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The Project

The project, CP4060 counts as 12 units. Each student will be associated with a supervisor (sometimes two) who will advise on the student's research project and related subjects throughout the course. In contrast to most third-year Software Engineering projects, for example, a research project is almost always closely related to the supervisor's technical interests, and is more research-oriented. At the beginning of the course (see Appendix A for specific dates) a list of supervisors and brief descriptions of their proposed projects will be available. During the following week, students should discuss further with the project supervisor(s) any project that they found interesting. It is very important to consider all possible projects because your choice is crucial to your success. By 5:00pm on the specified day (see Appendix A) you must submit to the Course Coordinator a list of three projects ordered according to your preference. The Course Coordinator will then assign a project and a supervisor to each student, keeping in mind student preferences and a usual quota of a maximum of two students for each staff member. In exceptional circumstances, you may be allowed to change supervisors after the initial allocation has been made. The reason for the change should be discussed with the Course Coordinator who will consult with the Head of Department before a decision is made.

The student-supervisor collaboration on a research project is a close one, because, in most circumstances, the initial project idea comes from the supervisor. It is natural for your supervisor to have input into your project along the way. However, you should not expect your supervisor to do the work for you, nor to provide unreasonable, last-minute assistance. You are expected to demonstrate a degree of initiative and independence, as well as critical thinking ability. You are required to maintain regular contact with your supervisor. If possible, meetings should be scheduled for each week, but under no circumstances should they occur less frequently than once a fortnight. These meetings allow you to obtain advice on work being performed and permit your supervisor to keep track of your progress. Regular meetings allow problems to be discovered before they drag on too long and create more serious problems. Both students and staff are advised to maintain a brief record of each meeting. Ordinarily, a supervisor is expected to be available throughout the academic year. In the event that your supervisor is going to be absent for an extended period, suitable arrangements should be made so that your work can continue during the period of absence. If you feel that your work is being hampered by an absence or lack of cooperation on the part of your supervisor, you should consult with the Course Coordinator as soon as possible.

Requirements and advice concerning specific aspects of the project are given in Section 5. The assessment weighting of the various project components are given in Section 6.

You are expected to familiarise yourself with the literature, techniques, and general principles associated with the project, and will be required to present a written thesis based on the project for examination. The thesis is the final product of the project. Students who do not submit a thesis will fail. The final version of each thesis will be bound once all assessment is complete. By the date given in Appendix A, you must provide a final laser-printed copy of your thesis to the Course Coordinator. The Department will pay for bound copies for you, your supervisor(s), and the Departmental library. Extra student copies can be obtained at cost. In addition to the bound copies, the Department keeps an electronic version of each thesis. By the date for bound copies you must also submit to the Course Coordinator a full online copy of your thesis.

You may also be required to make available a complete version of any code or data that is related to your project. This is necessary so that your supervisor or other interested parties can refer to or build on your work in the future.

 

Next: Special Workshops and Seminars Up: Honours Guide Previous: Course work Subjects