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Unit outline_

AMME5022: Capstone Project B Extended

Semester 2, 2022 [Supervision] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

The capstone project requires the student to plan and execute a substantial research-based project, using their technical and communication skills to design, evaluate, implement, analyse and theorise about developments that contribute to professional practice thus demonstrating the achievement of AQF Level 9. Students are required to carry out a defined piece of independent research in a setting and in a manner that fosters the development of engineering research skills. These skills include the capacity to define a research question, showing how it relates to existing knowledge, identifying the tools needed to investigate the question, carrying out the research in a systematic way, analysing the results obtained and presenting the outcomes in a report that is clear, coherent and logically structured. Capstone project is undertaken across two semesters of enrolment, in two successive Units of Study of 6 credits points each. Capstone Project A covers first steps of thesis research starting with development of research proposal. Project B covers the second of stage writing up and presenting the research results. Students are asked to write a thesis based on a research project, which is very often related to some aspect of a staff member's research interests. Some projects will be experimental in nature, others may involve computer-based simulation, feasibility studies or the design, construction and testing of equipment. Direction of thesis work may be determined by the supervisor, however the student is expected to make a significant contribution to the direction of the project, and the student is responsible for the execution of the practical work and the general layout and content of the thesis itself. The final thesis must be the student's individual work, although research is sometimes conducted in the framework of a group project shared with others. Students undertaking research on this basis will need to take care in ensuring the individual quality of their own research work and the final thesis submission. The thesis will be judged on the extent and quality of the student's original work and particularly how critical, perceptive and constructive he or she has been in assessing his/her work and that of others. Students will also be required to present the results of their findings to their peers and supervisors as part of a seminar program. A thesis at this level will represent a contribution to professional practice or research, however the timeframe available for the thesis also needs to considered when developing project scopes. Indeed, a key aim of the thesis is to specify a research topic that arouses sufficient intellectual curiosity, and presents an appropriate range and diversity of technical and conceptual challenges, while remaining manageable and allowing achievable outcomes within the time and resources available. It is important that the topic be of sufficient scope and complexity to allow a student to learn their craft and demonstrate their research skills. Equally imperative is that the task not be so demanding as to elude completion. Finally the ability to plan such a project to achieve results within constraints and the identification of promising areas and approaches for future research is a key assessment criterion.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic
Credit points 12
Prerequisites
? 
24 credit points in the Master of Engineering and WAM >=70 or 96 credit points in the Master of Professional Engineering and WAM >=70 or 48cp from MPE(Accel) program and WAM >=70
Corequisites
? 
None
Prohibitions
? 
AMME5021 or AMME5222 or AMME5223 or BMET5020 or BMET5021 or BMET5022 or BMET5222 or BMET5223 or BMET5010
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

No

Teaching staff

Coordinator Guodong Shi, guodong.shi@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Small continuous assessment Progress report
Report submitted in the previous semester
10% Progressive Previous semester
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO6 LO4 LO3
Assignment Presentation/seminar
Video presentation
10% Week 10
Due date: 14 Oct 2022 at 23:59
See Canvas. Presentation in Week 11.
Outcomes assessed: LO3 LO7 LO1 LO2
Honours thesis Thesis
Honours thesis
80% Week 13
Due date: 06 Nov 2022 at 23:59
See Canvas
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO4 LO5 LO6

Assessment summary

  • Proposal (previous semester): Project proposal (Capstone A). The proposal should be about two pages in length and written in consultation with supervisor. The proposal includes a time schedule for the various tasks involved in the project work. In particular, if any workshop time is required (for building experimental equipment etc.). The proposal must include a statement that the job has been discussed with the Workshop Supervisor and the proposed time slot (give dates) and resources allocated to the job must be specified. The proposal must be submitted to your supervisor by the date specified. The proposal does not carry any marks, but failure to submit a satisfactory proposal may result in discontinuation of the course for that semester.

    Progress Report (previous semester): Progress Report (Capstone A). The report should include an introduction and literature survey in a form similar to that which will appear in the final thesis and a summary (not exceeding 1000 words) of the work carried out thus far. The project supervisor should be contacted when preparing this report for advice regarding content and structure. The progress report must be submitted online via Canvas. The progress report will be marked out of 10 by your supervisor and the marks will contribute 10% of the final Capstone mark. Late submissions will result in a penalty of 0.5 marks (out of 10) per working day up to a maximum of the mark awarded.

    Presentation/Seminar: Seminar (Capstone B Extended). This is an opportunity for students to present their work to other students and to staff. Evaluation will be based on the quality and coherence of the presentation, quality of subject matter and the handling of questions from the audience. Late penalty applies to late seminar abstract submission of 5% per day.

    Thesis: Thesis submission (Capstone B extended). An electronic copy of the Thesis (PDF format) must be submitted through the Canvas site on the due date, Friday 11:59pm week 12. Statement identifying the specific contributions of the student and others must be included. Thesis content requirements are set out in the School`s Marking Sheet, which provides the basis for thesis marking. Students should note that there are no marks for length . The postgraduate thesis should not exceed 100 pages (approximately 40-45,000 words - excluding preliminary pages, references and appendices), but may be considerably less. Capstone Project is about quality not quantity. Extended Capstone should be a more in depth study as compared to a standard capstone project and will be assessed as such. Students should closely consult their supervisor as well as the marking sheet regarding the appropriate content, organisation and formatting. Students are reminded that there are severe penalties for plagiarism and should be careful to correctly reference any work that is not their own.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name

Mark range

Description

High distinction

85 - 100

 

Distinction

75 - 84

 

Credit

65 - 74

 

Pass

50 - 64

 

Fail

0 - 49

When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

  • Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
  • After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

5% per day or part thereof, applied to both online and physical submissions. 100% late penalty for missed seminar sessions.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Multiple weeks Independent research for 20 hours per week during the semester. Individual study (260 hr)  

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 12 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 240-300 hours of student effort in total.

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. formulate and plan a personal research project
  • LO2. demonstrate originality, ingenuity and initiative in dealing with critical research issues
  • LO3. demonstrate in-depth knowledge of a specialised area within the discipline
  • LO4. formulate an appropriate method for investigating a specific research question
  • LO5. analyse data, draw appropriate conclusions and present those conclusions in context, with due consideration of methods and assumptions involved
  • LO6. document and report research work undertaken in a format appropriate for academic literature with correct referencing
  • LO7. deliver a research presentation that is clear, confident and engaging to an academic audience.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1 Depth of disciplinary expertise

Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.

GQ2 Critical thinking and problem solving

Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.

GQ3 Oral and written communication

Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.

GQ4 Information and digital literacy

Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.

GQ5 Inventiveness

Generating novel ideas and solutions.

GQ6 Cultural competence

Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.

GQ7 Interdisciplinary effectiveness

Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.

GQ8 Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity

An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.

GQ9 Influence

Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes Graduate qualities
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

N/A

Work, health and safety

Appropriate risk assessments and lab inductions as required, consult your supervisor for details.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

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