DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A WEBBASED SOCIAL
NETWORKING WEBSITE FOR UNIVERSITY STUDENTS.
BY:
OFFIM MONDAY ODUNWA
NOU142
A PROJECT SUBMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER
SCIENCES, FACULTY OF SCIENCE,
NATIONAL OPEN UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA, AWKA STUDY CENTRE.
IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE
AWARD OF BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (B.Sc) DEGREE IN COMPUTER
SCIENCE
SEPTEMBER, 2017.
i
DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A WEBBASED SOCIAL
NETWORKING WEBSITE FOR UNIVERSITY STUDENTS.
ii
APPROVAL PAGE
This project Design and Implementation of a Webbased Social Networking Website
for University Students is approved by National Open University of Nigeria Awka
Study Centre.
…………………………………. ………………………….
Dr. Edebeatu Date
(Supervisor)
………………………………. …………………………
Dr.V.Nnaka Date
(Centre Director)
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CERTIFICATION
This is to certify that this project work Design and Implementation of a Webbased
Social Networking Website for University Students, written by Offim Monday
Odunwa was supervised by me and submitted to the department of Computer
Sciences, National Open University, Awka Study Centre.
Offim Monday Odunwa ……………………..
(Student) Signature and Date
iv
DEDICATION
This report is dedicated to God Almighty the creator of all universe and the finisher of every life to
whom this wisdom was actualize and also to my beloved parents for their constant support and
encouragement.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Firstly, I’ll like to acknowledge God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit; I love
you and thank you.
I gratefully acknowledge the close supervision and thorough guidance of Dr
Edebeatu, who was a great supervisor all through the time of this project work.
I would like to acknowledge the motivation and creative ideas from other students
under my project supervisor; Engr. Chidiebere Asiegbu, Emmanuel. I also
acknowledge all Computer Science 400Level students; it has been an impactful
four (4) years. Lastly, I would love to acknowledge my friends;
Lastly, I like to acknowledge my dear parents Mr & Mrs Offim for their great
support throughout my university level, I pray that God will bless them all for me
in Jesus name, Amen.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE…………………………………………………………………........i
SUB TITLE………………………………………………………………….…….ii
APPROVA PAGE………………………………………………………………...iii
CERTIFICATION……………………………………………………….………..iv
DEDICATION…………………………………………………………………….v
ACKNOLEDGEMENTS………………….……………………………….……..vi
TABLE OF CONTENTS………………………...………………………….…..vii
LIST OF FIGURES………………………………………………………….…...xi
LIST OF TABLES…………………………..……………………..……….…...xii
ABSTRACT…………………………………….………………………………xiii
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION…………………………………………..1
1.1 BACKGROUND INFORMATION…………………………..……………….1
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM….………………………………………..2
1.3 AIM AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY.………………………..……..….2
1.4 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY.…………………….……………………..…3
1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY………………………………………...….4
1.6 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY………………….……………………..…….5
1.7 PROJECT ORGANIZATION…………………………….…………..………..5
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CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL MEDIA CONCEPT…………………..…….6
2.1.1 History of the Social Media……………………………………….…....…...6
2.1.2 What is an Online Forum?..............................................................................9
2.1.3 Structure of an Online Forum………………………………….….......…....10
2.1.4 Features of an Online Forum….……………………………….….………..12
2.1.5 Applications of Online Forums………………………….…….………...…15
2.2 REVIEW OF EXISTING SYSTEMS………………………………....……...16
2.2.1 The Student Room………………………….….………………….………..16
2.2.2 Google Groups……………….……………….…………………………….18
CHAPTER THREE: REQUIREMENTS ANALYSIS AND DESIGN
3.1INTRODUCTION………..…………………………………………..…..……20
3.1.1 Proposed System…..………………………………………………….….….2
3.2 SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS AND ANALYSIS………..……………….…..21
3.2.1 Software Architecture of Student Hub……..…………………….………....21
3.2.2 System Analysis………………………..….………………………………..23
3.2.3 System Requirements….……………….……………..………………….....23
3.3 SYSTEM DESIGN……………………………………………….……….….26
3.3.1 Object Oriented Analysis and Design………………….……….…………..27
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3.3.2 Unified Modeling Language (UML)……………….…………….………....27
3.3.3 Use Case Diagram…………………………………………………..………28
3.3.4 Sequence Diagram….…………………………………….……………........35
3.3.5 Activity Diagram……………………………….……………………….......36
3.4 THE USER INTERFACE DESIGNS…………………………………….......37
3.4.1 The StudentHub Home Page………………………….…….……….……...38
3.4.2 The Guest User Registration Interface……………………….…..………....38
3.4.3 The Login Page Interface……………………………………….……..,.…..40
3.5 DATABASE DESIGN………….………………………………………,.…...40
3.5.1 Description of Tables…..…………..….……………………………,,……..41
CHAPTER FOUR: SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION
4.1INTRODUCTION………...…………………………………………………...42
4.1.1 Platforms and Tools Used for Implementation...…………………….……..42
4.2 THE DIFFERENT FORUM USER INTERFACES……………………...…..43
4.2.1 The Guest Student’s Post Page…...……………….…………………….…..44
4.2.2 The Guest Student’s ‘My Posts’ Page…...……………………..…………...44
4.2.3 The Student’s ‘View Posts’ Page……………………………………….…..45
4.2.4 The Moderator’s Add News Page…...………………………………….…..45
4.2.5 The Administrator’s Delete Accounts Page…...……….…………………..46
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4.3 SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS………………………...………………………47
4.4 THE HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS………………………………..…….48
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, RECOMMENDATIONS AND
CONCLUSION
5.1 SUMMARY………………………………………………………….……….49
5.2 RECOMMENDATIONS AND FURTHER WORKS…………..…………....49
5.3 CONCLUSION………………………………..…………..……………….....50
REFERENCES………………………………………………………………......51
APPENDIX…………………………………………………………………...….57
SOURCE CODE…………………………………………………………………50
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LIST OF FIGURES
FIGURE I: Usergroups of an Online Forum…………….………….….……….…9
FIGURE II: The Student Room………………………………….…….………….14
FIGURE III: Google Groups………………………………………….……...…..15
FIGURE IV: Software Architecture of StudentHub……………….……………..17
FIGURE V: The Use-Case diagram for the Online Forum…………………….....23
FIGURE VI: The Administration and Interaction Subsystems……………….….24
FIGURE VII: Registration Subsystem……………………………….…………...25
FIGURE VIII: The Sequence diagram for the System………………….…….…..30
FIGURE IX: The Activity diagram for the Guest Student……………………..…31
FIGURE X: StudentHub Home Page……………………………………….….…32
FIGURE XI: Guest Student Registration Interface………………………….……33
FIGURE XII: The Log-in Interface…………………………………….………...33
FIGURE XIII: The Ask Questions/ Posts Interface.…..…….………………........37
FIGURE XIV: Guest Student’s View Post Interface.………………………….…38
FIGURE XV: Student’s View Posts Interface.……..……………………...….…39
FIGURE XVI: Add News Interface...……………………………...……………..39
FIGURE XVII: Delete Accounts Page………………………………….…….…..40
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LIST OF TABLES
TABLE I: Research Objectives and Methodology……………………………......4
TABLE II: Manage Accounts Use Case……………………...……………...25 - 26
TABLE III: Manage Posts Use Case……………………………….………..26 - 27
TABLE IV: Register Use Case……………………………………….…………...28
TABLE V: Database Schema for StudentHub……………………….……...34 - 35
TABLE VI: The Software Requirements……………………………………40 - 41
TABLE VII: The Web Client Software Requirements…………………….........41
TABLE VIII: The Hardware Requirements…………………………………..…..41
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ABSTRACT
The internet has been a platform for individuals, groups of people and companies
to interact with one another through the social media. The social media has truly
aided interaction and even other business services through social networks, forums,
blogs, etc. Forums are now been used as tools/platforms to create discussions,
connect to people (mostly of similar interests) and as sources of relevant
information. This work intends to make use of forums as tools in helping
prospective university students to make the right decisions about their choice of
career, choice of environment, etc. Based on an in-depth review of some relevant
literatures, some key requirements have been considered in the development of a
suitable web application. This online forum will be developed for students to cater
for some of their needs and solve some of the issues they face with their choice of
career, their course of study, the accessibility of relevant information about any
institution, etc.
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