Guidelines for honors theses for Computer Science, Computer Systems Engineering, and Informatics

1. Guidelines for honors theses forComputer Science, Computer Systems Engineering, and Informatics March 2013

2. This session provides general guidelines. Please check with the Barrett Honors College guidelines for updated information.

3. Finding a thesis topic • The student is responsible for: • formulating the thesis topic • requesting faculty to serve on the committee, • to submit the necessary forms to the Honors College • to inform the chair of the committee of all Honors College requirements and deadlines. • to request CIDSE to register for CSE492/493 • The students can start thinking of thesis topics as early as their freshman and sophomore years.

4. Finding a thesis topic • Investigate the research areas of the faculty in your department or in a related field. http://cidse.engineering.asu.edu/facultyandresearc/4-major-research-areas/ • Honors students can also contact the faculty honors advisor Mutsumi Nakamura (mutsumi@asu.edu) for any guidance on how to find a thesis director/advisor.

5. Finding a Thesis Director • Based on the research areas or what you have learned in a particular class, choose your thesis director. • The Director and Second Reader must be: • a regular faculty member at ASU, which includes full professor, associate professor, assistant professor, and lecturer. • They need to sign your prospectus when taking CSE492 • Third reader can be someone outside of ASU

6. Timeline • The recommended timeline is to begin work on the project no later than three semesters prior to anticipated graduation, taking CSE492 in first semester, then CSE493 the following semester. This leaves your final semester open in case you switch your topics, or an unexpected turn/problem arises.

7. CSE492/493 • You must sign up for the appropriate thesis/creative project credit. • CSE492/493 (or HON492/493, XXX492/493) • FIRST SEMESTER • Typically this will be CSE492 (or HON492, XXX492) • Note that Honors students will be given the SLN for Research and Thesis only after a form. Please contact the CIDSE advising center for the form. • Work with your thesis director to find a second reader. • Write your prospectus and have it signed by your director and second reader. • Turn in the prospectus by the relative deadlines (about one month after the semester starts) to the Barrett Honors College.

8. CSE492/493 • SECOND SEMESTER (CSE493 or HON493, XXX493) • Choose the Third Reader no later than six weeks prior to the defense; the Third Reader should receive a draft of your thesis/creative project at least 2-3 weeks before the • Meet with your Barrett honors advisor to make sure you are registered for the appropriate class at the appropriate time. • Schedule your Defense and defend by a given deadline • Signed Signature Title Page, Final Unbound Copy by a given deadline

9. Prospectus • The Prospectus is your declaration that you are beginning and formalizing your work on the thesis. It is submitted to the Barrett Advising office the semester PRIOR to the semester you register for thesis hours and schedule your defense.

10. Important Deadlines • Spring 2013 Thesis/Creative Project Deadlines Prospectus Due: September 21, 2012 Defense Reporting Form: March 08, 2013 Recommended Defense Completed*: March 22, 2013 Signed Signature Title Page, Final Unbound Copy, and Emailed Copy: April 12, 2013 • Fall 2013 Thesis/Creative Project Deadlines Prospectus Due: February 08, 2013 Defense Reporting Form: October 21, 2013 Recommended Defense Completed*: November 4, 2013 Signed Signature Title Page, Final Unbound Copy, and Emailed Copy: November 25, 2013

11. Important Deadlines • Spring 2014 Thesis/Creative Project Deadlines Prospectus Due: September 20, 2013 Defense Reporting Form: March 07, 2014 Recommended Defense Completed*: March 21, 2014 Signed Signature Title Page, Final Unbound Copy, and Emailed Copy: April 11, 2014 * Barrett recommends that you defend by this date.  The defense date is subject to your Director’s approval. Please note that if you defend after this date, you will have less time to make any revisions by the final due date.

12. Capstone courses • Yes, you still need to take capstone courses in addition to your thesis courses. • However you can choose to have some kind of add-on work to your capstone project and make it to be your thesis/creative project. • In that case, your capstone instructor or your project mentor can be your thesis director • Since each capstone project is a team project, you need to make sure that this additional part that you do for your thesis is completed by yourself.

13. Defense • About 1 hour long – consult with your thesis director • Outcomes – pass/fail, or pass with some modifications • You should communicate with your committee members well before your defense, such as providing your thesis. Otherwise, you will likely to encounter some “surprises” during your defense.

14. The Barrett Website for thesis/creative project • http://barretthonors.asu.edu/2011/02/what-is-the-thesis-creative-project/

15. Writing a Thesis • Title, your name, your contact, your affiliation • Abstract • often including keywords • People decide whether to read the entire paper or nor based on its abstract • Introduction • Compare with similar existing works, how your work differs from such previous works • Motivation for your work • Discussion on Technical Details, Design, etc. – this part can be divided into multiple sections.

16. Writing a Thesis • Conclusion • Any possible future work, what you have achieved • Acknowledgement • Appreciate people who helped you on your research and thesis • References – follow certain format • Any possible future work, what you have achieved

17. CS/CSE/CPI honors faculty advisor: Mutsumi Nakamura Office: BYENG 520 Phone: 480-965-1757 Email: mutsumi@asu.edu