IS 112 Research Project (MW section)

Your assignment is to write an8-10 page research paper and make a short 10 minute presentation on a information technology related topic. You are required to include a properly formatted bibliography with at least seven sources.

This is an individual assignment. You may select a topic from the list below of approved topics, or suggest a topic that must be approved by the instructor. Only one student will be allowed to work on any single topic. Conflicts between student requests for topics will be resolved by the instructor.

You will have four deliverables related to this project. Each should be submitted electronically via email to . Each will graded separately, then combined to determine your overall grade for this project.

Here are the expected deliverables and due dates:

Description / Due Date
1 / annotated bibliography / 11/2411:59 pm
2 / outline / 12/1 11:59 pm
3 / in class presentation / 12/8 11:59 pm
4 / final version of paper / 12/12 11:59 pm

Research Project Overview

Due to the fast pace of technological change in computer hardware and system software, an information system professional must constantly update his or her knowledge. During your career, you will update and expand your knowledge in many ways including formal classroom education, on-the-job training, short courses offered by software and hardware vendors, and continual assimilation of new information from books, periodicals, web sites, and other sources. In many cases, you will sometimes need to gain knowledge in areas for which you have little or no formal training or education.

The purpose of this research assignment is to prepare you for self-directed learning and research activities. You will thoroughly investigate an emerging or relatively new trend or product in computer hardware or system software. You will communicate the results of your investigation and analysis via a 8-10research paper and a short 10-15 minute presentation.

To successfully complete the research project, you must do several things:

1) Gain sufficient background knowledge to provide a basis for understanding the topic

2) Find sources of information on the topic

3) Assimilate the information to a high degree of expertise

4) Effectively communicate that knowledge via an oral presentation and a written final paper

For many topics, the contents of this course will provide sufficient background knowledge. However, you may need to "jump ahead" of the class if that background knowledge hasn’t already been covered. Some topics may require you to find and assimilate additional background knowledge before investigating the topic itself.

You are expected to become an expert (or nearly so) in the topic. This implies that you can understand all of the relevant technical information and that you can critically evaluate the topic. For example, if you investigate a particular operating system such as Linux you must become an expert in its features and architecture, be able to compare and contrast it with other operating systems, and evaluate its ability to meet specific user or information system requirements.

At this stage in your college career, you are expected to be proficient in written communication. If you need assistance with your writing it is strongly recommended you go to the PaceWritingCenter for assistance ( Students who need a referral to the Center please see you instructor. This assignment requires you to demonstrate that proficiency with a highly technical topic. Your research paper must clearly communicate the technical details and critical analysis of your topic in an organized and concise manner. The paper should be understandable to persons with little or no background in computer hardware and system software.

Description of Deliverables

1)Annotated bibliography due 11/24

Deliverable #1 is an annotated bibliography of at least seven sources that you have collected to support your research. Your annotated bibliography should follow this format: Your citations should conform to the same format requirements as the research paper ( Your initial bibliography is not required to match the bibliography of the final research paper.

2) Paper outline due 12/1

Deliverable #2 is a detailed outline of your research paper. Each lowest level heading or sub-heading should be accompanied by a paragraph or two describing the content of that section. Your final research paper is not required to exactly match the deliverable #2 outline.

3) In class presentation on 12/8

Deliverable #3 is a 10 minute individual presentation on the results of your research.

Your presentation will be evaluated on the following criteria:

- Provided a clear explanation of your topic.

- Presentation was well planned and coherent.

- Explanations and reasons given for conclusions.

- Communication aids were clear and useful.

4) Research paper due 12/12

You should organize your paper according to the outline below. All papers must be typed double-spaced and at least 8 pages in length, exclusive of diagrams, figures, table of contents, and bibliography. Margins should be no larger than one inch and type should be no larger than 12 point Times Roman. Papers may be submitted electronically in Microsoft Word or rtf format.

Papers must be clearly organized (this implies adequate use of section and subsection headings) and a table of contents and bibliography are required. Quoted or paraphrased material must be properly cited (see plagiarism policy on the course syllabus).Your bibliography must comply with this format:

Grading

The entire research project is 20% of your final grade. Your entire project will be graded on a 100 point scale. The primary grading criteria will be the depth, accuracy, clarity, and completeness of the technical discussion and critical analysis. The paper must provide convincing evidence of your own mastery of the topic. Correct grammar, spelling, and other aspects of good writing style will be relevant to the grade although they will be minor considerations unless they substantially reduce the clarity or intelligibility of the paper.

Here is the breakdown of grading for the research project:

Annotated bibliography / 10
Paper outline / 10
In class presentation / 20
Final paper / 60
Total: / 100

Required Outline

  1. Introduction/Background
    - What is the nature of the product or technology?
    - What is its development history?
    - For what may it be used (needs addressed and/or functions performed)?
  2. Technical Description
    - Describe the technical details of the product or technology (how does it work)?
    - Define technical terms and provide necessary background information.
    - Provide examples of use (if appropriate).
  3. Comparisons
    - Compare to similar products and/or technologies addressing similar needs:
    costs
    performance
    capabilities and limitations
  4. Recommendations
    - State the conditions under which the product/technology should be used and/or chosen over competing alternatives. Be as definite and explicit as possible.
    - If your paper describes a new technology that is still under development, explicitly state the cost/performance characteristics that will be required to make the technology a viable alternative to existing technologies.

IS 112 Research Topics

  1. Comparison of two different system architectures, i.e. Intel vs. AMD
  2. Description of system architecture for gaming, i.e. Playstation or Xbox
  3. Existing and proposed standards for Wireless networks
  4. Comparison of two different operating systems (Linux, Windows, Mac, etc)
  5. Hardware and software options for Internet telephony
  6. Comparison of data backup alternatives
  7. Comparison of secondary storage solutions, including those for extra large capacity (terabyte storage solutions)
  8. Innovations and improvements in system bus technology
  9. Overview including potential applications for Pervasive tracking devices
  10. Use of “presence technologies,” i.e. instant messaging, for commercial applications
  11. Description of next generation of desktop processors
  12. Hardware and software solutions for intellectual property and copyright management
  13. Data formats for video and audio files, explanation of different available formats such as JPEG, MPEG, TIFF, GIF
  14. Data encryption techniques, including PGP (pretty good privacy) and public key encryption
  15. Hardware and software based network security techniques
  16. Speech recognition hardware and software components
  17. Differences between video display methods – CRTs, LCDs, plasma display, and new experimental possibilities
  18. Overview of Web services
  19. Printer technology – differences between printer control languages (PCLs), and technologies (dot matrix, ink jet, laser). Include low end and high end alternatives, and describe applications that require specialized output capabilities.
  20. Overview and description of scanners. Include graphical and text scanners. Include a discussion of optical character recognition software.