CIS 740 | Software Engineering

Instructor

Dr. Scott A. DeLoach (sdeloach@cis.ksu.edu, 785-532-6350)
Office - Nichols 324E
Office Hours - see Dr. DeLoach's schedule.

GTA

Patrick Rogers-Ostema (pjr9559@ksu.edu, 785-532-6350)
Manhattan, KS 66506
(785) 532-6350

Please watch this first: Course Overview Lecture. This lecture provides an overview of everything we will be doing in the course as well as how the course operates. The GTA was not known at the time of the recording; however, the GTA's contact information (when known) is listed above.

Overview

This course is an independent study course whose goals are to (1) ensure students have the background necessary for this and further graduate level software engineering courses, (2) introduce students to state-of-the-art research on a variety of topics related to software engineering, (3) give students an opportunity to learn how to read current software engineering literature, synthesize the information, and discuss it coherently in relation to current practice and research.

This course is being offered both on campus and via distance learning during Fall 2008.  There are no class meetings or exams; grades will based on four papers that cover specific software engineering areas: analysis & design, models & tools, validation & verification, and project management.

Meeting Times

This course is being offered both on campus and via distance learning during Fall 2008.  All students will take this course in an "independent study" format using K-State online and this website.  There are no class meetings or exams.

Prerequisites

CIS540, experience in software development, or familiarity with an undergraduate software engineering text (e.g. Pressman's "Software Engineering").

Purpose

Introduction to the theory of software engineering with emphasis on the current state-of-the-art and state-of-the-practice. The topics covered include: the software specification and notations, software measures, software development methodologies, testing, and reliability.

Textbook

The required readings will be available as PDF files from this website.

Recommended for Module 0: Roger S. Pressman, Software Engineering: A Practitioner's Approach, 6th ed. ISBN: 0072853182, 2005

Required Capabilities

To participate in this class, it is necessary for you to have:

• Access to K-State Online.  K-State Online will be used to take the initial background test and to disseminate grades.
• Capability to send and receive email with attachments (e.g., documents for homework assignments). Messages will be sent to students and it is their responsibility to read those email. Every student must supply the instructor with an email address.
• Capability to access documents on web pages including a up-to-date version of a  PDF file viewer (e.g., Adobe Acrobat).

Course Outline

CIS 740 is an independent study course.  The student is responsible for completing each module (0 - 4) at his/her own pace by the end of the semester.  The course has two basic objectives.  First, to ensure the student has sufficient background to move into more advanced software engineering courses offered at the graduate level.  Second, to introduce the student to advanced software engineering issues and introduce them to professional level literature from software engineering journals.  To pass the course, the student must be able to read, understand, synthesize, and discuss this literature.

Module 0: Background

This module will ensure that the student has the appropriate background to proceed with the remainder of this course and the related software engineering courses at Kansas State.  The student must have a sufficient background in the following areas:

• Software processes and lifecycles
• Software requirements, analysis, and design methods/techniques
• Software testing
• Product and process metrics
• Project management concepts

The student must demonstrate this proficiency before proceeding to Modules 1 - 4. Failure to pass Module 0 during the student's first semester will result in an F for the course. Students needing to review or learn these concepts should refer to the following chapters of the recommended text: Software Engineering: A Practitioner’s Approach (6th edition) by Roger Pressman.

Chapter 2	Process	Chapter 13	Software Testing Strategies
Chapter 3	Prescriptive Process Models	Chapter 14	Software Testing Techniques
Chapter 7	Requirements Engineering	Chapter 15	Product Metrics for Software
Chapter 8	Analysis Modeling	Chapter 21	Project Management Concepts
Chapter 9	Design Engineering	Chapter 22	Process and Project Metrics
Chapter 10	Architectural Design	Chapter 23	Estimation for Software Projects
Chapter 11	Component-Level Design	Chapter 24	Software Project Scheduling

Assessment: The student will take a 50 question (~ 4 per chapter) multiple-choice test via K-State Online.  The student must pass with 80% or higher to move on to modules 1 - 4.  This is a pass/fail exam only; however, if the student fails, he or she will be allowed to take the exam multiple times.  However, failure to pass Module 0 during the student's first semester will result in an F for the course. Each test will be created by randomly selecting questions from a pool of related questions.  There is a 3 day wait period between each time the student may take the test.  Students are also expected to take the exam at least once a week until they pass it. Students must request to the GTA that their test be "reset" before it can be taken again. If requested, students will be told the questions they missed but will not see test key.

Module 1: Analysis & Design

The student will be required to read 3/4 papers such as the ones below and write a short paper based on specific guidelines to be given out later. 

• Nenad Medvidovic, David Rosenblu, David Redmiles, Jason Robbins.  “Modeling Software Architecture in the Unified Modeling Language.”  ACM Trans on SW Engineering & Methodology, 11(1), January 2002

• Bansiya, J.; Davis, C.G. “A Hierarchical Model for Object-oriented Design Quality Assessment.”  IEEE Trans on SW Engineering, 28(1), Jan 2002, Pages 4-17

• Robert France, Dae-Kyoo Kim, Supdipto Ghosh, and Dundee Song, “A UML-Based Pattern Specification Technique.” IEEE Trans on SW Engineering 30(3), March 2004, Pages 193-206.

Module 2: Models & Tools

The student will be required to read 3/4 papers such as the ones below and write a short paper based on specific guidelines to be given out later. 

• Thomas O. Meservy, Kurt D. Fenstermacher.  “Transforming Software Development: An MDA Road Map.”  IEEE Computer, 38(9), September 2005, pp. 52-58.

• Sebastian Uchitel, Jeff Kramer, Jeff Magee.  “Synthesis of Behavioral Models from Scenarios.”  IEEE Trans on SW Engineering, 29(2), February 2003, pp. 99-115.

• Kevin L. Mills, Hassan Gomaa.  “A Knowledge-Based Method for Inferring Semantic Concepts from Visual Models of System Behavior.”  ACM Trans on SW Engineering & Methodology, 9(3), July 2000, pp. 306-337.

Module 3: Validation & Verification

The student will be required to read 3/4 papers such as the ones below and write a short paper based on specific guidelines to be given out later. 

• Whitaker, James A.  What is Software Testing? And Why is it So Hard?.  IEEE Software, January/February 2000.

• Andrews, Anneliese, France, Robert, Ghosh, Sudipto, and Craig, Gerald. Test Adequacy Criteria for UML Design Models.  Software Testing, Verification and Reliability. 2003 13:95-127.

Module 4: Project Management

The student will be required to read 3/4 papers such as the ones below and write a short paper based on specific guidelines to be given out later. 

Grading

Grading for this course will be based on total points earned. If the student receives at least 90% of the total possible points, the student will receive an A in the course. Similarly, a B for at least 80% and a C for 70%.

• Module 0 - must pass before taking any other modules.
• Module 1 paper - 25%
• Module 2 paper - 25%
• Module 3 paper - 25%
• Module 4 paper - 25%

Failure to pass Module 0 during the student's first semester will result in an F for the course.

Due Dates

While there are no static due dates for completing the modules, there are some rules that will establish due dates for modules 1 - 4 based on completion of module 1.

1. Module 0 must be successfully completed by the end of the semester. In addition, until the Module 0 test is passed, each student must take the Module 0 test at least once each week.  Failure to take the Module 0 test in any week prior to passing it will result in a 5% reduction in the overall grade given at the end of the semester.
2. After passing a module, the student will have 3 weeks to turn in the next module. Thus, once the Module 0 test has been passed, the student will have 3 weeks to turn in Module 1.  After turning in Module 1, the student must turn in Module 2 no later than three weeks after turning in Module 1.  Failure to turn in a module by the due date will result in a 20% penalty on that module with each additional week late causing another 20% reduction.

Academic Honesty

Kansas State University has an Honor System based on personal integrity which is presumed to be sufficient assurance in academic matters one's work is performed honestly and without unauthorized assistance.  Undergraduate and graduate students, by registration, acknowledge the jurisdiction of the Honor System.  The policies and procedures of the Honor System apply to all full and part-time students enrolled in undergraduate and graduate courses on-campus, off-campus, and via distance learning.

A component vital to the Honor System is the inclusion of the Honor Pledge which applies to all assignments, examinations, or other course work undertaken by students. The Honor Pledge is implied, whether or not it is stated:  "On my honor, as a student, I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid on this academic work."

• For individual assignments, the default in this class is that ALL work will be accomplished individually, UNLESS my permission is given in advance of an assignment/quiz/exam/take-home exam/final. If you are in doubt, please ask.
• For team assignments, the default in this class is that ALL work will be accomplished only by members of the team, UNLESS my permission is given in advance of an assignment/project. If you are in doubt, please ask.

A grade of XF can result from a breach of academic honesty.  The F indicates failure in the course; the X indicates the reason is an Honor Pledge violation.

For this course, you are also required to watch Dr. DeLoach's Honor & Integrity lecture and fill out and turn in a Honor & Integrity Statement.

Academic Accommodations for Disabled Students: 

Any student with a disability who needs an accommodation or other assistance in this course should make an appointment to speak with me as soon as possible (within the first two weeks of the course).

Copyright Issue: 

Class and lecture notes for this course carry a copyright 2007 and author Dr. Scott A. DeLoach. Students are prohibited from selling (or being paid for taking) notes during this course to or by any person or commercial firm without the express written permission of the professor teaching this course.

Harassment Policy: 

I believe that engineers must not only be the people who know how to do things right, but also those who know the right things to do. (Quote by Dr. Joseph Bordogna, National Science Foundation). One purpose of your education is to help you develop skills, approaches, and abilities that are necessary for effective teamwork, and for your success in your profession and as a citizen. It is important that you understand your rights and responsibilities regarding the University's Sexual and Racial Harassment policies. (full text of the policies can be found on KSU's web site at http://www.ksu.edu/uauc/fhbook/fhxj.html. If you experience any situations, in or out of class, that seem inappropriate or that make you uncomfortable, a list of resources and courses of action to assist you can be found on the College of Engineering web site at http://www.engg.ksu.edu/students/statement-harassment.htm.

Expectations for Classroom Conduct

All student activities in the University, including this course, are governed by the Student Judicial Conduct Code as outlined in the Student Government Association By Laws, Article VI, Section 3, number 2. Students that engage in behavior that disrupts the learning environment may be asked to leave the class.

Campus Safety

Kansas State University is committed to providing a safe teaching and learning environment for student and faculty members. In order to enhance your safety in the unlikely case of a campus emergency make sure that you know where and how to quickly exit your classroom and how to follow any emergency directives. To view additional campus emergency information go to the University's main page, www.k-state.edu, and click on the Emergency Information button.

Assignment Guidelines

For Individual Homework Assignments/Papers

For All Assignments