Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Assignment

Objectives: There are two main goals for the assignment. The first is to demonstrate your understanding of some of the terms used in "Critical Thinking". The second goal is to undertake research with correct referencing.

Tasks:

• Carefully read all the questions
• Provide answers to all four questions in a word processed document. Use the marking criteria for each question as a guide.
• Submit your assignment in the assignment submission tool available in Moodle (Week 6). Late submissions will be penalised (see SIT105 Unit Outline for further details re late submission).

Question 1 - Choose any two of the following terms. For each of your chosen terms find three sources that provide information about the term and create ONE (single) definition from those sources.  Also provide an example, preferably from IT systems development. Each definition with example should be no more than 200 words. (Note: Do not use Wikipedia, blogs or your prescribed text as your source).

• Divide and Conquer
• Hypothesis Testing
• Brainstorming
• Reduction
• Research
• Trial and Error

The Harvard style of referencing is to be used.

Question 2 - Read the adapted and heavily edited excerpt from the article below and identify all the statements, claims and arguments presented and provide an issue based on each identified claim.

You should answer this question using a table like the one shown below. Column 1 indicates whether you have identified a statement, claim, argument or issue. [Note: Only identify a statement as a statement if it is not a claim or argument].

Column 2 contains the text of that statement, claim or argument, and issue. Use the colour-coding as shown in the table and keep the order of the text in Column 2 the same as the actual text of the article.

Reliability

by Margaret Rouse September 2005

Reliability is an attribute of any computer-related device that consistently performs according to its specifications. It has long been considered one of three related attributes that must be considered when making, buying, or using a computer product or component. Reliability, availability, and serviceability - RAS, for short - are considered to be important aspects to design into any system. In theory, a reliable product is totally free of technical errors; in practice, however, vendors frequently express a product's reliability quotient as a percentage. Evolutionary products are usually considered to become increasingly reliable, since it is assumed that bugs' have been eliminated in earlier releases. For example, IBM's z/OS (an operating system for their S/390 server series), has a reputation for reliability because it evolved from a long line of earlier MVS and OS/390 operating system versions.

Question 3 - Draw a full truth table to determine the validity of the following argument and provide reasons why the argument is valid or invalid:

Question 4 - Draw a short truth table to determine the validity of the following argument and clearly explain the steps and provide reasons why the argument is valid or invalid: