Project overview: For your final project, you will create a short video explaining a topic or concept in computer security in detail. This is an opportunity for you to explore any topic of interest to you in more detail. The topic could be a technical topic (e.g., web security) or a current event (e.g., the recent discussions about NSA wiretapping). Please feel free to ask the course staff if you have question about the appropriateness of your topic for this course.
Applicability of 20% per day late deductions: All portions of this assignment are due on time -- no 20% per day late deductions for any portion of the final project.
Preliminary due date #1: Wednesday, November 20, 2013 (5pm). Upload to Catalyst a PDF file that contains (1) your group members’ names and UWNetIDs and (2) a brief description of the topic of your presentation.
Preliminary due date #2: Wednesday, December 4, 2013 (5pm). Upload to Catalyst a PDF file that contains (1) your group members’ names and UWNetIDs and (2) an outline of your presentation and (3) a list of references that you have already used when researching your topic. The outline does not need to be super-detailed -- a single page or half page would be sufficient, as long as you can convey to us that you have a plan for your presentation.
Final due date: Thursday, December 12, 2013 (12:00pm).
Upload your presentation video to Catalyst. Submit a 12- to 15-minute video file. You may choose to use CamStudio (Windows only), QuickTime or Powerpoint’s built-in slide-show recording tools.
Also upload your presentation slides in PowerPoint or PDF format. Your group members’ names and UWNetIDs should be on the first slide.
You do not need to stand in front of a projector and record yourself and the slides with a video camera. You can just record what your computer displays (the animated slides) and what you say (the oral presentation). If you do use a video camera to record your presentation, then make sure that the slides are within the view of the video camera.
Your presentation needs to also include references to the main resources that you used to inform your presentation (websites, books, standards documents, source code, etc).
You must include in your slide deck and your oral presentation at least one slide on the legal or ethical (or both) issues associated with your topic in question.
Collaborative or not: You may work in groups of up to three people, though you are not required to work in groups. All group members must introduce themselves at the start of the presentation, and all group members must speak during the presentation.
Forming groups: We suggest forming groups with people interested in the same topic as you. You can use the forum to find such people. It is also OK if multiple groups present the same topic.
After submission and extra credit: We will download all the presentations and make them available to the class (we are still figuring out the best way to do this -- perhaps on the course web page, restricted to CSENetIDs, or on the forum, if the forum allows sufficiently large uploads). You may review up to two other presentations (not your own) for extra credit. For each review, you can submit (via Catalyst) a PDF with (1) your name and UWNetID, (2) the title of the presentation that you reviewed, (3) a copy of the link to the presentation that you reviewed, (4) a bulleted list, with three to five bullets, summarizing three to five things you learned from the presentation, and (5) a bulleted list, with three to five bullets, summarizing three to five things that you would like to learn more about. For (4), you must reference the portion of the video (e.g., minute 9:40) where you learned the relevant material.
Grading Rubric. We expect to grade according to the following rubric, or something similar.
Content | 4 - Exceptional | 3 - Admirable | 2 - Acceptable | 1 - Desire More |
Strength of Content | An abundance of material clearly related to the topic is presented. Points are clearly made and supported. | Sufficient information with many good points made, uneven balance and little consistency. | There is a great deal of information that is not clearly integrated or connected to the presentation topic. | Goal of presentation unclear, information included that does not support presentation topic or claims in any way. |
Organization | Information is presented in a logical and interesting sequence which the audience can follow. Flows well. First three slides make it very clear what the presentation is about (e.g., what the main points are, what the main goals of the presentation are) | Information is presented in a logical sequence which the audience can follow. | Audience has difficulty following the presentation because the presentation jumps around and lacks clear transitions. | Audience cannot understand presentation because there is no sequence of information. |
Visuals | Excellent visuals that are tied to the overall topic of the presentation. | Appropriate visuals are used and explained by speaker | Visuals are used but not explained or put in context. | Little or no visuals, too much text on slides. |
Mechanics | Presentation has no misspellings or grammatical errors | Presentation has no more than two misspellings and/or grammatical errors | Presentation has three misspellings and/or grammatical errors. | Presentation has many spelling and/or grammatical errors. |
Background References | Presentation clearly based on an in-depth investigation into related works and important references | References included, but lack of strong connection between references and the presented material | No references given, but presentation seems factually correct. | No references given, untrue statements made |
Discussion of legal / ethical issues | NA | Thoughtful consideration of legal / ethical issues, including at least one slide on the topic | Legal / ethical slide included, but treatment only superficially considered | Legal / ethical slide not included |
Submission Details | 4 - Exceptional | 3 - Admirable | 2 - Acceptable | 1 - Desire More |
Timing 12-15 minutes | Within allotted time. | NA | Within 30 seconds of allotted time, +/- | Too long or too short by more than 30 seconds. |
Names and UW NetIDs include on first slide; video uploaded in the correct format; slides uploaded in the correct format. | Everything submitted in the correct format. | NA | NA | At least one portion of the project not submitted in the correct format. |
All presenters introduce themselves at start of presentation | Yes | NA | NA | No |
Division of presentation | All presenters speak for roughly the same amount of time. | NA | NA | One or more presenters speak for significantly longer than others; one or more presenters speak for significantly shorter than others. |
Verbal Skills | 4 - Exceptional | 3 - Admirable | 2 - Acceptable | 1 - Desire More |
Enthusiasm | Demonstrates a strong positive feeling about topic during entire presentation | Occasionally shows positive feelings about topic | Shows some negativity toward topic | Shows absolutely no interest in topic |
Speaking Skills | Uses a clear voice and speaks at a good pace so audience members can hear presentation, does not read off slides. | Presenter’s voice is clear. The pace is a little slow or fast at times. Generally easy to hear presentation. | Presenter’s voice volume is low. The pace is much too fast/slow. Difficult to hear | Presenter mumbles, talks very fast, or speaks too quietly. Very difficult to hear or understand. |