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Unit outline_

ENGF1112: Introduction to Engineering B

Semester 1, 2024 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

This unit gives an introduction to the fundamentals of a range of computational, analytical, and design aspects for multiple specialisations in Engineering including Aeronautical, Mechanical, Mechatronic, Electrical, Computer, and Information Engineering. As such it will offer first-year students the opportunity to experience aspects of different engineering streams and thus prepare them for their future studies. An important ingredient in the unit is a group project which aims at developing the students’ skills in using first principles in system engineering designs for practical applications. The lectures will cover basic concepts from probability, signals and systems, dynamics and control, optimisation and learning, computing, communication, and information theory. These concepts will be motivated by a holistic view of engineering system design which requires a solid understanding of various fundamental concepts in engineering. The unit will also include tailored lab tours for the students in order to familiarize them with the hands-on aspects of various streams in engineering. Additionally, guest lectures by academics from the various streams will introduce the students to the structure and pathway for each stream. Throughout the unit, the students will be guided to identify the relationships between the knowledge gained and practical problems currently facing the society.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit Engineering
Credit points 6
Prerequisites
? 
None
Corequisites
? 
None
Prohibitions
? 
ENGG2112
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator Guodong Shi, guodong.shi@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s) Hesham El Gamal, hesham.elgamal@sydney.edu.au
Guodong Shi, guodong.shi@sydney.edu.au
The census date for this unit availability is 2 April 2024
Type Description Weight Due Length
Supervised exam
? 
Final Exam
Open book exam.
30% Formal exam period 1.5 hours
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
Assignment Canvas Quiz 1
MCQ quiz on Canvas. #earlyfeedbacktask
5% Week 03
Due date: 10 Mar 2024 at 23:59
40 minutes.
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2
Assignment Design Project 1
Perform engineering modeling using probability, signals, and discrete dynam
10% Week 06
Due date: 31 Mar 2024 at 23:59
4-6 pages.
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO5 LO2
Assignment group assignment Major Project Pitching
Pitch design ideas and plan for an engineering application in a recording.
15% Week 09
Due date: 28 Apr 2024 at 23:59
10-min presentation in a recorded video.
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO4 LO6
Assignment Design Project 2
Perform engineering analysis using control and optimisation
10% Week 10
Due date: 05 May 2024 at 23:59
4-6 pages.
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO5 LO3
Assignment Canvas Quiz 2
A quiz with MCQ questions is to be completed and submitted on Canvas.
5% Week 12
Due date: 19 May 2024 at 23:59
40 minutes.
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Assignment group assignment Major Project Report
Engineering report in structured and purposeful manner.
25% Week 13
Due date: 26 May 2024 at 23:59
6-8 pages in IEEE double-column format.
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO4 LO5 LO6
group assignment = group assignment ?

Early feedback task

This unit includes an early feedback task, designed to give you feedback prior to the census date for this unit. Details are provided in the Canvas site and your result will be recorded in your Marks page. It is important that you actively engage with this task so that the University can support you to be successful in this unit.

Assessment summary

  • Major Project: Each project group is freely formed within the same tutorial group; each group should contain 4-6 members; the project pitching requires submission of a recorded, 6-min long, group presentation in Week 9; presentations will be held during Week 10 and Week 11 tutorial sessions where feedback on the feasibility of the project will be provided; each project group will submit a single final report; all members in the same project group will receive the same mark. 
  • Design Projects: These are individual projects focusing on problem-solving skills with the knowledge covered in Module 1 and Module 2. 

More detailed explanation and instructions on Assessment can be seen on Canvas. 

Assessment criteria

Result Name Mark Range Description
High Distinction 85-100 Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an exceptional standard
Distinction 75-84 Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a very high standard
Credit 65-74 Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an acceptable standard
Pass 50-64 Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an acceptable standard.
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:

The Assessment Procedures 2011 provide that any written work submitted after 11:59pm on the due date will be penalised by 5% of the maximum awardable mark for each calendar day after the due date. If the assessment is submitted more than ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

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.

Support for students

The Support for Students Policy 2023 reflects the University’s commitment to supporting students in their academic journey and making the University safe for students. It is important that you read and understand this policy so that you are familiar with the range of support services available to you and understand how to engage with them.

The University uses email as its primary source of communication with students who need support under the Support for Students Policy 2023. Make sure you check your University email regularly and respond to any communications received from the University.

Learning resources and detailed information about weekly assessment and learning activities can be accessed via Canvas. It is essential that you visit your unit of study Canvas site to ensure you are up to date with all of your tasks.

If you are having difficulties completing your studies, or are feeling unsure about your progress, we are here to help. You can access the support services offered by the University at any time:

Support and Services (including health and wellbeing services, financial support and learning support)
Course planning and administration
Meet with an Academic Adviser

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Week 01 Course Introduction Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2
Week 02 Engineering Probabilities Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO5 LO6
Week 03 Digital Communication Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO3 LO5 LO6
Week 04 Real-world Engineering Practice: Analyzing a Wireless Communication Channel Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO3 LO5 LO6
Week 05 Signals and Systems Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO3 LO5 LO6
Week 06 System Dynamics Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO4 LO5 LO6
Week 07 Feedback Control Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO4 LO5 LO6
Week 08 Real-world Engineering Practice: Controlling a Rocket Landing Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO4 LO5 LO6
Week 09 System Engineering: From Real-world to Cyber and Back Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO4 LO5 LO6
Week 10 Signal Sampling Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
Week 11 Data and Compression Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
Week 12 Engineering & The World: Journey of Your Study Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO5 LO6
Week 13 Course Summary and Engineering for Future Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO5 LO6
Weekly 5 hours for each week on studying lecture slides, notes, and recommended textbook, watching class recordings, working on assignments and projects Independent study (65 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
2 hours per week in holding Major Project group meetings or other forms of communications: exchanging project ideas, making project plans, reporting progress, and identifying issues. Independent study (26 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6

Attendance and class requirements

Students are expected to ado their best to attend all the lectures and tutorials.

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 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 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. Have a familiarity with the fundamentals of the computational, analytical, and design aspects in engineering, and their roles in different engineering disciplines and applications
  • LO2. Understand basic engineering modeling tools including probability, signals and systems, and dynamics
  • LO3. Understand engineering analysis and design tools including control, sampling, and data compression.
  • LO4. Understand how computing and communication units are embedded in engineering systems
  • LO5. Be able to perform systemic engineering modeling and analysis using simulation software, and present results in engineering reports
  • LO6. Conduct system engineering designs in a major team project and communicate the work in structured presentations and reports

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.

The lectures are re-structured with an improved connection between the lectures and the assignments; the lecture slides are further expanded to provide more coherent learning materials; tutorials are re-designed so that our students will receive better support and help in the assignments; two new Canvas quizzes are added to the course assessment.

Disclaimer

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

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.