Department of Computer Science and Technology

Student HandbookCIS000-6 MSc Project Academic year 2014/15

Project Co-ordinatorDr Simant PrakoonwitSimant.Prakoonwit@beds.ac.ukRm C105a

1. IntroductionWhether the you progresses to further study or into employment, one of the most important skills expected of a computing professional is the ability to work on your own project successfully. MSc projects provide the opportunity for you to engage in an extended piece of independent research. Projects are not extended labs or practicals - you are expected to work primarily on your own, while liasing regularly with your supervisor. The guideance given in this handbook is addressed to students taking CIS000-6 MSc Project unit.knowledge and skills gained from other units, and from their wider educational and working background (e.g. their first degree which may be in a subject area rather than computing), in a major integrative exercise. The project unit is an ideal vehicle for this purpose. You will be expected to develop an idea (most likely generated by a member of academic staff) and demonstrate your ability to develop it further, producing a suitable artefact by applying their technical, analytical, practical and managerial skills in an integrated manner. You are required to emphasise on a topic which sufficiently reflects on the course you are studying.1.1 Aims demonstrate that they have the appropriate level of intellectual skill i.e. the abilities to synthesise, criticise, develop and integrate material that they have met in the taught part of their particular course of study develop the ability to identify problems, analyse situations and develop solutions develop the ability of project management to schedule their time and work, and schedule resources, assisted by supervision carry out and present in an organised way a substantial body of original work.1.2 Learning OutcomesLearning OutcomesOn completion of this unit you should be able to:Assessment CriteriaTo achieve the learning outcome you must demonstrate the ability to:

1Demonstrate competence in abstracting a wealth of current information from literature or situationsComprehensive literature review in the project area,Comparative study / analysis of existing work where possible,Useful conclusions drawn from literature review for the project work.

2Devise and follow a clear process of investigation, assimilating material in an effective manner and work creatively under guidance of a member of staffClear definition of project problem and related issues,Effective investigation process proposed and applied in the project work,Good project planning and management including regular and effective meetings with the supervisor.

3Demonstrate the ability to analyse situations, isolate problem areas and propose solutions in relation to their course of studyIn-depth analysis of problem identified,Clear and appropriate project specifications and design,Suitable methodologies / technologies proposed.

4Critically evaluate a specialist area, applying knowledge and skills in a practical wayEffective implementation and testing of project design,Identification of appropriate evaluation methods / measures,Qualitative and/or quantitative evaluation of project work with the methods / measures.

5Establish and specify the contribution to knowledge achieved through in-depth research and extend current thinking to cater for future developments in the fieldIncorporation of research findings in the project work,Substantial conclusions made from the work undertaken,Demonstration of potential of further developments of the project work

6Plan and present a comprehensive thesis in a professional manner according to the project timescaleThesis logically laid out and well presented,Thesis drafted from early dates of project and developed progressively,Sufficient coverage and concise description of project work.

More details can be found in CIS004-6 Unit Information Form.2. InstructionsYou need to have 120 credits to be allowed to officially register for this unit and begin your project. In other words, you need to pass all eight taught units.MSc projects are conducted individually. Each project will be supervised by an academic.Project preparation will begin before or at the beginning of each semester. A series of project workshop will be held by the Project Co-ordinator to:- familiarise students with project process- inform students of project requirements- support students in research methods- enable students to prepare a Project Proposal Form- provide students with guidance to poster production, thesis writing up and oral presentationYou are given an opportunity to find your own supervisor. If you cannot find an academic who agrees to supervise you, a supervisor will be allocated to you by the Project Co-ordinator. If your supervisor does not have a project topic for your. You are expected to discuss with your supervisor to determine possible project topic. You are encouraged to suggest topics and agree a project title with your supervisor. However, you cannot choose a topic without the active involvement of your supervisor.Your project topic must sufficiently reflect on the course you are studying. Your Project Proposal Form (PPF), see Appendix A, must be completed by you under the supervision of your supervisor. The appropriateness, academic level, technical content, resource requirements, time scale, original nature, vocational relevance of the proposed project must be considered in your Project Proposal Form. Your supervisor and you must agree on a finalised proposal and project plan.Your Course Co-ordinator and, if necessary, the academic members of the Course Team will then screen all project proposals in your course to ensure that your project is relevant to your degree pathway and to ensure a consistency across the course.You also have to submit your Ethics Form (Appendix A). The form must be completed and signed. If you do not submit the form, you are not allowed to complete your project.Important project elements Artefact - As potential Information Systems Engineers (the British Computer Societys definition) students will actually need to engineer (i.e. build) something. This will probably be an artefact in the form of software, but it might be more conceptual (a design or method for example). Contribution to knowledge - The project is the main way in which postgraduates show their potential for PhD work. This is achieved by making a contribution to knowledge in the field of Information Systems Technologies.3. Assessments3.1 DeliverablesInterim report (20%) Project Proposal Form (5%)Project proposal that details the problem statement and objectives of the project, including an outline of the artefact, methodology to be used, required resources to realise the artefact and identification of any ethical issues. Contextual Review (15%)Comprehensive primary and secondary research to support the workings of the project. The analysis of which should result in artefact specification and design blueprints (which in turn would be used to realise artefact).Final report (80%) Project Management (10%)Management of project work (effective meetings with supervisor, initiatives shown in project definition, documentation, timing, process of investigation, etc). Thesis Report (50%)Quality of analysis, originality and depth, artefact produced, research conducted and references used, and overall presentation including structure and clarity. Poster (10%)Presentation of overall work via a poster (conformance of requirements, relevance, detail, quality of presentation, ability to defend, etc). Oral Presentation (10%)Presentation, clarity, knowledge and questions and answers.

See project guidelines in Appendix B.3.2 Tasks and deadlinesDeadline/task(the exact dates and times for each semester are announced on BREO)

AssignmentStudentSupervisor/2nd Marker

Ethics FormEnd of teaching week 2- Submit your signed Ethics form to CATS Faculty Office.- Scan your signed Ethics form and submit it on BREO.Notes:- Your Ethics form must be signed by you, your supervisor and Course Co-ordinator, otherwise it is not valid.- If you do not submit your valid Ethics form, both on BREO and the hard copy, you will not be allowed to proceed with your project.Supervisor: check if the Ethic form is properly signed and upload correctly on BREO.

1. Interim report (20%) 1.1 Project proposal form (5%) 1.2 Contextual review (15%)

End of teaching week 7: submit interim report (project proposal form, and contextual review).

- Interim report: submit on BREOEnd of teaching week 10- Complete double marking by supervisors and 2nd markers.- Supervisors submit the agreed marks to the Project Co-ordinator and PG Programme Administrator

2. Final report (80%)

End of teaching Week 12- Final report: submit on BREO + 2 hardcopies to the Assignment Office

3. VivaDuring teaching weeks 13-15Teaching weeks 13-15Supervisors and 2nd markers mark the final reports and arrange vivas.

End of teaching week 15- Supervisor submit the agreed marks to the Project Co-Ordinator and PG Programme Administrator

3.3 Important note on the submission processYou must follow the submission instructions carefully. According to the University's policy, "where students have been requiredin the assessment brief to submit written coursework in hard copy throughthe assessment handling system in addition to the standard Universityrequirement of electronic submission through Turnitin, but have failed tosubmit through both methods (but have submitted through one method), it hasbeen agreed with the Director of Teaching & Learning that this work shouldnot be viewed as a non-submission (i.e. should not receive an automatic 0 Ggrade). In these cases the student should receive a grade 1 F-."3.4 Project marking processSecond marker will be appointed for your project. All assessments will be independently double marked by your supervisor and the second marker according to the process described in the University Quality Handbook Chapter 8. To ensure a consistency of the grades awarded across the course, the Course Co-ordinator and, if necessary, the academic members of the Course Team will check all grades to make sure that they are consistent and conform to the marking schemes.

Marking SchemeG/F0/1/2E4D5 6 7C8 9 10B11 12 13A14 15 16WeightSupervisorGrade point

Interim reportPROJECT PROPOSALFORM50% Description of artefact50% Project methodologyNo submissionDescription of artefact does not match courseof study Vague discussion of artifact Irrelevant/vague methodologyDescription of artefactrather superficialLacks intellectualchallengeNo added valueMethodology lacks depth and rather superficialBasic structure of artefact,but with notable shortcomingsMinimal added value highlightedBasic methodology described, but with notable shortcomingsSatisfactory attempt atdepicting features of artifact, with somerelevant added value Satisfactory attempt at depicting the development approachGood artefact descriptionbased on relevant contextRelevant features showingsome real added value Methodology described shows good understanding of project needsExcellent artefact portrayal,with clear range of added features and contextExcellent and clear exhibition of methodology.0.05

LITERATURE SEARCH50% Comparative presentation50% Comparative analysisNo / poor literature research.Weak literature research. Rather vague.Acceptable literature research, though requires better description of existing products or systems.Satisfactory literature research, with some useful insights.Basic comparative analysis provided.Good literature research with useful, relevant and in- depth discussion.Good comparative analysis presented.Excellent literature research with substantial discussion.Excellent comparative analysis demonstrated.0.15

Final report and vivaPROJECT MANAGEMENT/ CONDUCT50% Planning andMeetings30% Initiative20% Process ofInvestigationNo / rare meetings arranged/attended.No initiatives undertaken.No motivation shown.Did not follow schedule/ instructions.Infrequent / irrelevant meetings arranged / attended.Showed some interest, but weak all round.Some meetings arranged / attended. Showed some initiative, but rather limited.Undertook some investigation, but rather brief.Satisfactory meetings arranged and attended.Satisfactory initiative shown, but could have done better.Some investigation undertaken.Good productive meetings arranged and attended.Good initiative shown. Good investigationundertaken with necessarydocumentation.Excellent productive meetings arranged and attended.Excellent initiative shown. Excellent investigation undertaken with a fullportfolio.0.1

POSTER30% Content20% Presentation50% Q/ANo / poor, or irrelevant poster.Poor explanation.Basic poster but lacks relevant detail and presentation.Some understanding.Basic poster, with relevant content that needs improvingSatisfactory understanding.Satisfactory poster, with notable content and presentation.Good understanding.Well-presented poster, with clear diagrams and detailed content.Good knowledge of relevant issues.Excellent poster. Excellent understanding andknowledge of relevantissues.0.1

THESIS5% Presentation5% Structure30% Analysis and synthesis30% Originality and contribution10% Research and references20% Quality of artefactNo / poor, or irrelevant thesis.Poor structure and presentation.No research, analysis or synthesis.No / poor or irrelevant artefact.Weak thesis.Basic contents, but lacks flow, structure and understanding.Minimal research with textbooks, analysis and synthesis.Weak artefact requires the addition of relevant and important features.Reasonable thesis. Reasonable presentationand structure.Some research with refereed publications, analysis and synthesis, but rather limited.Some original ideas, but rather brief.Reasonable artefact but requires improving.Satisfactory thesis. Good presentation andstructure.Satisfactory research with refereed publications, analysisand synthesis using good range of references. Original ideas leading tosatisfactory relevantartefact.Good Thesis. Overall good presentationand structure.Good research with refereed publications, analysis and synthesis using a wide range of references.Good original ideas leading to good relevant artefact.Excellent thesis. Well structured andpresented.Excellent research with refereed publications, analysis and synthesis with well-defined methodology and evaluation.Excellent original ideas leading to excellent artefact overall.0.5

ORAL PRESENTATION20% Technicalpresentation30% Clarity50% Q/ANo / poor presentation.Poor presentation of work.Poor Q/A.Weak presentation. Shows little knowledgeand work.Weak Q/A.Reasonable presentation. Shows some knowledgeand work, but rather basic.Reasonable Q/A.Satisfactory presentation.Shows good knowledge and work, but not widespread.Satisfactory Q/A.Good Thesis. Overall good presentationand structure.Good research with refereed publications, analysis and synthesis using a wide range of references.Good original ideas leading to good relevant artefact.Excellent presentation. Shows excellent and originalwidespread understandingand work. Excellent Q/A.0.1

3.5 Referral and retakeIf you fail to meet the learning outcomes for the above assessments and are referred, there will be an opportunity to repeat the assignment and examination at a time to be indicated on BREO.If you do not submit the interim report and/or final report by the deadlines, this will be considered as a non-submission case. You will not be given an opportunity to submit your referral work. You have to retake the whole unit and start your project again on a new topic from the beginning.

4. Plagiarism and ReferencingNote that any help or use of external sources must be clearly acknowledged and referenced. This includes asking other students for help, asking for guidance and help in internet forums, use of example code that is available on the internet or in books, use of third-party, open-source source. Any embedded code which does not originate from you must be clearly marked as such in the source code. If in doubt, ask your tutor if and how you can use a particular source.Referencing must follow the UoB Harvard Referencing System. See http://lrweb.beds.ac.uk/guides/referencing for details.The project report must be self-contained and will therefore contain a literature review. You can re-use your contextual report as part of the final thesis. 5. Referrences on computer science projects Dawson, C., Projects in Computing and Information Systems: a Students Guide, 2nd Edition, Addison Wesley, 2009 Berndtsson, M., Hansson, J., Olsson, B., Lundell, B., Thesis Projects: a Guide for Students in Computer Science and Information Systems, 1st Edition, Springer, 2007

APPENDIX AMSc Project Proposal Form AY12/13, Semester 1

Student Number

Student Name

Degree Course

Supervisor Name

Title of Project

Description of your artefactContext of project with reference to relevant existing products, services and work (ie how does your artefact relate to what other people have done)Aim & objectives of the projectList of features that the artefact will includeIdentify added value that the project providesIdentify the intellectual challenges involved

What methodology (structured process) will you be following to realise your artefact?Describe approach that will be employed to develop your project artefact (this should also show how you plan to test and evaluate the work)Justify the appropriateness and suitability of your approach for realising your artefact

How does your project relate to your degree course and build upon the units/knowledge you have studied/acquired Highlight aspects of the project that correlate with knowledge and skills acquired from your course of study

ResourcesList ALL the resources required to develop your artefactBe clear on which packages, tools, languages and environments will be used and are available on campus

Note: this form must be accompanied by Ethics Form

Supervisors SignatureDate:

Course Co-ordinators SignatureDate

IMPORTANT:After the proposal form and ethics form have been signed off by both the Supervisor and Course Co-ordinator, the student must scan both signed proposal form and ethics form, then upload both of them on BREO in one file.The original hardcopies of the proposal form and ethics from can then be submitted to the Faculty Office.Failure to follow this process will result in the cancellation of the project and there will be no compensation for any time lost.

SECTION BCheck List

Please answer the following questions by circling YES or NO as appropriate.

1. Does the study involve vulnerable participants or those unable to give informed consent (e.g. children, people with learning disabilities, your own students)?

YESNO

2. Will the study require permission of a gatekeeper for access to participants (e.g. schools, self-help groups, residential homes)?

YESNO

3. Will it be necessary for participants to be involved without consent (e.g. covert observation in non-public places)?

YESNO

4. Will the study involve sensitive topics (e.g. obtaining information about sexual activity, substance abuse)?

YESNO

5. Will blood, tissue samples or any other substances be taken from participants?

YESNO

6. Will the research involve intrusive interventions (e.g. the administration of drugs, hypnosis, physical exercise)?

YESNO

7. Will financial or other inducements be offered to participants (except reasonable expenses or small tokens of appreciation)?

YESNO

8. Will the research investigate any aspect of illegal activity (e.g. drugs, crime, underage alcohol consumption or sexual activity)?

YESNO

9. Will participants be stressed beyond what is considered normal for them?

YESNO

10. Will the study involve participants from the NHS (patients or staff) or will data be obtained from NHS premises?

YESNO

If the answer to any of the questions above is Yes, or if there are any other significant ethical issues, then further ethical consideration is required. Please document carefully how these issues will be addressed.Signed (student):Date:Signed (Supervisor):Date:Signed (Course Co-ordinator):Date:

APPENDIX BMSc Final Project Report GuidelinesStructure of the Final Project Report

The main body of the Report is subdivided into logical sections, or chapters. The structure should follow the following example format (the details may vary depending on your particular project):

Title page -Abstract Acknowledgements Dedication-Key words Table of Contents Chapter 1 Introduction, Aims and Objectives Chapter 2 Literature review Chapter 3 Artefact Design, Development & Testing Chapter 4 Testing and Evaluation Chapter 5 Conclusions & Further Work References Appendices

Title Page (Report Frontcover)This should give:

-the students name-the students number -the title of project-the degree title (e.g. MSc Computer Networking)-MSc Final Project Report-department [e.g. Department of Computer Science & Technology The University of Bedfordshire]-the supervisors name-the date (AY11/12) of writing the report

You are expected to use the following template for the Title Page

Your Name HereStudent ID Here

Title of Report Here

Degree Title Here (e.g. MSc Computer Networking)MSc Project Final ReportDepartment of Computer Science and Technology

Supervisor: .

Semester and Academic Year here (e.g. Semester 3, Academic Year 2012/13)

AbstractThe abstract should be a concise summary of the study, identifying the nature and scope, the major findings and the contribution to the overall field of the subject. Abstracts give the reader an overview and feel for the work without first having to study the whole project.

The abstract must be succinct (not exceeding 200 words) and clearly written. It is important to note that the abstract is not an introduction.AcknowledgementsThis section should be used to state the names of the individuals who provided substantial help. Care must be taken not to forget the supervisor!!DedicationThe author usually dedicates the project to their spouse, parents, dog, or whomever they choose. This decision is left to the individual.KeywordsAssume that the project is to be converted to electronic form (e.g. CDROM or Internet). You need to supply key words and/or phrases so that researchers can locate the project by means of searches. The total number of key words must not exceed eight. The Contents PageThe Contents should be structured by 'nesting' as shown in the example:

Contents List

1. CHAPTER TITLE1.1 Sub-section Title1.2Sub-section Title2. CHAPTER TITLE2.1Sub-section Title2.2Sub-section Title

APPENDIX ATITLEAPPENDIX BTITLEAPPENDIX CTITLE

IntroductionThis is always the first chapter and informs the reader about the nature of the artifact, the project, the aim and objectives. It should put the work into context, including history and the background to the study. The introduction presents a broad general development of the work covered in the project. For example, the introduction should be presented under the sub-sections:

Introduction to Problem Introduction to Project, Aim and Objectives Introduction to Artefact

The introduction should also detail the structure of the report.

The Main Body of the ReportIn the various chapters of the main body, the findings of the literature search, pertinent facts, evidence, data, analyses, findings, discussions and arguments are all presented. These chapters and the nested sections and sub-sections should be well structured and must remain focused. It is essential that the chapters, sections, sub-sections are all clearly linked together and are presented in a logical sequence. There should be a clear match between the contents of these chapters and the hypothesis, the questions asked and the aims and objectives presented in the Introduction. Conclusions & Further WorkThis section is used to bring together and summarise the main points and findings, along with any recommendations. The conclusion must not be used to introduce new material. You should finish your discussion with thoughts on future developments and/or recommendations.ReferencesThese should be presented as per the Literature Review.

Here is a Harvard Reference Generator - http://www.neilstoolbox.com/bibliography-creator/The AppendicesThe appendix or appendices can be used to present detailed information of relevance that is not essential in the main text. Appendices help to minimise 'clutter' in the main body of the project, making it more readable. The project plan should be made the first Appendix. Any completed forms for the supervisor-student progress meetings might also be included as an appendix as per the advice given by the supervisor. Any source code listings should be included as an appendix or submitted as a separate document again as advised by the supervisor. Appendices may include, for example, data, graphs, tables, data sheets, background theory and lists of relevant names and addresses to support the main text. It is not acceptable to include photocopies of materials from books, journals or the Internet merely to show that certain documents were previously consulted. Material in appendices should be closely linked to the main document.

Every appendix should be coded with a letter, Appendix A, Appendix B, and so on, and should be titled. Each appendix begins on a fresh page. All material in the appendix should be cited in the main text.Presentation The final document must be word-processed using the 'formal' font Times New Roman. The font size must be 12 point. The text should be left justified. You should use 1.5 line spacing.

Paper size should be A4 and printing must only be on one side of the page.

The margin on the left side of the sheet should be 4cm to allow for binding.

LengthThe length of the main body of the thesis should be approximately 20,000 words. Proof-readingAs the writing progresses, every aspect of the entire project should be read and re-read, checked and double-checked to minimise errors. Electronic checking is also helpful with errors in spelling and grammar. Calculations should also be thoroughly checked. References must be scrutinised for accuracy. Mistakes, sloppy presentation, numerous typographical errors, all give a very bad impression.

FACULTY OF CREATIVE ARTS, TECHNOLOGIES AND SCIENCE

Form for Research Ethics Projects (CATSethicsform)

1. Student Name

2. Student Number:

3. Degree Pathway:

4. Supervisors name

5. Supervisor Signature

6. Working title of project

IMPORTANT:After the proposal form and ethics form have been signed off by both the Supervisor and Course Co-ordinator, the student must scan both signed proposal form and ethics form, then upload both of them on BREO in one file.The original hardcopies of the proposal form and ethics from can then be submitted to the Faculty Office.Failure to follow this process will result in the cancellation of the project and there will be no compensation for any time lost.

SECTION AEthical Issues

Please summarise below the ethical issues involved in the research proposal and how they will be addressed. In any proposal involving human participants clear explanation of how informed consent will be obtained, how confidentiality will be observed, how the nature of the research and the means of dissemination of the outcomes will be communicated to participants must be provided.

SECTION BCheck List

Please answer the following questions by circling YES or NO as appropriate.

1. Does the study involve vulnerable participants or those unable to give informed consent (e.g. children, people with learning disabilities, your own students)?

YESNO

2. Will the study require permission of a gatekeeper for access to participants (e.g. schools, self-help groups, residential homes)?

YESNO

3. Will it be necessary for participants to be involved without consent (e.g. covert observation in non-public places)?

YESNO

4. Will the study involve sensitive topics (e.g. obtaining information about sexual activity, substance abuse)?

YESNO

5. Will blood, tissue samples or any other substances be taken from participants?

YESNO

6. Will the research involve intrusive interventions (e.g. the administration of drugs, hypnosis, physical exercise)?

YESNO

7. Will financial or other inducements be offered to participants (except reasonable expenses or small tokens of appreciation)?

YESNO

8. Will the research investigate any aspect of illegal activity (e.g. drugs, crime, underage alcohol consumption or sexual activity)?

YESNO

9. Will participants be stressed beyond what is considered normal for them?

YESNO

10. Will the study involve participants from the NHS (patients or staff) or will data be obtained from NHS premises?

YESNO

If the answer to any of the questions above is Yes, or if there are any other significant ethical issues, then further ethical consideration is required. Please document carefully how these issues will be addressed.

Signed (student):Date:Countersigned (Supervisor):Date: