Seminar Report Requirements

EGEN5208W Databases for Soft Engineers

Course: EGEN5208W Databases for Soft Engineers
Instructor: Abdelghny Orogat
Department: Department of Systems and Computer Engineering
University: Carleton University

Overview

Each student must submit an individual PDF report documenting their assigned seminar topic. The report should demonstrate deep understanding of the topic, critical analysis, and clear technical communication. The report complements the oral presentation and allows for more detailed exploration of technical concepts, comparisons, and examples.

Report Format Requirements

Document Specifications

Format: PDF only
Length: 8–12 pages (excluding cover page, table of contents, references, and appendices)
Page Size: Standard letter size (8.5" × 11")
Margins: 1 inch (2.54 cm) on all sides
Font: 11pt or 12pt, serif or sans-serif (e.g., Times New Roman, Arial, Calibri)
Line Spacing: 1.5 or double spacing
Page Numbers: Required on all pages except cover page

Required Sections

Cover Page: Title, student name, student number, course code, date, topic number and title
Table of Contents: With page numbers
Introduction: Context, motivation, and scope of the topic
Technical Content: Core concepts, system architecture, design decisions, trade-offs
Analysis and Comparison: Comparison with alternatives, limitations, failure cases
Concrete Examples: Real-world use cases, production scenarios, code snippets or diagrams where appropriate
Conclusion: Summary, key takeaways, and implications
References: Properly cited academic and technical sources

Content Requirements

All content from the presentation requirements must be addressed in the report
Must include at least one comparison with alternative approaches or systems
Must identify and analyze at least one limitation or failure case
Must provide concrete examples with justification. Concrete examples may include system architectures, production incidents, benchmarks, attack scenarios, or configuration patterns, depending on the topic.
Diagrams, tables, and figures are encouraged and should be properly captioned and referenced. Not all reports require code; architectural diagrams and structured analysis are equally valid where appropriate.
Code snippets or configuration examples should be formatted clearly and explained when included

Writing Standards

Formal academic tone; avoid conversational language
Precise technical terminology
Clear, declarative sentences
Logical flow between sections
Proper grammar and spelling
Consistent citation style (IEEE, ACM, or APA format)

Submission Requirements

File Naming: EGEN5208W_Report_[LastName]_[FirstName]_[Topic#].pdf
Submission Method: Submit through Brightspace
Due Date: As specified in Brightspace (same day as the presentation date)
Late Policy: As per course policy stated in Brightspace

Evaluation Criteria

Reports are evaluated based on the following dimensions:

Criterion	Description
Technical Depth	Accurate understanding of core concepts, system architecture, and design principles. Demonstrates ability to explain complex technical topics clearly.
Analysis and Critical Thinking	Quality of comparisons, trade-off analysis, identification of limitations, and justification of design decisions.
Concrete Examples	Relevance and clarity of real-world examples, use cases, and technical demonstrations.
Organization and Structure	Logical flow, clear section organization, effective use of headings, tables, and figures.
Writing Quality	Clarity, precision, formal academic tone, grammar, spelling, and proper citation format.
Completeness	All required sections present, all presentation requirements addressed, appropriate length and depth.

Additional Notes

The report should be written independently, even if multiple students present on the same topic
Plagiarism will be handled according to Carleton University's academic integrity policies
All sources must be properly cited; direct quotes must be clearly marked
Diagrams and figures should be original or properly attributed if adapted from sources
Questions about report requirements should be directed to the instructor via Brightspace