This document outlines the scope of a small application designed to analyze university courses and report the average grade obtained in each.
1. Inclusions:
* Data Input: The application will accept course grade data from a specified source. This source will be defined in the project's requirements (e.g., CSV file, database connection, API endpoint). The input data must include at least the course ID and individual student grades for each course.
* Data Processing: The application will calculate the average grade for each course. This includes handling potential missing grades and using an appropriate averaging method (e.g., arithmetic mean).
* Report Generation: The application will generate a report displaying the average grade for each course. The report format will be defined (e.g., console output, text file, CSV file).
* Error Handling: Basic error handling will be included to manage invalid input data or processing errors. This will include informative error messages.
2. Exclusions:
* Data Validation beyond basic checks: The application will perform minimal validation of the input data (e.g., ensuring numerical grades are within a reasonable range). Comprehensive data cleaning and validation (e.g., handling inconsistencies, detecting outliers) are outside the scope.
* Advanced Statistical Analysis: Calculations beyond the simple average grade (e.g., standard deviation, grade distribution analysis) are excluded.
* User Interface (UI): A graphical user interface (GUI) is outside the scope. The application will likely be a command-line tool or produce a report file without user interaction beyond initial data specification.
* Database Management: The application will not handle database creation, modification, or persistent storage beyond reading data from a specified source.
* Integration with other systems: The application will not integrate with university systems like student information systems or learning management systems.
* Security features: Robust security features (e.g., authentication, authorization) are not included.
3. Problem Boundaries:
* Data Source Limitations: The application's functionality is contingent on the quality and structure of the input data. The application will not attempt to rectify major data inconsistencies or missing information.
* Grade Scale: The application will assume a consistent grading scale across all courses, although the specific scale (e.g., 0-100, letter grades) will be defined in the project requirements. Conversion between different grading scales is outside the scope.
* Large Datasets: While the application should handle a reasonable number of courses and students, performance optimization for extremely large datasets is not a primary concern.
4. Assumptions:
* The input data will be in a readily parsable format.
* The course ID will uniquely identify each course.
* Student grades will be numerical or easily convertible to numerical values.
This statement of scope aims to clarify the boundaries of the project to prevent scope creep and ensure timely delivery. Any deviations from this scope will be documented and agreed upon separately.