SCSSE

School of Computer Science & Software Engineering

Faculty of Informatics

CSCI910 Formal Methods in Software Engineering

Subject Outline

Autumn Session 2007

Head of School –Professor Philip Ogunbona, Student Resource Centre, Tel: (02) 4221 3606

General Information

	Associate Professor Minjie Zhang
Telephone Number:	4221 4745
Email:	minjie@uow.edu.au
Location:	3.213

Associate Professor Zhang’s Consultation Times During Session

Subject Organisation

Session:

Autumn Session, Wollongong

Credit Points

Contact hours per week:

3 hours lectures

Lecture Times & Location:

Lecture A	Tue	09:30	11:30	3.122
Lecture B	Wed	10:30	11:30	19.G1OO

Tutorial Day, Time and Location can be found at:

http://www.uow.edu.au/student/sols/timetables/index.html

Week	Topic	Comments
1	Introduction to the Role of Formal Methods in Software Engineering and Introduction to Z notation
2	Understanding Formal Specifications
3	Understanding Formal Specifications	Assignment 1 Released (20%)
4	Understanding Formal Specifications by Z.
5	Writing Formal Specifications by Z
6	Writing Formal Specifications by Z
7	Other techniques in Formal Methods	Assignment 1 Due
8	Other techniques in Formal Methods
9	Other techniques in Formal Methods	Assignment 2 Released (20%)
10	Other techniques in Formal Methods
11	Other techniques in Formal Methods
12	Other techniques in Formal Methods
13	Exam Revision	Assignment 2 Due

Given the large number of malicious computer viruses that are spread via email please adhere to the following when contacting your lecturer by email.

Supply a subject heading commencing with CSCI910 together with some indication of the reason for contact e.g. CSCI910: Assignment help;
Send your email from your UOW mail account;

Failure to do so may result in your email being deleted without being read.

Students should check the subject’s web site regularly as important information, including details of unavoidable changes in assessment requirements will be posted from time to time. Any information posted to the web site is deemed to have been notified to all students.

Content

This subject introduces students to formal methods for software specification. The role of formal methods in the software development process is explained and investigated. The subject uses the Z notation as an example of a formal specification technique and introduces software tools for the creation and manipulation of Z specifications. Case studies of safety-critical and real-time systems are used as a basis for a study of the application of formal specification techniques. Topics will include: Introduction to formal approaches to design and specification, Review of mathematical foundation for formal methods, use of assertions and proof, analysis and verification of specification and design, disciplined approaches to design change, Z notation and its related software tools

Objectives

On completion of this subject the student should be able to:

1. Analyse a representative software engineering problem and develop an appropriate formal specification using Z notation

2. Identify circumstances requiring formal SE techniques

3. Verify the correctness of a formal specification

Attendance Requirements

It is the responsibility of students to attend all lectures/tutorials/labs/seminars/practical work for subjects for which you are enrolled.

It should be noted that according to Course Rule 003{Interpretation Point 2 (t)} each credit point for a single session subject has the value of about two hours per week including class attendance. Therefore, the amount of time spent on each 6 credit point subject should be at least 12 hours per week, which includes lectures/tutorials/labs etc

Supplementary Exams

While the School normally grants supplementary exams when the student does not sit the standard exam for an acceptable reason, each case will be assessed on its own merit and there is no guarantee a supplementary exam will be granted. If a supplementary exam is granted the date will be determined by the University via ARD. You will be notified via SOLS Mail the time and date of this supplementary exam. You must follow the instructions given in the email message.

Please note that if this is your last session and you are granted a supplementary exam, be aware that your results will not be processed in time to meet the graduation deadline.

Plagiarism

When you submit an assessment task, you are declaring the following

1. It is your own work and you did not collaborate with or copy from others.

2. You have read and understand your responsibilities under the University of Wollongong's policy on plagiarism.

3. You have not plagiarised from published work (including the internet). Where you have used the work from others, you have referenced it in the text and provided a reference list at the end ot the assignment.

4. Plagiarism will not be tolerated.

5. Students are responsible for submitting original work for assessment, without plagiarising or cheating, abiding by the University’s policies on Plagiarism as set out in the Calendar under University Policies, and in Faculty handbooks and subject guides. Plagiarism has led to the expulsion from the University.

This outline should be read in conjunction with the following documents:

Code of Practice - Teaching and Assessment

http://www.uow.edu.au/handbook/codesofprac/teaching_code.html

Key Dates

http://www.uow.edu.au/student/dates.html

Code of Practice - Students

http://www.uow.edu.au/handbook/codesofprac/cop_students.html

Information Literacies Introduction Program

http://www.library.uow.edu.au/helptraining/workshops/ilip/

Acknowledgement Practice Plagiarism will not be tolerated

http://www.uow.edu.au/handbook/courserules/plagiarism.html

Student Academic Grievance Policy