Course Project Phase 1: Due in Week 4 (Begin in Week 1)
Objectives |Guidelines |Grading Rubrics |Best Practices |Week-by-Week Additions to the Project
Objectives
BUILDING A
PERFECT PC!
The CIS206 project is designed to
help you apply what you are learning using current hardware and software
options to build a PC that meets a specific purpose. Although this project is
due in Week 4, you will begin working in Week 1 and continue adding components
to your computer through the time the Project is due at the end of Week 4.
Start by selecting the purpose of your computer and a budget. Then you can work
to select components for your PC based on what you are learning in your class
activities. Download the project deliverable template and create a spreadsheet
in Week 1. (Remember, you will be turning in these two files in Week 4.)
Build on these as you work on building your perfect PC for the purpose and
budget you have selected.
Guidelines
Plan to build your perfect PC.
(Remember, you are to select each part of the computer. No kits are allowed. No
prebuilt computing devices are allowed. This project is designed to help you
apply what you are learning in this class using current hardware and software
options.) Use the lab project template to turn in your project questions.
Attach an Excel spreadsheet that includes the major components, specifications,
parts, vendors, pricing, and total cost as outlined below. (You can add
additional rows and columns to the Excel template if you want to add more than
the minimum in your completed computer build).
- Plan the purpose of your computer. (Remember, Chapter 1.3.1
in your textbook and Section 10.1 (Component Selection) in the PC Pro
LabSim will give you some ideas on what you might select as a purpose.) - Preplan a price range and try to stick to it. (Were you
able to stick to your budget? Why or why not?) - List all major components in your spreadsheet template.
(Include at least the motherboard, processor power, memory, drives, and
monitor size. Add to this list as needed). - Determine all necessary parts to buy. (Include at least
the case, expansion cards, NIC, and keyboard. Add to this list as needed.) - Include OS and software.
- Update an Excel spreadsheet with all specifications and
parts. See the Spreadsheet sample pdf file. - Price parts from two locations. You may use
brick-and-mortar stores in your area, such as TigerDirect, and online
sellers, such asnewegg.comorhttp://www.tigerdirect.com/. (Websites change all the time, so if you have trouble
with these 2 listed, you can use ones that you find as long as you cite
the sources you do use.) You can do all of your comparison shopping
online, if you desire. (You will be adding in the prices from these two
locations as separate columns in your spreadsheet. See Item 8 below.) - Update your spreadsheet with the seller’s name, prices,
and totals. (Make sure you add the vendor, price, and total for all the
items you select, as well as the total for the computer as a whole.) - Write a four- to five-paragraph report on your learning
and experiences in completing this project. Make sure to include an
introduction, two to three paragraphs about the project, and a conclusion
for full credit on this part of the assignment. Be sure to add in answers
to the questions asked in the summary for 1–8 above. - Remember, this portion of the project is worth 50points and is due to the Dropbox in Week 4, so
make sure you are thorough and complete in your essay.
Grading
Rubrics
|
Category |
Points |
% |
Description |
|
Completeness of specs and |
10 |
20 |
All major components, OS, |
|
Content, including brands, |
25 |
50 |
All points addressed with |
|
Quality and completeness of four- |
15 |
30 |
Report will not address the steps |
|
Total |
50 |
100 |
A quality project will meet or |
Download thePhase 1 project report. Remember, you will have two files
to submit in Week 4: the project report and your Excel spreadsheet.
Submit your assignment (two files—the
project report and the Excel spreadsheet) to the Week 4 Course Project Dropbox
located on the silver tab at the top of this page. For instructions on how to
use the Dropbox, read thesestep-by-step instructions
or watch this TutorialDropbox Tutorial.
See the Syllabus section “Due
Dates for Assignments & Exams” for due date information.
Best Practices
Work each week: Although this Project
is due in Week 4, start working in Week 1 and continue adding components to
your computer in each week of the class.
In
Week 1, you will be selecting the purpose of your computer, as well as a
budget. Find a purpose that will be
interesting to you as you address the components each week throughout the
course. (Remember, Chapter sections 1.3.1 in your textbook and Section 10.1
(Component Selection) in the PC Pro LabSim will give you some ideas on what you
might select as a purpose.) You will work towards selecting components for your
PC based on what you are learning in your class activities.
Budget: Were you able to stick to your original budget? Why or why
not? Include this information on the project template.
Template: Use the project template to answer
the questions and frame your project deliverables. Make sure you write in
complete sentences and address all sections of the project. The component lists
are the minimum—add in additional items as you find them.
Different computer purposes and
budgets will require different considerations for parts and budget. Make sure
you add in everything necessary for your specific purpose. Did you have to
modify your budget as you worked to select components each week?
Excel: Create an excel spreadsheet
that includes all of the gradable items.
- List all major components in your spreadsheet template.
Include at least the motherboard, processor power, memory, drives, and
monitor size. Add to this list as needed. - Determine all necessary parts to buy. (Include at least
the case, expansion cards, hard drive, memory, CPU, and keyboard. Add to
this list as needed.) - Include OS and software.
- Update an Excel spreadsheet with all specifications and
parts. - Price parts from two locations: You may use
brick-and-mortar stores in your area, such as TigerDirect, and online
sellers, such asnewegg.comorhttp://www.tigerdirect.com/. You can do all of your comparison shopping online, if
you desire. (Websites change all the time, so if you have trouble with
these 2 listed, you can use ones that you find as long as you cite the
sources you do use.) - Update your spreadsheet with the seller’s name, prices,
and totals. Add the prices from the two vendor locations as separate
columns in your spreadsheet. Make sure you add the vendor, price, and
total for all items you select, as well as for the computer as a whole.
Essay: Write a four- to five-paragraph
report on your learning and experiences in completing this project. Make sure
to include an introduction, two to three paragraphs about the project, and a
conclusion for full credit on this part of the assignment. Talk about the
purpose and budget issues, as well. How did you use your budget to select
components? Were there any surprises? Were you able to stick to your original
budget? Why or why not? Were there things you ended up not adding due to budget
restrictions? These are only some things to consider as you assess your project
work for the term. (Be sure to add in answers to the questions asked in the
summary.)
Remember, this portion of the
project is worth 50points, so make sure you are
thorough and complete in your essay.
Week-by-Week
Additions to the Project
Weeks 1 and 2: Week 1 is an introduction to
hardware and software, and you will learn to identify basic computer components
and the role of the operating system. Make sure you decide on a purpose for
your project and an associated budget. (Remember, Chapter 1 in your textbook will
give you some ideas on what you might select as a purpose.)
We also have an introduction to
motherboards, CPUs, memory, and BIOS/CMOS. We look at how a hard drive works
and what forms of peripherals, backup, and storage devices are available. Apply
what you are learning this week to your Course Project by investigating which
motherboard, CPU, memory selection, hard drive, peripherals, and storage media
is appropriate for your computer build.
Weeks 3 and 4: These weeks are an introduction to
the basic function of the operating system the most common types of operating
systems available. Apply what you are learning to your Course Project by
investigating which OS is appropriate for your computer and what version to
install. Also, think about needed additional software such as Microsoft Office
products or a specific gaming engine.
Week 5: Our introduction to networking and networking components
will not happen until Week 5. NICs were briefly mentioned in Week 1, so if your
purpose requires a network, at least choose whether wired or wireless NIC
should be purchased and what network transmission speed you would want.
Week 4: The Course Project is due this week and covers what was
learned in Weeks 1–4 about the components.\\
DATE:
PROFESSOR:
CIS206 COURSE
PROJECT PHASE 1 REPORT
Point distribution for this
project phase:
|
Category |
Points Possible |
Points received |
Description |
|
Completeness of specs and parts |
10 |
All major components, OS, and |
|
|
Content, including brands, prices, |
25 |
All points addressed with adequate |
|
|
Quality and completeness of four- to |
15 |
Report will not address the steps taken |
|
|
Total |
50 |
A quality project will meet or exceed all |
Remember
to use this template to submit your class project. Save the file with your name and CIS206
Project in the title. (Remove this comment before you turn in your lab!)
- What purpose did you select for
the computer you will be building?
ADD IN ANSWER HERE.
- What price range did you select
for the computer you will be building? Were you able to stay within
budget? Why or why not?
ADD IN ANSWER HERE.
- List all major components in
your spreadsheet template. Include at least the motherboard, processor
power, memory, drives, and monitor size. Add to this list as needed.
HAVE YOU CREATED AN EXCEL SPREADSHEET FOR THIS PROJECT? ARE THESE INCLUDED IN YOUR SPREADSHEET?
- Determine all necessary parts
to buy.(Include
at least the case, expansion cards, NIC, and keyboard. Add to this
list as needed.)
What parts did you decide to buy? ARE THESE INCLUDED IN YOUR
SPREADSHEET?
- Include OS and software.
What OS and software did you decide to include? ARE THESE INCLUDED
IN YOUR SPREADSHEET?
- Update an Excel spreadsheet
with all specifications and parts.
HAVE YOU UPDATED YOUR SPREADSHEET?
- Price parts from two locations.
You may use bricks and mortar stores in your area, such as TigerDirect and
online sellers, such asnewegg.comorhttp://www.tigerdirect.com/. So you can do all of your comparison shopping online,
if you desire.
WHAT TWO LOCATIONS DID YOU CHOOSE TO PRICE PARTS? (YOU WILL BE ADDING
IN THE PRICES FROM THESE TWO LOCATIONS AS SEPARATE COLUMNS IN YOUR SPREADSHEET.
(See item #8 below))
- Update your spreadsheet with
the seller’s name, prices, and totals.
ADD IN THE PRICES FROM THESE TWO LOCATIONS AS SEPARATE COLUMNS IN
YOUR SPREADSHEET. MAKE SURE YOU ADD THE VENDOR, PRICE, AND TOTAL FOR ALL ITEMS
YOU SELECT AS WELL AS THE COMPUTER AS A WHOLE.
- Write a four- to five-paragraph
report on your learning and experiences in completing this project. (15
points)
MAKE
SURE TO INCLUDE AN INTRODUCTION, two to three PARAGRAPHS ABOUT THE PROJECT, AND
A CONCLUSION FOR FULL CREDIT ON THIS PART OF THE ASSIGNMENT.
