MSc Projects (Computing)

1. MSc Projects (Computing) Kelvin Hilton k.c.hilton@staffs.ac.uk

2. Objectives • What is a project? • What you need to be • The Process • Ethics • Regulations • Planning and Managing Your Dissertation

3. Welcome

4. What Is a Project? • Culmination of your knowledge, understanding and ability to apply your skills • Pinnacle of your academic achievement to date • Your contribution to your chosen field • Shop window for your skills IT IS NOT JUST ANOTHER PIECE OF COURSEWORK!

5. What You Need to Be • Innovative • Original • Organised • Professional • Scholastic • MOTIVATED! If a project is boring for you to produce, it will be boring for us to assess!

6. The Process

7. Key Dates • All projects have a minimum duration of 12 weeks and a maximum duration of 24 weeks • Part-time students get 24-48 • When is the start date? • For students wishing to commence January 2013 • 14th January 2013 • Due date • 1st July 2013

8. Deliverables • Dissertation must be written in English • You must submit 2 paper copies and one digital one (CDROM) • Contents Guide • Abstract approximately 300 words • Text 12000 (60 credit) • Log Book • Must be bound • Must be in correct format and correctly referenced If English is not your first language have your work proof read!

9. The Artefact • Software product • Prototype of a suitable software application, interface or tool. • Design document or specification • A suitable document to include planning, modelling, implementation and testing recommendations together with a rigorous specification. • Framework • Document detailing research into method, components / approach, tools or testing and taken to the production of a small prototype. • Guidelines • Set of recommendations based upon relevant research, developed theorem and models which have undergone some form of trial or testing process.

10. Supervisors • Ideally a subject matter expert • Will be allocated to you (or agreed) • Guide and advise • Stimulate ideas • Monitor progress • You are required to attend a 30 minute meeting each week • Attendance is monitored • It is your responsibility to prepare for the meeting A dissertation student is expected to work independently, do not expect your supervisor to set you tasks!

11. Supervisors • Advice -in the early stages -may include written guidelines; dissertation workshops; feedback on title/proposed literature/ initial plan • Examples – previous work, writing style, etc • Deadlines – mini tasks • BE PROACTIVE - do not wait for the supervisor to contact you. • Feedback – particularly in early stages • THEY WILL NOT PREMARK Please remember that supervisors are busy people! Respect their time.

12. Second Assessor • Appointed by Project Coordinator by week 4 of your dissertation • Completes mid-point • Jointly assess viva and dissertation May not be an expert in the field covered by your research.

13. Ethics

14. Your Project Must Be Ethical • Faculty requires student to complete an ethical statement for all dissertations • Three levels • Fast Track – minor ethical considerations • Full – serious ethical implications • You may be advised to halt work on your project until approved • Must be submitted by week 4 • http://www.staffs.ac.uk/faculties/comp_eng_tech/current_students_and_staff/beethical.jsp Failure to submit an ethics form is a breach of project regulations!

15. Regulations

16. Relevant Regulations General Postgraduate Regulations http://www.staffs.ac.uk/assets/postgrad_regs_tcm44-26797.pdf Academic dishonesty http://www.staffs.ac.uk/assets/academic_misconduct_tcm44-26770.pdf Extenuating Circumstances http://www.staffs.ac.uk/courses_and_study/student_life/student_handbook/extenuating_circumstances.jsp

17. Planning and Managing Your Dissertation

18. Why Projects Fail • Weakness • Focus – too woolly, too big, too shallow • Structure • Depth – limited research base, lack of analysis • Presentation – poor referencing, dumping content • Plagiarism • Unless your name is Ricoh, do not copy! • Time management • Lateness • Incomplete Poor focus and depth are the number one cause of failure!

19. Four Phases of a Project Project Duration Literary Review Empirical Work Record Results Analysis and Conclusions What is the effort map? (Traditional approach)

20. General Effort Map for Dissertation Project Duration Literary Review Empirical Work Record Results Analysis and Conclusions How does this map to the marking scheme?

21. A More Effective Approach Project Duration Focused Literary Review – find the gurus Empirical Work Record Results Analysis and Conclusions Iterate

22. Intelligent Planning • When you start your dissertation there are only two dates you know – the start, the end • Plan backwards

23. What Plans Never Show • THE TRUTH! • Work commitments • Breaks • Social Events • Religious Events • How many hours can you work in a week? • Recommended time = 18 hours per week • 3 – 4 hours a day over 5 days • 2 – 3 papers maximum • 20 – 30 pages of a book • 50 - 100 lines of code (debugged including comments) • Every week! Things that don’t get planned don’t get managed!

24. Manage Your Project • Use the log book • Plan your meetings • Tell the truth, if things are running late how do you intend to catch up? • Manage your project aims • Set yourself achievable targets • Do not allow weeks of a task, break it down If your supervisor thinks you are wasting their time, chances are…you are!

25. Two Golden Rules

26. Know When You Are Beaten Set strict time limits on your tasks, if you cannot complete it in time do not be afraid to leave it. The cost of bad management is failure…

27. Reward Yourself Set yourself goals, when you achieve them celebrate!

28. Key Dates • Registration • 25/01/2013 • Draft Proposal • 18/01/2013 • Supervisor Allocation • 21/01/2013 (proposal submission dependent) • Ethics • 08/02/2013 • Earliest completion (full time) • 05/04/2013 • Latest completion (full time) • 01/07/2013

29. Questions?