Study & Learning Skills 2010

CA2 - Literature Review & Bibliography Report

Study & Learning Skills – CA#2.

A Literature Review and Bibliography.

Submission Date: Friday 22nd October 2010

This assignment involves: -

Identifying, in groups of two, a research topic that interests you from within
the field of Computing
Conducting Library and Web research on the topic
Producing
o A short Report on the topic (Title, Keywords, Introduction,
Background, Review, Future)
o A short Literature Review (summary, as an Appendix in your report)
o A Bibliography of the materials you located and reviewed , using the
standard provided (i.e. a reference list, as an Appendix in your report)
o Additional content and resources (referenced) for your Interactive
Multimedia Web Site Project. (e.g. images & photos, diagrams, videos,
or perhaps also external web links to other more detailed articles and
specialist websites)

Submit your Report (e.g. CA2_Joe_Bloggs_Jane_Doe_171.doc) into the

Moodle CA#2 Assessment List for your class group (171, 172, 173, 174 or
175) by Friday 22nd October 2010

B.Sc. in Computing L7 – Semester One

Study & Learning Skills 2010
CA2 - Literature Review & Bibliography Report

Definition:

A literature review is a “snap shot” of the materials pertaining to a specific subject /

field / topic in brief i.e. summarised.

Every field of study / discipline has its own supporting material that describes,
discusses, analyses, debates the issues of that field in detail.

The literature is constantly expanding with new contributions e.g. new books,
magazines, articles and Websites etc.

This is what creates information resources and why there is so much material -
constant publishing.

Specific Instructions:

You are to produce a short (5 – 6 pages, plus two appendices) report on your chosen
topic, which will also contain your literature review & bibliography, using the
“CA2_Report_Template_S&LS_C_Arch.doc”. In other words, use this Word
document as the basis for the layout and formatting provided for you report. Also, you
should delete the instructions in each section (in square brackets) as you go.

It is important that all submitted reports match this format. Adhering to a common
format is standard practice for assignments, projects, research papers and industry
technical reports.

There are 8 “parts” to the report: -

Title

Put a little bit of thought into this! Make it interesting, informative and
representative of the area you’ve researched and, if you can, indicate or
suggest the “slant” you’ve taken.

There are 5 main sections: -

1. Keywords

Provide a list of the specific and important keywords you identified and
used for your information searching. This will be the list that you refined
and tested (at the end of your search). It is a very useful aid to anyone
reading your report who is interested in the same of a similar area.

B.Sc. in Computing L7 – Semester One

Study & Learning Skills 2010
CA2 - Literature Review & Bibliography Report

2. Introduction

Provide a brief outline of the research topic you have chosen (context)
and also why you choose this topic (interest, motivation etc). A paragraph
on each (i.e. context and motivation) should be enough.

3. Background

Provide a short outline of either the development background or the

specific history of the topic, or both if that is relevant. You are trying to
put your review into “context”. New technologies nearly always stem
from existing ones and from some either unmet or potential need or
scientific breakthrough.

4. Review

You should also try to outline the current state of where this technology is
at in its development. This can also be done as a “State of the Art” (SOA)
review, which is especially useful if you are comparing different
technologies. It’s useful also to provide a summary (and pictures /
diagrams) of the main characteristics and / or capabilities of the device or
technology you’re considering.

5. Future

Finally you should outline where you think the future of this device or
technology may be headed. You can look at short, medium or even long-
term. You can “quote” specific sources on this (“their view”) but make
sure you also provide your own view (or perspective) on where you think
this will go. What we’re after is an “informed opinion” or even an
“educated guess”!

B.Sc. in Computing L7 – Semester One

Study & Learning Skills 2010
CA2 - Literature Review & Bibliography Report

There are also two appendices: -

Appendix A - Literature Review

You are expected to review and summarise about 8 information

resources from within the broad area of Computing and, in particular,
your chosen specialist area.

You must review at least one book, two journals and one magazine or
newspaper article i.e. at a minimum four “paper-based” information
resources.

You should also review on-line resources such as Websites, Web-based

e-books, database or journal articles, magazines, encyclopaedia etc. (i.e.
at least four)

Provide a short paragraph summing up each item you’ve looked at. You
might compare one resource with another on the same topic. You will
examine the contents, the index, the usefulness etc. and briefly summarise
it. Also, you should try to indicate where one reference might “cross
reference” another or at least support the other by, for example, it’s
referring to the same or very similar technology, research, findings or
whatever.

Appendix B - The Bibliography.

This is simply a list of the information resource you have located and
looked at. This you will do in alphabetical order.

The Bibliographic information means – the author; the year of

publication; the title; where published; and the publisher.

Specifically: -

Referencing a book:

Author(s) surname followed by initial(s). (Year of publication) Title, Place of

Publication: Publisher.

Moran, A. (1997) Managing Your Own Learning at University, Dublin: University

College Dublin Press.

B.Sc. in Computing L7 – Semester One

Study & Learning Skills 2010
CA2 - Literature Review & Bibliography Report

Referencing a Journal Article:

Kyle, T. (2004) Artificial intelligence is the way to go, Journal of Information

Science, 21, 205-220. (Volume number, page numbers).

A Magazine or Newspaper Article is similar where the title of the publication goes
into italics. (Volume number for magazine + page number(s), page number(s) only
for newspapers).

For example:

Brown, F. (2005) The slave trade. The Irish Times, July 5th, 15.

In all cases if there is more than one author do this:

Brown, F., Maguire, P. (2005) etc.

Referencing a Website:

Do as above if it’s an on-line book, journal or article.

Include the specific URL and also provide a one line summary of the website as
shown. For example: -

[Web Ref #1] http://dept-info.labri.fr/~strandh/Teaching/AMP/Common/Strandh-

Tutorial/Dir.html
(This site provides an excellent collection of tutorials on the fundamentals of
Computer Architecture; in particular, materials describing “Latches and Flip-Flops”).

Likewise, if what you’re referencing is an on-line resource like a Youtube video…

[Web Ref #2] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TzMyXmzL8M

(This is an excellent on-line introductory course on Computer Architecture especially
the material relating to CPU components and bus interfaces).

Or a particular picture or diagram image, make sure you put label, title or figure /
diagram number on it in your report the appropriate reference…

[Web Ref #3] Taken from http://gizmodo.com/5038523/a-first-look-at-usb-30

(This picture shows the make-up of the new USB cable connectors, showing both A
and B sides)

B.Sc. in Computing L7 – Semester One