Project Lecture A2
Project Lecture A2
Project lecture (induction week) – slides on PUMS (Reference Material link from home page)
Recap..
Study project (PJS30)
Answer question or solve problem to do with relationship between IT and business/society etc
Can involve primary or secondary research, case study, extended literature review
Use research methodologies Critique/evaluation – own insight
Accounts for 30 credits – 25% of your final year marks
Individual work, i.e. yours alone 10,000 words min Carried out over two semesters, i.e. from
October to May. Register with PUMS to do it (
www.pums.cam.port.ac.uk)
Friday 12th October 2007 – idea chosen, supervisor allocated
Friday 2nd November 2007 – project initiation document
Friday 15th February 2008 – artefact/progress demonstration
Friday 2nd May 2008 – project hand-in
Project timescale
What do I need to do? (1)
Learning outcomes for unit: Initiate and manage a large individual project Summarise the problem to be solved and put it in its
context Conduct a formal literature review Collect and analyse data, and draw conclusions from
that analysis (study) Critically evaluate work against its objectives and reflect
on and generalise the learning achieved.
What do I need to do? (2)
Skills for the project Know your tools and methodologies, and which are
appropriate for your topic Remember your project management unit – you will need
the project management skills Practise your writing skills (ASK will help) Remind yourself how to reference
(http://referencing.port.ac.uk) Find out how to do a literature review
Keep a log book / journal Develop a back-up routine
Some resources
Past projects – now on-line: http://dissertations.port.ac.uk
Referencing guidelines: http://referencing.port.ac.uk
Project texts Reading lists from
appropriate units Journals Advice from last year’s
project students
PUMS Tutor Centre Your supervisor Your unit coordinator (me…
in BK 1.27) Library, ASK, Maths Café Lecturers who are not your
supervisors but who have the technical expertise you need
Tutor Centre help for project students
Lion Gate 0.04 – new location “Project area” – contains past projects, PC for
registering with PUMS Advice on idea choice Help with literature search and review Appointments with subject experts for technical help Write-up advice (but not proof-reading!)
Wireless-enabled work space Co-located with Maths Cafe
Still looking for an idea? At this stage, contact me, talk to us in Tutor
Centre – project area. If you suggested an idea and it was rejected/no
decision, read the feedback Put provisional project title / IT subject area in
your PUMS record in the next 24 hours (then I can allocate a supervisor)
Talk to your supervisor
Meeting your supervisor
It is your project Supervisor advises and guides Supervisor does not tell you what to do Normally half-hour meeting weekly / hour
meeting fortnightly Set an agenda (report, review, set objectives,
discuss alternatives) Don’t refuse to be supervised
Expectations..
Of student by supervisor: Be independent Produce legible work Be honest when reporting
progress Follow advice where
relevant Be excited and enthusiastic
about project! Keep appointments
Of supervisor by student Regular meetings Help with managing project
process Discussion of approaches
and techniques Feedback and guidance Help with structuring report Personal tutor
responsibilities
Problems ...
With the project… discuss with supervisor change focus if
necessary and agreed, preferably before PID deadline
seek specific help from other staff (especially moderator)
With your supervisor… try to sort it out if no luck…
copy me your emails ask me to intervene
if with me! please raise with me
first (make sure it is not a misunderstanding)
see your course leader
The milestones
Register for project now
Attend project lectures sem1 & sem2
Agree project initiation doc with supervisor (5) Meet with supervisor at least fortnightly Intermediate demonstration (5) Agree outline of report Final demonstration
Supervisor can postpone for extenuating circumstances
Meeting milestones
Stresses importance of project Should not affect “normal” student Penalties abolished this year Replaced with marking for project initiation
document and satisfactory progress
Marking
Deliverables from a project
Outputs from process(es): Products / artefacts you constructed as part of the
solution to the problem Intermediate documents you produced as part of the
process Progress
Project initiation document (marked + formative feedback)
Satisfactory progress demonstration (marked + formative feedback)
Reflections on project: Project report (marked) Feedback to your supervisor
Progress marking
Project initiation document (2nd November 2007) and satisfactory progress demo (15th February 2008)
Each marked out of 20 to give scope for formative feedback
Contribution to final mark: 5% each PID: demo: report = 5:5:90 Marking forms on PUMS shortly
Assessment of project report
Contents of final report (and presentation of artefact)
Marking scheme is public (projmark.htm) Good artefact does not necessarily imply
good report (and vice versa) Marked by supervisor and moderator Third marking if they cannot agree Prizes at stake
Marking categories
Statement of aims and objectives
Critical review of literature Methodological approach Primary research and
results (if any) Content Originality Evidence of project
planning and management
Evaluation against requirements
Summary, conclusions and recommendations
Structure and presentation
Overall understanding and reflection
Good things and bad things
+ publishable standard+ clear aims&objectives+ perceptive analysis+ interesting conclusions+ good research design+ challenging work+ good presentation
– errors of fact– vague aims– little or no analysis– trite conclusions– misinterpretations– poor research– facile work– poor presentation
Marking process
Two markers – supervisor and moderator Marked independently by each Marks within 10% - split difference and round up Marks outside 10% - negotiate or involve 3rd marker Opinion of External Examiner if necessary Progress elements added (5:5:90)
Encouragement
Project prizesStudent project conference (March
2008)
Project prizes
Pearson Education Prize in Strategic Information Systems - £150 book tokens
BCS prize for best final year student - £100 + 1 year free BCS membership
Best Information Systems project prize - £100 Best study project prize - £100 David Callear memorial prize for best educational technology
project - £100 Best business solutions project prize - £100 Adam Crump memorial prize for personal achievement - £50
To do list
Let me know about project ideas (so I can allocate a supervisor)
Meet supervisor Start reading Download PID template Look at marking scheme