Academic Year: 2024/25

Assessment Introduction:

This Assessment Pack consists of a detailed assignment brief, guidance on what you need to prepare, and information on how class sessions support your ability to complete successfully. You’ll also find information on this page to guide you on how, where, and when to submit. If you need additional support, please make a note of the services detailed in this document.

How, when, and where to submit:

The deadline for this assessment is 21^st March 2025 at 23.59 via the submission zone found the EL1241 Blackboard area - Please note that this is the final time you can submit – not the time to submit!

If your work is submitted via the Turnitin link on Blackboard, the link will be visible to you on: 12^th December 2024

Feedback will be provided by: 26^th April 2024

You should aim to submit your assessment in advance of the deadline.

Note: If you have any valid mitigating circumstances that mean you cannot meet an assessment submission deadline and you wish to request an extension, you will need to apply online, via MyUCLan with your evidence prior to the deadline. Further information on Mitigating Circumstances via this link.

We wish you all success in completing your assessment. Read this guidance carefully, and any questions, please discuss with your Module Leader or module team.

Additional Support available:

All links are available through the online Student Hub

1. Academic support for this assessment will be provided by contacting Zhifeng Ma or Juan Du

2. Our Library resources link can be found in the library area of the Student Hub or via your subject librarian at [email protected].

3. Support with your academic skills development (academic writing, critical thinking and referencing) is available through WISER on the Study Skills section of the Student Hub.

4. For help with Turnitin, see Blackboard and Turnitin Support on the Student Hub

5. If you have a disability, specific learning difficulty, long-term health or mental health condition, and not yet advised us, or would like to review your support, Inclusive Support can assist with reasonable adjustments and support. To find out more, you can visit the Inclusive Support page of the Student Hub.

6. For mental health and wellbeing support, please complete our online referral form, or email [email protected]. You can also call 01772 893020, attend a drop-in, or visit our UCLan Wellbeing Service  Student Hub pages for more information.

7. For any other support query, please contact Student Support via [email protected].

8. For consideration of Academic Integrity, please refer to detailed guidelines in our policy document . All assessed work should be genuinely your own work, and all resources fully cited.  

9. For this assignment, you are not permitted to use any category of AI tools.

Preparing for your assignment.

Ensure that you fully understand the requirements for the assessment and what you are expected to complete. The assignment will be introduced in the lecture session where you can ask any questions, you can also ask for clarification by contacting the module team.

The following module learning outcomes will be assessed in this assignment:

· Demonstrate an understanding and application of basic electrical and electronic principles.

· Describe the theory of operation and principal characteristics of simple analogue electronic devices and circuits.

· Relate the results of experiments on simple analogue electronic circuits to theory

Please read over the guide to writing a technical document https://www.theiet.org/media/5182/technical-report-writing.pdf and ensure that you fully understand the requirements of the assessment. There will be a lecture session on the assignment and writing a technical document.

Ensure that you research and read into the subject area before writing the report so that you have a good background understanding to the subject area.

Assignment Brief

A low-pass filter is constructed, consisting of a 10 nF capacitor connected in series with a 16 kW resistor as shown in Figure 1.  An a.c. voltage (input voltage) is applied to this series combination, and the output voltage is measured across the capacitor. The task involves

a. Calculate the cut-off frequency fc of the filter, in Hz.

b. On the log-linear graph paper provided in Page 5, sketch a straight-line approximation (consisting of two separate straight lines) of the magnitude response of the filter, showing the gain of the circuit in dB against frequency in Hz on a logarithmic scale.

c. Using the straight-line approximation of the magnitude response of the filter as a guide, sketch a curve representing a better approximation of the filter’s magnitude response.  (HINT: consider the actual gain of the filter at the cut-off frequency).

d. Estimate the gain, in dB, of the filter at the following frequencies:

e. f = 100 Hz, f = 1 kHz , f = 10 kHz, f = 20 kHz, f = 100kHz

f. Construct the circuit in a Breadboard and vary the frequency of Vin between 10 Hz and 1 MHz as detailed in Table 3, and then plot a graph of output in dB against frequency (plotted on logarithmic scale graph paper). Vin will come from a signal generator set at 10V peak to peak Lay out your results table like this – note the frequencies which have already been chosen as in Table 3.

g. Compare and comment on the calculated features of the filter (i.e. cut-off frequency, magnitude response, gain in various frequency) and the actual measurement.

h. Modify the circuit in Figure 1 for a CR circuit by swapping the position of resistor R1 and capacitor C1. Calculate the values of resistor R1 and capacitor C1 using allocated the cut-off frequency in Table 4. The values of resistor and capacitor needs to be selected from the list of preferred values E48. Calculate and comment on the tolerance of CR filter based on the preferred value E48.

i. Repeat tasks b-d for the designed CR filter circuit.

j. Instead of constructing the CR filter circuit in the Breadboard, simulate your design of the circuit in Proteus EDA software and create its frequency response.

k. Compare and comment on the calculated features of the filter (i.e. cut-off frequency, magnitude response, gain in various frequency) and the simulation result.                              

Figure 1 RC filter circuit

Word limit: A maximum of 1000 words (see notes below for further information).

Technical Report Writing

To complete the report, you will have to thoroughly research the area using reliable sources and precisely reference where your information and statements are from. The aim of the report is to be clear, concise and convey technical information to the reader, note that the reader is familiar and experienced in the area. Ensure that you write your report for this audience.

A guide on writing a technical document can be found at the following (this will also be uploaded to blackboard):

https://www.theiet.org/media/5182/technical-report-writing.pdf

Please read over the above document to ensure that you are clear on what a technical report is and know what you are required to complete, note the above is a guide not an explicit standard you will be required to ensure that your technical report contains the relevant information presented correctly for the reader.

Ensure that you research and read into the subject area before writing the report so that you have a good background understanding to the subject area. You will need to provide a short report, which shows the calculation of each tasks in Marking Criteria and Weighting section below with an appropriate assumption, description and comments, no longer than 1,000 words. You should use the guideline below to structure your report. For the final reporting submission, make sure that each page is marked with the date of completion, the page number, and the total number of pages submitted.  Make sure that the front page of your submission has this information displayed prominently along with the module name and number and assignment title. Your work must be referenced using Harvard Referencing system available here: https://v3.pebblepad.co.uk/v3portfolio/uclan/Asset/View/Gm3mmGk6sM3RgHZnjGfh7mm6pM.

Further information to support your development will be available to view on assignment briefing session and Blackboard. 

Notes on Wordcount and Referencing

For good marks and given the limited wordcount you should produce work that is: accurate; thorough; well-argued; clear; accurately referenced; relevant and written in correct (UK) English grammar and spelling. You may include figures and tables with short captions (25 words each) and a list of references without affecting the overall word count. Remember that you have limited words so ensure that you “stick to the point” and do not get into detail on superficial elements.

Ensure that you include references when discussing technical facts and statements on the technology used. You must reference all your sources of information. These should be cited in the appropriate part of the report and fully identified to meet the Harvard referencing standard in a list at the end. Website articles must be properly referenced to be considered as legitimate references.

Presentation of assignment work

Except where specifically stated in the assignment brief, assignment work submissions should be word-processed, in Microsoft Word 2016 format, with a footer comprising: your module code; date; page number.

The following module learning outcomes will be assessed in this assignment:

· Demonstrate an understanding and application of basic electrical and electronic principles.

· Describe the theory of operation and principal characteristics of simple analogue electronic devices and circuits.

· Relate the results of experiments on simple analogue electronic circuits to theory 

Marking Criteria and Weighting

Your submission will be marked in accordance with the following marking scheme: