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Unit outline_

MTRX1702: Mechatronics 1

Semester 2, 2021 [Normal day] - Remote

This unit of study aims to provide a foundation for the study of systems and embedded programming for the degree in Mechatronic Engineering. It is based around a systems engineering approach to requirements capture, software design, implementation, debugging and testing in the context of the C programming language. Problem definition and decomposition; the design process; designing for testing and defensive coding methods; modular code structure and abstract data types; best practice in programming. Programming in teams; documentation and version control. The C language: Preprocessor, tokens, storage classes and types; arithmetic, relational and bit manipulation operators; constructs for control flow: if, switch, for, do and while; arrays; pointers and character strings; dynamic memory allocation; functions and parameter passing; derived storage classes: structures and unions; file I/O.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic
Credit points 6
Prerequisites
? 
None
Corequisites
? 
None
Prohibitions
? 
ELEC1101 or ELEC2602 or COSC1902 or COSC1002
Assumed knowledge
? 

MTRX1701

Available to study abroad and exchange students

No

Teaching staff

Coordinator Mitch Bryson, mitch.bryson@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s) Mitch Bryson, mitch.bryson@sydney.edu.au
Lachlan Toohey, lachlan.toohey@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Final exam (Open book) Type C final exam Final examination
The exam is open book Canvas quiz with file submission answers.
30% Formal exam period 2 hours
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2
Online task Face-to-face assignment code descriptions
Each assignment has a face-to-face session held with tutor, part of marking
0% Multiple weeks 5 minute session with tutor Week 5, 9,13
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2
Assignment Programming Quiz 1
Test understanding of 'hello world' type C programming examples
5% Week 02
Due date: 22 Aug 2021 at 23:59
Two weeks
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2
Assignment Programming Quiz 2
Test understanding of arithmetic operations and functions
5% Week 05
Due date: 12 Sep 2021 at 23:59
Two weeks
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2
Assignment Assignment 1
Test understanding of designing c program
15% Week 05
Due date: 12 Sep 2021 at 23:59
Three and a half weeks
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2
Assignment Programming Quiz 3
Test understanding of pointers
5% Week 08
Due date: 10 Oct 2021 at 23:59
Three weeks
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2
Assignment Assignment 2
Test understanding of pointers and arithmetic operations
15% Week 09
Due date: 17 Oct 2021 at 23:59
Three and a half weeks
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2
Assignment Programming Quiz 4
Test understanding of pointers, arrays and dynamic memory
5% Week 11
Due date: 31 Oct 2021 at 23:59
Two weeks
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2
Assignment Assignment 3
Test understanding of file i/o, pointers, arrays, modular design.
20% Week 13
Due date: 14 Nov 2021 at 23:59
Three and a half weeks
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2
Type C final exam = Type C final exam ?

Assessment summary

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

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.

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 Students are expected to commit to approximately five hours of private study per week. Independent study (65 hr) LO1 LO2
Week 01 Introduction to the C programming language, EdStem, the shell/terminal, first c program Lecture (2 hr) LO1 LO2
Week 02 Number systems, data types and arithmetic operations Lecture and tutorial (6 hr) LO1 LO2
Week 03 Branching and iteration, code style, introduction to to debugging Lecture and tutorial (6 hr) LO1 LO2
Week 04 Functions, the C standard Library, intro to recursion, function design Lecture and tutorial (6 hr) LO1 LO2
Week 05 Using multiple files in C, Scope and Extent, Module Design and Implementation, Makefiles Lecture and tutorial (6 hr) LO1 LO2
Week 06 C Compiler and Linker, intro to Pointers. Lecture and tutorial (6 hr) LO1 LO2
Week 07 Pointers and Arrays, Strings. Lecture and tutorial (6 hr) LO1 LO2
Week 08 Dynamic Memory, Debugging Lecture and tutorial (6 hr) LO1 LO2
Week 09 User Defined Types, Version Control. Lecture and tutorial (6 hr) LO1 LO2
Week 10 File input and output, Unit and Integration Testing. Lecture and tutorial (6 hr) LO1 LO2
Week 11 Bitwise Operations, The C Preprocessor. Lecture and tutorial (6 hr) LO1 LO2
Week 12 Data structures and algorithms Lecture and tutorial (6 hr) LO1 LO2
Week 13 The Limits of C, Course Review Lecture and tutorial (6 hr) LO1 LO2

Attendance and class requirements

Independent Study: Students are expected to undertake at least five hours of independent study per week outside of formally timetabled classes. Students are expected to commit to private study, which may include lab work, outside of the time tabled hours. It is expected that the appropriate reference books and web-based material will be read to supplement material presented during lectures.

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

All readings for this unit can be accessed through the Library eReserve, available on Canvas.

  • Tim Bailey. An Introduction to the C Programming Language and Software Design (0.6 ed). ---, ---, 2005. ---.
  • Deitel, P.J. & Deitel, H.M. C: How to Program (6 ed.). Prentice-Hall, 2009. 9780136123569.
  • Steve McConnell. Code Complete: A Practical Handbook of Software Construction (2nd). Redmond USA, Microsoft Press, 2004. 079- 0145196705.
  • Kernighan, B.W. & Ritchie, D.M. The C Programming Language (2ed). Englewood Cliffs NJ, USA, Prentice-Hall, 1988. 0131103628.

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. analyse, design, implement, debug, and test programs
  • LO2. design and implement complete and correct programs in the C language.

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 course will address students with different C programming background, from none to some programming experience. The course is taking a holistic approach – the curriculm is designed so that the students are acquiring knowledge about C programming and programming practice and develop new skills through lab practice directly connected with the course material.

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.