HND Assignment Brief

Session: September 2023/Feb 2024

BTEC Higher National Diploma (HND) in Computing

Programme title

Unit number and title 16 Computing Research Project (L5)

Assignment number & title 1 of 1 Computing Research Project (L5)

Unit Leader Dr M. J. Hasan

Assessor (s) Dr M. J. Hasan

Issue Date 04/03/2024

Final assignment 10th – 13th June (4.00pm) 2024

submission deadline

13th June (after 4.00pm) –14th June 2024 (4.00pm) - 24 hours only
Late submission deadline The learners are required to follow the strict deadline set by the College
for submissions of assignments in accordance with the BTEC level 4 – 7
submission guidelines and College policy on submissions.

Resubmission deadline TBA

Formative feedback will be available in class during the semester. Final

Feedback feedback will be available within 2 – 3 weeks of the assignment
submission date.

• The work you submit must be in your own words. If you use a quote or an
General illustration from somewhere you must give the source.
Guidelines • Include a list of references at the end of your document. You must give all
your sources of information.
• Make sure your work is clearly presented and that you use readily
understandable English.
• Wherever possible use a word processor and its “spell-checker”.

Reza Joadat
Internal verifier

[email protected]
Signature (IV of the Date 04/03/2024
brief) *
 ICON College of Technology and Management
BTEC HND in Computing
Unit 16: Computing Research Project (L5)
Session: September 2023
Coursework
Recommended maximum words: 3,000

You are strongly advised to read “Preparation guidelines of the Coursework Document”
before answering your assignment. ASSIGNMENT

Aim & Objective

This coursework is designed to demonstrate the broad understanding and knowledge of the module,
assessing and evaluating the student’s strength and level of analysis; divided into four learning
outcomes. The coursework should be submitted as one document in a report format in final
submission.

Assignment Scenario:

The Pearson-set theme for Computing Research Project is.

Big Data:

Big data is a term that has become more and more common over the last decade. It was originally
defined as data that is generated in incredibly large volumes, such as internet search queries, data
from weather sensors or information posted on social media. Today big data has also come to
represent large amounts of information generated from multiple sources that cannot be processed in
a conventional way and that cannot be processed by humans without some form of computational
intervention. Big data can be stored in several ways: Structured, whereby the data is organised into
some form of relational format, unstructured, where data is held as raw, unorganised data prior to
turning into a structured form, or semi-structured where the data will have some key definitions or
structural form, but is still held in a format that does not conform to standard data storage models.
Many systems and organisations now generate massive quantities of big data on a daily basis, with
some of this data being made publicly available to other systems for analysis and processing. The
generation of such large amounts of data has necessitated the development of machine learning
systems that can sift through the data to rapidly identify patterns, to answer questions or to solve
problems. As these new systems continue to be developed and refined, a new discipline of data
science analytics has evolved to help design, build and test these new machine learning and artificial
intelligence systems. Utilising Big Data requires a range of knowledge and skills across a broad
spectrum of areas and consequently opens opportunities to organisations that were not previously
accessible. The ability to store and process large quantities of data from multiple sources has meant
that organisations and businesses are able to get a larger overall picture of the pattern of global
trends in the data to allow them to make more accurate and up to date decisions. Such data can be
used to identify potential business risks earlier and to make sure that costs are minimised without
compromising on innovation. However, the rapid application and use of Big Data has raised several
concerns. The storage of such large amounts of data means that security concerns need to be
addressed in case the data is compromised or altered in such a way to make the interpretation
erroneous. In addition, the ethical issues of the storage of personal data from multiple sources have
yet to be addressed, as well as any sustainability concerns in the energy requirements of large data
warehouses and lakes.

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The theme will enable students to explore some of the topics concerned with Big Data from the
standpoint of a prospective computing professional or data scientist. It will provide the opportunity for
students to investigate the applications, benefits and limitations of Big Data while exploring the
responsibilities and solutions to the problems it is being used to solve.

Choosing a research objective/question:

Students are to choose their own research topic for this unit. Strong research projects are those with
clear, well focused and defined objectives. A central skill in selecting a research objective is the ability
to select a suitable and focused research objective. One of the best ways to do this is to put it in the
form of a question. Students should be encouraged by tutors to discuss a variety of topics related to
the theme to generate ideas for a good research objective.

The range of topics discussed on Big Data, could cover the following areas:

• Storage models

• Cyber security risks

• Future developments and driving innovation

• Legal and ethical trade-offs

The research objective should allow students to broaden their understanding and widen their
perspective of being able to explore, argue, prove, and/or disprove a particular objective. The
research objective should be feasible, novel, ethical, relevant and ultimately of interest to the
student.

Students are to submit as evidence for the unit in addition to their project findings, the research
proposal and ethics form. The research proposal sets out the plan for how the students will
achieve the intended research objective(s) and shows whether the objective will be feasible, ethical
and achievable in the time scale. It sets out how secondary research supports the research
objective, how the research will be conducted, how the research will be evaluated. Students will
need to gain ethical approval before commencing their research, this will be discussed with the
tutor during the research proposal.

Part 1:
Consider the development of a methodical, ethical, reliable and valid research proposal as the
foundation for the project. The proposal should be agreed with your tutor prior to undertaking any
research. Proposal and ethical forms should also be agreed and completed. An ethics form must be
submitted prior to completion of research as part of the research proposal.

The project topic should reflect personal interest in a specialism and should allow for a sufficient
degree of research through the existence of adequate background materials.

The framework of your proposal should address a specific research problem or question. This can
be stated as a research question, objectives or hypothesis.

As guidance, a good project proposal and project title should have an existing body of literature or
source material that can be reviewed. In addition, it should extend the current line of learning,
lending itself to further rigorous exploration. You should decide on appropriate research methods
and select an appropriate sample. Finally, provide a literature review that identifies the background
and conceptualisation of your proposed area of study. This would provide existing knowledge and
benchmarks by which your data can be judged.

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Part 2:
You should conduct your research as outlined in your proposal and keep track of your findings as
you progress.

The research methodology and research process, should be considered and clearly defined,
demonstrating an understanding of the pitfalls and limitations of the methods chosen and ethical
issues that could be encountered.

Conduct your research, analyse your findings and draw conclusions. Research methods should be
applied to evaluate the data collected from primary research sources. Your research and analysis
of your findings should be specific to your original research question, from which conclusions can
be drawn.

Reflect on the success of your research project and your performance at the end of the project with
the inclusion of a project evaluation and recommendations. In addition, based on the results of your
study, what alternative research methodologies would you use in future to improve the results?

Reflect on your experience of formative draft submission and the feedback given by your lecturer. (e.g.,
how to improve your coursework). Whether you were able to discuss your choice of sources, your writing
style, the accuracy of your referencing… (150 to 200 words Max.)

Appendices
Note: You should attach all the supporting documents as a separate file in the appendix section of
your assignment. Without appropriate evidence(s) your assignment will not be marked.
• Proposal
• Ethic form
• Completed questioner (if it is used)
• Collected data
• Any other document(s) requested by tutor

Relevant Information
To gain a Pass in a BTEC HND Unit, you must meet ALL the Pass criteria; to gain a Merit, you must meet
ALL the Merit and Pass criteria; and to gain a Distinction, you must meet ALL the Distinction, Merit and Pass
criteria.

1. Learning Outcomes and Assessment Criteria

Learning Outcomes and Assessment Criteria

Pass Merit Distinction

LO1 Examine appropriate research methodologies and approaches as part of the

research process

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P1 Produce a research proposal that
clearly defines a research question or M1 Evaluate different research hypothesis LO1 & 2
supported by a literature approaches and methodology and make D1 Critically evaluate
review. justifications for the choice of methods research
P2 Examine appropriate research methods selected based on and methodologies and
approaches to primary and secondary philosophical/theoretical processes in
frameworks. research. application to a
computing research
LO2 Conduct and analyse research relevant for a computing research project project to justify
chosen research
P3 Conduct primary and secondary methods and
research using appropriate methods for a analysis.
computing research project that consider M2 Discuss merits, limitations and
costs, access and ethical issues. pitfalls of approaches to data collection
P4 Apply appropriate analytical tools and analysis.
analyse research findings and data.

LO3 Communicate the outcomes of a research project to identified stakeholders

D2 Communicate
M3 Coherently and logically critical analysis of the
P5 Communicate research outcomes in communicate outcomes to the outcomes and make
an appropriate manner for the intended intended audience demonstrating how valid, justified
audience. outcomes meet set research recommendations.
objectives.
LO4 Reflect on the application of research methodologies and concepts D3 Demonstrate
reflection and
P6 Reflect on the effectiveness of research engagement in
methods applied for meeting objectives of the resource
M4 Provide critical reflection and insight
the business research project. process leading to
that results in recommended actions for
P7 Consider alternative research improvements and future research recommended
methodologies and lessons learnt in view considerations. actions for future
of the outcomes. improvement.

Preparation guidelines of the Coursework Document

a. All coursework must be word processed.
b. Avoid using “Text box” in writing your assignment.
c. Document margins must not be more than 2.54 cm (1 inch) or less than 1.9cm (3/4 inch).
d. Font size must be within the range of 10 point to 14 points including the headings and body text (preferred
font size is 11) in Arial.
e. Standard and commonly used type face, such as Arial and Times New Roman, should be used.
f. All figures, graphs and tables must be numbered.
g. Material taken from external sources must be properly referred and cited within the text using Harvard
system
h. Do not use Wikipedia as a reference.

2. Plagiarism and Collusion

Any act of plagiarism or collusion will be seriously dealt with according to the College regulations. In this
context the definitions and scope of plagiarism and collusion are presented below:
Plagiarism is presenting somebody else’s work as your own. It includes copying information directly from
the Web or books without referencing the material; submitting joint coursework as an individual effort.
Collusion is copying another student’s coursework; stealing coursework from another student and
submitting it as your own work.
Suspected plagiarism or collusion will be investigated and if found to have occurred will be dealt with according
to the College procedure (For details on Plagiarism & Collusion please see the Student Handbook).

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 3. Submission
a. Initial submission of coursework to the tutors is compulsory in each unit of the course.
b. The student must check their assignments on ICON VLE with plagiarism software Turnitin to make sure
the similarity index for their assignment stays within the College approved level. A student can check the
similarity index of their assignment up to five times in the Draft Assignment submission point located
in the home page of the ICON VLE.
c. All Final coursework must be submitted to the Final submission point into the Unit (not to the Tutor).
The student would be allowed to submit only once and that is the final submission.
d. Any computer files generated such as program code (software), graphic files that form part of the
coursework must be submitted as an attachment to the assignment with all documentation.
e. Any portfolio for a Unit must be submitted as an attachment in the assignment

4. Good practice
a. Make backup of your work in different media (hard disk, memory stick, etc.) to avoid distress due to loss
or damage of your original copy.

5. Extension and Late Submission

a. If you need an extension for a valid reason, you must request one using an Exceptional Extenuating
Circumstances (EEC) form available from the Examination Office and ICON VLE. Please note that the
tutors do not have the authority to extend the coursework deadlines and therefore do not ask them to
award a coursework extension. The completed form must be accompanied by evidence such as a
medical certificate in the event of you being sick, and should be submitted to the Examination Office.
b. Late submission will be accepted and marked according to the College procedure. It should be noted
that late submission may not be graded for Merit and Distinction.
c. All late coursework must be submitted to the Late submission point into the unit (not to the Tutor)
in the ICON VLE. A student is allowed to submit only once and that is also treated as the final
submission.
d. If you fail in the Final or Late submission, you can resubmit in the Resubmission window.

6. Submission deadlines

Formative feedback Up to week 12

Final Submission 10th – 13th June (4.00pm) 2024
Late submission 13th June (after 4.00pm) –14th June 2024 (4.00pm)
24 hours only

Submit to: Online to the ICON VLE only.

Glossary:
Analyse: Break an issue or topic into smaller parts by looking in depth at each part. Support each part with
arguments and evidence for and against (Pros and cons)
Evaluate: When you evaluate you look at the arguments for and against an issue.

Critically Evaluate/Analyse: When you critically evaluate you look at the arguments for and against an
issue. You look at the strengths and weaknesses of the arguments. This could be from an article you read in
a journal or from a text book.
Discuss: When you discuss you look at both sides of a discussion. You look at both sides of the arguments.
Then you look at the reason why it is important (for) then you look at the reason why it is important (against).
Explain: When you explain you must say why it is important or not important.

Describe: When you give an account or representation of in words.

Identify: When you identify you look at the most important points.
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Define: State or describe the nature, scope or meaning.

Implement: Put into action/use/effect

Compare: Identify similarities and differences

Explore: To find out about

Recommend: Suggest/put forward as being appropriate, with reasons why

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