Overview
In this unit, you will gain hands-on experience in designing, dimensioning and simulating industrial data communication networks. You will be introduced to relevant communication principles and techniques, common signal transmission media, transmission mechanisms and modes and signal processing techniques used in communication systems. You will apply mathematical analysis techniques to study different telecommunications systems and their applications. You will also be introduced to different communication standards and protocols commonly used in industrial communication and automation systems. This unit will also provide you with opportunities to further develop communication skills through collaborative team work and individual presentations.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Pre requisites: (ENEE13018 Analogue Electronics AND ENEE13020 Digital Electronics) OR ENEX12002 Introductory Electronics
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 1 - 2020
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes – in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University’s Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback – Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from emails, unit evaluation
Decimal error margins in some quiz questions were too narrow.
Review the error boundaries in quiz questions. Provide information for students not to approximate on intermediate steps.
Feedback from unit evaluation
Some assessment questions were hard and required new knowledge.
Continue to educate the students about the need to do research to solve some problems. Develop more tutorial problems addressing different topics.
Feedback from unit evaluation
Lecturer responded quickly to student queries.
This practice will continue.
- Apply the fundamental concepts and principles of data communications, including modulation, signal transmission media and modes, signal processing tasks and error control mechanisms
- Explain the operation of modern data communications network devices and systems
- Apply and explain the use of mathematical analysis techniques in the study of telecommunication systems
- Compare and evaluate data communication standards used in the instrumentation and control environments
- Design simple communication networks using appropriate software tools
- Create professional documentation of the solutions, designs and analysis process using electrical terminology, diagrams and symbols that conform to Australian Standards
- Work individually and collaboratively in a team to produce high quality outputs
The learning outcomes are linked to Engineers Australia Stage 1 Competencies and also discipline capabilities.
You can find the mapping for this on the Engineering Undergraduate Course website.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | |
| 1 - Online Quiz(zes) - 20% | |||||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 20% | |||||||
| 3 - Written Assessment - 20% | |||||||
| 4 - Practical and Written Assessment - 40% | |||||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | |
| 1 - Communication | |||||||
| 2 - Problem Solving | |||||||
| 3 - Critical Thinking | |||||||
| 4 - Information Literacy | |||||||
| 5 - Team Work | |||||||
| 6 - Information Technology Competence | |||||||
| 7 - Cross Cultural Competence | |||||||
| 8 - Ethical practice | |||||||
| 9 - Social Innovation | |||||||
| 10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | |||||||
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | |
| 1 - Online Quiz(zes) - 20% | ||||||||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 20% | ||||||||||
| 3 - Written Assessment - 20% | ||||||||||
| 4 - Practical and Written Assessment - 40% | ||||||||||
Textbooks
Data and Computer Communications
10th edition (International Edition) (2014)
Authors: William Stallings
Pearson Education
ISBN: 9781292014388
Binding: Other
Additional Textbook Information
Copies can be purchased from the CQUni Bookshop here: http://bookshop.cqu.edu.au (search on the Unit code)
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
- eBooks from the CQUniversity Library
- Online Resources from Library
- Online Resources as specified on Moodle
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: Harvard (author-date)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
a.jayasuriya@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Amplitude Modulation
Chapter
CRO
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Frequency Modulation
Chapter
CRO
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Data Transmission Techniques
Chapter
3, 4
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Signal Encoding, Error Detection and Correction
Chapter
5, 6
Events and Submissions/Topic
Online Quiz 1 due Friday 11:55 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Data Communication Networks and the Internet
Chapter
1, 2
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Transport Layer
Chapter
15, 20
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Network Layer
Chapter
14, 19, 21
Events and Submissions/Topic
Online Quiz 2 due Friday 11:45 PM AEST
Module/Topic
Data Link Layer
Chapter
7, 8
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Local Area Networks
Chapter
11, 23
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Ethernet
Chapter
12
Events and Submissions/Topic
Online Quiz 3 due Friday 11:45 PM AEST
Module/Topic
Wireless LANs and Mobile Networks
Chapter
13,10
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Networked Control Systems
Chapter
Online Resources as specified on Moodle
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Online Quiz(zes)
The assessment is a set of 3 online quizzes which can be accessed via the unit Moodle site. A set of multiple choice and calculation questions is assigned for each week. The quizzes are an integrated part of the study to test on the key concepts of each topic. Although the quizzes don't have a set time to complete, the suggested time for each quiz is provided at the start of the quiz and you should try to complete the quiz in that time. Students are strongly advised to sufficiently cover the material related to each quiz before starting the quiz.
Each quiz can be attempted several times, but the score for the quiz will be the score for your first attempt. In your different attempts you will be receive different problems as the system randomly select the problems from a set of problems specified for each question. Correct answer for the quiz questions will be available immediately after you submit your answers.
If you encounter any network access issues during the quiz, the unit coordinator should be notified at your earliest convenient.
3
Other
Friday weeks 4, 7, 10 11:59 pm
Results are available immediately after the completion of each quiz.
No Assessment Criteria
- Apply the fundamental concepts and principles of data communications, including modulation, signal transmission media and modes, signal processing tasks and error control mechanisms
- Explain the operation of modern data communications network devices and systems
- Compare and evaluate data communication standards used in the instrumentation and control environments
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
2 Written Assessment
This assessment item covers the topics 1-5. The assignment questions will be released on the unit website at least 3 weeks before the assignment must be submitted for assessment. It is not expected that students will type up equations and calculations. Students can scan clear and legible hand written calculations for online submission.
Week 6 Monday (20 Apr 2020) 11:45 pm AEST
Within 2 weeks after the due date
The assignment will be graded using the following criteria:
- Correct answers;
- Correct format;
- All workings must be shown to obtain marks;
- Assignment must be neat, tidy and legible;
- All questions must be attempted.
- Apply the fundamental concepts and principles of data communications, including modulation, signal transmission media and modes, signal processing tasks and error control mechanisms
- Explain the operation of modern data communications network devices and systems
- Apply and explain the use of mathematical analysis techniques in the study of telecommunication systems
- Compare and evaluate data communication standards used in the instrumentation and control environments
- Create professional documentation of the solutions, designs and analysis process using electrical terminology, diagrams and symbols that conform to Australian Standards
- Work individually and collaboratively in a team to produce high quality outputs
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
- Cross Cultural Competence
3 Written Assessment
This assessment item covers the topics 6-11. The assignment questions will be released on the unit website at least 3 weeks before the assignment must be submitted for assessment. It is not expected that students will type up equations and calculations. Students can scan clear and legible hand written calculations for online submission.
Review/Exam Week Monday (8 June 2020) 11:45 pm AEST
Within 2 weeks after the due date
The assignment will be graded using the following criteria:
- Correct answers;
- Correct format;
- All workings must be shown to obtain marks;
- Assignment must be neat, tidy and legible;
- All questions must be attempted.
- Apply the fundamental concepts and principles of data communications, including modulation, signal transmission media and modes, signal processing tasks and error control mechanisms
- Explain the operation of modern data communications network devices and systems
- Apply and explain the use of mathematical analysis techniques in the study of telecommunication systems
- Compare and evaluate data communication standards used in the instrumentation and control environments
- Create professional documentation of the solutions, designs and analysis process using electrical terminology, diagrams and symbols that conform to Australian Standards
- Work individually and collaboratively in a team to produce high quality outputs
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
- Cross Cultural Competence
4 Practical and Written Assessment
In this assessment you are required to design a network to satisfy a set of given communication requirements. You will be presenting your design using a project report. The minimum components required in the project report are:
- Requirement analysis
- Literature review
- Overall network architecture
- Designing/dimensioning the network components
- Justification for choices made
More information about the assessment will be available from the unit Moodle site at the start of the term.
Exam Week Monday (15 June 2020) 11:45 pm AEST
Within 2 weeks after the due date
The assignment will be graded using the following criteria:
- Correct design methodology;
- Correctness and clarity of technical details;
- Justification of methods used and choices made;
- Ability to gather and evaluate authoritative information and proper use of references;
- Where relevant, all workings must be shown to obtain marks;
- Assignment must be neat, tidy and legible;
More details about assessment criteria will be available from the unit Moodle site.
- Apply the fundamental concepts and principles of data communications, including modulation, signal transmission media and modes, signal processing tasks and error control mechanisms
- Explain the operation of modern data communications network devices and systems
- Apply and explain the use of mathematical analysis techniques in the study of telecommunication systems
- Compare and evaluate data communication standards used in the instrumentation and control environments
- Design simple communication networks using appropriate software tools
- Create professional documentation of the solutions, designs and analysis process using electrical terminology, diagrams and symbols that conform to Australian Standards
- Work individually and collaboratively in a team to produce high quality outputs
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Team Work
- Information Technology Competence
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
