Module Details
The information contained in this module specification was correct at the time of publication but may be subject to change, either during the session because of unforeseen circumstances, or following review of the module at the end of the session. Queries about the module should be directed to the member of staff with responsibility for the module.
Title SOFTWARE TESTING AND QUALITY ASSURANCE
Code CKIT535
Coordinator Mr K Dures
Computer Science
K.Dures@liverpool.ac.uk
Year CATS Level Semester CATS Value
Session 2018-19 Level 7 FHEQ Whole Session 15

Aims

1. To provide exposure to a critical specialisation in the field of software engineering.

2. To develop key skills in software quality assurance and testing required for effective practice in the field of software engineering.

3. To provide students with knowledge and skil ls required to be a practising software professional.

4. To provide students with knowledge and skills required by potential employers in the field of software engineering.

Learning Outcomes

Demonstrate the importance of software quality assurance and testing in the context of modern software projects and organisations.

Evaluate critically best-practice approaches to testing software artefacts.

Evaluate critically different levels of testing software artefacts.

Analyse software artefacts from the perspectives of complexity, testability, test coverage and quality.

Evaluate critical techniques and tools for managing the configuration and components of software systems.

Analyse and evaluate different dimensions of software quality including but not limited to reliability, dependability, safety and security.

Evaluate approaches to managing a software quality assurance effort within an organisation.

Syllabus
1 
Week 1: Software Engineering and Quality Assurance.
The topic of software engineering, software processes, quality assurance and testing.
 
Week 2: Software Testing. 
Best-practices in software testing. Unit, component, integration, system, user and stress testing. Test-Driven Development (TDD). Peer reviews and software inspection techniques.
 
Week 3: Development Testing.
Technical practices related to unit, component, integration, systems and stress testing. Implementation techniques for unit testing within the context of a modern testing framework (e.g., JUnit).
 
Week 4: Testing Metrics.
Techniques for quantifying aspects of testing. Metrics to measure/quantify complexity, testability and test coverage.
 
Week 5: Configuration Management. 
Different approaches to, and tools for, configuration management.
 
Week 6: Web Testing. 
Unique issues with respect to the testing and quality assurance of the web-based systems. Tools and techniques specifically designed to address testing web-based software.
 
Week 7: Dimensions of Software Quality. 
Dimensions of software quality such as reliability, dependability, safety, and security.
 
Week 8: Quality Management.  
Developing and instituting organizational practices and processes that foster quality in the engineering of software systems. Best practices as well as standards and formal approaches such as ISO 9001, CMMI, and Six Sigma.

Teaching and Learning Strategies

online Learning - Weekly seminar supported by asynchronous discussion in a virtual classroom environment facilitated by an online instructor.

Number of hours per week that students are expected to attend the virtual classroom so as to participate in discussion, dedicated to group work and individual assessment is 7.5

Teaching Schedule
  Lectures Seminars Tutorials Lab Practicals Fieldwork Placement Other TOTAL
Study Hours           60
Weekly seminar supported by asynchronous discussion in a virtual classroom environment facilitated by an online instructor.
60
Timetable (if known)           Number of hours per week that students are expected to attend the virtual classroom so as to participate in discussion, dedicated to group work and individual assessment is 7.5
  		 
Private Study 90
TOTAL HOURS 150

Assessment
EXAM Duration Timing
(Semester)		 % of
final
mark		 Resit/resubmission
opportunity		 Penalty for late
submission		 Notes
             
CONTINUOUS Duration Timing
(Semester)		 % of
final
mark		 Resit/resubmission
opportunity		 Penalty for late
submission		 Notes
Coursework  Weekly Discussion Qu  Whole session   40  No reassessment opportunity  Standard UoL penalty applies  Moot/debate: 8 discussion questions There is no reassessment opportunity, The nature of the adopted online learning paradigm is such that no reassessment opportunity is available, instead students failing the module will be offered the opportunity to retake the entire module. 
Coursework  One week: 350-500 wo  Week 1  5  No reassessment opportunity  Standard UoL penalty applies  Report: Current Practices Analysis There is no reassessment opportunity, The nature of the adopted online learning paradigm is such that no reassessment opportunity is available, instead students failing the module will be offered the opportunity to retake the entire module. 
Written Exam  One week: 350-700 wo  Week 2  5  No reassessment opportunity  Standard UoL penalty applies  Report: Test-Driven Development Analysis There is no reassessment opportunity, The nature of the adopted online learning paradigm is such that no reassessment opportunity is available, instead students failing the module will be offered the opportunity to retake the entire module. 
Coursework  One week  Week 3  5  No reassessment opportunity  Standard UoL penalty applies  Practical Assignment: Developing Unit Tests There is no reassessment opportunity, The nature of the adopted online learning paradigm is such that no reassessment opportunity is available, instead students failing the module will be offered the opportunity to retake the entire module. 
Coursework  Three weeks: 1500-20  Weeks 2 to 4   15  No reassessment opportunity  Standard UoL penalty applies  Report: Group Project on Software Quality Assurance (Part 1) There is no reassessment opportunity, The nature of the adopted online learning paradigm is such that no reassessment opportunity is available, instead students failing the module will be offered the opportunity to retake the entire module. 
Coursework  One week  Week 5  5  No reassessment opportunity  Standard UoL penalty applies  Practical assignment: Version Control There is no reassessment opportunity, The nature of the adopted online learning paradigm is such that no reassessment opportunity is available, instead students failing the module will be offered the opportunity to retake the entire module. 
Coursework  One week: 350-500 wo  Week 6  5  No reassessment opportunity  Standard UoL penalty applies  Report: Assessing Configuration Management Tools There is no reassessment opportunity, The nature of the adopted online learning paradigm is such that no reassessment opportunity is available, instead students failing the module will be offered the opportunity to retake the entire module. 
Coursework  Three weeks: 1500-20  Weeks 5 to 7  15  No reassessment opportunity  Standard UoL penalty applies  Report: Group Project on Software Quality Assurance (Part 2) There is no reassessment opportunity, The nature of the adopted online learning paradigm is such that no reassessment opportunity is available, instead students failing the module will be offered the opportunity to retake the entire module. 
Written Exam  One week: 350-500 wo  Week 8  5  No reassessment opportunity  Standard UoL penalty applies  Report: Critical Evaluation of Standards There is no reassessment opportunity, The nature of the adopted online learning paradigm is such that no reassessment opportunity is available, instead students failing the module will be offered the opportunity to retake the entire module. Notes (applying to all assessments) (1) Due to nature of the on­line mode of instruction work is not marked anonymously. (2) Students who fail the module have the opportunity to repeat the entire module. (3) The "Standard UoL Penalty" for late submission that applies is the "Standard UoL Penalty" agreed with respect to online programmes offered in collaboration with Laureate Online Education. (4) For group work assessments groups typically comprise 3 to 4 students. Both group and individual contributions are assessed and integrated to produce a final mark for each student. 

Recommended Texts
Reading lists are managed at readinglists.liverpool.ac.uk. Click here to access the reading lists for this module.
Explanation of Reading List:

The online programmes offered by the department of Computer Science in Collaboration with Laureate Online Education use online materials wherever possible including the online resources available within the University of Liverpool’s libraries. This module does not require a specific text book.