The Final Year Project (PJE30 / PJS30)

1. The Final Year Project(PJE30 / PJS30) Introductory lecture Project unit coordinator: Penny Hart Penny.Hart@port.ac.uk / camprojects@port.ac.uk

2. What is an academic project? • A contribution to knowledge, supported by wider research • A considered approach to software development or research • Develop your own thoughts, arguments, ideas, concepts • Be questioning • The documentation supports your project (Dawson, 2005)

3. PJE30 Practical work to solve an IT problem – produce a software artefact or investigate a computing problem Requirement for BCS accreditation Using engineering approach (use of methodologies) Reflection and evaluation on work PJS30 Answer question or solve problem to do with relationship between IT and business/society etc Can involve primary or secondary research, case study, extended literature review Use research methodologies Critique/evaluation – own insight

4. Individual work, i.e. yours alone • 10,000 words min • Carried out over two semesters, i.e. from October to May. • Register with PUMS to do it (www.pums.cam.port.ac.uk) • Project report marked by supervisor and moderator

5. Accounts for 30 credits – 25% of your final year marks (and important for your degree classification) • Make sure the idea is appropriate for your degree • Aim high – be sure that your project choice is worthy of a good mark • Idea should be hard enough for the degree, possible in the time

6. Register with PUMS • www.pums.cam.port.ac.uk • Final year undergraduate 2009-2010

7. Project lecture schedule • Engineering project lectures: • Friday 9am or 10am, weeks 11-14 • Study project lectures: • Wednesday 9am, weeks 11-13 • Extra sessions (MSc, publications, library)

8. Subjects we’re going to cover • Supervisors and marking • Detail about what goes in project type • Strategies and approaches • Library search (guest speaker) and literature review • Project initiation document • Introduction to write-up

9. Project timescale • Getting started – project ideas • Skills and resources • Useful information and “What next”

10. Project timescale • By October 2009 – idea chosen, supervisor allocated • Friday 23rd October 2009 – project initiation document • Friday 12th February 2010 – artefact/progress demonstration • Friday 7th May 2010 – project hand-in

11. Managing your time – urgency or importance? • The project takes 300 hours ( = 1 ½ days a week) • Consider other demands on your time: • Other units, exams and coursework, paid work, family commitments, leisure (Christmas!) • Plan work and deadlines • Make sure the project has a high priority • Occasionally things go wrong – talk to us

12. Still looking for an idea? • Project idea sources • Lecturer web sites / project ideas database • Placement customer • Past projects (further work) • COMP research areas • Your own good ideas • IT areas of interest: e.g. software engineering, neural networks, HCI, databases, distributed networks, mobile and web applications, e-commerce….

13. Some ideas (from future projects) • Applications for the iPhone / mobile applications / Google Maps APIs • Second Life and Web 2.0/3.0 projects • Biometrics and security applications • Virtual tutor project • On-line games for speech therapy clients • Learning object design for teaching PYTHON, networks

14. Questions to ask yourself • What IT area am I interested in? • What did I do on placement? • What units did I do well in last year? • What options have I chosen this year? • What do I want to do when I leave Uni? • Use thoughts from your Induction project

15. Please, by next Friday! (9th October) • At this stage, contact me, talk to us in Tutor Centre – project area. • If you suggested an idea and it was rejected/no decision, read the feedback • Put provisional project title in your PUMS record then I can allocate a supervisor • Use your Induction Project material • BIT students – choose now!

16. (A short slide on supervisor allocation) • (Supervisor is a member of staff whom you meet 1-1 at least fortnightly - helps keep you on track with project) • PUMS allowed you to choose a supervisor • Allocation is “first come-first served” – people with an idea before the summer generally have their first choice of supervisor • Still time to let me know (no guarantees!)

17. Victory course IFinal Year Projects - U12028-09B & U12029-09B) Past projects – now on-line: http://dissertations.port.ac.uk Referencing guidelines: http://referencing.port.ac.uk Project texts Reading lists from appropriate units Advice from last year’s project students PUMS Tutor Centre Your supervisor Your unit coordinator (me…in BK 1.27) Library, ASK, Maths Café Lecturers who are not your supervisors but who have the technical expertise you need Some resources

18. PUMS Tutor Centre and its Victory course Your supervisor Your unit coordinator (me…in BK 1.27) Library, ASK, Maths Cafe For course-related projects: CAS – Peter Millard Lecturers who are not your supervisors but who have the technical expertise you need Sources of help

19. TC help for project students • “Project area” – contains past projects, PC for registering with PUMS • Advice on idea choice • Help with literature search and review • Appointments with subject experts for technical help • Write-up advice (but not proof-reading!) • Wireless-enabled work space • Co-located with Maths Café • Mon – Fri, 12pm – 2pm

20. Project prizes! • Pearson Education Prize in Strategic Information Systems (£150 book token) • SoC Prize for Best Information Systems Project (£100) • Best Study Project Prize (£100) • David Callear Memorial Prize (£100) • SoC Prize for Best Business Solution Project (£100) • Adam Crump Memorial Prize for Personal Achievement (£50) • McGraw Hill Project Prize in Software Engineering (£50 books) • SoC Prize for best Computer Science project (£100) • British Computer Society Prize for Best Final Year Student (£150 + 1yr BCS membership) • SoC Prize for Best Final Year Direct Entrant Student (£100)

21. What do I need to do? • Skills for the project • Know your tools and methodologies, and which are appropriate for your topic • Remember your project management unit – you will need the project management skills • Practise your writing skills (ASK will help) • Remind yourself how to reference (http://referencing.port.ac.uk) • Find out how to do a literature review • Keep a log book / journal • Advice from last year’s students / FAQs – on Victory

23. To do list • Register with PUMS (if not already done so) • Let me know about project ideas (so I can allocate a supervisor) • Meet supervisor • Start reading • Plan back-up routine • Come to next Project Lecture

24. Housekeeping • Return attendance list copies • BIT students • Emma Duke Williams - Victory • Richard Boakes – web project ideas