Software Implementation of a Result Processing and Transcript Generation System

1.1 Introduction

Over the years, several efforts have been made to alleviate the burden on teachers when it comes to result computation/processing. Data processing is defined as the entire process of converging or manipulating data into definite meaningful information. The information obtained at the end of the process is the result. Therefore result processing can be seen as a continuous process of converting data (which can be scores, grade points, credit units etc) into definite meaningful information, which can either be statement of result or transcript. The end point of data processing activity by the administrative unit is the product of basic documents and information (statement of result and transcript) from basic data (which can be students’ scores, course credit unit, grade point etc) for managements’ use. In educational institutions, the result produced shows the management about the performance of each student in various courses. These results obtained are used to check the student’s level of understanding in the entire course taught. In the course of this research, an intensive investigation was carried out on how computer science department performs its result computation and transcript generation. From my findings, it appears that the current method adopted needs improvement. Introduction of computer in the system will do the much required magic in result computation. Structured system analysis and design methodology were applied to arrive at the development of the new system. Also, html, css, php and my SQL programming language will be used to develop the required software

1.2 Background of the Study

It is an established fact that after every assessment examination or research work, a result must be obtained. In any academic environment, there is need to have results to be aware of the students’ performance and generate transcripts whenever the need arises. To achieve this in higher institutions, it involves the registration of courses and students’ personal examination scores, computation of result, transcript generation, recorded and so on. However, the problem is how to carry out these activities presently. The result processing and transcript generation in computer science department is performed manually. Workers are employed to handle various stages of the process such as; registration of students, result computation and transcript generation. The introduction of computer in result processing and transcript generation will reduce the burden of manual processing to the barest minimum.

1.3 Statement of the Problem

The students result processing and transcript generation are done manually in Federal Polytechnic Nekede long before now. The manual method of result processing and transcript generation from my point of view may cause:

DUPLICATION OF RESULTS: Due to the tiredness of the operator, a result can be duplicated since he/she has no strength to trace the student’s data such as registration number.

OMISSION, INCOMPLETE RESULTS: once these results have been documented on paper, one finds it difficult and tiresome to edit so as to cancel out some errors such as wrong entries, omissions etc. when these corrections are effected, the resulting document are not often very neat and pleasant to the eyes. This also makes the transcript untidy since those corrections will also be affected on it.

MISSING RESULTS: This happens as a result of carrying files about from one place to another. Some results may be lost in this process.

DELAY:- This occurs due to the tediousness of manual result processing and transcript generation. This gets so much at times that some students try to bribe their way out.

MISCALULATIONS:- Human beings are proned to errors sometimes, during result computation, wrong formulae might be entered on the calculator, which give wrong answers but for computerized result, formulae are stored in the computer’s memory. This can be referred to whenever needed.

1.4 Aim and Objectives of the Study

The aim of the study is Design and Implement a Result Processing and Transcript Generation System. In achieving this aim, following specific objectives were laid out as follows to design and develop an application software that will:

1. Protect and limit access to students result.
2. Detect duplicated RESULTS
3. Display duplicated, omitted or uncompleted students' result
4. Eli mate student's result miscalculation which is cause by the tediousness of manual result processing and transcript generation.

1.5 Significance of Study

Research carried out in computer science department shows that results are still being processes manually as well as transcript generation. This leads to various problems, which include;

• Insecurity of results
• Duplication of results
• Loss of results when files are being carried around.
• Wrong calculations during computation
• Omission of result.
• This project work will achieve the following:-
• Increase in efficiency
• Easy detection and correction of errors
• Reduce pressure of work on exam officers
• Makes computation less labour intensive. Hence, the need for computerization of result processing and transcript generation for physics department cannot be over emphasized.

1.6 Scope of the Study

This project work covers the registration of courses and the recording of student examination scores as well as processing the scores in order to general result and finally generate the transcript for the department of computer science, federal Polytechnic Nekede, Owerri.

1.7 Limitation of Study

This project was faced with a number of restricting factors which made the work impossible to get beyond this scope. The most pressing factors were.

1. Lack of finance
2. Epileptic power supply
3. Inadequate supply of data
4. Inadequate time for the project work.

1.8 Definition of Terms

Software: These are set of logically related instructions given to the computer to perform some specific tasks.

Transcript: it is a paper that outlines all the courses grades, grade point average, cumulative grade point average and final cumulative grade point average of a student.

Statement of Result: This contains the FCGPA and the class of degree of a student. It is normally issued at the end of one’s academic program.

Grade Point (GP): this is the corresponding points 0.00 to 5.00 of the grade letters F-A respectively.

Grade Point Average (GPA): this is the point in which the academic performance of a student is measure at the end of every semester. It has the maximum value of 5.00 and minimum 0.00. It can be calculated thus: GPA- Sum of quality points/total credit unit for all course registered in the semester.