2023 ICT248 Cyber Forensics Assignment 2 Research Essay Student Name | Assignment Collections

ICT248

Cyber Forensics

Assignment 2 – Research Essay

Student Name                                     Student No.

Assignment 2 – Research Essay is a submission of an essay based on the cyber forensic environment and is worth 30% of the overall unit mark.

1.         Internal and external students undertake the same activities and are assessed the same.  The submission of a research essay based on the cyber forensic environment.  The length of the essay should be:

ICT248 Undergraduate students – 3,500 words.

2.         You are required to complete and submit a RESEARCH-BASED essay describing and discussing the processes AND challenges involved in identifying, recovering, securing, examining, analysing and preparing digital evidence from a crime scene.  This covers the theoretical part of the unit and should be based on the lecture/workshop material, this guide, the lecture notes and, most importantly your own research endeavours.  In my experience, employers are looking for graduates who possess analytical, research and communication (writing) skills above and beyond the components of the degree. 

3.         The essay MUST contain the following:

·         Introduction and table of contents – Defining your scope of coverage of the essay.

·         Content – To enhance your grades, you MUST include some description and discussion of  the following in your essay:

o   Describe digital evidence

o   Explain the key principles of cyber forensics.

o   Discuss investigation processes used to:

§  preserve

§  locate

§  select

§  analyse

§  validate, and

§  present evidence obtained from a computer for evidentiary purposes.

o   Discuss and the importance of crime reconstruction hypotheses and alternative hypotheses.

·         Conclusion – most students overlook and underestimate the conclusion – this is where you summarise the facts described in the body of your essay and add your own conclusions based on what you have read.  No new material should be added here.

·         Grammar and spelling – spell check your drafts – get a friend or relative to proof-read your drafts prior to submission.

·         References that are cited in the essay – use EndNote, if you wish.  This is available from the Library, free of charge. Post your draft to Turnitin (see separate instructions) to ensure that you have not inadvertently plagiarised the work of others.

·         Bibliography of other reference material that was used but not cited.

4.         Use appropriate headings and sub-headings that relate to the chosen topic.  The essay should include relevant quotations and examples to support discussion within the essay.

5.         The quality and breadth of references used will be taken into account and credit will be given for evidence of wide reading on the topic and use of material from a variety of sources (i.e., Learning Guide, books, journals, websites, newspapers, etc).

6.         You will also be assessed on the presentation of your essay, as well as the contents.  Marks will not be awarded where correct referencing is not used and will also not be awarded where the above instructions are not followed.  All assertions by other authors must be correctly referenced.  Please restrict your own comments to observations about the work of authors you are quoting.  Your own world view and statements of unsubstantiated facts (that are not referenced) do not earn marks.

7.         Please see the Online Resources page on the unit MyLMS homepage.  This will provide you with some links to help you with your essay preparation and writing.

Assignment 02 – Submission through Turnitin

8.         The University uses software called Turnitin which checks for plagiarism. Please note that when assignments are submitted electronically to Turnitin by you or your Unit Coordinator, a copy of your work is retained on the database to check collusion and future plagiarism. The University has a legal agreement with Turnitin that it will not share or reproduce student work in any form.

9.         For ICT248, Assignment 02, the Research Essay must be fully referenced where the assertions of other authors are being used and must first be submitted to Turnitin before it is submitted to LMS as a completed assignment.  The Turnitin account that will have been prepared for you by the Unit Coordinator and available through the Unit LMS site. 

Late submissions due to delays in submitting assignments through TURNITIN are not grounds for seeking an extension for the assignment.

HINTS AND TIPS

Some additional hints to help you prepare your essay and enhance your grades.

FORMAT:

Essay style may be in report form or an essay – that is your choice.

Use of heading and a table of contents makes it easier for you to structure the essay in a logical and cohesive form.  It also makes it easier for the reader to navigate your essay and helps prepare the reader for each new major concept that you are introducing.

Refer to the hints and tips on essay writing and referencing that may have already been posted in the MyLMS discussion board.  If you are not already making good use of the board by reading the contents, I exhort you to do so.

Include a descriptive title – many students do not do this – it’s like a sweet wrapper – is it a Fantale or a boring old Minty?  It prepares the reader for the delights you have in store for them!

Structure – should include:

Introduction – an overview of the key issues, concepts, etc., that you want to share with your reader – some of you may wish to include an abstract.

Body of the essay – more details of what you have stated in your introduction – use sub headings – logical flow of information and key and sub-topics – dot points ok, but don’t over use them – quotes should be kept to a minimum and are not included in the word count – extra points awarded for you paraphrasing the work of the authors you quote

Use linking paragraphs to introduce the next topic.

Some room for argument in your essay, but restrict this to your opinion of the work of credible authors you include in your essay.

Wherever you quote from an author, YOU MUST INCLUDE AN IN-TEXT CITATION.  One citation per paragraph will NOT suffice.  Use only APA 5^th style of referencing or failure to do so will result in marks nor being awarded.

Conclusion – no new information included here – reiterate the key points of the information you have provided in the body of your essay, and your conclusions about what you think are significant, trends, etc.

Referencing – as above – ensure it meets the academic standards of the university.  Suspected plagiarism will be reported to the Dean – so take care to avoid it. Bibliography to include those references you looked at but did not include as a reference will also make Richard happy if I am trying to find you an extra mark.

CONTENT

Again, read the question.  What do you think it means? If you are unclear, email me and seek my advice, but do some research first!

These are guidelines only – you may wish to include other information you have identified during your research.  A broad range of research of reputable and creditable sources will earn you good marks. Wikepedia, Googlestuff and how Stuff Works will incur my wrath!  Say 25 – 30 sound references – journals, government publications and guides, research from various security bodies and reputable journals will gain you those extra marks.

Check your speling and grammer and submit in WORD DOC or (DOCX) format please, I have not got the time to fiddle around with other versions.

A really helpful site I expect many of you are already using is provided by the Library:

http://wwwlib.murdoch.edu.au/help/begin.html

AND PLEASE, DON’T FORGET TO COMPLETE FULLY YOUR ASSIGNMENT COVERSHEETS –THANKS.

Try the new iGoogle feature that incorporates SFX FindIT to enhance your search for quality articles and books on the essay topic:

http://wwwlib.murdoch.edu.au/mylibrary/tools.html

Please ensure you avoid plagiarising the work of others

and please do read the following guidelines:

Academic Integrity

Murdoch University encourages its students and staff to pursue the highest standards of integrity in all academic activity.  Academic integrity involves behaving ethically and honestly in scholarship and relies on respect for others’ ideas through proper acknowledgement and referencing of publications.

Lack of academic integrity, including the examples listed below, may lead to serious penalties.

Find out more about how to reference properly and avoid plagiarism at:

http://our.murdoch.edu.au/Student-life/Study-successfully/Referencing-and-citing/

Adapted from Section 9.3 of the Assessment Policy, Plagiarism and Collusion
https://policy.murdoch.edu.au/documents/index.php?docid=401&mode=view

Plagiarism-checking software

The University uses software called Turnitin which checks for plagiarism. The Coordinator may have added a link to Turnitin in your online unit. Please note that when you or your Unit Coordinator submit assignments electronically to Turnitin, a copy of your work is retained on the database to check collusion and future plagiarism. The University has a legal agreement with Turnitin that it will not share or reproduce student work in any form.

Advice on using Turnitin can be found at
http://our.murdoch.edu.au/Educational-technologies/Turnitin/

Richard Boddington

Unit Coordinator – ICT248 & ICT548 Cyber Forensics

Perth, December 2012

If you can, please insert this completed form into the body of each assignment you submit. Follow the instructions in the Unit Information and Learning Guide about how to submit your file(s) and how to name them, so the Unit Coordinator knows whose work it is.