Programming in computing projects
1.3.2 Degree requirements for projects
As this book is aimed at students on both taught degrees and research de- grees, it is worth spending a little time looking at the differences between the projects undertaken at these different levels. These are general guide- lines – your own department and university and country can offer specific guidance on what is and what is not appropriate for your own level of study. A project undertaken as part of a taught course bachelor’s or master’s degree does not need to make great breakthroughs in science. It might involve the development of some software, it could be an extended case study, or it might be research-based. However, generally speaking, you would not be expected to produce work at a level that could be published in an academic journal or presented at an international conference. This is not the case for research degrees, however. An MPhil should produce work that could be published perhaps with some reworking, whereas students pursuing a PhD will probably be expected to have published some of their work before completing the fi- nal thesis and, in some European countries, this is compulsory. At the research degree level, Chinneck 1999 contrasts master’s in this case, research-based postgraduate study with PhD-level work in the following way: ‘The contribution of knowledge of a Master’s thesis can be in the nature of an incremental improvement in an area of knowl- edge, or the application of known techniques in a new area. The PhD must be a sub- stantial and innovative contribution to knowledge’. The University of Derby 1999 notes the following abilities a student is expected to demonstrate at research degree level: n an ability to work independently with minimum supervision; n an ability to draw on existing knowledge and identify additional knowledge needed for your study; n an ability to critically evaluate advanced literature journal papers; n ‘an ability to conceive original ideas’; n an ability to plan your work effectively; n an ability to select and use appropriate hardware, software, tools, methods and techniques; n an ability to present your work effectively in written and oral forms; n an ability to critically evaluate your own work and justify all aspects of it; n an ability to identify areas of further research in your chosen area. Abilities marked with an asterisk are those that should be evident in taught degree projects as well. What sets research degree work apart is, mainly, an ability to Figure 1.4 Higher education 1.4 Stakeholders 11 ‘conceive original ideas’. This emphasises that for a research degree you are expected to make some kind of contribution to knowledge, not just repeat the work of others. This is discussed in more detail in Chapter 5. •1.4 Stakeholders
1.4.1 Overview
Stakeholders are any individuals who are involved with your project. The most important person in your project is you. You are responsible for the overall completion of your pro- ject, meeting milestones, achieving objectives, satisfying users, satisfying the examiners, and so forth. Your project has many other stakeholders, and they all have significant roles to play. They include your supervisors, your users, your clients, your examiners and any software testersevaluators you might employ as part of your system evaluation if you have one in your project.1.4.2 Your supervisor
Imagine your project as a large boulder. At the start of your project, this boulder is quite difficult to push stationary objects like to remain stationary. Getting a project started is always difficult. However, once the project is underway the boulder is rolling, it becomes much easier to push and gathers momentum as the project un- folds. Now, picture your supervisor alongside you. It is that person’s role to encourage you as you push this boulder your project along. Your supervisor will encourage you at the start as you try to get the boulder moving. They are also there to ensure you are pushing in the right direction. The supervisor will have an eye on the route you are taking and provide the occasional prod to keep you and the boulder on course. Your supervisor is also there to provide encouragement. If you feel yourself flagging at any stage, your supervisor should be there to support you and give you the help you need. In Chapter 3, we look at ways in which you might be able to choose your supervisor and, in Chapter 7, how to use your supervisor effectively as your project progresses. Sometimes particularly for research degrees, you may have more than one supervi- sor. This is especially common where the area of study straddles two fields of expertise. In addition, research degrees often have a supervisor someone who is responsible for the student overall and a director of studies or director of research. The director of research is sometimes a more senior member of academic staff who is interested in the strategic rather than week-to-week direction of the project. You may see your supervisor once every one or two weeks, but you would see your director of research only every six months or perhaps once a year.1.4.3 Clients and users
If your project involves the development of a software system or involves action research or case studies, you will probably be working with a client andor a user. It is important to realise the distinction between these two stakeholders. A client is usually the project’s sponsor – the one who has requested the system be developed or study undertaken. The user, on the other hand, will be the one who eventually uses the system or the results ofParts
» Projects in Computing and Information Systems A Student's Guide 0273721313 Pearson 2009
» Introduction What are computing projects?
» Computing project types What are computing projects?
» Programming in computing projects
» Degree structures Degree requirements
» Degree requirements for projects
» Overview Your supervisor Stakeholders
» Clients and users Stakeholders
» Evaluators and testers Stakeholders
» Overview How this book is arranged
» Taught degree projects versus research degrees
» Summary Projects in Computing and Information Systems A Student's Guide 0273721313 Pearson 2009
» A definition What is research?
» Originality What is research?
» Gaincontribution What is research?
» Knowledge and understanding What is research?
» Identify the broad area of study.
» Plan how you will perform the research.
» Gather data and information.
» Analyse and interpret these data.
» Present the results and findings.
» Review the field – i.e., perform a literature survey.
» Build a theory – based on your understanding and interpretations of the field.
» Test the theory – does it work?
» Reflect and integrate – i.e., update your ideas based on your ‘tests’ and contribute
» Intellectual discovery The research process
» Research methods Research methods
» List or multiple choice. Provides the respondent with a number of options to
» Scale. Used to rate the respondent’s feelings towards something.
» Ranking. Used to order a series of options. You should not provide too many
» Complex grid or table. Used to gather similar responses on a range of questions.
» Open-ended. Used to obtain extended, qualitative answers.
» Summary Further reading Action points
» Techniques and Information Sources
» Additional considerations Choosing a project
» Follow any guidelines precisely. Most institutions require specific information; for
» Proofread thoroughly and get someone else to check it. Any errors or omissions
» Introduction to the subject area. This will provide the reader with an under-
» Current research in the field. This will emphasise that your project is not based in
» Identify a gap. You should be able to identify some aspect of the field that requires
» Identify how your work fills the gap. Having identified a gap in the field, your
» Identify risks and solutions. It is also useful in a project proposal to highlight any
» Explicit sections Preparing a project proposal
» Reviewing your proposal Preparing a project proposal
» Exercise Projects in Computing and Information Systems A Student's Guide 0273721313 Pearson 2009
» The project process Introduction
» Definition The project’s stages
» Planning The project’s stages
» Initiation The project’s stages
» Control The project’s stages
» Closure. The project’s stages
» Complete a literature search and literature review of existing stock market prediction
» Develop a suitable artificial neural network model.
» Identify and collect suitable data for analyses and evaluation.
» Evaluate the model using appropriate statistical techniques.
» Complete final report. Setting objectives
» Step 1 – Work Breakdown Project planning
» Step 2 – Time estimates Project planning
» Step 3 – Identify milestones Project planning
» Step 4 – Activity sequencing Project planning
» Step 5 – Scheduling Project planning
» Step 6 – Re-planning Project planning
» Rolling wave planning Project planning
» Risks. Include a list of critical risk factors and means of dealing with these risks
» Organisation. If you are undertaking a group project it would be worthwhile
» Alleviate critical risks Introduction
» Identify risks Risk management
» Alleviate critical risks Risk management
» Controlling risks Risk management
» Research degrees versus taught degree projects
» A starting point Introduction
» The literature survey process
» Format of information Literature searching
» Tracing the information Literature searching
» Inter-library loans Literature searching
» Some tips for performing a literature search
» Critical evaluation Writing literature reviews
» Overview The past Introduction
» Introduction The software development life cycle SDLC
» Requirements definition Requirements capture
» Requirements specification Requirements capture
» Functional specification Requirements capture
» Design The software development life cycle SDLC
» Build The software development life cycle SDLC
» Test The software development life cycle SDLC
» Implementation The software development life cycle SDLC
» The earliest ’model’: build-and-fix
» The stage-wise and classical waterfall models conventional models
» explore the requirements of the system with the user – requirements capture, andor
» explore the technical feasibility of a system – experimental prototyping.
» Which development approach should I use?
» Which programming language should I use?
» Introduction Top-down and bottom-up development
» Top-down development Top-down and bottom-up development
» Bottom-up development Top-down and bottom-up development
» Verification Verification, validation and testing
» Validation Verification, validation and testing
» Testing Verification, validation and testing
» Who is involved with testing and evaluation?
» Test plans Miscellaneous testing types
» Quality assurance and quality control
» Exercises Projects in Computing and Information Systems A Student's Guide 0273721313 Pearson 2009
» Getting started – project initiation
» Managing the five project elements
» Introduction Dealing with problems
» Weakening Dealing with problems
» Personal problems Dealing with problems
» Hardware failure Dealing with problems
» Data availability Dealing with problems
» Discovering your workresearch has been done before
» Analyse what you are currently doing.
» Change what you are doing to achieve your aims.
» eliminate activities you don’t need to do; and
» be more efficient doing the things you have to do.
» Time management tips Procrastination
» Using your supervisor effectively
» Introduction Working in teams
» Team development Working in teams
» Managing the team Working in teams
» Teamwork tips Working in teams
» Considerations Writing and structuring reports
» Approaches to writing Writing and structuring reports
» When should I start writing?
» Identify structure. This relates to the content of your report, using a report break-
» Identify presentational style. You should also try to set standards at this stage on
» Draft the introduction. The introduction gives the reader an idea of the
» Develop the main body. The main body of your report is the next part you
» Articulate conclusions and make recommendations. Quite clearly, your conclu-
» Complete the introduction. As part of the evolutionary approach to writing,
» Write the abstract. You cannot really write a clear abstract for your report until
» Add references and appendices. Although you will be collating references and
» Arrange contents list, index. Leave the completion of an index if one is required
» Proofread, check and correct. It is vitally important to proofread your report after
» Introductionliterature review – the first chapter of your report should always be
» Main body – the content of which depends on the type of project you are un-
» Conclusionsrecommendations – summarises the contribution of the work and
» Style Writing and structuring reports
» Word processing Writing and structuring reports
» Tips Writing and structuring reports
» Presenting charts and graphs
» Common mistakes Data presentation
» Miscellaneous charts Data presentation
» Other data presentation Data presentation
» Introduction Referencing material and avoiding plagiarism
» Citing references Referencing material and avoiding plagiarism
» Listing references Referencing material and avoiding plagiarism
» Commenting program code Documenting software
» Writing user guides Documenting software
» The presentation content Visual aids
» Introduction. One or two slides that introduce you and your talk.
» Main body. The slides that constitute the bulk of your presentation and cover the
» Summaryconclusion. A few slides that summarise your presentation and perhaps
» Dealing with questions Oral presentations
» Poster preparation tips Poster presentations
» Introduction Preparation Demonstrating software
» Demonstration tips Demonstrating software
» Introduction Viva voce examinations
» Introduction Examiners and the marking of your project
» General. Examiners will look at the relevance and appropriateness of the topic
» Report. Examiners will look for clarity, consistency, an appropriate use of
» Defence. Examiners will assess the types of arguments you have made to support
» Other. Examiners will review the administrative issues of your project. For example,
» What was the research question?
» Is it a ‘good’ question? This involves a comprehensive literature review to ensure
» Has the student answered the question adequately?
» Has the student made an adequate contribution to knowledge?
» The project approach from a technical perspective i.e., not a project management
» General project considerations subject independent
» Literature reviewproject foundation Assessment criteria
» Project approachmethods Assessment criteria
» Results and contributions Assessment criteria
» Introduction Taking your project further
» Seeking funding Developing commercial software packages
» Copyright and patents Taking your project further
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