GUIDELINES FOR DISSERTATION - BCA 6th SEM SIMS/AC/BCA/A/07

(BCA-356)

1.0 GGSIPU- ORDINANCE

GURU GOBIND SINGH INDRAPRASTHA UNIVERSITY, DELHI

BACHELOR OF COMPUTER APPLICATIONS (BCA)
SIXTH SEMESTER

________________________________________________________________________________
Code No. Paper L T/P Credits
________________________________________________________________________________
BCA 356 Major Project Dissertation - 08 04
________________________________________________________________________________

The student will submit a synopsis at the beginning of the semester for approval from the
departmental committee in a specified format. The student will have to present the progress of the
work through seminars and progress reports.

*Syllabus of Bachelor of Computer Applications (BCA), approved by BCA Coordination Committee on 7th May 2010 &
Sub-Committee Academic Council held on 31st May 2010. W.e.f. academic session 2010-11
2.0 GUIDELINES FOR DISSERTATION

2.1 SCOPE OF THE DISSERTATION

It is partly responsibility of the student to find a relevant topic for his/her term dissertation. If you are
involved in research or development in this area, your dissertation can relate to your work as long as
your work can be public. The dissertation is to study the selected problem and quality & shortcomings
of available solutions. In the report, you must also include any new solution you can think of and
general comments on why the problem is important.

The dissertation work could be based on literature survey, simulation study, or

implementation. You are allowed to perform original work, if you so desire.

2.2 OBJECTIVES

Students of Semester V are to carry out a software project as part of curriculum of BCA. At the
end of the semester the students are to submit a written project report to be forwarded to
GGSIP University. The objective of this Teaching Note is to standardize the format of
submission of the project report and to lay guidelines to conduct the project.

2.3 SYNOPSIS
The synopsis should be about maximum ten pages long and must be submitted in writing to
departmental committee in a specified format mentioned as section D. The committee will
return the synopsis to the student after due correction, if any for incorporation in the
dissertation work.
 Section-A

3.0 GUIDELINES FOR WRITING DISSERTATION

The Guidelines for carrying out the DISSERTATION is given in the following paragraphs. Each
student is to compile his/her study in five chapters as detailed below:

3.1 Chapter-1: Introduction/Problem Definition

3.1.1 Following aspects need to be covered in the first chapter:

(a) Brief Description of the Organisation: If the project work is being done outside the
Institute, describe the organisation, its nature of business, products, turnover, market
position etc.

(b) General Description of the System under Study: Briefly explain how the existing
information system achieving the task, which is under study.

(c) User Requirements: Explain in non-technical terms, why the existing information system
is not able to meet the current tasks against the objectives/standards/benchmarks of
the organisation. Problems faced by the existing system.

(d) Establish the Need of the New System:

 Give justification, How & Why without the new system user requirements cannot
be fulfilled.
 How will the proposed solution enhance the efficiency, effectiveness, better
control, security and achievement of objectives/standards/benchmarks?

(e) Objectives of the Project: Keeping in view the user requirements and needs, available
time and expertise, lay down the objectives of the project. Clearly spell out what is
proposed to be done in the project.

(f) Methodology: SDLC, Structured Analysis & Design, Object Oriented Design method or
Prototype method. You may follow a mixed methodology and tools; however, you
should clearly mention the steps and tools and techniques that you are going to follow
in the current project with brief justification.

(g) Data Required & Data Collection Method: You should establish requirement of data
and methodology/technique of data collection, e.g., interview, questionnaire, document
analysis. If questionnaire is developed, attach a copy of the questionnaire as appendix.
3.2 Chapter-2: Systems Requirement Analysis

3.2.1 In this chapter students are required to establish the user requirements by doing the systems
analysis of the existing system in vogue and by interacting with the management/staff of the
organisation. In every organisation a system does exist in some rudimentary or manual form, if
not computerised. The activities that are required to be carried out and to be described in the
project are:
(a) Identify the process (es).
(b) Identify the Input to and Output of each process, e.g., for Rail Reservation System input
is the form and output is a ticket.
(c) Identify the data elements (fields) in each input and output.
(d) Identify the procedures/rules/mathematical relationships used for converting input into
output.
(e) Identify the controls (for I/O & access), security needs, validation rules and codes used
for data elements.
(f) Identify deficiencies in existing system.

3.2.2 Having collected the data on the above aspects, analyse it and interact with the management
for any changes in process (es), input, output, procedures, access and control rights, security
needs and your suggestions for removing the deficiencies.

3.3 Chapter-3: Systems Design

3.3.1 Physical Design: Explain relationship between various components (processes, input, output &
entities) of the system. Draw DFDs and other diagrams.

3.3.2 Explain Processing Logic: Using Programme Flow Charts, Algorithm, Decision Table/Tree or
Pseudo codes.

3.3.3 Interface Design:

(a) Output Design: Screen & Print layouts, i.e., the format and contents (fields) to be included
– along with the file to which it is linked.

(b) Input (Form or Screen) Design: For keying-in data. Give fields, format, codes to be used,
validation (error detection) requirements & the file to which it is linked.

3.3.4 Database & File Design:

(a) Database Files/Tables Design: Depending on the DBMS/RDBMS package used, give
contents of each file including Field Name, Type, Size & Description.

(b) Programme Files or Query Design: Give purpose and detailed working of each
programme file or a Query and link it to the processing logic and Process/Input/output.
 (c) Compose Data Element Dictionary: List all the fields in all the files in alphabetical order
in a tabular form and serially numbered them.

Data Element Field Name Type & Size Field File Process
S.No. Description Name/No. Name/No.

3.4 Chapter-4: Systems Development

3.4.1 Purpose: To carry out the activities of writing actual programmes, their debugging, testing and
validation. Following activities are to be carried out:

(a) Programme Development: Explain the language or package used for developing the
programmes (both back-end and front-end).

(b) Testing & Debugging: Use Past Data to check whether the programmes work as intended
by
(i) Module Testing: Individual programme testing.

(ii) System Testing: Integrated module Testing for the entire system.

(You may like to include the test reports in the project to show the errors, if any, and a write-

up on their rectification).

(c) Validation: Check the system with Real-time Data for input, output, computational
processing & controls.

3.4.2 Attach programme codes, input and output designs and outputs using the real data in this
chapter. Codes may be attached as appendix.

3.5 Chapter-5: Systems Implementation

3.5.1 Following activities are required to be conducted:

(a) Acquisition: Workout the memory requirement, disk space required for programme (s)
and database (s). List out HW, SW and people resources required and indicate the cost
of the system.
(b) Conversion: Suggest change over procedures (Parallel, Direct or Partial Change over)
with justification.

(c) Training Needs: Establish the training needs of operating personnel, clerical/non-clerical
staff, supervisors, and senior staff.

(d) Documentation:

(i) Include Operation Manual (instructions for running programmes).

(ii) User Manual-Giving instructions & procedures for end-users (for data entry, output,

help etc).
 Section-B

4.0 FORMATS OF DISSERTATION

The final report should be written in the following the format:

 Title Page
 Certificate (s)
 Acknowledgements
 Executive Summary
 Contents
 List of Symbols
 Body of the Project Report
 Summary and Conclusions
 References
 Appendices
o List of Tables
o List of Figures

4.1 Title Page

The format of the title page is attached as SIMS/AC/BCA/A/07(A)

4.2 Certificates

The format of the certificate (from Students & Faculty Guides) is attached as
SIMS/AC/BCA/A/07(B)

The draft copy of the certificate (from Industry Guide) is attached as SIMS/AC/BCA/A/07(C)

4.3 Acknowledgements
In the “Acknowledgements” page, the student recognizes his indebtedness for guidance and assistance
to the adviser and other members of the faculty. Courtesy demands that he also recognizes specific
contributions by other persons or institutions such as libraries and research foundations.
Acknowledgements should be expressed simply, tastefully, and tactfully duly singed above the name

4.4 Executive Summary

An Executive summary is a brief or condensed summary of the work assigned and performed for
higher-level management positions. It should be about 3-4 pages in length. It is comprised of problem
definition, work assigned, methodology adopted for the performance of work assigned, findings,
limitations, directions for future development, if any.
4.5 Contents
The format of Contents is as follows

CONTENTS

S No Topic Page No
1 Certificate (s) -
2 Acknowledgements -
3 Synopsis/Executive Summary -
4 List of Tables -
5 List of Figures -
6 List of Symbols -
7 Chapter-1: Introduction/Problem Definition
8 Chapter-2: Systems Analysis of Existing System
9 Chapter-3: Requirements Analysis
10 Summary and Conclusions
11 References
12 Appendices

4.6 List of Tables

Table No Title Page No

1 Number of Employees in Organization ABC
2

4.7 LIST OF FIGURES

Figure No Title Page No

1 Sales Figures of ABC Company for 2010 – 12
2

4.8 LIST OF SYMBOLS

S No Symbol Nomenclature
& Meaning
1 At the rate
2

4.9 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

S No Abbreviated Name Full name

1 CRM Customer Relationship Management
2 EPS Earnings Per Share.
4.10 List of Symbols

Symbols that are used in the body of the text are to be listed in tabular form as given below:

S No Symbol Nomenclature & Meaning

1  Sigma (Summation)
2 Kbps Kilo bits per second

4.11 References/Bibliography
Examples are given below:

1. D.L. Carney, J.I. Cochran, “The 5ESS Switching System: Architectural Overview,” AT&T
Technical Journal, vol. 64, no. 6, July-August 1985, pp. 1339-1356.

2. A. Stevens, C++ Database Development, MIS Press, New York, 1992, p. 34.

3. J. Martin, Computer Database Organization, Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 1977, p.

53.

4. www.ibm.com/in

5. www.intel.com/india

4.12 Appendices

The appendices are to be attached at the end of the report/dissertation and to be numbered as
Appendix ‘A’ and Appendix ‘B’ etc. right justified at the top of the page. Below the world Section write
in parenthesis “Refer Para No__”. The para number is to be the number in the body of text where the
reference of appendix is given. An appendix may have annexure (s). If there are annexure, there are to
be attached immediately after the said appendix. The annexures are to be numbered as Annexure-I,
Annexure-II etc.
 Section-C

5.0 SPECIFICATIONS FOR BODY OF THE DISSERTATION

Following aspects must be adhered to as given in while compiling the body of report
(a) Page Size: Good quality white A4 size executive bond paper should be used for typing and
duplication.

(b) Chapter/Para Numbering: The chapters are to be numbered as Chapter-1, Chapter-2 etc. The
heading/title of the chapter is to appear below the chapter number in uppercase. Paragraphs
are to be numbered as 1,2,3 etc in every chapter separately. Sub-paras are to be numbered as
1.1, 1.2, 1.3----, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3-----etc. Sub-sub paras are to be numbered as 1.11, 1.12, 1.13, 2.11,
2.12, 2.13 etc.

(c) Page Specifications

(i) Left Margin : 1.25 inch
(ii) Right Margin : 1.25 inch
(iii) Top Margin : 1 inch
(iv) Bottom Margin : 1 inch

(d) Page Numbers: All text pages starting from Body of the Project Report as well as program
source code listings should be numbered at the bottom center of the pages.

(e) Normal Body Text

(i) Font Size: 12, Times New Roman, 1.5 Spacing, Single Side Writing.
(ii) Paragraphs Heading Font Size: 12, Times New Roman, Underlined
(iii) Page/Title Font Size: 14

(f) Table and Figure Number: Table and figure numbers are to be written at the bottom of
the table/ figure as given below:

(i) Table No-1: Number of Employees in Organisation ABC

(ii) Figure No-1: Data Flow Diagram

(g) Binding & Color Code of the Report

(i) Hard Bound Report

(ii) Background of the cover page - Red
(iii) Color of Letters: Silver
 Section D
FORMAT OF THE SYNOPSIS

1. Title of the Project

2. Introduction: Introduction and Objectives of the Project.

3. Project Category: Project Category (RDBMS/OOPS/Networking/Multimedia/Artificial

Intelligence/Expert Systems, etc.).

4. Organisation: Mention the name of organisation where you intend doing your project. Briefly explain
the nature of the organisation and its business.

5. Problem Definition: If an old information system is the topic of dissertation, what are the problems
with the existing system? In what ways your proposed system will improve the existing system? If a
new system is being proposed, how will it fulfill the user requirements? Explain the objectives of the
Project.

6. Methodology: Explain which methodology you will adopt for analysis and design, e.g., Classical SDLC
Method, Object Oriented Analysis & Design Method, Structured Analysis & Development Method or
Prototype Method.

7. Tools: Explain the software/hardware tools and platform that you propose to use in the project. Tools
/ Platform, Hardware and Software Requirement specifications.

8. Analysis: (DFDs at least up to second level, ER Diagrams/ Class Diagrams/ Database Design etc.
as per the project requirements).

9. Nature of Research: If you are writing the dissertation based on literature survey, give details of
literature to be surveyed. Explain whether the nature of research is exploratory or original thought
process is being pursued. Are you doing this project for any Industry/Client? Mention Yes/No. If Yes,
Mention the Name and Address of the Industry or Client.
 SIMS/AC/BCA/A/07(A)

MAJOR PROJECT REPORT ON

TITLE OF PROJECT REPORT

(Font Size=18)

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements

for the award of the degree of

BACHELOR OF COMPUTER APPLICATIONS (BCA)

to

Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Delhi

Under the Guidance of Submitted by

Dr. Name of Student
Faculty Guide BCA-VI Sem, Shift
Enrollment No.:

Session 20…….. – ………….

 SIMS/AC/BCA/A/07(B)

CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that……………………………………………………………………………………….……(Full Name of the Student),

a student of Bachelor of Computer Applications (BCA), a class of 20…………, Sirifort Institute of Management
Studies, Affiliated to GGSIP University bearing Enrolment No.……………………………………….………., has
undertaken the Dissertation at ………………………………………………………………….. (Name of the Company) during
………………………..……… to ………………………………….… under my supervision & guidance.

He / She has conducted a study & completed the Dissertation Titled

…………………………….…………………………………………………………….……………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Signature of the Guide

Name of the Guide: Date:
Designation:
Address:
 SIMS/AC/BCA/A/07(B)

Acknowledgement

I _______________________, Enrolment No. ______________from BCA-VI Sem, Shift___________ of the

Sirifort Institute of Management Studies, Delhi hereby declare that the Dissertation (BCA-356)
entitled____________________________________________________________________________________
_________at ________________________________ is an original work and the same has not been submitted
to any other Institute for the award of any other degree. A presentation of the Dissertation was made on
_______________________ and the suggestions as approved by the faculty were duly incorporated.

Date: Signature of the Student

Certified that the Dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of Bachelor of Computer Applications (BCA) to
be awarded by G.G.S.I.P. University, Delhi by _________________________, Enrolment No.
________________ has been completed under my guidance and is Satisfactory.

Date: Signature of the Guide

Name of the Guide:
Designation: