Independent Independent WorkWork

Spring 2008Spring 2008

David WalkerDavid Walker

What Is Independent What Is Independent Work?Work?

ResearchResearch Advanced developmentAdvanced development Some combination of the twoSome combination of the two Literature survey leading to Literature survey leading to

researchresearch

Goal: Fun, Profit, Goal: Fun, Profit, EnrichmentEnrichment

Opportunity to learn something in detailOpportunity to learn something in detail More than you could do in a standard More than you could do in a standard

coursecourse DifferentiatorDifferentiator

Grad schoolsGrad schools JobsJobs LifeLife

FunFun You get to do exactly what you want to!You get to do exactly what you want to!

Key Points of this TalkKey Points of this Talk

Everything you need to know is on the web:Everything you need to know is on the web: www.cs.princeton.edu/~dpw/courses/iw/08-09/www.cs.princeton.edu/~dpw/courses/iw/08-09/ www.cs.princeton.edu/~dpw/courses/iw/08-09/dates.htmwww.cs.princeton.edu/~dpw/courses/iw/08-09/dates.htm

just in case I’ve miscopied a date in this presentation, the definitive just in case I’ve miscopied a date in this presentation, the definitive set of deadlines is up on the webset of deadlines is up on the web

But if you have questions, ask:But if you have questions, ask: Donna O’Leary, Donna O’Leary, doleary@cs.princeton.edudoleary@cs.princeton.edu, CS 410, CS 410 David Walker, David Walker, dpw@cs.princeton.edudpw@cs.princeton.edu, CS 412, CS 412

And aside from logistics, the most important thing to do is And aside from logistics, the most important thing to do is find an advisor who you can work well with and a find an advisor who you can work well with and a project you are excited to work on.project you are excited to work on.

General Outline (1 General Outline (1 semester)semester)

Find an advisorFind an advisor Start workingStart working

6-10 hours/week is an appropriate amount of time per 6-10 hours/week is an appropriate amount of time per weekweek

work steadilywork steadily Give a 12 minute project proposal talk (+ 3 Give a 12 minute project proposal talk (+ 3

minutes for questions/changeover)minutes for questions/changeover) Oct 6-10Oct 6-10

Write up a 1-page checkpoint report Write up a 1-page checkpoint report Nov 7Nov 7

20-25 page Final Report20-25 page Final Report Jan 5Jan 5

Poster SessionPoster Session Jan 7, 2-4pmJan 7, 2-4pm

General Outline (thesis)General Outline (thesis) Find an advisorFind an advisor Start workingStart working

6-10 hours/week is an appropriate amount of time per week6-10 hours/week is an appropriate amount of time per week work steadilywork steadily

Give a 12 minute project proposal talkGive a 12 minute project proposal talk Oct 6-10Oct 6-10

Checkpoint I Checkpoint I Nov 7Nov 7

5-7 page February Paper5-7 page February Paper Feb 6Feb 6

Checkpoint II (Thesis Outline)Checkpoint II (Thesis Outline) March 27March 27

Final Report (40-50 pages)Final Report (40-50 pages) April 17April 17

Final PresentationFinal Presentation April 20-24April 20-24

Poster SessionPoster Session May 7, 2-4pmMay 7, 2-4pm

How To Have a Good 12 How To Have a Good 12 WeeksWeeks

Start as soon as possibleStart as soon as possible Take some time Take some time right nowright now to shop around to shop around

Read project ideasRead project ideas Read web pagesRead web pages Talk to grad students you’ve had as TAsTalk to grad students you’ve had as TAs Talk to faculty – Talk to faculty – Finding an advisor you want to work Finding an advisor you want to work

with is the key stepwith is the key step Come up with your own ideaCome up with your own idea

Be clever, but not too cleverBe clever, but not too clever Do a decent sales pitchDo a decent sales pitch But listen to your advisor’s adviceBut listen to your advisor’s advice

Don’t be afraid of changeDon’t be afraid of change Better to change course than dead endBetter to change course than dead end Don’t change course too oftenDon’t change course too often

How To Have a Bad 12 How To Have a Bad 12 WeeksWeeks

Delay project selection until last minuteDelay project selection until last minute Ignore your advisorIgnore your advisor

you should try to meet once/week, even if it’s a brief you should try to meet once/week, even if it’s a brief meetingmeeting

Allow yourself to get stuckAllow yourself to get stuck talk to your advisor; talk to your advisor; don’t avoid them when you are don’t avoid them when you are

stuckstuck Bluff your way through checkpointsBluff your way through checkpoints

think hard about your plansthink hard about your plans work hard & start earlywork hard & start early

Give incoherent presentationsGive incoherent presentations prepare & practiceprepare & practice get feedback from your advisor & friendsget feedback from your advisor & friends give slides to your advisor in advance & ask for feedbackgive slides to your advisor in advance & ask for feedback communication skills are the key to technical successcommunication skills are the key to technical success

On to the specifics....On to the specifics....

How To Find a ProjectHow To Find a Project

Meet professors for lunch on MondayMeet professors for lunch on Monday 12-1:30pm12-1:30pm

Browse the web:Browse the web: wiki.cs.princeton.edu/index.php/wiki.cs.princeton.edu/index.php/

UgradResearchTopicsUgradResearchTopics

Proposal Presentations Proposal Presentations [Sign up Sept 22-26; Present Oct 6-10][Sign up Sept 22-26; Present Oct 6-10]

Logistics:Logistics: 12 minute talk; 3 minutes for 12 minute talk; 3 minutes for

questions/changeoverquestions/changeover Attend full 1-hour session and give feedback to Attend full 1-hour session and give feedback to

other studentsother students Content Goals:Content Goals:

Describe the problem Describe the problem explain why it is important, challenging and interestingexplain why it is important, challenging and interesting make me excited to hear more latermake me excited to hear more later

Explain how the research will be evaluatedExplain how the research will be evaluated Present a realistic plan for the semesterPresent a realistic plan for the semester

point out possible stumbling points – what is your point out possible stumbling points – what is your contingency plan if research does not go as you hoped?contingency plan if research does not go as you hoped?

Proposal PresentationsProposal Presentations

Presentation Goals:Presentation Goals: Clearly communicate the key pointsClearly communicate the key points

Be sure your talk is well-structuredBe sure your talk is well-structured Pretend you are talking to a goup of CS seniors who Pretend you are talking to a goup of CS seniors who have nothave not

taken a course in the area of research you are pursuingtaken a course in the area of research you are pursuing Don’t use uncommon jargon or terms without defining themDon’t use uncommon jargon or terms without defining them Use screen real estate effectivelyUse screen real estate effectively Pictures, charts and graphs are your friendsPictures, charts and graphs are your friends

Be conscious of your presentation styleBe conscious of your presentation style Speak clearlySpeak clearly Make eye contactMake eye contact Show energy and enthusiasm in your voiceShow energy and enthusiasm in your voice Assess your audience’s level of comprehensionAssess your audience’s level of comprehension Practice in advance and in front of friends and your advisorPractice in advance and in front of friends and your advisor Heed feedbackHeed feedback

Proposal PresentationsProposal Presentations

Audience Goals:Audience Goals: Listen to the content and note both good and bad Listen to the content and note both good and bad

presentation elementspresentation elements both for your benefit and the speaker’s benefitboth for your benefit and the speaker’s benefit

Give feedback notes to your fellow students:Give feedback notes to your fellow students: summarize the most important points of the talksummarize the most important points of the talk what could improvewhat could improve what is already goodwhat is already good

For proposals, each student will attend the talks give in For proposals, each student will attend the talks give in the same hour as their talkthe same hour as their talk

Grades:Grades: Formal grades won’t be given to the presentation itselfFormal grades won’t be given to the presentation itself However, presentation quality & amount of progress will However, presentation quality & amount of progress will

be a component when assigning an overall grade at the be a component when assigning an overall grade at the end of the semester.end of the semester.

eg: when deciding between an A- and B+, we’ll think about eg: when deciding between an A- and B+, we’ll think about presentation qualitypresentation quality

Checkpoints Checkpoints [Nov 7/March 27][Nov 7/March 27]

approximately a 1 page documentapproximately a 1 page document describe the accomplishments made so fardescribe the accomplishments made so far

note tasks partially or completely completednote tasks partially or completely completed note papers read, experiments conducted, code note papers read, experiments conducted, code

completedcompleted illustrate your understanding of the topicillustrate your understanding of the topic

give a plan for the rest of the semestergive a plan for the rest of the semester note deadlines for completing other tasksnote deadlines for completing other tasks

meet with your advisor, have them read meet with your advisor, have them read your checkpoint document and sign the your checkpoint document and sign the checkpoint formcheckpoint form You must return the form to Donna O’Leary (CS You must return the form to Donna O’Leary (CS

410) by the checkpoint deadline410) by the checkpoint deadline

Poster Session Poster Session [Jan 7][Jan 7]

Create a display for a 4-by-4 bulletin Create a display for a 4-by-4 bulletin boardboard poster, collection of slides, etc.poster, collection of slides, etc. plus optional software demoplus optional software demo

ContentContent background – explain the problem & background – explain the problem &

motivationmotivation what have you learned?what have you learned? what experiments have you performed?what experiments have you performed? what have you proven?what have you proven? what algorithms have you defined?what algorithms have you defined?

Final Report Final Report [Jan 5/April 17][Jan 5/April 17]

Final report is 20-25 pagesFinal report is 20-25 pages do not go “much” over 25 pagesdo not go “much” over 25 pages you may have an appendix that contains auxiliary materials you may have an appendix that contains auxiliary materials

such as code that spills over 25 pagessuch as code that spills over 25 pages Thesis Reports: approximately twice as long (40-50 pages)Thesis Reports: approximately twice as long (40-50 pages)

Content and writing are both importantContent and writing are both important Visuals such as graphs, diagrams, pictures, etc can be Visuals such as graphs, diagrams, pictures, etc can be

effective communication mechanismseffective communication mechanisms See website for turn-in instructions & specifics about fonts See website for turn-in instructions & specifics about fonts

and such (which aren’t that important, but be and such (which aren’t that important, but be reasonable...)reasonable...)

A printed copy needs to be submitted to Donna by the A printed copy needs to be submitted to Donna by the deadlinedeadline 2 unbound copies for a thesis2 unbound copies for a thesis

Give your advisor a copy (either e-mail or hard copy as Give your advisor a copy (either e-mail or hard copy as they prefer)they prefer)

GradingGrading Grades will depend upon:Grades will depend upon:

the creativity and originality of student the creativity and originality of student ideasideas

the content, amount of work accomplished the content, amount of work accomplished to date, clarity and polish of presentationsto date, clarity and polish of presentations

the content, eloquence, organization and the content, eloquence, organization and clarity of writingclarity of writing

the majority of the grade will depend the majority of the grade will depend upon the final reportupon the final report

however, poor presentations and missing however, poor presentations and missing checkpoints will also have an impactcheckpoints will also have an impact

Summary: Most Summary: Most important thingsimportant things

Find an adviser and projectFind an adviser and project as soon as possible as soon as possible lunch on monday 12-1:30 may helplunch on monday 12-1:30 may help feel free to email themfeel free to email them check out the independent work projects pagecheck out the independent work projects page

Go to the course web site and read the course Go to the course web site and read the course web pages – web pages – make a note of all deadlinesmake a note of all deadlines If something is unclear, ask me, your advisor or If something is unclear, ask me, your advisor or

Donna O’Leary (doleary@cs.princeton.edu) Donna O’Leary (doleary@cs.princeton.edu)

Meet with your advisor oftenMeet with your advisor often and talk to them and talk to them as soon as you get stuck – do not procrastinateas soon as you get stuck – do not procrastinate

ConclusionsConclusions

A good project is a lot of workA good project is a lot of work

... but it could be more fun than any ... but it could be more fun than any other course you’ll take.other course you’ll take.

Questions?Questions?