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COMP SCI 7081AMELB - Computer Systems (Part A)

Melbourne Campus - Melb Teaching Period 3 - 2021

This course introduces the elements of computer systems from the level of basic hardware gates, through to compilers, languages and applications. The aim is to give an overview of the layered nature of computer systems and how the use of simple interfaces can make the design of complex and powerful systems possible. Topics covered include: digital logic, memory, processors, assembly language, virtual machines, recursive descent parsing, code generation and operating systems.

  • General Course Information
    Course Details
    Course Code COMP SCI 7081AMELB
    Course Computer Systems (Part A)
    Coordinating Unit Computer Science
    Term Melb Teaching Period 3
    Level Postgraduate Coursework
    Location/s Melbourne Campus
    Available for Study Abroad and Exchange N
    Incompatible COMP SCI 7081MELB, COMP SCI 7081, COMP SCI 7081NA
    Course Staff

    Course Coordinator: Dr Alfred Fred Brown

    Course Timetable

    The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from .

  • Learning Outcomes
    Course Learning Outcomes
    On successful completion of this course students will be able to:

     
    1 Demonstrate an understanding of the layered and modular nature of computer systems
    2 Design the core components of a computer from basic components
    3 Understand and Apply knowledge of how computers represent programs and data
    4 Explain how a computer executes a program
    5 Write assembler and machine code
    6 Understand the translation process from higher level representations into machine language
    7 Explain how Input/output operations are implemented, and describe some basic I/O devices

     
    The above course learning outcomes are aligned with the Engineers Australia .
    The course is designed to develop the following Elements of Competency: 1.1   1.2   1.3   1.5   1.6   2.1   2.2   2.3   3.1   3.2   3.3   3.4   3.5   

    University Graduate Attributes

    This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

    University Graduate Attribute Course Learning Outcome(s)
    Deep discipline knowledge
    • informed and infused by cutting edge research, scaffolded throughout their program of studies
    • acquired from personal interaction with research active educators, from year 1
    • accredited or validated against national or international standards (for relevant programs)
    1-7
    Critical thinking and problem solving
    • steeped in research methods and rigor
    • based on empirical evidence and the scientific approach to knowledge development
    • demonstrated through appropriate and relevant assessment
    2,3,5
    Career and leadership readiness
    • technology savvy
    • professional and, where relevant, fully accredited
    • forward thinking and well informed
    • tested and validated by work based experiences
    1-7
    Self-awareness and emotional intelligence
    • a capacity for self-reflection and a willingness to engage in self-appraisal
    • open to objective and constructive feedback from supervisors and peers
    • able to negotiate difficult social situations, defuse conflict and engage positively in purposeful debate
    2,3,5,6
  • Learning Resources
    Required Resources
    The textbook for the course is: The Elements of Computing Systems, second edition, by Noam Nisan and Shimon Shocken, MIT Press, 2021, ISBN13-978-0-262-53980-7.

    It is highly recommended that you buy this book. It is available in soft cover form and available electronically as an e-book. If you have access to the first edition, use that instead. There is no significant difference in the material covered by both editions.

    The first six chapters of the textbook are on the Nand2Tetris website used by the course but we will be using materials in chapters beyond this.
    Online Learning
    The primary electronic resource for the course is the MyUni pages. These pages link to other electronic resources you will need such as the web submission system.
  • Learning & Teaching Activities
    Learning & Teaching Modes
    The course will be taught using a combination of lectures, lecture review quizzes, workshops, quiz exams and programming assignments. There is no end of semester written exam.

    You are expected to read the relevant chapters of the text book before and after each lecture, and to actively participate in workshop activities.

    The lecture review quizzes will be open during the week that they are due. Please check the course website regularly so you do not miss the lecture review quiz due dates.

    To get the most out of the workshop sessions you need to prepare in advance and make sure that you focus on the workshop material during the workshop. This is the best time to get direct feedback on and assistance with the practical skills covered in the workshop. If you do not attend the workshops and ask questions, you may not be properly prepared for the programming assignments.

    The programming assigments build on the practical skills shown in the workshops and give you an opportunity to demonstrate what you are learning. To get the most out of the programming assignments it is important to reflect on what you may be learning whilst attempting them by keeping a logbook that records how you developed your work. The timing, frequency and content of the logbook entries are all considered in the assessment of the programming assignments.
    Workload

    The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

    You are expected to spend 10 hours per week on the course. This includes:
    • attending all of your enrolled classes,
    • up to 2 hours per week on lecture preparation / review,
    • up to 5 hours per week on the assignments and workshop preparation, and
    • any remaining time working on the following week's material.
    Learning Activities Summary
    The lecture topics, quizzes, workshop descriptions and assignment descriptions are all available on the course website.

    A schedule is available on the course website but specific due dates are only available in each quizz, workshop description or assignment description.
  • Assessment

    The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

    1. Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
    2. Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
    3. Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
    4. Assessment must maintain academic standards.

    Assessment Summary
    Assessment Task Weighting (%) Individual/ Group Formative/ Summative
    Due (week)*
    Learning outcomes CBOK Alignment**
    Online Lecture Review Quizzes + Individual Formative 1 to 11 1. 3. 6. 1.2 3.1
    Workshops + Individual Formative 1 to 12 1. 2. 3. 5. 6. 1.1 1.2 3.1 3.2 4.1
    Assignments+ 30 Individual Formative 7, 9, 13 1. 2. 3. 5. 6. 1.1 1.2 3.1 3.2 4.1
    Exam Quiz 5 Individual Summative 3 1. 4. 7. 1.1 1.2 3.1 3.2 4.1
    Supervised Exam Quizzes 65 Individual Summative 4, 8, 12 1. 4. 7. 1.1 1.2 3.1 3.2 4.1
    Total 100
    * The specific due date for each assessment task will be available on MyUni.

    + The online lecture review quizzes, workshops and early submission of assignments may contribute to a bonus mark of up to 8.75%.

    This assessment breakdown complies with the University's Assessment for Coursework Programs Policy.

    **CBOK is the Core Body of Knowledge for ICT Professionals defined by the Australian Computer Society. The alignment in the table above corresponds with the following CBOK Areas:

    1. Problem Solving
    1.1 Abstraction
    1.2 Design

    2. Professional Knowledge
    2.1 Ethics
    2.2 Professional expectations
    2.3 Teamwork concepts & issues
    2.4 Interpersonal communications
    2.5 Societal issues
    2.6 Understanding of ICT profession

    3. Technology resources
    3.1 Hardware & Software
    3.2 Data & information
    3.3 Networking

    4. Technology Building
    4.1 Programming
    4.2 Human factors
    4.3 Systems development
    4.4 Systems acquisition

    5.  ICT Management
    5.1 IT governance & organisational
    5.2 IT project management
    5.3 Service management 
    5.4 Security management
    Assessment Related Requirements
    Hurdle Requirement: If your overall mark for the course is greater than 45 F but, your mark for the Week 12 Supervised Quiz Exam is less than 40% or your mark for Assignment 3 is less than 20%, your overall mark for the course will be reduced to 45 F.
    Assessment Detail
    Week 3 Unsupervised Quiz Exam

    The scheduled Tuesday lecture time in week 3 will be used to run a 45 minute unsupervised quiz exam, which contributes up to 5%. The quiz will be open for 1 hour which should accommodate any additional time requirements for students with a DAP. This exam covers all material covered in the first two weeks of the course.

    Supervised Quiz Exams

    The scheduled workshop times in weeks 4, 8 and 12 will be used to run 45 minute supervised quiz exams which contribute up to 15%, 25% or 25% respectively. Each quiz will be open for 1 hour which should accommodate any additional time requirements for students with a DAP. Remote students will be monitored using zoom (a webcam will be required to show who is taking the exam).

    These quiz exams will test your understanding of the lecture, workshop and assignment material. You must achieve at least 40% of the marks available in the week 12 supervised quiz exam or its replacement to satisfy one of the hurdle requirements for the course. These quiz exams must be taken under supervision.

    Replacement Quiz Exams

    The supervised quiz exams all examine material covered in earlier quiz exams so, where appropriate, a subset of the questions in a supervised quiz exam can be used as a replacement exam for the previous quiz exam. The final mark for a quiz exam is the better of the original exam mark or the replacement exam mark.

    Week 3 Unsupervised Quiz Exam: The Week 4 Supervised Quiz Exam is automatically used as the replacement exam for all students regardless of circumstances. This gives every student a second chance.

    Week 4 Supervised Quiz Exam: If a student is eligible for a replacement exam as demonstrated by appropriate written evidence, eg a medical certificate, the relevant subset of questions in the Week 8 Supervised Quiz Exam will be used as the replacement exam.

    Week 8 Supervised Quiz Exam: If a student is eligible for a replacement exam as demonstrated by appropriate written evidence, eg a medical certificate, the relevant subset of questions in the Week 12 Supervised Quiz Exam will be used as the replacement exam.

    Week 12 Supervised Quiz Exam: If a student is eligible for a replacement exam as demonstrated by appropriate written evidence, eg a medical certificate, there is a separate Week 12 Replacement Supervised Quiz Exam.

    Programming Assignments

    All programming assignments require you to write programs that will be assessed by considering three aspects of your submissions, automatic assessement by the Web Submission System, including an automatic review of the submitted programs coding style, and a manual review of the associated logbook. The logbook is a vital part of your assessment - a lack of a log-book with a narrative of your development process may result in a mark of 0 for the assignment. Details of how the three aspects are combined and a marking rubric is provided on the course website. These are linked to by each programming assignment description.

    Each assignment has two submission times at which marks are awarded, a milestone submission and a final submission. The milestone submissions require some work to be completed early. You must achieve at least 20% of the marks available in programming assignment 3 to satisfy one of the hurdle requirements for the course.

    Assignment Milestone Due Final Due Description Weighting
    Assignment 1 Tuesday Week 7 Friday Week 7 Programming 5%
    Assignment 2 Tuesday Week 9 Friday Week 9 Programming 5%
    Assignment 3 Friday Week 11 Monday Week 13 Programming 20%

    Bonus Marks

    At the end of the course you will receive a bonus mark based on a maximum bonus mark that is scaled down based on your level of pariticipation in the course.

    Maximum Bonus Mark

    The maximum bonus mark you can receive is calculated using your final mark for the quiz exams and programming assignments. The maximum bonus is 0 if your score is less than 40% before rounding. If your score is greater than or equal to 40% the maximum bonus is progressively scaled down, in proproportion to your score, from 8.75 to 0 as your score increases from 40% to 85%. If your score is 85 or more, the maximum bonus is 0.

    The maximum bonus mark is 8.75 * (85 - M) / 45

    This is a graphical representation of how the maximum bonus mark varies with your score from 40 to 85:


    Participation Marks

    You may receive up to 4 participation marks for each workshop that you prepare for and complete a relevant activity. Preparation and completion of the activity will be both assessed via the Web Submission System. The due dates are available on the course website.

    You may receive up to 5 additional participation marks for each of the first four workshops if they are completed in full by the end of the following teaching week. The due dates are available on the course website.

    You may receive up to 5 participation marks for each lecture review quiz that you attempt. The quiz mark will be used as the participation mark. There will be a significant number of lecture review quizzes available on the course website. The quizzes will show you the correct answers when you submit and they will allow multiple attempts in the time they are available. The due dates are available on the course website.

    You may receive up to 5 participation marks for early submission of a programming assignment. The final submission test marks awarded by the Web Submission System will be used as the participation mark and scaled to a score between 0 and 5. For all programming assignments, the best mark for any submission prior to the milestone deadline will be used to generate participation marks. For assignment 3, the best mark for any submission at least one week prior to the milestone deadline will be used to generate up to 5 additional participation marks.

    The participation mark for assignment 1 is allocated to week 7, the participation mark for assignment 2 to week 9 and both participation marks for assignment 3 to week 12.

    Final Bonus Mark Calculation

    For each group of 3 consecutive weeks, ie  weeks 1 to 3, 2 to 4, 3 to 5, 4 to 6, 5 to 7, 6 to 8 , 7 to 9, 8 to 10, 9 to 11 and 10 to 12, the participation marks awarded will be added together and capped at 20. At the end of week 12, the total participation mark divided by 200 will be used as a participation percentage. This is used to scale down your maximum bonus mark and the result is added to your final mark for the course. The following table shows some example calculations:

    Course Mark Max Bonus  Participation (%)  Actual Bonus Final Course Mark
    0 0 100 0 0%
    20 0 50 0 20%
    40 8.75 65 5.7 46%
    60 4.86 20 0.97 61%
    75