Assignment 2 – Project Proposal: Research into a Potential Project
Deliverables | 1250 words (excluding headings, reference list and title page). |
Due date | Monday, 1 April, 11:59pm. Start of Week 5 |
Value | 30% |
Marking rubric | Download a copy from the Assignment 2 page in Learnline. |
Task overview | In this assignment, you are asked to conduct research into a project and present a project proposal including two possible design solutions based on that research. This will be in response to one of the 2024 Engineers Without Borders (EWB) Challenge Design Opportunities for the people of Saibai Island in the north west of the Torres Strait region. Your proposal should include background information about the underlying issue and a summary of your research informing your suggestion for two possible solutions.
Completion of this assignment will equip you to contribute well informed ideas about the logistics of possible project options. You will bring these ideas with you when forming a design team in Week 5, which will assist you and your team to develop a viable project. |
Task details | Your assignment should contain the following:
· A title that describes the specifics of the project you are exploring. It should contain: the area context of the design, the issue being addressed, and the scale of the project (e.g. household or community level). e.g. ‘Investigating low-cost off-grid refrigeration options for households on Saibai Island to improve reliability of power supply.’ · Background about the current situation and justification of the need for the project. This includes information about the community, the region, the way of life, and why improvements are necessary. · A summary of your research findings informing the possibilities for the design. This is where you present a summary of relevant information found in three credible sources relating to your project. At least two of these sources must be academic sources. · Two possible design solutions. Both solutions should address the chosen project. |
Outline/structure
Body of Assignment |
Use the following guide to structure your assignment:
· Title Page o Design project title o Your name and student number · Body of Assignment · References · Marking rubric Your assignment should include the following sections which should be numbered as indicated in report style. 1.0 Introduction In one or two sentences describe the purpose of this assignment. For example: ‘This assignment will investigate a design response to the need for improved local road access in the wet season on Saibai Island. It will provide justification of and research informing the project and two possible design ideas.’ 2.0 Project background and justification: One or two paragraphs that set the scene for your project and why it is necessary. This must contain a detailed description of the issue or problem your design is looking to address. Make it clear that you understand the current situation and the requirements of the community. Describe who in the community the design is for, and what they are doing currently with regard to the issue/problem, and what needs to be improved and why. You should include references to back this up. NB Much of your information for this section will be sourced from the EWB Challenge design brief or website but you should also seek further information elsewhere. Ensure you use in-text referencing where required. 3.0 Preliminary research: Find three relevant, credible sources that tell you more about the problem in one design area, the community, or the region. Two must be academic sources from the CDU library databases or Google Scholar, and the other must be found from the “Additional information” sections provided in the EWB Challenge Design Brief. Then summarise and comment on each of the sources of information you have chosen and present these in the form of an annotated bibliography, as follows:
· A summary paragraph – which summarises the source’s main points that relate to your design area, the community or the region, · An evaluation paragraph – an explanation of how this information is relevant and useful to the development of a suitable design, including why it is credible. For each source you should write 200 words, not including the heading. In-text referencing is not required in this section. 4.0 Design options Identify two potential design solutions which both address the Design Opportunity you have chosen from the EWB Challenge Design Brief. These could be solutions you have come across in your research that fit the need, or solutions that you have observed elsewhere. The ideas need not be fully developed at this stage. 4.1 Option 1 (Insert your first option here eg 5.2 Coastal erosion protection) Give a brief overview and description of the design solution and explain how it could solve the problem related to your chosen Design Opportunity. Include a simple sketch or diagram if appropriate. Include in-text references where necessary. For example: This design for a bamboo tube pot offers a sustainable low-cost solution to coastal erosion by providing refuge for individual mangrove seedlings from currents and tides, allowing them to become established and reach maturity. The bamboo pot consists of staggered lengths of bamboo which are driven into the ground to form a circular pot. A hessian bag filled with appropriate substrate from the site is placed within the pot and secured using hessian rope; a mangrove propagule is then planted in the substrate. This is illustrated in Figure 1 (in text reference). The staggered lengths of bamboo allow the roots to escape the pot and anchor into the surrounding ground, providing stability for the plant and protecting the surrounding area from erosion. As the mangrove matures the structure slowly decomposes, leaving no trace, thus providing a sustainable process. 4.2 Option 2 (Insert your second option here) Give a brief overview and description of the design solution and explain how it could solve the problem related to your design project. 4.3 Issues for further Investigation List the main questions or issues that need to be investigated further in order to develop your design ideas into solutions which are appropriate for the community. These could be economic, environmental, technical, or cultural issues. 5.0 Conclusion A conclusion should sum up the information you have provided in this document. References Compile a reference list in APA format including your research summary sources as well as any other references that you have used and cited in the document. |
Presentation and submission | You should use a formal and objective academic tone in this assignment with well-constructed paragraphs, correct grammar, punctuation, spelling and sentence structure.
Include the marking rubric at the end of your assignment. Submit it to Learnline as a single Microsoft Word document. The filename must include your name. To insert a landscape-oriented rubric into your portrait assignment, place your cursor at the end of the reference list, go to Layout>Breaks>Next page. This creates a new section in your document, then go to Layout>Orientation, and change to landscape – this changes the orientation of just the new section. From there, copy and paste the rubric. |
Formatting | Your document needs to be presented professionally, using the following format (look up Microsoft ‘Help’ for formatting instructions):
· Single document, MS Word. · Margins: Top & Bottom (3.00cm), Left & Right (2.50cm) · Body text: Times New Roman (or alternative legible and professional font), 12pt size, left alignment with 1.5 line spacing. · Paragraph spacing: 0pt ‘before’ and 12pt ‘after’. · A header and/or footer should be included, with details of the unit code, Assignment number, and your name. |
Student name: | Grade: | /100 | |||||||
Comments:
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HD 85+
D 75-84 C 65-74 P 50-64 |
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Presentation and style (16%) | /16 | ||||||||
HD (13.5-16) | D (12-13) | C (10.5-11.5) | P (8-10) | F (0-7.5) | |||||
Writing is highly sophisticated, in formal, academic style, with no errors in spelling, punctuation, grammar and word choice.
Ideas are presented in an accurate, concise and coherent fashion. Paragraphs are organised and have effective topic sentences. Relationships between ideas are eloquently and smoothly established. Always acknowledges the work of others in in-text citations where appropriate using correct APA referencing format. Professional document layout and appropriate attention to detail with guidelines followed exactly (including annotated bibliography structure). Word count is correct. |
Writing is in formal, academic style, with almost no errors in spelling, punctuation, grammar and word choice.
Ideas are presented in an accurate and coherent fashion and paragraphs usually have effective topic sentences. Relationships between ideas are clearly established. Paragraphs are clear and structured. Always acknowledges the work of others in in-text citations where appropriate using correct APA referencing format. Professional document layout and appropriate attention to detail with most guidelines followed exactly (including annotated bibliography). Word count is correct. |
Writing is mostly in formal, academic style, with some errors in spelling, punctuation, grammar, and/or word choice, without affecting readability.
Ideas are mostly presented in an accurate, and coherent fashion and paragraphs sometimes have effective topic sentences. Relationships between ideas are established. Mostly acknowledges the work of others in in-text citations where appropriate but may have minor errors in APA format. Formatting guidelines mostly followed although some aspects of formatting are faulty or missing. Word count is close to correct. |
Writing has informal element and/or inconsistent tone, and includes frequent errors in spelling, punctuation, grammar, and/or word choice, occasionally affecting readability.
Ideas are presented and an effort made to establish relationships between ideas. Paragraphs attempted. Attempts to acknowledge the work of others in in-text citations where appropriate, with some errors. Frequent errors in APA formatting. Document layout lacks professionalism. Layout and formatting are partially followed but many aspects are faulty and/or incomplete. Word count is close to correct. |
Writing is informal, with inconsistent tone, and/or includes numerous errors in spelling, grammar, punctuation and/or word choice that considerably affect readability.
Sentence structure is often illogical or unclear. No clear paragraphs. Ideas are disconnected and do not flow. No attempt to acknowledge the work of others. Intext citations absent or many errors in APA formatting. Document layout lacks professionalism. Layout and formatting rarely followed. Word count is far from correct |
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Title, Introduction, Background and Justification and Conclusion (20%) | /20 | ||||||||
HD (17-20) | D (15-16.5) | C (13-14.5) | P (10-12.5) | F (0-9.5) | |||||
Clear, complete, concise and articulate:
· Title that defines an appropriate project and includes area, issue, and scale. · Purpose of the proposal · Project background and justification with more than two supporting reference. · Conclusion which captures all aspects with no new information. |
Clear, complete, and mostly concise:
· Title that defines an appropriate project and includes area, issue, and scale. · Purpose of the proposal · Project background and justification with more than one supporting references. · Conclusion which captures important aspects with no new information
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All elements are provided, but may need more detail:
· Title represents an appropriate project, but needs more detail · Purpose of the proposal · Project background and justification with at least one supporting reference. · Conclusion captures most aspects with no new information |
Some but not all of the following elements are provided and may be unclear or lack detail and depth:
· Title barely represents an appropriate project · Purpose of the proposal · Project background and justification · Conclusion captures some aspects with no new information |
The following elements are missing and/or very unclear and/or with inadequate detail:
· Title does not represent an appropriate project · Purpose of the proposal · Project background and justification is inadequate or irrelevant · Conclusion does not adequately capture project and/or includes new information |
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Research Summary (44%) | /44 | |||||
Summaries (12)
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HD (37.5-44) | D (33-37) | C (29-32.5) | P (22-28.5) | F (0-21) | |
The key themes and main points of all three sources are summarised accurately, clearly and succinctly, in a sophisticated manner. 10.5-12 | The key themes and main points of all three sources are summarised accurately, clearly and succinctly.
9-10
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The key themes and main points of all three sources are generally summarised accurately and clearly but some detail may be missing.
8-9 |
The key themes and main points of the sources are summarised, although not always accurately or with enough detail; and/or not all sources have been summarised. 6-7.5 | The key ideas of the sources are poorly paraphrased and/or lack considerable detail and/or less than three sources are summarised.
0-5.5 |
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Commentary (12)
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Astute observations are made for all three sources about the relevance and credibility of the research, in an unanticipated and sophisticated manner. 10.5-12 | Very good observations are made for all three sources as to the relevance and credibility of the research for the proposed project. 9-10 | Good observations are made for all three sources about the relevance and credibility of the research, but needs further explanation. 8-9 | Observations are made for the sources about the relevance and credibility of the research but the correlations are only vaguely explained; and/or not all readings have commentaries. 6-7.5 | Observations about relevance and credibility have not been made for three sources, and/or do not relate the research to the proposed project. 0-5.5
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Sources (10)
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Relevant, credible, and diverse sources used throughout the report; with at least two scholarly sources. 8.5-10 | Relevant, credible, and diverse sources used; with at least two scholarly sources. 7.5-8 | Most sources are credible and relevant with some diversity; with at least two scholarly sources. 6.5-7 | At least one source is scholarly, relevant and credible; or diversity lacking. 5-6
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Sources used are not scholarly and/or credible and/or relevant; and/or three sources are not used. 0-4 | |
Referencing (10)
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Reference list and headings for all three sources are complete and in correct APA format with no errors.
8.5-10 |
Reference list and headings for all three sources are complete and in correct APA format with one or two minor errors. 7.5-8 | Reference list is mostly complete and headings for all three sources present required details, but have some errors in APA format. 6.5-7 | Reference list is mostly complete and/or headings omit details or have many errors in APA format. 5-6
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Reference list and/or headings are absent or have significant omissions and/or many significant errors in APA format. 0 -4 | |
Design Options (20%) | /20 | ||||
HD (17-20) | D (15-16.5) | C (13-14.5) | P (10-12.5) | F (0-9) | |
Identification of two highly appropriate and relevant design solutions
Exceptionally clear explanation of how the chosen issue is addressed. Design descriptions are exceptionally clear, concise, easy to visualise and accompanied by a clear and labelled diagram if appropriate. Issues for further investigation are comprehensive, clear, well thought out and address the identified need. |
Identification of two appropriate and relevant design solutions.
Clear explanation of how the chosen issue is addressed. Design descriptions are clear, concise, easy to visualise and accompanied by a clear and labelled diagram if appropriate. Issues for further investigation are well thought out, clear, and address the identified need. |
Two design solutions are identified, but only one is appropriate and relevant.
Moderately clear explanation of how the chosen issue is addressed. Design descriptions are generally clear, easy to visualise and accompanied by a clear diagram if appropriate. Issues for further investigation show some thought and address the identified need. |
Design solutions have partial relevance to the chosen issue OR only one solution is presented.
Explanation of how the chosen issue is addressed is unclear. Design descriptions are somewhat clear, and accompanied by a diagram if appropriate, although this may lack clarity and/or labelling. Issues for further investigation are basic, and/or address the identified need, only partially. |
Design solutions are inappropriate and do not meet the need showing little or no understanding of the context or issue; OR design solutions are absent.
Very unclear or no explanation of how the chosen issue is addressed. Design descriptions are absent or very unclear, and/or diagram is inappropriate Issues for further investigation are unclear, poorly thought out and do not address the identified need; and/or are absent. |
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