Purpose

The case study is a Research Paper and is to be used as a tool to assist you in developing new skills in research, analysis and technical communication. The case study report is intended to encourage the development of your ability to critically review a chosen topic relevant to the unit of Control Systems and your ability to prepare a formal research report on an assigned topic. These skills will be very valuable for your professional development and will greatly assist you in taking on the responsibilities of a professional engineer.

You are provided with an opportunity to practice and develop your skills in critical thinking, develop a better understanding of the subject content in the unit being studied, and to develop ways of improving your study methods. You are expected to write a technical report which expresses these ideas in a formal way. As a result you will also be able to develop and practice your technical writing skills.

At the end of the case study you will submit a completed report on the ‘Blackboard’ that will be assessed by your lecturer and this assessment will form a part of the assessment for the unit.

What is expected in the case study report

You will prepare a report of about six pages (do not exceed 10 pages including figures, tables etc):

•   On a topic assigned to you.
•   You will explain the problem with the help of a block diagram and develop a transfer 
function fully documenting all aspects of the mathematical modelling.
•   Provide a block diagram of multiple loops if necessary and show a single block or 
closed-loop system which is simplified from the multi-loop diagram.
•   Explain the above process with the help of references and list the references at the 
end of the report.
•   You are not required to create an original mathematical model. You can use 
available resources (textbook, online research articles or published industrial case studies) and summarize the modelling process in your own words.