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Unit outline_

INFO4994: Advanced Topics in Computer Science

Semester 1, 2021 [Supervision] - Remote

This unit will cover recent topics of active and cutting-edge research within Computer Science and its related areas. The content of this unit may vary depending on the academic staff member's research expertise and/or opportunities such as a distinguished researcher visiting the University.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit Computer Science
Credit points 6
Prerequisites
? 
None
Corequisites
? 
None
Prohibitions
? 
None
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

No

Teaching staff

Coordinator David Lowe, david.lowe@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s) David Lowe, david.lowe@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Assignment Paper presentations
2 x Presentation of a research paper to the reading group
40% Multiple weeks 2 reports + presentations
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO6
Assignment Peer Feedback
Feedback on other students' presentations (written)
10% Multiple weeks 12 weeks x 100-200 words
Outcomes assessed: LO2 LO3 LO6
Participation Engagement
Assessment of engagement in the reading group
10% Progressive During class
Outcomes assessed: LO3 LO6
Assignment Literature Survey
Literature survey
40% Week 12 5-20 pages
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO6 LO5 LO4 LO3 LO2

Assessment summary

  • Literature Survey – 40% - marked by the honours supervisor. This is a survey on a given topic, chosen together with the supervisor. Students choose a topic relevant to their research while avoiding overlap with the literature review for INFO5993 Research Methods.
  • Paper presentation – 40% (2 x 20%) – marked by the reading group coordinator. Presentation of a research paper to the reading group; 2 presentations during the semester
  • Feedback – 10% - marked by the reading group coordinator. This covers feedback on other students’ presentations (written)
  • Engagement - 10% - marked by the reading group coordinator. This involves evaluation by the reading group coordinator of your active involvement in the online class sessions

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas. Note that in order to pass the unit you must recieve a minimum mark of 40% in both the literature survey and the paper presentations, irrespective of your overall total mark.

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

It is a policy of the School of Computer Science that in order to pass any unit, a student must achieve at least 40% in the written examination. For subjects without a final exam, the 40% minimum requirement applies to the corresponding major assessment component specified by the lecturer. A student must also achieve an overall final mark of 50 or more. Any student not meeting these requirements may be given a maximum final mark of no more than 45 regardless of their average.

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.

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
Week 01 Unit introduction and admin. Workshop (2 hr) LO1 LO5
Week 02 Reading group Workshop (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
Week 03 Reading group Workshop (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
Week 04 Reading group Workshop (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
Week 05 Reading group Workshop (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
Week 06 Reading group Workshop (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
Week 07 Reading group Workshop (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
Week 08 Reading group Workshop (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
Week 09 Reading group Workshop (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
Week 10 Reading group Workshop (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
Week 11 Reading group Workshop (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
Week 12 Reading group Workshop (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
Week 13 Wrap-up, admin, review Workshop (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6

Attendance and class requirements

Attendance at all reading group sessions is mandatory. Missing more than 2 sessions without approval may be a valud basis for failing in the unit.

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.

Required readings

Each individual reading group may have specific readings that are required.

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. Utilise existing research databases to select research publications that are relevant to a selected research domain
  • LO2. Critique existing literature to identify the key contributions being made to the field
  • LO3. Coherently debate the merits and gaps within existing publications, providing clear evidence for the positions being taken
  • LO4. Compile views of multiple papers into a coherent survey that captures the relationships between multiple papers and potential gaps in the field
  • LO5. Apply existing tools to the management of a collection of related research publications
  • LO6. Present succinct summaries of research papers in written and oral form that capture the key elements of the papers

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.

This is the first time the unit has been offered.

IMPORTANT: School policy relating to Academic Dishonesty and Plagiarism.

In assessing a piece of submitted work, the School of Computer Science may reproduce it entirely, may provide a copy to another member of faculty, and/or to an external plagiarism checking service or in-house computer program and may also maintain a copy of the assignment for future checking purposes and/or allow an external service to do so.

All written assignments submitted in this unit of study will be submitted to the similarity detecting software program known as Turnitin. Turnitin searches for matches between text in your written assessment task and text sourced from the Internet, published works and assignments that have previously been submitted to Turnitin for analysis.

There will always be some degree of text-matching when using Turnitin. Text-matching may occur in use of direct quotations, technical terms and phrases, or the listing of bibliographic material. This does not mean you will automatically be accused of academic dishonesty or plagiarism, although Turnitin reports may be used as evidence in academic dishonesty and plagiarism decision-making processes.

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.