Eee+ +h54msp+Handbook+11 12+ +Final

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DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL ANDELECTRONIC ENGINEERING

HANDBOOK2011/2012

MSc Electrical EngineeringMSc/PGDip Electrical Technology for Sustainable & Renewable Energy Systems

MSc/PGDip Power Electronics & DrivesMSc/PGDip Photonic & Optical Engineering

MSc Electronic and Ultrasonic InstrumentationMSc/PGDip Electronic Communications & Computer Engineering

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Table of Contents

1. Introduction Page 32. Staff Page 43. Module Entry Page 54. Course Structure Page 5

4.1 Timetable Page 64.2 Taught Material Page 74.3 Laboratory Work and Coursework Page 74.4 Project Page 7

5. Assessment Page 95.1 General Assessment Rules Page 95.2 Taught Material Page 145.3 Project Page 15

5.3.1 Interim Report Page 155.3.2 Final Thesis Page 165.3.3 Bench Inspection Page 185.3.4 Weighting of the Elements of Assessment Page 18

5.4 Extenuating Circumstances Page 185.5 Dissertation Marking Guidelines Page 195.6 Plagiarism and Use of Other Peoples' Work 1

6. Study Patterns Page 227. Books, References and Learning Materials Page 22

7.1 Past Examination Questions Page 228. Staff and Personal Tutors Page 239. Disability Liaison Officer Information Page 2310. Facilities and Safety Page 2311. IT Services Page 2312. Appendix Page 24

Acknowledgements: The author is grateful for the initial template of this document provided by Dr.Thomas, Prof. Wheeler and Prof. Hayes-Gill

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1. Introduction

Welcome to the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering!

This course handbook is designed to complement the Departmental Student Handbookwhich can be accessed from the Student Intranet web pages atwww.nottingham.ac.uk/eee.

You may receive from your course director, separate information relevant to your specificcourse.

Term Dates

Terms:

Autumn Term: Monday 26 September 2011 - Friday 16 December 2011

Spring Term: Monday 16 January 2012 - Friday 30 March 2012

Summer Term: Monday 30 April 2012 - Friday 22 June 2012

Semesters:

Autumn Semester: Monday 26 September 2011 – Saturday 28 January 2012

Spring Semester: Monday 30 January 2012 – Friday 22 June 2012

http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/eee

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2. Staff

Course Directors

Dr Arthur WilliamsTower Building room [email protected]

Courses:MSc Electrical EngineeringMSc Electrical Technology for Sustainable & Renewable Energy SystemsPGDip Electrical Technology for Sustainable & Renewable Energy SystemsMSc Power Electronics & DrivesPGDip Power Electronics & Drives

Dr Slawek SujeckiTower Building room [email protected]

Courses:MSc Photonic and Optical EngineeringPGDip Photonic and Optical EngineeringMSc Electronic and Ultrasonic Instrumentation

Dr Yiqun ZhuTower Building - room [email protected]

Courses:MSc Electronic Communications & Computer EngineeringPGDip Electronic Communications & Computer Engineering

Director of Postgraduate Taught Courses

Dr Arthur WilliamsTower Building room [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]




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3. Module Entry

During Week One you will be given your module entry form. This form needs to bechecked and signed by your Course Director and returned to the coursework post boxesin the Student Support Centre in the Engineering and Science Learning Centre by 3pmon Friday 14th October 2011.

Optional modules not run by the Department of Electrical and ElectronicEngineering need to be approved by the administering School/Department.

4. Course Structure

The Masters Course is studied full-time over one academic year

The Postgraduate Diploma is studied full-time over 9 months

Both have a total of 120 credits of taught modules studied in the Autumn(Semester 1) and Spring (Semester 2)

In addition, for the Masters Course a research project worth 60 credits isundertaken in the Summer period giving a total Masters Course content of 180 credits

Students can select a maximum of 75 credits of taught modules in any onesemester

Students who have taken any of the modules outlined on their Course Structure aspart of their BEng/MEng degree course at the University of Nottingham are NOTallowed to take modules for a second time (or modules containing a significantamount of similar material to those already taken).

IMPORTANT NOTES:Further information on course structure can be found at

http://programmespec.nottingham.ac.uk/nottingham/asp/course_search.asp.

See separate module timetable, which is subject to confirmation,please check all lectures on the Student Portal.

http://programmespec.nottingham.ac.uk/nottingham/asp/course_search.asp

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Year Timetable

WeekWeek

CommencingTasks and Deadlines

1 26/09/2011 Week One activities (see separate schedules)

2 03/10/2011 Lectures. Arrange appointment with Course Director

3 10/10/2011 Lectures. Return module entry form

4 17/10/2011 Lectures. Last date for appointment with Course Director

5 24/10/2011 Lectures.

6 31/10/2011 Lectures.

7 07/11/2011 Lectures.

8 14/11/2011 Lectures. Arrange meeting with Course Director

9 21/11/2011 Lectures.

10 28/11/2011 Lectures.

11 05/12/2011 Lectures.

12 12/12/2011 Lectures.

13 19/12/2011

Christmas Vacation(Private study/revision)

14 26/12/2011

15 02/01/2012

16 09/01/2012

17 16/01/2012 Examinations


19 30/01/2012 Lectures. Students to collect project interest form

20 06/02/2012Lectures. Return project interest form to Student Support Centre by10/02/12

Project Options

21 13/02/2012 Lectures.

22 20/02/2012 Lectures. Receive allocated project Supervisor and Moderator

23 27/02/2012 Lectures. Discuss project title and outline with allocated Supervisor Project Week 1

24 05/03/2012 Lectures. Project Week 2



27 26/03/2012 Lectures.

28 02/04/2012

Easter Period(Private study/revision)

29 09/04/2012

30 16/04/2012

31 23/04/2012

32 30/04/2012 Lectures. Interim Report deadline 30/04/12

33 07/05/2012 Lectures.

34 14/05/2012 Revision week




38 11/06/2012 Project Week 5

39 18/06/2012 MSc Photograph (date to be confirmed) Project Week 6

40 25/06/2012 Project Week 7

41 02/07/2012 Project Week 8

42 09/07/2012 Summer project work Project Week 9

43 16/07/2012 Project Week 10

44 23/07/2012 Project Week 11

45 30/07/2012 Plagiarism checking deadline 03/08/12 Project Week 12

46 06/08/2012 Project Week 13

47 13/08/2012 Project Week 14

48 20/08/2012 Summer re-sit examinations Project Week 16

49 27/08/2012 Summer re-sit examinations Project Week 16

50 03/09/2012Final Thesis submission deadline 03/09/12MSc Party 04/09/12

51 10/09/2012 Bench Inspection deadline 14/09/12

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4.2 Taught Material

Lectures are delivered by several different techniques, some of which are pre-prepared transparencies, PowerPoint presentations, white board etc. Please ensure thatyou take sufficient notes at each lecture.

All students are strongly recommended to practice past exam questions, which can beobtained either from the Student Portal.

During week 8 (week commencing 14/11/11) all students will be expected to arrangea meeting with their course director to discuss their progress and as an opportunity toraise any issues they may have. This meeting will be informal, however it iscompulsory and all students must attend an appointment.

4.3 Laboratory Work and Coursework

Some of the subjects have laboratory and coursework requirements. You will find outthese requirements at the first lecture for each module.

IMPORTANT NOTE:Please attend the first lecture for the modules you take

You must complete the appropriate Coursework Coversheet to accompany all work to behanded in. All course work* should submitted in the post boxes located at theEngineering Student Support Centre in the Engineering and Science Learning Centre.Hand-in instructions will be located at the post boxes. All course work is due by 3.00pmand the post box will be emptied at 3.00 pm daily. Once you have handed in a piece ofwork you will not be able to retrieve it to make any amendments, it is, therefore, vitallyimportant that you check your work carefully before handing-in.

* Project work and dissertations are the exception to the above and can be handed in bythe due date specified by the module convenor to the Engineering Student SupportCentre reception counter.

Any coursework submitted after the deadline will be subject to penalties. Please see theUniversity Quality Manual at:http://nottingham.ac.uk/quality-manual/assessment/penalties.htm

4.4 Project

It has been known from our project allocation in last few years that a significantnumber of students want to do a practical project rather than a theoretical one.Therefore, in response to this demand, besides Individual MSc projects,Structured MSc projects are offered this year.

When you come to collect your provisional marks for the first semester, you willalso be passed a potential project list, which includes all possible MSc projects(Individual projects and Structured projects), and a project interest form.

You will be required to choose from a list of potential MSc projects and rank

http://nottingham.ac.uk/quality-manual/assessment/penalties.htm

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these in order of preference in your project interest form. Although every effortwill be made to match your first priority you should be aware that you mayhave to settle for either your second, third, fourth or fifth choice depending uponstaff availability.

Students whose first semester marks exceed 65% will work on individualprojects. Students whose marks are below this may be put on structured projects (thiswill be at the course directors’ discretion).

You will be allocated a project supervisor and a moderator by 20/02/2012

Project work is to begin in the week commencing the 27/02/2012 and will lastinitially for 4 weeks. It will then continue until the submission date of the InterimReport.

The Interim report should be submitted to Student Support Centre in theEngineering and Science Learning Centre before 3.00pm on Monday30/04/2012. You should also give your supervisor a copy for information,although they are not involved in the assessment.

The moderators will mark the Interim report. Therefore, when writing theoutline document you should bear in mind that the moderators are allocated atrandom and may not be at all familiar with the subject of the project.

Project work should resume immediately following the final exam of the springsemester.

The project is a major piece of engineering work and is likely to include libraryresearch, theoretical work, design, construction and testing of a prototype andcomputer programming. A good project will go beyond the work published inbooks or papers and contain an element of novelty.

Section 5.5 of this handbook contains further information of what markers will belooking for.

An essential part of the project involves careful planning and the setting ofintermediate targets in order to ensure efficient and effective use of time.

All students must keep a daily logbook of work done on the project. This logbookmust be kept neat and tidy and include experimental results, circuit diagrams andwork carried out each day.

All students are strongly advised to maintain regular and frequent contact withtheir project supervisor i.e. typically one meeting every project week.

Two bound copies of the final thesis with two labelled project CDs containingone document of the whole thesis (one CD is a duplicate of the other) should besubmitted to the Student Support Centre in the Engineering and ScienceLearning Centre before 3.00pm on Monday 03/09/2012.

Students should arrange bench inspection sometime between Monday03/09/2012 and Friday 14/09/2012. You are responsible forcontacting the moderator and agreeing a mutually convenient time. Duringthe bench inspection, students should be prepared to demonstrate their project to themoderator.

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IMPORTANT NOTE:MSc students must NOT be away from Nottingham without the prior

consent of their supervisors during the project period.

5. Assessment

5.1 General Assessment Rules

Assessment Rules

To qualify for the award of Masters Degree (MSc), full-time candidates shall followapproved courses for at least 12 months, and part-time candidates shall followapproved courses for an equivalent period of part-time study over not less than 24months and not more than 48 months, resulting in the award of 180 credits at theappropriate level.

To qualify for the award of Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip), full-timecandidates shall follow approved courses for not less than nine months and not morethan 12 months, and part-time candidates shall following approved courses for anequivalent period of part-time study over not less than 21 months and not more than48 months, resulting in the award of 120 credits at the appropriate level.

The pass mark for a module comprising part of a Masters course (MSc) is 50%. Thepass mark for a module comprising part of a Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) is 40%.

A student who fails one or more modules for the taught stage of the course will stillcomplete that stage and so be awarded the total credit for that stage providedthat: (1) they have passed modules worth at least 80 credits, and (2) they have aweighted average for the taught stage of at least 50% with no more than 20credits of module marks of less than 40% (a weighted average of 40% with nomore than 20 credits of module marks of less than 30% for Postgraduate Diplomastudents).

A student will only receive a Masters award if they have successfully completed boththe taught and research stages of their course. A student who does not successfullycomplete the research stage will be awarded: (a) a Postgraduate Diploma if they havea weighted average of 40% or more from 120 credits of taught modules with nomore than 20 credits of marks below 30% and a mark of at least 40% in 80credits, or (b) a Postgraduate Certificate if they have weighted average of 40% ormore from 60 credits with no more than 20 credits of marks below 30% and a markof at least 40% in 40 credits. The summer project is not taken into account in thiscircumstance.

A student who, at the first attempt, has not satisfactorily completed the taught stageor project stage of the course has a right to one re-assessment in each failed moduleat a time to be specified by the administering School/Department.

The MSc Examination Board convenes at the end of October to confirm results andthe award of degrees. Departmental staff and External Examiners attend this meeting.The Board also confirms if students are required to take resits in order to achievetheir MSc/PGDip.

If a student is required to take resits, their resit examinations will usually take placein the following academic year as an external resit candidate. For example, if astudent starts their course in September 2011 and is required to take resits,their resit examinations will take place in January 2013 (for semester 1 exams) and

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May/June 2013 (for semester 2 exams). External candidates do not attend Universityfor lectures or classes, but only to attend resit examinations.

Where resit exams are available in August/September, postgraduate students maytake this opportunity if they have a limited number of modules to resit. Studentsmust be aware that if they take this opportunity, they will not be given additional timeallowance for their project work, which should continue during the exam period.

Students choosing to resit modules must complete all parts of the necessaryreassessment (i.e. coursework and examination) at the same time.

Degree Classification

Postgraduate Masters and Postgraduate Diploma will be awarded with Merit tostudents who have satisfied all the requirements of the course and haveachieved an overall average of at least 60%.

Postgraduate Masters and Postgraduate Diploma will be awarded with Distinctionto students who have satisfied all the requirements of the course and have achieved anoverall average of at least 70%.

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The MSc Progression Flowchart

` Yes

No

No

Yes

No

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

No

Yes

No

No

No

Yes

No

Yes

No

Yes

Yes Yes

No No

Yes

MSc Students

Overall credit weighted averagemark below 50% in semester one*

MSc project mark atleast 50%

At least 80 taught credits witheach module at least 50%

No more than 20 credits below40% (for 2009/10 entry onwards)

Overall credit weightedaverage mark at least 70%



One reassessment opportunityin all modules less than 50%

MSc project markat least 50%

At least 80 taughtcredits at least 50%

No more than 20credits below 40%


A

Recommendto PG

Diploma

MSc withDistinction

MSc withMerit

MSc

Original credit weightedaverage at least 70%

MSc withDistinction


MSc withMerit

MSc

No

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No

Yes

No

Yes

Yes Yes

No No

No Yes

Yes No

No Yes

Yes

Yes

No

A

No more than 20 taught creditsbelow 30%


Overall credit weighted averagemark at least 40% for 120credits of taught modules

At least 60 taught credits atleast 30%

Overall credit weightedaverage mark at least 40%for best 60 credits, with atleast 50 credits at level 4

Termination of course

PGCertificate

Original creditweighted average

at least 60%

PG Diploma withMerit

PGDiploma

Original creditweighted average

at least 70%

PG Diploma withDistinction

At least 40 taught credits atleast 40%

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The PGDip Progression Flowchart (not for students who have completeda project)

` Yes

No

No

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

No

Yes

No

No

No

Yes

No

Yes

No

Yes

Yes Yes

No No

Yes

No

PGDipStudents

At least 50% in allsemester one modules*

At least 80 creditsat least 40%

No more than 20 credits below30%




One reassessment opportunityin all modules less than 50%





B

Upgraded toMSc course

PG Diploma withDistinction

PG Diploma withMerit

PG Diploma


PG Diplomawith Distinction


PG Diplomawith Merit

PG Diploma

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No

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

No

The full assessment regulations for Taught Masters Degrees, Postgraduate Diploma andPostgraduate Certificate courses can be found in the web page below:

http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/quality-manual/study-regulations/taugh-postgraduate-regulations.htm

5.2 Taught Material

The taught material is assessed by a combination of examinations and in somecases lab reports or other coursework– details will be given to you by each modulelecturer during the first lecture.

The examination format will be explained by the lecturer concerned in hisintroductory lecture and in the module description. Exam timetables will be availablefrom the Student Portal. At the Examiners discretion students may have one re-sitattempt in the taught units of assessment.

B


Overall credit weighted average markat least 40% for best 60 credits, with

at least 50 credits at level 4

Termination of course

PGCertificate




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5.3 Project

The project assessment is based 10% on the interim report, 10% on the bench inspectiontowards the end of the project and 80% on the Final Thesis.

5.3.1Interim Report

The Interim Report should not exceed 6 pages (excluding appendix) and shouldcontain the following:

An introduction to the project Literature review A concise but complete account of the aims and objectives of the project (see below) A list of proposed deliverables (outcomes) for the project (see below)

References/Bibliographies A time plan (see below) As an Appendix, the project specification given to you by the supervisor

Definitions of what is meant by aims and objectives are difficult, and different peopleinterpret them in different ways. However, it is useful to consider the aim(s) as theoverall purpose of the project (why it is being done) and the objectives as the maintargets to be achieved in meeting the aim. Deliverables will then be closely related tothe objectives. For example you might have:

Aim: To develop a USB based data acquisition system

Objectives: Design and build a PCB board for the system

Write firmware for the on-board micro-controller to cont ro lthe on-board ADC (Ana logue-to-Dig i ta l Converter) and USBcontroller

Software driver and application programming for the

System Deliverables: Get the entire system working

ADC performance test, in terms of DC and AC

Documentation, such as the system users’ manual

This above is just a short example to illustrate the ideas, probably more objectives would beappropriate for a typical MSc project.

Ideally the time plan should be some sort of simple Gantt chart, which shows the maintasks of the project and their estimated duration. Tasks are more detailed thanobjectives. Following the example above again, the first objective would have a number oftasks (e.g. Schematic design, PCB layout and hardware debugging and so on). The timeplan should also show which tasks are consecutive and which are concurrent and includemilestones. Milestones are significant objectives in the project for which achievement (orotherwise) can be definitively measured and for which there is a target completion date. Againfor the example above, appropriate milestones might be (1) the entire system working,(2) ADC performance test, (3) final thesis submitted. Three milestones should be adequatefor most projects. You should make sure that your time plan considers concurrent tasksadequately and is not simply a list of sequential tasks – very few projects are like this andconcurrent events occur.

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The interim report should be word-processed (typed) or legibly handwritten with thestudent's, supervisor's and moderator's names and the project title at the front andshould either be stapled or submitted in a loose leaf binder.

The interim assessment will be based on the quality of the project outlinedocument, the student's ability to explain the basis and aims of the project, literaturereview and the quality and viability of the time planning.

5.3.2 Final Thesis

IMPORTANT NOTE:Please also see information on Plagiarism (Section 5.5)

The Final Thesis is the main method of assessment for the project. Itshould include summary, contents, introduction, and main chapters describing the projectwork, discussion, conclusions, references and appendices. The thesis should bewritten for a reader who is technically competent, but who is not necessarily expertin the field of study. Your supervisor will not have time to make major correctionsto the style and structure of the thesis before final submission, so you shoulddiscuss the structure of the thesis with your supervisor before starting to write it.

The thesis must be no more than 80 pages, on un-punched A4 paper. The textshould be double-spaced and on one side of the paper only. The most suitablefont is Times Roman 12pt. A margin of one inch must be left on the left-hand sideof each page of typing for binding. A similar margin should be used on the right-hand side. Graphs, photographs and illustrations may either be inserted into the textat the nearest appropriate point (as they are in a text book for example) or mayappear on separate sheets in between the text pages. Diagrams should be properlylabelled for each chapter e.g. Figure 3.1 is the first diagram in chapter 3), and neatlydrawn (hand drawing is acceptable although computer drawn diagrams and figuresgenerally look better). Graphs and oscillograms must have labelled axes with givenscales. References should be referred to in the text at appropriate points usingnumbers in square brackets. Students who fail to meet these layout guidelineswill have marks deducted.

A reference list with the appropriate numbers should be given at the end of thethesis. The examples below (the first for a book, the second for a paper – essentiallyfollowing IEEE guidelines) give typical styles for references that you should employ:

[1 ] N . Mohan , T , Unde r l and and W. Robb i n s , Powe r E l e c t r on i c s :Converters Application and Design. New York, Wiley, 1996.

[2] Alesina A. and Venturini M.G.B., "Analysis and Design of Optimum-AmplitudeNine-Switch Direct AC-AC Converters", IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics Vol. 4.No.1. , January 1989, pp101-112.

References for websites are more difficult due to their transient nature. Often,material obtained from websites (copies of academic papers, extracts from booksetc) can also be obtained in printed form. In such cases a reference to the archival(i.e. permanent) source must be given. In other cases, where the material is onlyavailable on the web, the reference should follow the IEEE recommended practice, whichcan be found at the following web address: http://www.ieee.org/

Make sure that you differentiate between a reference list (papers/books etc fromwhich you have obtained specific information/facts that you wish to refer to) and a

http://www.ieee.org/

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bibliography (a general reading list not referred to specifically in the text). Mosttheses should have a reference list; the bibliography is optional.Appendices should be used for information, mathematical derivations etc which are requiredfor completeness, but which would disrupt the main flow of the thesis if placed in themain text. Appendices should be denoted with a letter (Appendix A, Appendix B etc) andshould be referred to in the main text. Any appendix that is not referred to is clearlyunnecessary.

You must not use any text or figures from other sources in your thesis withoutgiving a proper reference. Failure to give proper reference to such materialconstitutes plagiarism and will be reported to the University Academic OffencesCommittee (see section 4.5). This applies particularly (but not solely) to materialobtained from the WWW or that scanned electronically from other sources.

The length of the complete thesis, including diagrams and appendices, should notexceed 80 pages. Every sheet except for the title page must be numbered consecutivelyin the top right hand corner. Students who exceed 80 pages may lose marks forpresentation due to unnecessary length. Similarly, inappropriate “padding” of thethesis will not receive credit and will detract from the parts that do deserve credit.

Software listings should not be included in the thesis either in the main body, or asan appendix. Software design, algorithms etc can be illustrated and explained in thethesis using “pseudo-code” or flow-diagrams or some other appropriate “high-level”description.

Data sheets should not be included in the thesis for standard parts (logic ICs, op-amps, comparators etc). Data sheets should only be included if reference to thedata sheet is necessary for the reader to understand some aspect of the thesis. Thiswill normally only be when you have used an unusual or difficult to source part,and/or where using the part is a major aspect of your work. In such cases, the datasheet should be placed in an appendix and must be referred to in the appropriate partof the text.

Tables of experimental results should only be included if this information is notbeing presented graphically, and should be placed in an Appendix.

Diagrams too large or numerous for A4 paper, should be prepared on folded A3 paper,ensuring that the fold is at least 0.5 inches inside the right-hand edge of the thesis toenable binding.

Although we do not have any particular requirements on thesis binding,students are encouraged to use thermal tape binding, which is available inStudent Union print shop in Portland building at your own cost.

The first sheet of the thesis should adhere to the template that will be provided inthe appendix of this handbook, and must include your full name, student number andthe name of your supervisor.

Students must make their own arrangements for producing the thesis. If you aredoing your own word-processing you must make adequate back-up copies.Computer breakdowns, or loss of files in computer word processing systems, forany reason, cannot be used as an excuse for late submission of theses.

Late submission, without a properly documented good cause, will incur thenormal penalty of 5% per working day.

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The final thesis assessment includes the supervisor's and moderator'sassessments of the project as a whole. The criteria for assessment are theoreticalappreciation, extent of effort, extent of achievement and quality of work and thepresentation of the thesis.

5.3.3 Bench Inspection

The Bench Inspection will take place after thesis submission. The assessors willvisit the student in the lab or computer room as appropriate. The student will beallowed ten to fifteen minutes to give a brief overview of the project objectives,progress and achievements, possibly including a demonstration if appropriate. It isexpected that students will prepare some visual aids to support their explanation, keydiagrams, flow charts and bullet points. The bench inspection will take amaximum of 30 minutes. The two assessors are the moderator and the supervisor(optional).

5.3.4 Weighting of the Elements of Assessment

The weighting between assessment categories is as follows:

Moderator’s assessment of interim report 10%

Supervisor's assessment of thesis 55%

Moderator's assessment of thesis 25%

Moderator’s assessment of bench inspection 10%

The assessment sheets used for the project are included in Appendix. Students areencouraged to consider the assessment criteria listed in these assessment sheets whenthey are preparing reports for submission. The overall pass mark for the projectis 50%.

IMPORTANT NOTE:All work should be submitted to the Student Support Centre in the Engineering

and Science Learning Centre.

5.4 Extenuating Circumstances

If you have any problems, illness or other matters, which affect your studies during theyear you should let your tutor know about this as soon as possible. There is a form forrecording extenuating circumstances which can be obtained from the Student SupportCentre in the Engineering and Science Learning Centre). The completed form, togetherwith supporting documentary evidence should be returned to the Engineering TeachingSupport Centre, Coates Building room B45 which is open Monday to Friday 08.30 –16.30. Please visit the Quality Manual for the policy on Extenuating ExtenuatingCircumstances athttp://www.nottingham.ac.uk/academicservices/qualitymanual/assessment/extenuatingcircumstances.aspx.

http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/academicservices/qualitymanual/assessment/extenuatingcircumstances.aspx

http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/academicservices/qualitymanual/assessment/extenuatingcircumstances.aspx

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5.5 MSc Dissertation Marking Guidelines

Electrical and Electronic Engineering

The University of Nottingham

A. Grades

EXCEPTIONAL (90 – 100%) The work and dissertation should exhibit all thecharacteristics of an EXCELLENT grade. In addition, the contents of thedissertation should be publishable in a refereed journal without significant reworkingor alteration. Any software / hardware prototype should be of the highest quality. Thework should display complete and comprehensive originality.

OUTSTANDING (80 – 89%) The work and dissertation should exhibit all the characteristicsof an EXCELLENT grade. In addition, the dissertation should be publishable in a refereedjournal in a suitably modified form. Any software / hardware prototype should be ofthe highest quality. The work should exhibit a large degree of independent thoughtand originality. Technical assistance from the supervisor would have been minimaland the student would have exhibited high levels of self-motivation.

EXCELLENT (70 – 79%) The work and dissertation should display a complete andthorough understanding of the conceptual and practical issues surrounding the chosentopic. There should be evidence of independent thought in the form of some degree oforiginality in the presentation and discussions of the material. The dissertation shouldbe well structured with a clear line of argument and the quality of the analysis shouldbe excellent. Any software / hardware prototype should be completed in all respects,including the appropriate documentation, and exhibit very high quality.

GOOD (60 – 69%) The work and dissertation should show a goodunderstanding of the conceptual and practical issues surrounding the chosen topic.The arguments should be clearly structured but there is no specific requirement forany degree of original work. The quality of the analysis and the writing of the dissertationshould be good. Ideally, any software / hardware prototype should be complete andusable and demonstrate good quality engineering design. Where parts of theprototype are incomplete and the project goals were ambitious, the student should beable to explain, through their own analysis, improvements that could be made.

PASS (50 – 59%) The work and dissertation should show an adequateunderstanding of the key conceptual and practical issues although weakness may bepresent in some areas. There should be evidence of some attempt to construct anargument around the information available. The analytical content should be average.Any software / hardware prototype should be adequate to illustrate principles and maydisplay weakness in areas not central to the work.

DIPLOMA LEVEL (40 – 49%) The work and dissertation would display an incompleteunderstanding of the central issues relating to the chosen topic. The dissertation wouldlack a clear structure and the quality of the analysis would be below average. Anysoftware / hardware prototype would be poorly designed, incomplete or difficult tounderstand. The work should show some understanding of principles, but may displaysome weakness in central areas.

DEFINITE FAIL (BELOW 40%) The work and dissertation would display a very poorunderstanding of the chosen area. There would be no clear structure and the analysis maybe weak and incomplete. The dissertation would be poorly written and presented. Anysoftware / hardware prototype would be limited in capability and difficult to use.

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B. Key Attributes

Quality of DissertationKey attribute 70+ 60-69 50-59 40-49 Below 40

The objectiveswere

Clearly andconciselyformulated

Clearlyformulated

Formulatedbut not clearly

Vaguelydiscernable

Not formulatedat all

The material inthe dissertationwas

Totally originalsPartiallyoriginal

Nothing reallynew but solid

Largely a rehashof existingmaterial

Entirely basedon existingmaterial

The analysis ofthe topic was

Extensive,comprehensive,in-depth andscientific

Strong andadequate

Adequate Feeble Non-existent

The key conceptsin the field were

Thoroughlyunderstood

Wellunderstood

Understood tosome extent

Somewhatmisunderstood

Completelymisunderstood

The literaturewas reviewed

Extensively,highly relevant tothe topic

Thoroughlybut lackedfocus

Adequately Superficially Not at all

The researchmethodology

Solid, clearlydefined and withappropriatejustification

Clearlydefined andappropriate

Stated but notdefined andjustified

Vaguelydiscernable

Not defined,incorrect or notapplicable at all

The designframework was

Well mapped tothe researchobjectives, highlyrelevant andflowed well

Mapped to theresearchobjectives andrelevant

Mapped tocertain extentand somehowrelevant

Poorly mappedto theobjectives

Not mapped tothe objectives

The results /outcomes in thedissertation weredone

Extensively,comprehensivelyand scientificallywith valuable dataobtained.Outcomes werecompletelydiscussed

Thoroughlybut perhaps oflimited scopewith somedata obtained.Outcomeswere partiallydiscussed

Adequatelybut littleuseful dataobtained.Outcomeswerediscussed butweak

Poorly witherrors inmethod or littlereliable dataobtained.Outcomes werediscussed butincorrect

Very poorlywith majorerrors inmethod and noreliable dataobtained. Nooutcomes at all

The conclusionswere

Clearly stated,insightful, originaland scientificallydeduced from theproject

Stated buteither not fullybacked up bythe project orlackingoriginality

Stated butonly brieflyand notentirely basedon the project

Poorly statedNot stated atall

Quality of ReportKey attribute 70+ 60-69 50-59 40-49 Below 40

The layout andstructure of theproject were

Good withchapters andsections thatflowed welltogether

Fairly goodwith sensiblechapters andsections

Good in partsbut poor inothers

Poor throughout Not discernable

The spelling andgrammar were

FlawlessHad a fewminormistakes

Had somemistakes

Had severalmistakes

Full of mistakes

The ideas takenfrom elsewherewere

Properly cited andreferenced fromreliable sources

Cited andreferencedmostly fromreliablesources

Cited buteither notproperlyreferenced orusing lessreliablesources

Poor referencing- mostly towebsites wheresource cannotbe confirmed

No adequatecitation orreferences

The use of tablesand figures was

Excellent andhighly relevant

Good andrelevant

Satisfactoryand somerelevant

Poor andmajority notrelevant

Very poor andnot relevant atall

Overall thedissertation was

Worthy ofpublication

Pretty good satisfactory A bit poor Very poor

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5.6 Plagiarism and Use of Other Peoples' Work

Plagiarism detection software may be used by the Department if plagiarism issuspected in any project. It is compulsory for all students to submit their literaturereview and background information in advance of completing their thesis to allow thework to be checked for plagiarism. Work must be submitted through WebCT byAugust 3rd 2012. For further information on plagiarism please see:http://workspace.nottingham.ac.uk/display/eng/EEE-Plagiarism+and+Use+of+Other+Peoples%27+Work

When writing essays, scientific reports, laboratory reports etc., it is usual to refer tothe work of other people. On the other hand, trying to pass off other peoples' workas one's own is a form of cheating, known as plagiarism, and is considered a seriousoffence both inside and outside the University.

There is no need for confusion in this matter. If you wish to use someone else'swork in what you are writing, make it quite clear to the reader what is yours and whatis the other person's. Ask yourself what a reasonable reader would think.Examples of how not to plagiarise:

(a) You want to quote a paragraph or two f rom a textbook orarticle.

Put quotation marks round the paragraphs and use some form of words such as:

The definition of rectification is given by Cotton as "..."(1).

At the end of your article, in your list of references, give the reference to Cotton's bookin sufficient detail for the reader to find the quoted work in the library e.g. (1)'Principles of Electrical Technology', H. Cotton, Pitman, 1967, page 360.

(b) You want to use someone else's ideas without quoting word-for-word Use aform of words in your article such as:

"It was shown by Gibson (4) that..."

(c) You want to use a diagram from a book or article in a report Referto its origin in the text:

"...Fig 4, taken from Smith and Jones (3), shows..."

And also give the origin under the diagram as part of the caption to the figure.

(d) You are working in a team which puts in a joint report

Put a section at the beginning of the report saying exactly what part of the report eachmember of the team was responsible for, including the writing of the report.

IMPORTANT NOTE:Copying off the web is not allowed, and may cause you to fail your

degree !!!

If plagiarism is detected in any activity, which is examined, the occurrence will be reportedto the University Academic Offences Committee, which has wide-ranging disciplinary powers,including exclusion from the University if the case is proved.

http://workspace.nottingham.ac.uk/display/eng/EEE-Plagiarism+and+Use+of+Other+Peoples%27+Work

http://workspace.nottingham.ac.uk/display/eng/EEE-Plagiarism+and+Use+of+Other+Peoples%27+Work

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6. Study Patterns

An important feature of the course is the heavy emphasis placed onindependent working. At the outset of each piece of work (set of tutorial problems,assignment, lab session, and lab report) you should think carefully about the finalobjectives, compile a list of tasks to be completed and divide the time availablebetween the various tasks. You should follow the work plan as closely aspossible; however, if unforeseen problems arise you must review the plankeeping in mind the final objectives. You should discuss the effectiveness of yourstudy plans with your tutor.

Students should work five full days per week, undertake a couple of hours' work on aweekday evening and half a day at the weekend. If you are spending significantly lesstime than this on the course it is likely that you are not doing enough - consult yourtutor.

7. Books, References and Learning Materials

Comprehensive course notes will be provided, however, specialist books andreferences will be recommended as appropriate in lectures.

7.1 Past Examination Questions

Past question papers are available on the Student Portal. All students are stronglyurged to practise solving past exam questions to help with learning the course materialand also to help with exam preparation

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8. Staff and Personal Tutors

All students will have a tutor throughout the year:

Up to 27/02/2012: All enquiries should be addressed to your coursedirector.

After 27/02/2012: The tutor will be the project supervisor

All students must see their course director at least once in the first four weeksof the first term – who will check your module choice and other generalacademic matters.

After the 27/02/2012 the students must see their tutor at least once every twoweeks for at least one hour.

Should you experience any problems that your personal tutor cannot help with thenthe matter should be discussed in the first instance with the MSc Course Director orthe Director of Postgraduate Taught Courses if the MSc Course Director is notavailable.

You will find that lectures will be given mainly by the academic staff.However, occasionally lectures will be given by research fellows and invitedspeakers from industry.

9. Disability Liaison Officer Information

If you have a disability, dyslexia or any long-term medical condition you are urged to letus know as soon as possible. You should call in to see our Disability Liaison Officer(DLO) Emma Poole (email [email protected] or telephone 0115 951 5539and located in room B45 Coates Building) who will be pleased to discuss any issues withyou. Useful information can also be found in the on-line Student Handbook mentionedabove.

Further information can be obtained from: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/ssc/

10. Facilities and Safety

For general information on the facilities at the University of Nottingham and in theDepartment of Electrical and Electronic Engineering please refer to the Departmentalweb pages.

Students must familiarise themselves with the safety handbook. This isavailable from the link “Student Intranet” on the Departmental web pages. Theprocedures and recommendations contained in the Safety handbook must be followedat all times. Students undertaking a project at Nottingham should have a riskassessment of their project completed before any practical work commences.

11. IT Services

The University of Nottingham Information Services Website can be accessed online atthe following address http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/is/uon/knowledgebase/top_guides.phpand contains information for new students on IT facilities within the University.


http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/ssc/

http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/is/uon/knowledgebase/top_guides.php

24

12. Appendix

Project report cover page and assessment feedback forms are attached in thefollowing pages (for reference only).

25

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING

[TITLE]

AUTHOR [Student Name]SUPERVISOR [Supervisor Name]DATE September 2012

Project thesis submitted in part fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master ofScience [DEGREE TITLE], The University of Nottingham.

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THE UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING

MSc Project (H54MSP)

PROJECT DISSERTATION – INTERIM REPORT ASSESSMENT SHEET

(To be completed by the Moderator)(10% OF MARK)

Student Name:Student ID:

Supervisor:Moderator:

Project Title:

STYLE

Structure of the Report ……………………………………………../10

Presentation ……………………………………………../10

TECHNICAL CONTENT

Literature Review ……………………………………………../20

Correctness & Completeness of Proposals ……………………………………………../40

Adequacy and Appropriateness of Work Plan ……………………………………………../20

TOTAL MARKS ALLOCATED (Out of 100)THE PASS MARK IS 50%

COMMENTS [Please provide as much feedback as possible]

Continue overleaf if required

Please return this form to Engineering Teaching Support Centre with a copy to thestudent.

Signed (Moderator):……………………………………Date:…………………………

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PROJECT DISSERTATION - FINAL THESIS ASSESSMENT SHEET(To be completed by the Supervisor)

(55% OF MARK)

Student Name:Supervisor:

Project Title:

THESIS AND PROJECT WORKTheoretical Appreciation ……………………………………………../25

Extent of Effort ……………………………………………../25

Extent of Achievement and Quality of Work ……………………………………………../25

THESIS ONLYPresentation of Final Thesis ……………………………………………../25

TOTAL MARKS ALLOCATED (Out of 100)*THE PASS MARK IS 50%




Signed (Supervisor): ………………………………………Date: ………………………………

*Re-marking is required if your mark is different from that of the moderator by more than 9%

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PROJECT DISSERTATION - FINAL THESIS ASSESSMENT SHEET(To be completed by the Moderator)

(25% OF MARK)

Student Name:Moderator:

Project Title:

THESIS AND PROJECT WORKTheoretical Appreciation ………………………………………………/25

Extent of Effort ………………………………………………/25

Extent of Achievement and Quality of Work ………………………………………………/25

THESIS ONLYPresentation of Final Thesis ………………………………………………/25





Signed (Moderator): ………………………………………Date: ………………………………

* Remarking is required if your mark is different from that of the Supervisor by more than 9%.

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PROJECT DISSERTATION – BENCH INSPECTION ASSESSMENT SHEET

(To be completed by the moderator)(10% OF MARK)

Student Name:Moderator:

Project Title:

Presentation ……………………………………………../10

Visual Aids Used ……………………………………………../15

Achievements ……………………………………………../50

Ability to Answer Questions ……………………………………………../25





Signed (Moderator): …………………………………………Date: ………………………………

Eee+ +h54msp+Handbook+11 12+ +Final

Documents

Transcript of Eee+ +h54msp+Handbook+11 12+ +Final