CSE1IS Information Systems

Unit Syllabus and Outline for Semester 2, 2009

Staff:

• Lecturer & Tutor: Chris Cope

The Subject at a Glance:

This subject is an introduction to the concept of an information system. It presents the systems development life cycle as a framework for IS development and emphasises the role and involvement of users in an IS project. The use of appropriate fact finding techniques in systems analysis and an introduction to data flow diagrams, E - R modelling & UML are covered. Several information system case studies are used to illustrate the concepts introduced. The students will receive hands on experience in the construction of a small information system using a suitable prototyping tool. The subject also introduces file design, input/output/interface design, file conversion and implementation techniques.

Assessment (for the unit):

• Assignment 1       15%
• Assignment 2       25% 
• Exam                   60%
                            100%

To pass this unit candidates must satisfy the following criteria:

• Gain at least 45% for the exam.
• And of course: Accumulate at least 50% of all assessment of the unit as outlined above.

Penalties for Late Assignments:

Assignments must be submitted by 10am on the due date or incur a penalty according to the following schedule (assuming the assignment is due at 10.00 am on a Monday):

When calculating the final mark for a late assignment, the late penalty is calculated based on the maximum possible marks for the assignment. For example, if a student hands the assignment in 4 days late and (s)he achieves a raw mark of 75%, then a late penalty of 20% is applied so (s)he receives a final mark of 55% (75%-20%) for the assignment.

Plagiarism:

Assignment submissions must be the student's own work, or the group's own work when submitting a group assignment. While it is acceptable (and indeed desirable) that students work together on tutorial problems and exercises, when it comes to an assessable task, such as an assignment, the student (or group) should work alone. Any assistance received must be suitably acknowledged in the text of the submission. Unacknowledged assistance is plagiarism, as is the copying of another's work, in part or whole. Evidence of plagiarism will generally result in a mark of zero for that item of assessment (for all concerned), and more severe penalties, through the University Discipline Regulations, for repeated offences. Note, that if a student is found guilty of copying, the student who knowingly supplied the copied material will generally suffer the same punishment as the student who copies. So that it is clear that students are aware of these provisions, all submissions must be accompanied by a signed statement of authorship, on the form available from the office. Assignments will not be accepted without the statement.

Naturally, the official details in La Trobe University's Plagiarism Policy also relate to this subject.

Set Text:

Shelly & Rosenblatt, Systems Analysis and Design, 8th Edition,  Course Technology, 2010.

OR

Shelly, Cashman & Rosenblatt, Systems Analysis and Design, 6th Edition,  Course Technology, 2006.

References:

• The library has many books on Information Systems. You are encouraged to read them to extend your knowledge of the subject. Some of the better books are:
  • Kenneth E. Kendall, Julie E. Kendall, Systems analysis and design, 6th Edition, Pearson/Prentice Hall, 2005
  • Jeffrey L. Whitten, Lonnie D. Bentley, Kevin C. Dittman, Systems analysis and design methods, McGraw-Hill, 2004
• The Library also has many books on Microsoft Access.  You are encouraged to read them to extend your understanding of the tutorial exercises.  You can start with the Microsoft Access 2000/2002 Introductory Concepts and Techniques book you purchased for IT Fundamentals.

LTUB Publications:

• Course Handbook (Online at http://www.latrobe.edu.au/cs/prospective_students/undergraduate/)
• La Trobe University, Bendigo Assignment Manual (Online at http://www.latrobe.edu.au/asu/assign_manual.html)