A-Level Computing Project Help

Which exam board is this for, AQA or WJEC? Either way, you can't just get straight in there with the programming (though you've left it dangerously late and your grade will probably suffer because of it.) You have to start with analysis of a 'problem' and then plan your solution thoroughly.

It's for AQA. Really? We were doing a lot of comp3 theory and learning basic java programming up until a couple of weeks ago when we were told we would have create a project. I've done most of them analysis work, its mainly just the programming side of things.. no idea where to begin.

Surely your design section should indicate exactly where you need to begin?

Start with the core algorithms, make sure they function with test data, and build out from there. If you're finding it completely impossible, then you have to seriously consider the system you're building.

Oh, all we've been told to do so far is identify a problem, a way to solve it, do some DFDs and get on with the programming?

To put this whole project in perspective, I did this last year, and I wrote the document sequentially. This was everything I did.

EDIT: Forgot the user guide was in a different place so that section is blank, if you want to have a look it's here.

Well... Looks like I've got a lot to do lol. I'm guessing you got an A?
Do you mind if I show some class mates? I'm sure it will help them out a lot as well.
Thanks a lot by the way

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Hi,

I need to make a project for A-Level computing. I've decided to make a break-even graph, it will ask the user for values and will draw the graph based on the values entered. Something like this:

http://www.dinkytown.net/java/BreakEven.html

I have no idea where to start or what I'll need to implement to achieve this. I get the basics of java and with a bit of help I think I should be able to create this. So all the help you can give will be much appreciated.

Thanks

I got 74/80 for this which was an A* but I got an A overall, yeah. Go for it, obviously beware of plagiarism etc but feel free to use the headings as rough templates and to help your classmates out. If you ask your teacher, they'll be able to log onto the AQA website and download the exemplar projects too (like mine just from a few years ago.)

Sorry to break it to you but if you have no idea where to start or what you'll need to implement this then you've got no chance. Firstly, you'd need to be used to Java as well as something like Java Swing.

You should be focusing on something much more simple than this at A Level and more application should be put into your design and thinking. A simple functional application with a well thought out process and documentation that shows you understand what you have done will get you far higher marks.

People think Computing/Computer Science is just going out and coding when it isn't. Its about teaching you to think methodically and logically and by thinking in that way you can build a set of instructions to find the solution to a given problem.

Your planning is of mass importance here so think about that as well. A concise and clear project will have planning, explanation of why you did things, implementation and then testing. Those will be of key importance to any computing project.

Planning - What you plan to do and how you plan to do it. Diagrams if needs be although I don't know if you are required to do UML diagrams at A Level computing.

Implementation - code the application based on your design choices. Are you going to develop it by feature? For example, a calculator could have the add feature then once thats done and tested you add the subtract feature and so on. Again, think about this and think about algorithms to solve problems.

Testing - compile tests in JUnit and in a test table in documentation. A good set of tests proves you understand the concepts and how to test for them and resolve them if a test fails.

Documentation, as annoying and tedious as it can be, is of key importance to any project and if you want top marks then you should be thinking about this. It will also give you an insight of Computer Science at university level.

Look at simple projects rather than trying to run before you can walk.

Also my teacher said this was a good project for me to do due to me wanting to do business at university and the complexity of the project would help me achieve a higher grade

They're right about the complexity; it will open up the full range of marks, whereas a really well done but 'simple' project could only score a C. You'll need run-time object creation, good OOP, O(n²) algorithms etc.

If I were you, alongside making sure your analysis and design are really in depth so you know exactly what you're building, make yourself seriously familiar with the parts of Java and Swing you'll need. Use online tutorials, library books etc. and just accept that this is going to take up a ridiculous amount of your time over the next few months.

I started my project in August, and finished it in the middle of March, and even then I was putting in 10 hour weekends and 3 hour week days quite frequently, excluding revising for the actual COMP 3 exam. You have to know your programming language of choice to a really strong level - the basics simply won't cut it.