Writing a Literature Review in Computing Science
This individual assessment requires students to write a concise literature review on a selected topic within computing science. The review should be no more than six pages in length and should be written in a style appropriate for a general computing science audience. The assignment is designed to demonstrate technical knowledge, independent learning, effective written communication and professionalism in producing a concise technical document. Students must select a research topic from one of five permitted areas: algorithmic bias and fairness, a data science application, quantum computing, the Internet of Things (IoT), or the use of artificial intelligence in cybersecurity. Possible topics include how algorithms can discriminate and techniques for detecting and correcting algorithmic bias, applications of data science in areas such as agriculture or healthcare, quantum computing algorithms and hardware, technical IoT problems and potential solutions, and the use of AI for cybersecurity threat detection and prevention. The literature review must contain several required components. The first page should contain only the title, student number, abstract and statement of AI usage. The abstract must provide a concise overview of the review and must not exceed 200 words. The report should also include an introduction that provides broad background information before narrowing the discussion to the selected research topic. The introduction should explain why the topic is important and provide relevant context and examples of applications. Students are expected to review a range of relevant literature, including theories, methods, techniques, ethical concerns or tools where appropriate. The selected literature should not simply be described individually; instead, students must synthesise the sources to identify important themes, findings and areas of interest and provide a critical review of the literature. The conclusion should summarise the main findings, identify open issues and discuss possible future directions. The assessment must include a bibliography with accurate and up-to-date references formatted using Harvard style. The final document may be prepared in LaTeX or Word but must use one of the provided templates and be submitted as a PDF through Blackboard. The complete review, including figures and bibliography, must not exceed six pages. The assessment is marked according to structure, sources and their description, synthesis and critical review, and presentation.
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