This writing assignment will be more valuable if you work with one partner. You may work alone, but you will learn more from this exercise if you collaborate. If you work with a partner, submit the same report and put both names on the report. Post your homework assignment on BOTH class websites before class starts on the due date.

For this assignment, you should start by stating whether you have taken CS/SWE 321. Then, you will write a short essay. The subject will be the difference between traditional software development and web software development. You should think about

• how web applications are developed as opposed to how traditional software are developed
• what makes web applications more difficult to test than traditional software applications
• what makes it more difficult to ensure the quality of web applications than to ensure the quality of traditional software applications

The essay should be short and to the point. Although I will not put a length limit on it, 1 page is about right. An essay that has more than 2 pages is probably too long and has unnecessary information. If you try to make your argument in 1 paragraph, I will either be very very impressed by how concise you are, or disappointed in how little is said.

Submit your report by making a link to it on your website. If you work with a partner, put both of your names on the report. Both team members must submit a link on their websites.

As before, you can put the report up as an HTML file or formatted as PDF. No word processor files. No handwriting. If you choose to use a word processor, you can save it to a file as PDF. If you use MS Word, PDF files can be created if you have Adobe Writer and several free tools (for example CutePDF). Your file should be saved as html and have the name yourname-assignment4.html (or pdf and have the name yourname-assignment4.pdf).

Making your report available to me is your responsibility; if I cannot access your file then you will not get credit. Be sure to test access to your file before the due date.

Grading Rubric

The grading for this assignment will be as follows:
[Total: 20 points]

• (4 points) — Thesis is clearly presented in the first paragraph
• (0 point) — No thesis statement
• (1-2 points) — Thesis is specified but is ambiguous
• (3-4 points) — Thesis is clearly specified and is reasonable
• (10 points) — The body of the document develops and supports the thesis
• (0 point) — No body supporting the thesis
• (1-5 points) — The thesis is vaguely supported, lack of evidence, or unreasonably justified
• (6-8 points) — The thesis is supported and justified with minimal evidence
• (9-10 points) — The thesis is clearly supported and reasonably justified with appropriate evidence
• (2 points) — The essay is well-organized and flows well
• (2 points) — Put the report up as an HTML file or formatted as PDF and follow the naming convention
• (2 points) — Submit your report by making a link to it on your website

© Based on documents by Dr. Jeff Offutt (the original author) and Dr. Kinga Dobolyi, use with permission of the author. This document is made available for use by GMU students of SWE 432. Copying, distribution or other use of this document without express permission of the author is forbidden. You may create links to pages in this web site, but may not copy all or part of the text without permission of the original author.