CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Over the years, several efforts have
been made to alleviate the burden on lecturers when it comes to result
computation/processing. Data processing is defined as the entire process of
converging or manipulating data into definite meaningful information. The
information obtained at the end of the process is the result. Therefore result
processing can be seen as a continuous process of converting data (which can be
scores, grades, points, credit units, etc) into definite meaningful
information, which can either be statement of result or transcript. The
endpoint of data processing activity by the administrative unit is the product
of basic documents and information (statement of result and transcript) from
basic data (which can be students’ scores, courses credit unit, grade point,
etc) for managements’ use.
In
educational institutions, the results produce information about the performance
of each student in various courses. These results obtained are used to check
the student’s level of understanding in the entire subject taught. In the
course of this research, an intensive investigation was carried out on how
physics and industrial physics department performs their result computation and
transcript generation. From my findings it appears that the current method
adopted needs improvement. Introduction of computer into the system will do the
much required work in result computation. Structured system analysis and design
methodology were applied as i arrived at the development of a new system. Also
visual basic programming language will be used to develop the required
software. It is an established fact that after every assessment examination or
research work, a result must be obtained. In any academic environment, there is
need to have results in order to monitor the student’s performance and to
generate transcripts whenever the need arises.
To
achieve this in higher institution, it involves the registration of courses and
students’ personal data, examination scores, computation of result, transcript
generation; record updating, etc. however, the problem is how to carry out
these activities. Precisely, the result processing and transcript generation
with the use of computer will reduce the burden of manual processing to the barest
minimum
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The
student result processing and transcript generation are done manually in
physics and industrial physics department long before now. The manual method of
result processing and transcript generation has many problems among which are:
i.
There is delay due to the
tediousness of manual result processing and transcript generation.
ii.
There is missing results as a
result of carrying about of files from one place to another; some results may
be lost in the process.
iii.
There are miscalculations most times especially during the
result computation, wrong formulae might be entered via the calculator.
iv.
There is duplication of results due
to the tiredness of the operator; a result can be duplicated since he/she has
no strength to trace the student’s data such as registration number.
v.
There may be omission because once these results have been
documented on paper, one finds it difficult to edit so as to cancel out some errors.
1.3 AIM AND OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The
aim of this research is to design and implement a computerized result
processing and transcript generation system. The specific objectives include:
i.
To use the computer to prevent delay
and reduce tediousness of manual result processing and transcript generation.
ii.
To prevent the issue of missing
results as a result of carrying files about
from one place to another.
iii.
To make it possible to achieve
accurate calculations especially
during the result computation.
iv.
To eradicate the issue of duplication
of results due to the tiredness of the operator.
v.
To prevent omission as a result of
the results been documented on paper.
1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
Research
carried out in computer science department shows that computations of results
are still done manually by some lecturers as well as transcript generation.
This leads to various problems which include. This project work will achieve
the following:
i.
Increase in efficiency
ii.
Easy detection and correction of errors
iii.
Reduce pressure of work on exam officers
iv.
Make computations less labor intensive.
Hence, the need for computerization of result processing and transcript
generation for physics department cannot be over emphasized.
1.5 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
This
project work covers the registration of courses and the recording of students’
examination scores as well as processing the scores in order to generate
results and finally generate the transcript for the department of computer
science, Federal Polytechnic Oko.
1.6 LIMITATION OF STUDY
This
project was faced with a number of restriction factors which made the work
impossible to get beyond this scope. The most pressing factors were:
i.
Lack of finance
ii.
Epileptic power supply
iii.
Inadequate supply of data
iv.
Inadequate time for the project
1.7 DEFINITION OF TERMS
Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA):-
this is the measure of the student’s overall academic performance at any given
time in his academic program. It is normally calculated at the end of the
session. It is calculated thus: - CGPA=GPA first semester + GPA second semester
/ total credit units for first
semester + total credit units for second semester.
Final Cumulative Grade Point
Average (FCGPA): This is the measure of the student’s over
all academic performance at the end of her academic program.
Grade Point Average (GPA):
This is the point in which the academic performance of a student is measured at
the end of every semester. It has the maximum value of 5.00 and minimum value
of 0.00. It can be calculated thus: GPA= sum of quality points / total credit units for all courses
registered in a semester.
Grade Point (GP):
this is the corresponding point 0.00-5.00 of the grade letters F-A
respectively.
Software: these are set
of logically related instructions given to the computer to perform some
specific task.
Statement Of Result: This contains the final cumulative grade point average
and the class of degree of a student. It is normally issued at the end of one’s
academic program.
Transcript:
it is a paper that outlines all the courses grade point average, cumulative
grade point average and final cumulative grade point average of a student.