Electronics Coursework

Many useful resources are available at Ian Kemp's Website:

http://www.ikes.freeserve.co.uk/cwk.htm

The coursework demands that you build and test a real electronic artefact.  It must:

• Consist of at least three active devices (e.g. transistors, logic gates, op-amps).
• Be the result of research into at least two circuits that do the same job.  You must give reasons for the choice you have made.
• Be built using sub-systems as in the systems approach;
• Be tested at the subsystem level as well as the whole circuit.
• Show evidence that you have done everything that you claim to have done. 
• Include circuit diagrams and pictures, as well as a written report.

What you must NOT do:

• Use voltages higher than 50 V or powers of more than 100 W;
• Do radio circuits unless you have permission from the relevant radio authorities.
• Build a virtual circuit on a computer; this will get virtual marks (i.e. zero).  This does not stop you doing your design work on a computer.
• Produce a circuit that is designed to cause distress to other people, e.g. "taiser" (One of my students wanted to do this and was most put out when I emphatically forbade him to do so).
• Build a circuit from a kit.

Your teacher will brief you in more detail about the project requirements.  Here are some points to think about:

• Keep it simple, especially if you are a novice. You will get more marks if it's a simple circuit that works well than if it's a complex circuit that fails.
• Use the Internet, magazines, or books.  You must quote all sources you have used.  You do NOT have to design the circuit from scratch.
• Break down the circuit diagram into the sub-systems and re-draw the circuit diagram as sub-systems.

Data sheets for components are available from http://www.datasheetarchive.com/

Click HERE to view the Marking Grid.  It has the basic grid, and then a second version with a bit more detail on the sorts of things you need to do to get the marks.

Click HERE to view an Exemplar for a project write up.  This is an A-grade project getting 32/40.  I am most grateful to Christopher Heanan for allowing me to use his project in this way.  On the project I have pointed out where Chris scored the marks and gaps where he lost marks.

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