systems course in 2013 will be in the following parts:

1. Assignments: 30%

   #	weight	wk out	wk due
   1	18	3	7
   2	12	8	12

   These will contain a significant programming component, plus a brief report. Assignment 1 will have a modelling component (FSP), with programming in Java. Assignment 2's programming component can be in C or Java.

2. Quizzes and Exercises during Practical Sessions: 10%
   Eight of the sessions will have on-line quizzes and/or tutor-assessed exercises with a weight of 2%. The best 5 such scores will be added to compute this component. There will be no extensions for these components, as there is allowances to miss up to 3 sessions due to mischance (and you should not miss a session for any other reason).

3. Mid-Semester Examination: 10% (proposed date: week 8)
   One A4 page of handwritten notes (both sides) is permitted; a calculator is not permitted.

4. Final Examination: 50%
   One A4 page of handwritten notes (both sides) is permitted; a calculator is not permitted.

These components are then added to give your final mark. This may then be scaled to give your overall course mark and grade. In particular, the final marks may be moderated by the Research School of Computer Science examiners meeting.

Notes:

• We will discuss the proposed scheme in weeks 1 and 2. There is some scope for flexibility.

Extensions and Late Penalties for Assignments

In general, there will be no extensions for assignments, the exception being for illness serious enough to keep you in bed, supported by a medical certificate. Other similarly un-foreseeable and serious circumstances may be considered (if similarly verified). Work and sporting commitments are not normally sufficient grounds. The failure of external computer systems used to undertake the assignment will not be considered. If you think you have grounds for an extension, you should notify the course coordinator as soon as possible and provide written evidence in support of your case (e.g. medical certificate). The course coordinator will then decide whether to grant and extension and inform you as soon as practicable.

Extensions may be granted to a date that is not more than 1 week from the nominal deadline.

Without an explicit extension from the course co-ordinator, late assignments will be penalised at the rate specified on the assignment document.

Plagiarism and Assisting Plagiarism in Assignments

Assignments should be assumed to be individual.

For the general RSCS policy, which applies to this course, you should read the chapter in the RSCS Student Handbook that discusses assessment (Chapter 6, pages 17-25), particularly the sections headed Misconduct in examinations (which also applies to assignments and other forms of assessment) and Guidelines for assignments. Please note the following:

• producing a solution with the aid of another's solution is cheating!
• providing a solution to another student is therefore assisting cheating and will be treated the same as cheating.
• working in close groups throughout the development of an assignment solution where members are inspecting each others' solutions is highly dangerous! It is highly likely to lead to unacceptable levels of collaboration and give members of the group an unfair advantage.