Stellenbosch University 498 Study Guidesunore.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/2015_BedrProj498... · 2015. 3. 10. · Page 1 of 27 Stellenbosch University Industrial Engineering

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Stellenbosch University Industrial Engineering

Final Year Project 498

Study Guide 2015

Compiled by L Louw12 January 2015

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Table of Contents Table of Contents .............................................................................................................................................. 2 1. Module Data ............................................................................................................................................... 3 2. Specific Outcomes and Assessment Criteria .............................................................................................. 4 3. Module Contents and Presentation Plan ................................................................................................... 9 4. The Goal and Purpose of the Final Year Project ....................................................................................... 12 5. Departmental Procedures and Requirements ......................................................................................... 13 5.1 Responsibilities: ................................................................................................................................ 13 5.2 Project Management: ....................................................................................................................... 14 5.3 Record of Progress: ........................................................................................................................... 14 5.4 SunLearn ........................................................................................................................................... 15 5.5 Unsatisfactory Progress: ................................................................................................................... 15 5.6 Report Contents: ............................................................................................................................... 15 5.7 Plagiarism and Referencing ............................................................................................................... 18 5.8 Report Submission ............................................................................................................................ 19

6. Assessment ............................................................................................................................................... 20 6.1 Minimum Requirements ................................................................................................................... 20 6.2 Appointment of Internal and External Examiners ............................................................................ 20 6.3 Assessment Process .......................................................................................................................... 20

7. General Information and Tips .................................................................................................................. 23 7.1 Work Contents: ................................................................................................................................. 23 7.2 Zero Tolerance Policy for Late Submissions: ..................................................................................... 23

8. References and Sources Considered ........................................................................................................ 24

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1. Module Data MODULE CODE

25445‐498 MODULE

Final Year Project 498

(Bedryfsprojek 498)

CALENDAR YEAR

2015

SAQA CREDITS 30

WORKLOAD h/week

300h, over 2 semesters

PROGRAMME YEAR/SEMESTER

Year 4, Semester 1&2 LECTURING LOAD

0 l, 0p, 0t, 1 s HOME DEPARTEMENT

Industrial Engineering LECTURER(S)

Coordinator: L Louw Study Leaders: All lecturers

OFFICE NUMBER(S)

M402

TELEPHONE NUMBER(S) 021 808 4448

CLASSIFICATION OF KNOWLEDGE AREAS

Mathematics Basic Science Engineering Science

Design & Synthesis Computing & IT

Complementary Studies

6 (20%) 15 (50%) 6 (20%) 3 (10%)

ECSA EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES

Problem solving

Application of scientific and engineering knowledge

Engineering design and synthesis

Investigations,

experiments and data analysis

Engineering methods, skills, tools and IT

Professional & technical

communication

Impact of engineer‐

ing activity

Individual, team and

multidisciplinary work

Independent learning ability

Engineering Professiona‐

lism

X X X X X

PREREQUISITE MODULES

PREREQUISITE PASS (P 50) Final Year Admission

PREREQUISITE (40≤P

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2. Specific Outcomes and Assessment Criteria ECSA Outcomes Assessed in this Module

Outcome How is Exit Level Outcome Assessed? 1. Problem Solving:

Demonstrate competence to identify, assess, formulate and solve convergent and divergent engineering problems creatively and innovatively.

Each student must complete an individual 1project. The student’s ability to identify, formulate and solve the problem is assessed by the delivery of a project proposal, first examination copy, final report, and a final presentation to internal and external examiners. The candidate needs to apply a systematic problem solving method including:

1. Analyse and define the problem, identify the criteria for an acceptable solution; 2. Identify necessary information and applicable engineering and other knowledge and

skills; 3. Generate and formulate possible approaches to the solution of the problem; 4. Model and analyse possible solution(s); 5. Evaluate possible solutions and selects best solution; 6. Formulate and present the solution in an appropriate form.

Examiners need to assess whether a sound problem solving approach has been followed. 5. Engineering Methods, Skills and Tools, including Information Technology:

Demonstrate competence to use appropriate engineering methods, skills and tools, including those based on information technology.

Each student must demonstrate in his reports and presentations the methods, skills and tools used to solve his project’s problem. The range of methods, skills and tools appropriate to Industrial Engineering, including:

1. Discipline‐specific tools, processes or procedures; 2. Computer software for computation, modelling, simulation, and information handling; 3. Computers and networks and information infrastructures for accessing, processing,

managing, and storing information to enhance personal productivity and teamwork; 4. Basic techniques from economics, business management, and health, safety and

environmental protection. Examiners need to assess whether the tools and methods used are correct and sufficient to satisfy the outcome.

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ECSA Outcomes Assessed in this Module Outcome How is Exit Level Outcome Assessed?

6. Professional And Technical Communication:

Demonstrate competence to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with engineering audiences and the community at large.

Each student must write a project proposal, first examination copy and final report. Each student must also present his project to internal and external examiners, and be prepared to present it to the general public as well. The candidate executes effective written communication as evidenced by:

1a. Uses appropriate structure, style and language for purpose and audience; 2a. Uses effective graphical support; 3a. Applies methods of providing information for use by others involved in engineering activity; 4a. Meets the requirements of the target audience.

The candidate executes effective oral communication as evidenced by: 1b. Uses appropriate structure, style and language; 2b. Uses appropriate visual materials; 3b. Delivers fluently; 4b. Meets the requirements of the intended audience.

Examiners will assess the student’s ability to satisfactorily formally communicate the contents and outcome of his project. The only opportunities to communicate this formally are:

1. through the final project report, and 2. during the oral examination.

9. Independent Learning Ability: Demonstrate competence to engage in independent learning through well‐developed learning skills.

Each student must solve a unique engineering problem. This requires that each student must independently research his problem area, to learn and apply independently new skills. He must illustrate this by:

1. Reflects on own learning and determines learning requirements and strategies 2. Sources and evaluates information; 3. Accesses, comprehends and applies knowledge acquired outside formal instruction; 4. Critically challenging assumptions and embracing new thinking.

Examiners will review the completeness and maturity of the literature study component, and will assess how successful the student was in applying this newly acquired knowledge.

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ECSA Outcomes Assessed in this Module Outcome How is Exit Level Outcome Assessed?

10. Engineering Professionalism:

Demonstrate critical awareness of the need to act professionally and ethically and to exercise judgment and take responsibility within own limits of competence.

Students must show a level of professionalism by: 1. Awareness of requirements to maintain continued competence and to keep abreast of

up‐to date tools and techniques; 2. Accepts responsibility for own actions; 3. Displays judgment in decision making during problem solving and design; 4. Limits decision making to the area of current competence; 5. Discerns boundaries of competence in problem solving and design.

It will not be possible to assess the ethical component in all projects, and this module may thus only partly satisfy the ECSA outcome. Examiners will assess the candidate’s Engineering Professionalism by considering the candidate’s decision making judgment given the competence acquired.

Notes: A candidate must pass all of the above ECSA Outcomes in this module.

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CAPABILITIES These are the aims of the module.

A student who has successfully completed this module can solve Industrial Engineering problems by: Applying knowledge and technologies from various basic and engineering sciences Applying industrial engineering methods and technologies to review results from practice and to judge these results successfully Independently completing an Industrial Engineering Project Illustrating engineering judgment Planning, executing and completing a project Writing Technical Reports Presenting the project and results

PERFORMANCES This is the type of question a student can expect in the exams. More than one of these performances can be expected in a single exam or test question.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA The examiners will give credit if the student successfully performs the

following tasks.

RANGE STATEMENTS These statements further describe the nature and complexity of the required performance.

Given a concise instruction, complete independently an Industrial Engineering project.

Planning the project, by compiling a project plan with goals, milestones and deliverables. Progress against the plan must be monitored, and deviations must be reasonable.

Each student much show own initiative and good skills in solving the problem.

The student must convincingly show that the required Outcomes (see previous section) have been achieved.

Each student normally does a unique project. (In some cases two or more students may work together on a single project) The student must execute the project mostly independently. The study leader’s role is limited to direction and overall advice, as well as measuring the student’s progress against his/her plans, and ensuring the infrastructure can support the student. Detail feedback is only provided on the student’s draft reports, to enable the student to improve on the reports.

Compile a First examination copy The First examination copy must detail the following: A problem statement that shows that the

student understands the problem, by describing the problem in his/her own words, and detailing the goals and planned deliverables of the project.

A literature study, illustrating the research that the student has done to understand

This report should represent about 30% of the total effort of the project. The report should be a well‐prepared technical report, as per the department’s guidelines for technical reports.

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PERFORMANCES This is the type of question a student can expect in the exams. More than one of these performances can be expected in a single exam or test question.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA The examiners will give credit if the student successfully performs the

following tasks.

RANGE STATEMENTS These statements further describe the nature and complexity of the required performance.

the domain, as well as the envisaged techniques / skills required to solve the problem.

An updated project plan, showing the student’s progress, and updated milestones.

Compile a Final Project Report The final report must contain: The contents of the first examination copy

above, but updated as appropriate. A description of the tools and techniques,

as applied to the problem. A description and analysis of all results. A conclusion. The final report should also declare how each of the Outcomes has been addressed in the project.

The report must follow the department’s guidelines for technical reports. A draft will be submitted, for the study leader to comment and report back on, thus giving the student the opportunity to improve his/her report.

Technical Presentation At the end of the project, the student must do a technical presentation on the project. This must include: Problem statement and goals Background on techniques applied Execution of the project Results and Conclusion This must be done with the help of a poster, PowerPoint presentation or any other appropriate mechanism that is prepared by the student for the presentation.

The technical presentation will occur during the oral examination. The student is allowed 10 minutes for the presentation, after which the examiners may question the candidate. The student must also exhibit his/her project to the general public, at a function that is organized by the department. Some students will be expected to present their projects during the final Year Project and Graduation Functions – this is a mandatory requirement for the selected students.

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3. Module Contents and Presentation Plan

RESOURCES: Prescribed Textbook: As agreed with your study leader. Other sources: The study leader may propose additional sources to consult. It is, however, the student’s responsibility to illustrate independent learning, by compiling his/her own sources of information.

Semester Task Description Date1st Study leaders meet to determine, finalise and register topics.

Study Guide distributed. 26/01/15

Students receive the formal list of available topics.Optional interviews with relevant lecturers. Formal appointments to be scheduled with lecturers. Students with own topics negotiate with a selected lecturer the details of the topic and inform coordinator.

03/02/15

Lecture where the final year project process will be introduced and explained to students by the coordinator. All students to attend 06/02/2015, 12:00, M302

Topic list is closed. 13/02/15

Students provide a first, second, third and fourth choice.The process of allocation starts.

16/02/15

Topics are allocated and announced. 20/02/15Project proposal: Student to upload a complete project proposal of his/her topic on SunLearn before 10:00, to be read by his/her study leader. The project proposal must consist of: Project background and origin Problem statement Project objectives Proposed study approach and methodology (indicating specific skills and techniques to be applied, etc.) Project scope Project timeline

13/04/15

Study Leader to assess and provide feedback on research proposals through SunLearn. 20/04/15

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Semester Task Description DateStudent to submit a first examination copy to the study leader via SunLearn before 17:00. The first examination copy must consist of: Full description of the problem Comprehensive literature study Complete study approach/methodology Any experimental work completed so far Project plan, updated with current status Framework of the target report (Table of contents and chapter lay‐out)

27/05/15

Study Leader to assess first examination copy and provide feedback to student via SunLearn. 25/06/15Students who fail the first examination copy assessment MUST attend a project repair block between 30 June and 4 July. Students are to rework their first examination copies at the university between the 8:30 and 17:00 each day during this week. This is COMPULSORY. A new first examination copy needs to be submitted by 17:00 on the 4th of July. Failure to attend all 5 days will result in failure of the project, in which case the student will have to complete their final year project in 2015.

29/06/15 – 03/07/15

2nd Students to submit a summary of their project (not exceeding two pages) in PDF format on SunLearn for preliminary assessment by the external examiners by 17:00. No hard copy is submitted. This is an optional deliverable – i.e. students may choose not to submit a summary in which case they simply forfeit the opportunity to receive feedback from an external examiner before the final examination.

28/08/15

Students to submit 70% complete drafts for peer review by 09:00 one soft copy in pdf format on SunLearn.Drafts distributed to peers. (Students to collect after 16:00) Drafts to contain at least the following chapters: Introduction Literature review Research methodology Expected results and proposed plan for result dissemination/interpretation. Although all results need not be finalised by this date, the draft must clearly indicate the detailed setup of experiments/procedures through which the final results will be obtained. Document should serve as basis for constructive feedback from peers.

14/09/15

Peer reviews completed and assessments uploaded onto SunLearn before 17:00. 18/09/15Preliminary complete examination copy of the final project report handed in to your study leader, and submitted on SunLearn before 17:00.

05/10/15

The study leader assesses and returns the first draft of the preliminary exam copy of the report, with comments to the student. 16/10/15Final Project Report submission: Comments from study leader incorporated. Spelling and grammar checks completed. Three printed / bound copies submitted to Karina Smith before 17:00 Soft copy submitted on SunLearn before 17:00.

26/10/15

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Semester Task Description DateFinal Project Report assessment: Final reports are distributed to examiners. The study leader, appointed internal examiner and external examiner, independently review a copy in parallel, and assess the

report independently.

27/10/15 – 16/11/15

Oral Assessment: Oral assessment, with study leader, internal examiner, and external examiner present. The assessment schedule will be

announced in November. Each student will present his/her project with an appropriate method of the student’s choice (e.g. using a Powerpoint / Prezi /

other presentation, a poster, or any other medium). External examiner will moderate the marks awarded by the study leader and internal examiner. The department’s candidate for the Jac van der Merwe prize is selected.

16/11/15 – 17/11/15

Announcement of Final Year Project marks – via the formal channels. 18/11/15Prizes Evening: A selected number of students who achieved top marks will present their projects. Prizes are given for a selection of categories, these categories will be announced during November 2015.

To be announced (expected date: December 2015)

Note: It is possible to accelerate your project, by negotiating it with your study leader and the coordinator. However, the dates published above are the latest possible dates that are acceptable.

4. The Goal and Purpose of the Final Year Project The final year project is used to assess an engineering candidate’s ability to individually and independently complete a given project. To achieve this, the student must showcase the ability to immerse him/herself in the study field to obtain the required level of knowledge that will enable successful completion of the project. Further to this, the student must be able to correctly and successfully identify and apply the Industrial Engineering specific skills and tools necessary for project completion. The student must be able to demonstrate that he/she succeeded in solving either an academic or an applied problem. Finally, the student must demonstrate the ability to successfully and effectively communicate the work done and the final outcome of the project.

5. Departmental Procedures and Requirements 5.1 Responsibilities:

1) Student: The student is responsible for: a) The successful execution of the project. b) Adhering to departmental rules and procedures as documented in this guide. c) To ensure, through self‐study, adherence to:

i) Scientific guidelines and requirements. ii) Selection of appropriate research literature and other sources to demonstrate a thorough

exploration of the field of study. iii) Submit written work (drafts of chapters) that adheres to the technical and language

requirements of a scientific report. iv) Present the final report in accordance with technical requirements.

d) Meeting with the study leader at a mutually acceptable time – preferably once a week. e) To work diligently to meet deadlines and to accept that the study leader will consider work

submitted as sufficient progress at his/her discretion. f) To balance his/her obligations, including the research report, in such a manner to be able to

submit the final copy of the research report on or before the due date. 2) Study Leader: The study leader is responsible for:

a) Proposing and tailoring the project topic. The topic must contain a problem statement, high level goals, and a statement on how the study leader expects the topic should satisfy each ECSA outcome, if it is executed as intended / envisaged. The topic will be presented to colleagues and the coordinator during a joint review session before it is finally assigned to the student. See Appendix B.

b) Ensuring that suitable infrastructure is available for the use of the student. c) Providing a budget for each project. If no budget inputs are received, it is assumed that any

financial requirements will be funded by the study leader’s discretionary and/or research funds.

d) Guidance with the formulation of detail goals for the project. e) Amending the student’s exposure to suitable literature. f) Providing reasonable but limited leadership during the execution of the project. g) Keep a record of student progress. h) Being available at a mutually acceptable time to discuss the student’s progress, as agreed with

each student. i) To encourage, advise and support the student to, in spite of other obligations, submit the final

research report on or before the due date. j) To assess the work submitted promptly and to give feedback to the student to enable him/her

to meet deadlines. k) Adhering to departmental rules and procedures as documented in this guide.

3) Coordinator: The coordinator is responsible for: a) Determining the time schedule for the year. b) Communicating with students procedural and timeline requirements. c) Updating the Study Guide and making a baseline version available during the first month of the

academic year. d) Approving the topics with the inputs from the departmental academic forum. e) Administrating the assignment of topics to students. f) Acting as a channel through which students can highlight problems experienced with their

projects. g) Organising and administrating the SunLearn portal. h) Administrating and supporting the examination process, by:

i) Procuring external examiners. ii) Administrating all assessment opportunities (proposal, first examination copy, 70% draft,

preliminary examination copy and final report). iii) Acting as a moderator during the examination process. iv) Assigning an internal and external examiner to each student. v) Communicating with external examiners the procedures and timelines. vi) Accepting and distributing the final reports to all examiners. vii) Setting up an oral examination schedule. viii) Participating in the examination process, judging the timeliness of submissions by each

student. ix) Preparing the final marks and organising meetings to confirm the assessments.

i) Compiling a programme for the Final Year Project Presentations. j) Organising the selection of the Department’s Jac vd Merwe Candidate, and participating (or

organising a replacement) in the competition as a judge.

5.2 Project Management: 1) A well‐executed project is managed according to a predefined schedule that takes the overall

academic time‐table and holidays into account. 2) Key dates are to be defined for each milestone and the progress should be managed and guided

towards the deliverables due on those dates. 3) Plans must be regularly updated to show progress and planning updates. This serves as a track

record on how progress was made during the course of the project. 4) The updated project plan should be included in the final report as an appendix.

5.3 Record of Progress: 1) It is advisable that each student maintains a project folder to keep record of progress made on and

during the project. The format for such a folder is not prescribed, although it is recommended that a cloud‐based platform that allows multiple users access to documents (such as Dropbox, Google Docs, Sharepoint etc.) be used. Having a collaboration platform makes the sharing of information and progress between the student and study leader less complicated. Another reason for recommending this is because having a separate storage medium for developing the project will increase the security of the student’s work and ensure the availability of a backup. It should be noted that the availability of a record of progress potentially enables the examiners to better assess the student’s project.

2) The following items are recommended to constitute the record of progress:

Item Project Summary Initial Project Plan Project Plan Updates Final Version of the First examination copyLiterature used in the Literature StudyDevelopment Files (data, spreadsheets, code, interim documents etc)Notes made for/during study leader sessionsDraft Project Report Interim versions of the Project ReportFinal version of the Project Report

5.4 SunLearn 1) The SunLearn portal will be used for all electronic submissions and assessments during the

course of the project. “Assignments” corresponding to the deliverables of each project will be created and have cut‐off dates associated with them. It is essential that students demonstrate professional behaviour regarding these deadlines and the prompt submission of documents will be monitored and evaluated accordingly.

2) The following “Assignments” and deadlines exist:

ASSIGNMENT DUE DATE CUT‐OFF TIME

Project Proposal 13 April 10:00First Examination Copy 27 May 17:00Reworked First Examination Copy (If applicable)

3 July 17:00

Project Summary (Optional deliverable)

28 August 17:00

70% Draft 14 September 09:00Peer Review Assessments 18 September 17:00Preliminary Examination Copy 5 October 17:00Final Report 26 October 17:00

5.5 Unsatisfactory Progress: 1) The study leader must continually assess the progress of the student against the overall mandatory

milestone requirements, as well as the student’s internal project plan. 2) If the study leader is of the opinion that the progress is unsatisfactory, he/she may require the

student to prepare a presentation on the progress of the project. 3) The student will present his/her progress to a review board, consisting of the study leader,

coordinator, chief mentor and the chairman of the Department. 4) If the review board agrees that progress is not satisfactory, the student will not be allowed to

continue with the current project, his/her project will not be submitted for assessment, and he/she will consequently fail the module.

5) If the student fails the first examination copy assessment and does not attend the first examination copy repair block from 8:30 to 17:00 each day between 29 June and 3 July and fails to submit an improved and acceptable first examination copy on 4 July, the student will not be allowed to continue with the current project, his/her project will not be submitted for assessment, and he/she will consequently fail the module and will have to attempt a new project in 2016.

5.6 Report Contents: 1) General Report Specifications and Guidelines:1

a) Page lay‐out, font size and paragraph spacing: i) Typing could be done on one or both sides of the paper. ii) Page numbers on each page iii) Font Size 11 pt iv) 1.5 line‐spacing v) 0.5 lines before and after each paragraph vi) 1 line before each heading vii) A simple readable font, such as Times New Roman, Arial, Calibri. It is recommended to use

the same font‐family through‐out the report. 1 These guidelines are merely guidelines and not a requirement, but students are strongly advised to follow them.

b) The final document must be printed on a laser printer. If the original document contains colour diagrams or graphics, the student must ensure that a black‐and‐white copy does not sacrifice any detail. If this is not the case the student must supply colour prints for all the mandatory copies.

c) Use concise, clear sentences and avoid the use of abbreviations in the text. d) Headings should be highlighted in a consistent manner. All headings at the same level should

be typed in an identical manner. A heading should not be typed on the last or second‐to‐last line of a page.

e) Paragraphs are numbered according to the decimal system. The first number indicates the chapter number, followed by the paragraph number separated from the chapter number by a full stop. No more than four digits are used.

f) If points in a paragraph or sub‐paragraph have to be highlighted and cannot be easily classified under a heading, they may be numbered by using numbers or letters in brackets.

g) All foreign words such as bona fide or et al. have to be italicised. h) Page Numbers:

i) The first page of the first chapter is numbered as page 1, and the subsequent pages are then numbered consecutively, including the appendices.

ii) The pages before the first chapter are numbered in lower case roman numerals, with the page immediately following the title page as ii.

i) The table of contents should not only contain the paragraph numbers, headings and page numbers of the main body of the research report, but should also indicate what the page numbers of the initial pages are.

j) Tables and Figures i) Tables and figures should be numbered and provided with appropriate captions. ii) Tables and figures are numbered separately. iii) Tables normally contain data in column format. The data may be numerical or alphabetical

listed in different columns. Each column must have a heading. The table number and heading must be displayed at the top of the table, while the source (if the table has been extracted from another source) must be displayed below the table. If the table contains numerical data, the data must be displayed with a consistent number of decimal places per column, and the decimal commas must be aligned.

iv) Figures normally contain diagrams or graphs or any other information that cannot be given in a tabular format, for example a typical output screen display from a computer. When graphs are used, the axes must be marked clearly. The figure number and heading are displayed below the figure. Any reference to another source should be shown immediately below the figure number and heading.

v) To improve appearance, tables and figures may be blocked. It is important to note that tables and figures should be presented in a consistent manner. If, for example, the heading of the first table is in upper case, all table headings should be in upper case.

vi) When reference is made to a table or figure in the text, the number of such a table or figure should always be given. In this case the word Table or Figure is typed with a capital letter since it is the proper noun of the table or figure.

k) Formulas, Symbols and Numbers i) In some reports formulas are used, or formulas are derived. ii) All the formulas that are used to calculate a result, as well as the formulas that are derived,

should be given a formula number. Intermediate steps in a derivation process are not numbered. The formula number is given in round brackets placed against the right‐hand margin, and is preceded by three full stops.

iii) Formula numbers follow the same system as table and figure numbers. The third formula in the fifth chapter would therefore be indicated as follows:

W = A1x12 + A2x2 ...(5.3)

All the symbols used in a formula should be defined where they are used for the first time. If the report contains a large number of symbols, a summary explanation of the symbols should be given in an appendix or in a list of nomenclature at the beginning of the document.

l) Do not refer to the report as a “thesis”. It is a “First examination copy”, “Final Project Report” or, in short, a “Project Report”.

m) Template: There is no prescribed formal template for the report. LaTeX and MS Word may be used for typesetting the report.

2) First examination copy Contents: a) The First examination copy must include the following sections:

i) Title Page ii) Table of Contents iii) List of Illustrations iv) List of Tables v) Nomenclature (if applicable) vi) Chapter 1: Introduction vii) Chapter 2 – Chapter n: Chapters as required, to detail the problem statement, literature

study, proposed solution, and updated project plan. viii) Chapter n+1: Way forward and concluding remarks. ix) Chapter n+2: Reflection on personal learning, growth and responsibility x) References xi) Appendices (if required)

b) The body of the First examination copy (i.e. Chapter 1 to n+1) may not exceed 25 pages. 3) 70% Draft Contents:

a) The 70% Draft Report must include the following sections: i) Title Page ii) Acknowledgements iii) Declaration iv) ECSA Exit Level Outcomes Reference v) Abstract (“Opsomming”) in English and Afrikaans – pay attention to the sequence as

defined in the template. vi) Table of Contents vii) List of Illustrations viii) List of Tables ix) Glossary or Nomenclature x) Chapter 1: Introduction xi) Chapter 2 – Chapter n: Chapters as required, to detail the literature study,

research/project methodology, expected results and proposed plan for result interpretation.

xii) References xiii) Appendices (as required). Include at least an updated copy of your project plan in the

appendix. 4) Preliminary Examination Copy Contents:

This must be a complete report, suitable for examination. Hence, the contents as described for the Final Project Report (in 5.6.5) are applicable.

5) Final Project Report Contents: a) Sections: The Final Project Report must include the following sections:

i) Title Page ii) Acknowledgements iii) Declaration

iv) ECSA Exit Level Outcomes Reference v) Abstract (“Opsomming”) in English and Afrikaans – If the document is written in English,

the abstract comes before the “opsomming”. Alternatively, the “opsomming” comes first. vi) Table of Contents vii) List of Illustrations viii) List of Tables ix) Glossary or Nomenclature x) Chapter 1: Introduction xi) Chapter 2 – Chapter n: Chapters as required, to detail the literature study, development,

results, discussion and interpretation. xii) Chapter n+1: Conclusions and Recommendations. Include a self‐assessment here as well

(what did you do well, and what could you have done better?) xiii) Chapter n+2: Summary (May be combined with Chapter n+1) xiv) References xv) Appendices (as required). Include at least an updated copy of your project plan in the

appendix. b) Length: The body of the Final Report (i.e. Chapter 1 to n+2) should not exceed 60 pages. The

appendices should not exceed a further 25 pages. (Note that examiners have the right to stop reading at page 60 of the report and to examine the student based on what has been written up to this point. Students are therefore strongly advised not to exceed the prescribed report length. If you do decide to exceed this recommended length, you do so at your own risk.)

5.7 Plagiarism and Referencing 1) Plagiarism is the use of someone else’s material, be it written, spoken or in a graphic format,

without a proper reference to the material, acknowledging the source of the material. 2) When you write your report, you will be required to support your argumentation with sources

from the literature. These sources need to be properly referenced. 3) Use any of the reference styles described by the University, but decide on one format and use it

consistently throughout your report. Refer to the University Library website at http://www.lib.sun.ac.za/Library/eng/help/IG_Programme/IG/Refertechniques.html for a description of the allowed referencing styles.

4) You may find in reading a sentence in a document that the author has stated the issue so eloquently that you would only do harm to the argument by not using the exact wording. In that case you must place the quote in quotation marks, and the exact page reference must be given, as well as the bibliographical detail in the list of sources.

5) In other cases, when you paraphrase or summarise the idea of the author in a more condensed format, but using your own words, you must still provide a reference and the bibliographical details must appear in the list of sources.

6) If you are uncertain as to how to tackle an issue, ask for guidance from your study leader. You should display your understanding of the material by interpreting and analysing the ideas of others and using them to support your argument.

7) To use someone else’s work without proper referencing is unethical and dishonest, and cannot be tolerated.

8) For more information on plagiarism, visit the University Library’s website at http://www.lib.sun.ac.za/Library/eng/help/IG_Programme/Plagiarism/Plagiarism_Index.html.

9) The department encourages the use of referencing software. The University has a campus license of Refworks – visit http://library.sun.ac.za/connect/refworks/ for more information.

10) A Turnitin link will be established on SunLearn. You are advised to test your final document there for uniqueness. (Note that there is no fixed acceptable plagiarism percentage. Students are advised

to use their own discretion and to discuss this with their study leader.)

5.8 Report Submission 1) Printing and Binding Reports:

a) The cost of printing and binding the reports is for the student’s account. b) While the department’s facilities are available for students, students need to recognise that it

will be overloaded during the days before final submission, and that work will have to be planned accordingly in such a manner so as not to disrupt the normal operation of the department.

2) Submitting the Project Proposal: The student and his/her study leader have to agree on whether a hard copy is required in addition to the compulsory soft copy that will be uploaded to SunLearn.

3) Submitting the First examination copy: The student and his/her study leader have to agree on whether a hard copy is required in addition to the compulsory soft copy that will be uploaded to SunLearn.

4) Submitting the Project Summary: A soft copy must be uploaded to SunLearn in PDF format. The summary may not exceed 2 pages. No hard copy is submitted. This is an optional deliverable – i.e. students may choose not to submit a summary in which case they simply forfeit the opportunity to receive feedback from an external examiner before the final examination.

5) Submitting the 70% Draft Report: a) One soft copy of the 70% Draft Report must be submitted on the required date on SunLearn (in

pdf format). The successful delivery of the documents must be recorded by the administrator and/or his/her representative. The soft copy will then be distributed to three of the student’s peers for independent review.

b) . c) The evaluation of each 70% Draft Report must be completed electronically on SunLearn (use

the evaluation guidelines provided on SunLearn). Additional review comments can be made directly in the pdf version of the draft report, or on a separate Word or Excel document. This must also be uploaded to SunLearn.

d) Students can collect their reviews and comments on SunLearn. 6) Submitting the Preliminary Examination Copy:

The student and his/her study leader have to agree on whether a hard copy is required in addition to the compulsory soft copy that will be uploaded to SunLearn.

7) Submitting the Final Project Report: a) The study leader must sign a declaration form (Appendix C), to allow the report to be assessed

by the internal and external examiners. If the study leader feels that the report is not ready, the process documented in par 5.45 takes places.

b) Three hard copies of the Final Project Report must be submitted on the required date to the coordinator, or his/her representative (not the study leader). The successful delivery of the documents must be recorded by the administrator and/or his/her representative. i) One hard copy will be independently reviewed by the study leader. ii) One hard copy will be reviewed by the internal examiner. iii) One hard copy will be distributed to the external examiner for his/her review.

c) The soft copy version of the Final Project Report must be submitted on or before the required date on SunLearn.

d) If the Final Project Report is submitted late, the candidate will be disqualified.

6. Assessment

6.1 Minimum Requirements In order to pass this module, a student must: 1) Achieve a final mark of 50% or more. See Appendix A for more detail on how the final mark will be

calculated. 2) Satisfactorily pass each ECSA Exit Level Outcome specified in this document in its entirety. See

Appendix A for more detail on how the ECSA Outcomes will be assessed. 3) Complete and hand in the Project Proposal before the deadline. 4) Complete and hand in the First Examination Copy before the deadline. 5) If relevant, complete and hand in the Reworked First Examination Copy before the deadline and

attend the scheduled Repair Block between in July. 6) Complete and hand in one 70% Draft Report before the deadline. 7) Complete and submit three Peer Review Assessments before the deadline. 8) Complete and hand in the Preliminary Examination Copy before the deadline. 9) Complete and hand in the three Final Project Reports before the deadline. 10) Attend the Oral Assessment.

6.2 Appointment of Internal and External Examiners 1) External examiners with a range of expertise will be appointed at the beginning of the year. Each

study leader may suggest candidate examiners that will be approached. 2) It will be ensured that internal and external examiners are suitable to assess the candidate’s topic.

6.3 Assessment Process 1) Project Proposal:

a) The project proposal will be assessed by the study leader only, using a standard assessment sheet on SunLearn.

b) The study leader will provide the assessment to the coordinator by the required and jointly agreed date.

c) A student needs to obtain a “Yes” answer for each question in order to satisfy the requirements of the project proposal. Should a student fail to achieve this, he may rework the proposal and the study leader may reassess the new version. The new assessment form must be provided to the coordinator.

2) First examination copy: a) The first examination copy is assessed by the study leader only, using a standard assessment

sheet on SunLearn. b) The study leader will provide the assessment to the coordinator by the required and jointly

agreed date. c) During a joint review session chaired by the coordinator, the coordinator will discuss each

candidate’s assessments with the study leaders. d) The First examination copy will be used to determine if the student is allowed to continue with

his/her project. See Par 5.5. 3) Peer Review:

a) Each student will evaluate three of their peers’ work according to a standard assessment sheet.

b) The students will provide all the assessments to the coordinator by the required date. c) The coordinator will later distribute all assessments to the students.

4) Preliminary Examination Report: a) The study leader is the only person to assess the final draft report. b) The assessment and its outcome is a matter between the study leader and the student. Mostly

the study leader will supply the student with comments on how to improve the project and document. The student needs to incorporate this feedback into the final report. An assessment sheet on SunLearn will be completed by the study leader.

5) Final Project Report: a) The Final Project Report is assessed by the study leader, an internal examiner, and an external

examiner. b) The study leader, internal examiner and external examiner must assess the first examination

copy independently and may not discuss the assessment with each other before the joint review session.

c) Each examiner will provide provisional marks while reviewing the first examination copy on a standard Assessment Sheet (See Appendix A).

d) Complementary Outcomes: i) The Study Leader will also assess the Project Management aspects. ii) The coordinator will assess the Departmental Procedure Adherence aspects.

e) Each examiner will present their assessments at the candidate’s Oral Examination session. 6) Presentation and Oral Assessment:

a) The candidate will present his/her project, using his/her poster or any other presentation material and media as agreed with his/her study leader, in the presence of the study leader, internal examiner, external examiner and optionally the coordinator or his representative.

b) Each candidate will be scheduled for a 30 minute timeslot: i) 10 minutes must be used by the candidate to present the project. ii) 10 minutes can then be used by the examiners to question the candidate. iii) 5 minutes is available to reach consensus on the final mark and record it on the final

assessment form. iv) 5 minutes is available as a buffer.

c) At the end of the Oral Examination, each examiner will complete his/her Assessment Sheet for the candidate.

d) A final mark will be determined in consensus with all three examiners: i) If one examiner does not arrive, or leaves the examination room early, the remaining

examiners will determine the outcome of the examination, unless special arrangements have been made via the coordinator with a representative.

ii) However, if more than one examiner is not present, the candidate’s oral examination will be voided, and will have to be rescheduled – with a possible delay to the Supplementary Examination in January.

e) The following documentation will be provided at the end of the Oral Examination: i) The Final Assessment form with the consensus assessment and ECSA outcomes

declaration, signed by all examiners. f) See also notes below regarding ECSA outcomes. g) Please note that the Oral Examinations form part of the University’s formal examination

procedures and are not open for members of the public or other students or academic staff that are not directly involved with the examination in question to attend.

h) After completion of the Oral Examination, there will be a joint assessment meeting, where all examiners will adapt or confirm their assessments and individual cases will be discussed if required. The joint assessment meeting’s outcome for each candidate can only be the following: i) A final mark for the student ii) Confirmation whether all ECSA outcomes have been achieved iii) If the final mark is not greater or equal to 50%, and/or one or more ECSA outcomes have

not been achieved, the meeting may recommend that the student is considered for a Supplementary Assessment in January – see par 7 below.

iv) If the meeting cannot reach consensus on the results for the candidate, the dispute will be referred as per paragraph 9 below.

7) Supplementary Assessment: a) The normal University Rules will apply to Supplementary Examinations, and will rule if there is

a conflict. Note Par 8.3.7 in the General Yearbook, and Par 8.7 in the Engineering Yearbook. b) Only a single supplementary assessment opportunity exists – in January of the following year. c) Access to this supplementary opportunity may be granted at the discretion of the

Departmental Chairman, on recommendation from the examiners. d) Granting a supplementary examination must only be recommended by the examiners to the

Chairman if: i) The student was unsuccessful in the November examination, and the examination panel

believes that the original project can be repaired within the limited time available. ii) Circumstances outside the control of the student (such as sickness, accident, etc.)

prevented the student from attending the oral examination. The general university rules must apply, and the university examination office must be notified by the student.

e) If the candidate fails the examination and does not qualify or fails the supplementary examination, a new topic must be selected the following year, and a completely new project must be completed.

8) ECSA Outcomes need special consideration: a) Each candidate must satisfy all 10 ECSA outcomes in the programme before a degree can be

awarded. b) Five of these ECSA outcomes have been allocated to this module, and all five ECSA outcomes

must be satisfied in this module. Refer to section 2 for more details on the allocated ECSA outcomes.

c) Each examiner must specifically assess whether each allocated ECSA outcome has been satisfied on the assessment form.

9) Disputes: a) Should examiners disagree on the final mark or whether an ECSA outcome has been achieved,

the escalation process will be as follows: i) The external examiner and the coordinator will attempt to agree on a final mark. ii) Failing that, the chairman of the department will decide on a final mark.

b) Based on circumstances, the decision may be to refer the assessment to another examiner (internal or external).

c) Due to the deadlines imposed in order to make the December and March graduation ceremonies, all disputes need to be addressed and resolved within the timing requirements of the first assessment in November, or the supplementary assessment in January. If a dispute resolution in the November opportunity cannot be resolved in time for the December graduation, it will then be finalised during the January assessment opportunity.

7. General Information and Tips 7.1 Work Contents:

1) The total work contents of the Final Year Project should exceed 300 hours: a) 100 hours in the 1st semester, when the planning, background research and first examination

copy must be completed. b) 200 hours in the 2nd semester, during which the application and final report must be

completed. 2) It is recommended that students use the July vacation period to work on their projects. The second

semester has a high work‐load and students often have difficulty to complete all their projects within the available time.

7.2 Zero Tolerance Policy for Late Submissions: 1) As of 2014 the Department of Industrial Engineering has adopted a zero tolerance policy with

regards to late submissions for the Industrial Project 498 module. Thus, a single late submission (where a submission is considered late when it exceeds the due date by more than five minutes) for any of the deliverables listed in section 3 (and partially summarised in section 5.4) of this document, will disqualify the student from completing the module in 2015. A student that misses a deliverable will need to start with a new topic in 2016.

2) All deliverables and their due dates have been published before the start of the academic year. Students are encouraged to diarise these due dates and to ensure that their planning for the year will enable them to meet all deadlines with a comfortable margin to accommodate any unforeseen circumstances that may occur.

8. References and Sources Considered A number of references and sources were considered when this study guide was compiled:

1) Bekker, J, via Electronic e‐mail, Feb 2008 2) Department of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, Meganiese Projek 478, Megatroniese

Projek 478, Megatroniese Projek 488 Studiegids, 2007 3) Gevers WR, Fish T, Research Report Guide for MBA Students, University of Stellenbosch Business

School, March 2006 4) Schutte CSL, Final Year Project Study Guide 2007, Department of Industrial Engineering, 2007 5) Visser T, Final Year Project Study Guide 2013, Department of Industrial Engineering, 2013 6) Stellenbosch University Library Webpage [online], [Accessed 5 February 2008],

http://library.sun.ac.za/ 7) Thesnaar, C, via Electronic e‐mail, Dec 2007 8) Various discussions with colleagues and examiners. 9) Feedback e‐mails from internal and external examiners.

Appendix A: Assessment Form

ECSA Outcomes 1.2, 9.2, 9.3 & 10.1 NOT achieved



ECSA Outcomes 1.2, 9.2, 9.3 & 10.1 achieved



0 ≤ mark

ECSA Outcomes 1.4, 1.5, 1.6 & 6.3a NOT achieved



ECSA Outcomes 1.4, 1.5, 1.6 & 6.3a achieved



0 ≤ mark

ECSA Outcome 9.4 NOT achieved



ECSA Outcome 9.4 achieved ECSA Outcome 9.4 achieved ECSA Outcome 9.4 achieved

0 ≤ mark

* Please see the study guide for a detailed description of each ECSA outcome

TOTAL (Out of 80)PRELIMINARY MARK (%)

ECSA Outcome 6.1a, 6.2a & 6.4a NOT achieved



ECSA Outcome 6.1a, 6.2a & 6.4a achieved



0 ≤ mark

Q9. Evaluate verbal communication skills

Unacceptable for a graduate engineer Acceptable for a graduate engineer

Q11. Evaluate non‐verbal communication skills

Preliminary Assessment Form: Final Year Project 498, Industrial EngineeringEVALUATION OF ORAL PRESENTATION



Q10. Evaluate the use of media

ECSA Outcome 6.3b NOT achieved ECSA Outcome 6.3b achieved



Inadequate volume, clarity, voice quality, tempo or language. Good volume, clarity, voice quality, tempo and language.

Completely inappropriate and unprofessional. Unnecessary/ incompetent use of media. “Death by PowerPoint.”

Good, but not necessarily anything out of the ordinary. Professional. Added value to the presentation.

Poor enthusiasm, body language, eye contact, use of gestures, use of expressions.Good levels of enthusiasm, body language, eye contact, use of gestures, use

of expressions.


* Please see the study guide for a detailed description of each ECSA outcome

Q12. Evaluate the content of the oral presentation

7.5 ≤ mark ≤ 10ECSA Outcome 9.3 & 10.5

NOT achievedECSA Outcome 9.3 & 10.5

NOT achievedECSA Outcome 9.3 & 10.5

NOT achievedECSA Outcome 9.3 &

10.5 achievedECSA Outcome 9.3 & 10.5

achievedECSA Outcome 9.3 &

10.5 achieved

Q13. Evaluate the student's ability to comprehend questions and effectively communicate project content when responding to questions during the oral examination (Max = 10)

Does not understand what he/she was working on, nor what the examiners expect from him/her.

The student clearly has a very limited understanding

of the subject matter. Struggles to answer non‐superficial questions.

Unable to comprehend question or respond

appropriately. Misinterprets questions.

The student can suitably answer questions spanning multiple

depths.

The student's answers reflect true

understanding and deeper insight into the problem at hand. The

student can discern what the true question is.

Excellent. The student demonstrates exceptional

understanding and communicates clearly

and logically.

0 ≤ mark

* Please see the study guide for a detailed description of each ECSA outcomeTOTAL (Out of 5)

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

ECSA Outcome 10.2 achieved

0 ≤ mark

Appendix B: Topic Registration Form

Topic Registration Form 2015 Project Code: Study Leader: Project Title:

Project Description:

In which chief Industrial Engineering domain does this project reside? (please tick one) Analytics & Synthesis Logistics & Supply

Chains Manufacturing Project Management

Industrial Engineers strive to continuously improve everything in their vicinity. What does this project aim to improve and in what way will this improvement be achieved?

Is the problem at hand solvable by a final year student within the available timeframe and with only the resources available?

What specific Industrial Engineering skills (tools/processes/procedures) will likely be used in this project?

What computer software will be used in this project?

Which basic elements from economics, business management, health, safety and environmental protection will be addressed?

Will an industry partner be involved in this project? If so – whom? Is there an agreement in place?

Please complete the following sentence: A student will have demonstrated that he/she successfully completed this project by delivering … (please complete)… on 26 October 2015.

I hereby declare that the topic has been registered and reviewed by peers and has been accepted as suitable for a Final Year Project.

Student Signature:

Study Leader Signature:

Coordinator Signature:

Date of approval:

Appendix C: Study Leader Declaration Form

Study Leader Declaration: Final Year Project 498, Industrial Engineering

2015 Candidate

Name: Student Nr:

Project Title:

Declaration: I declare that:

The student started and completed the final year project in 2015, I provided study leadership to the above student in the first semester and second semester of 2015, I have reviewed the draft project report, and I have provided feedback to the candidate on what needs to

be improved. I thus believe that this student is: (select an option)

ready for assessment in the final examination in November, 2015. possibly not ready for examination, but I would like to give the student the benefit of the doubt and allow

the student to be assessed by the examiners. not ready for examination, and should be referred for an internal review session.

Comments:

Study Leader: Signature: Date:

Note: This document is for internal use only, and must be signed by the study‐leader, and archived.

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