Planning and Implementing your Final Year Project - with Success!: A Guide for Students in Computer Science and Information Systems - Softcover

Mikael Berndtsson

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1852333324 ISBN 13: 9781852333324

Publisher: Springer, 2002

Synopsis

Based on an approach which has been tried and tested on over 500 projects, this text provides computing and information students with the tools they need to successfully complete a final year research project. It offers a simple step-by-step guide to the key processes involved: developing your project proposal; developing the problem description; following objectives; presenting and analysing your data; drawing conclusions; presenting and defending your work; and preparing the final version of your report. The work is intended for students but also contains information for supervisors and examiners, including guidelines on how to review a final year project.

About this title

From the Inside Flap

"...mandatory reading for all students embarking on their final year project. Easy to read, loaded with good advice and filled with to-the-point examples, it covers in a step-by-step fashion each and every aspect that readers might be looking for. Whether you have a bachelor, master or Ph.D. thesis ahead of you, I strongly recommend you first study this excellent text." Prof. Dr. Klaus Dittrich, Department of Information Technology, University of Zurich, Switzerland

"This book... presents a very clear exposition of basic research concepts that are often taken for granted and assumed to be part of common knowledge. It will be very useful reading for anyone undertaking research." Prof. Brian Fitzgerald, University of Limerick, Ireland

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

1.1 Motivation and Purpose of the Book

Computer science and information systems are two areas spanning a wide range of topics, for example, artificial intelligence, CASE-tools, database systems, human-computer interaction, information systems assessment, programming languages, operating systems, software engineering, and web based information systems. The areas are multi-disciplinary in that they have elements from the natural sciences (mathematics, logic etc.) and human sciences (psychology, philosophy etc.). The multi-disciplinary nature of the areas covered does not simplify the task of performing a final year project; indeed it presents profound challenges and interesting problems. Areas such as social science, psychology, mathematics, and engineering have established guidelines and methods for formulating problems, and choosing appropriate research methods.

The wide range of areas within computer science and information systems means that it is not always easy to formulate a problem suitable for a final year project, choose the appropriate research method or develop a structure for a written report. Furthermore, many students experience uncertainty as to what to expect from a final year project, how to complete it within the time scale, and how to attain the goals set out for the project. This is understandable since most students will have had no prior experience of a project as complex and as broad in scope as a final year project. It is difficult to envisage in advance what it will be like. These concerns are due partly to the lack of suitable textbooks and dearth of references specifically targeting final year project students in computer science and information systems. Moreover, the final year project is probably the biggest project you, as a student, will have undertaken in your academic life, and maybe even in your life.

This book focuses on the process of carrying out a final year project, with a particular emphasis on the roles and responsibilities of the student, the supervisor and the examiner. This book is an attempt to bridge the gap between different research methods and the process of carrying out a final year project in the areas of computer science and information systems; in short, the systematic series of actions directed to ensure that the project moves forward. In this book we identify a series of actions that should be of assistance to you when planning and carrying out your final year project.

1.3 Actors in the Project
The three main actors in a final project are you (the student), the supervisor and the examiner. Of the three actors, you are the most important since you are the one who moves the project forward. You focus on solving some well-defined problem in a specific area, and thereby increase your understanding of the area. But you also learn methods that can be used to approach, structure and solve complex problems.

The supervisor is your ally. He or she should not only give you advice to help you achieve success with a good final year project, but will also critically point out strengths and weaknesses. Normally he or she is a domain expert in the area you are going to do your final project. The dialogue between you and the supervisor serves as a compass for establishing directions when exploring new areas.

In contrast, the examiner is the person who critically evaluates, and later on recommends or decides the grade for your work. The examiner is not necessarily a domain expert in the subject area of your work, but normally has a good understanding of the area generally. More importantly, the examiner has significant experience, enabling him or her to review your work with respect to both content and method.

The positive interaction between these three actors is vital to the successful completion of a final year project. Note that while these are three distinct roles and are often performed by three different people, the roles of supervisor and examiner may be carried out by the same person. However, there are many advantages to keeping the roles strictly separate.

1.4 Process
You now know what the different purposes of a final year project are, and who the actors involved are. The final thing you need to know before you embark on your final year project, is how to structure your work in order that the goals are met. The answer is that you to need to apply a process that can guide you through the various stages of the final year project, and at the same time help you to achieve its purposes. This book will outline such a process for you. The process involves the following steps:

(i) Developing your project proposal (Chapter 5)
(ii) Developing your problem description (Chapter 7-8)
(iii) Following the objectives (Chapter 9)
(iv) Presenting and analysing your data (Chapter 10)
(v) Drawing your conclusions and identifying future work (Chapter 11)
(vi) Presenting and defending your work orally (Chapter 12)
(vii) Preparing your final version of the report (Chapter 12)

The process has three checkpoints where the examiner or the supervisor performs a quality control. These checkpoints come after steps (i), (ii) and (v). The first two checkpoints assess the quality of the project proposal and the problem description. The third checkpoint is the last quality control before the work is presented and defended. The reason for these early checkpoints is based on experience; a good start is facilitated by a strong project proposal and problem description. If the project has a good problem description with clear goals, then the rest of the work becomes easier; it is easier to keep focused. You may have heard the saying: knowing the problem well is like having half the solution. This is very often true. Finally, after step (vii) there is a final examination where the examiner recommends or decides the grade for your work.

Edition details

• Publisher: Springer
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 1852333324
• ISBN 13: 9781852333324
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 152