Introduction Taking your project further

268 Chapter 10 n Final considerations of the subject areas that it draws from and the context in which it resides. At postgrad- uate level this is essential but it can also be important for undergraduate projects too although many undergraduates ignore this point. This will enable you to show what contribution your project is making, show that it is not repeating the work of others, assist you with different aspects of your project and provide justification for any decisions that you make. n Have regular meetings with your supervisor. Your supervisor is there to help you and they are experienced – so make sure you use this resource as much as possible – and follow any advice she gives you. Students who rarely see their supervisor often fail. n Aim to finish your project early. It is always a good idea to aim to complete your project one or two weeks before the actual hand-in date for a six month project this should be achievable. This will provide you with some contingency time that may be needed if things don’t go quite according to plan. •

10.8 Summary

n Although you have finished your project, there are still ways to continue your work further in the future; seeking funding for further research, developing commercial software from your project, seeking patents and copyright on the material you have produced and publishing your work in academic journals and conferences. n You should have learnt a number of skills from your project that will come in useful in the future – for either a job in industry or further academic work: independence, the ability to ‘think’, learning skills, technical skills and communication skills. n Your degree course and project may provide you with exemption from and accredi- tation for membership in such professional bodies as the IEEE or the British Computer Society and Engineering Council. Your own department will be able to advise you on this. •

10.9 Further reading

Browning, B.A. 2005 Grant writing for dummies 2 nd Edition, John Wiley, New York. Day, A. 2008 How to get research published in journals 2 nd Edition, Gower, Aldershot, UK. Day, R.A. 2006 How to write and publish a scientific paper 6 th Edition, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. Gustavii, B. 2008 How to write and illustrate a scientific paper 2 nd Edition, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. Lester, J.D. and Lester, J.D. 2008 Writing research papers a complete guide 12 th Edition, Pearson Education, Essex, UK. 10.10 Action points 269 Malmfors, B. Garnsworthy, P. and Grossman, M. 2003 Writing and presenting scien- tific papers 2 nd Edition, Nottingham University Press, Nottingham, UK. Peters, A.D. 2003 Winning research funding, Gower, Aldershot, UK. Phillips, E.M. and Pugh, D.S. 2005 How to get a PhD: A handbook for students and their supervisors 4 th Edition, Open University Press, Buckingham, UK. •

10.10 Action points

n Think about how you could develop your project further in the future. n Write down what you have learnt by doing your project. How have you changed and developed as a result?