Master's thesis and seminar in computer science

Master's thesis and seminar in

computer science

Seminar to prepare for writing a master's thesis

Seminar leader: !Marina Waldén!

!

Home page of the course: !http://users.abo.fi/~mwalden/MasterSemi13 !

About the seminar

Goals:

–  to prepare for writing a master's thesis

–  to choose a topic and a supervisor

–  to create an extended abstract and a structure for the thesis

–  to create a timetable for the master's thesis work

–  to get started with the thesis writing

Requirements:

–  active participation in the seminar

Preliminary schedule

10.9 Introduction to the thesis seminar and general advice on writing a master’s thesis

24.9 About the master’s thesis and discussion about possible topics and supervisors

1.10, 8.10,

15.10 Discussion about possible topics and supervisors 22.10, 29.10,

5.11, 12.11

If needed, discussion about possible topics,

supervisors and the structure of the thesis, etc. 26.11, 3.12,

Generally about the thesis

Citation from the study handbook of the IT department:

”Pro gradu avhandlingen omfattar 30 sp. ... Avhandlingen bör vittna om förmåga att ge en innehållsmässigt logisk och språkligt korrekt

framställning av en vetenskaplig fråga.”

Free translation:

”The master's thesis is worth 30 sp. ... The thesis should show the

student’s ability to give a logical, content-based presentation of a scientific topic using correct language.”

Grades for the thesis

The master's thesis is graded with one of the following

grades:

–  a (approbatur)

–  b (lubenter approbatur)

–  n (non sine laude approbatur)

–  c (cum laude approbatur)

–  m (magna cum laude approbatur)

–  e (eximia cum laude approbatur)

Grading of the thesis

§

The grade of the thesis is influenced by many factors:

–  independence

–  importance of the thesis concerning

•  conclusions

•  problem solutions

•  inventions

•  observations

•  results of measurements

–  the quality and precision of the work

–  how difficult the topic is and possible development of the

working methods

Language of the thesis

§

The thesis can be written in English or Swedish

§

The Centre for Language and Communication (CLC)

supervises and informs the students about language

requirements

§

The language centre arranges an annual course Akademiska

färdigheter i engelska för magisterstuderande I (Academic writing in

English for master's students I). The goal of the course is to give an

introduction or improve the participants' skills in academic

writing. (This academic year courses start 10.9.2012 and

14.1.2013.)

§

Text consultation in English is arranged free of charge by the

Language check and evaluation

§

All theses should be language checked and accepted by

the language centre

–  master's theses

–  licentiate and doctoral theses

§

The maturity test is written in English and is also language

Language check – evaluation

§

Avoid spelling errors, and violating English writing conventions

–  Otherwise the overall impression suffers

§

Important to use a uniform style, correct choice of words,

inflection and prepositions

–  Otherwise there is a risk that the text is not accepted

§

Very important to think about the structure of the language,

sentence construction, and to use correct English words and

expressions

Language check – evaluation

§  Th

e evaluation of the language check depends on the amount

and type of errors

–  If the text contains many superficial errors, the appearance of

only a few serious errors may fail the text (quantity)

–  In case the serious errors makes the text impossible to

understand, they can fail a text without spelling errors (type)

§

More information on language checking is given at

To get started

§

To get started with the writing of the thesis

–

choose a supervisor within your area of interest

–

choose a specific topic together with your supervisor

–

fill out a thesis form together with your supervisor

–

discuss the extended abstract and the timetable with

Choice of topic

§

Type of work

–  research or development within a laboratory of the IT

department

–  literature survey

–  analysis of methods for system development and programming,

etc.

–  programming within industry

§

It is important that you are inspired to write about your topic

–  give your 'personal touch' to a given topic

§

Choose a topic that is up-to-date

Focusing your topic

§

The topic of the thesis should not be too general or too

limited

–  it is the supervisor's responsibility to see to that the thesis topic

is of a suitable extent

§

Avoid topics that would lead to a broad and shallow thesis

§

The thesis work is problem solving

–  motivate your decisions

–  choose the optimal solution for the current situation

Practical details

§

Confidential work

–

often topics provided by industry

–

public part where methods and results are presented

in general

–

non-public part where the confidential information is

presented

–

both the student and the supervisor usually have to

sign a Non-Disclosure agreement

Practical details

§

The supervisor

–  has good knowledge of the area (professor, principal

investigator, university lecturer, researcher, ...)

–  gives advice and, when needed, more detailed directives

–  should have regular meetings with the student

§

If the topic is provided by industry, there is usually also a

supervisor from the corresponding company

§

Possible thesis topics and supervisors

–  for Computer Science there is a list of possible thesis topics

Extended abstract and schedule

§

Extended abstract (at least 5 pages)

–  preliminary title

–  abstract (1 page)

–  list of contents

–  for each chapter, a short paragraph that describes what you have

planned to write about

–  preliminary list of literature

§

Preliminary and realistic schedule

–  add deadlines for your thesis work in your calendar

Master’s Thesis (1/3)

§

An important part of the exam

–  final work for Master of Science degree

–  worth 30 sp

§

Independent work, an individual process

§

Examine a new problem in depth using the knowledge

from your studies

§

The topic needs primarily to be chosen from the area of

Computer Science

§

Shows familiarity with central research methods and

question formulations

§

Requires diligence, dedication, as well as an open mind

Master’s Thesis (2/3)

§

Learning process:

–

search and use material

–

develop critical thinking

–

study the area in depth

–

the thesis is practice for project work and research

–

find and use sources of reference

–

identify and apply appropriate methods

Master’s Thesis (3/3)

§

Consistency of the work is important

§

There should be a good balance between the following

aspects:

–

cogency of the message

–

style

–

clarity

–

theme

The final steps of the thesis work

§  The work with the thesis continues until both the student and the

supervisor are satisfied

§  Agree on a time for the maturity test (proficiency exam) with the

supervisor

–  the supervisor prepares (at least) 2 alternative questions/titles for the

maturity test

§  Hand in the master’s thesis and the maturity test

§  Send the thesis for plagiarism check to Urkund (per e-mail)

§  The supervisor checks the contents and grades the thesis and the

maturity test

§  The supervisor goes through the analysis from Urkund and decides

about plagiarism

§  The thesis will be sent to the CLC for language check

§  Bind the thesis with hard covers and submit two copies to the

department and one to the examiner (and supervisor)

Maturity test

§

The thesis work also contains a maturity test (also

called proficiency exam)

–  in English for international students

§

The purpose of the maturity test is

–  to show that you have independent knowledge of the

problem area of the thesis

More on the maturity test

§

The maturity test consists of a short essay within the

problem area of the thesis

–  the supervisor gives two alternative titles/headings

–  it is written by hand without aid

–  the length is an exam paper (4 pages) with text on every

second line

–  about 400 words

§

The maturity test should not be written as an exam

answer, but rather as an essay

–  the most important purpose of the maturity test is to prove

text competence of the student

•  ability to structure the contents

•  to present the work in a consistent way

Plagiarism check - Urkund

§

Students send in their theses per e-mail to Urkund

–  The e-mail address containing the name of the supervisor is

the following: [email protected]

–  The thesis is sent as an attachment. Many different file

formats are accepted.

§

The analysis by Urkund takes about 24 h

–  The thesis is compared to the contents on websites, to

published material (electronic literature) and student work

–  The analysis where the similarities are stated is sent to the

Plagiarism

§

Plagiarism

refers to a situation where a student intentionally

presents material produced by another person as his/her

own work

§

Information for students about plagiarism can be found at:

–  www.abo.fi/student/etik_plagiat

§

Difference between

plagiarism

and

careless use

§

Guidelines for what is considered to be plagiarism can be

found in the Urkund plagiarism handbook:

–  http://www.urkund.com/int/en/documents/

Plagiarism

From Urkund plagiarism handbook:

§

The criteria for plagiarism is met in cases

–  where a student knows (or should know) that the

reproduced material has been created by another person, or

–  where the student has neglected to follow the teacher s

instructions for avoiding careless use of material

§

In other words,

an act of plagiarism

refers to a case where

you

copy the work or texts of others from books, articles,

the internet or other sources with the intention of

presenting them as your own

To avoid careless use

§

To avoid careless use:

–

Always give the source

–

When quoting somebody, remember to write this as a

direct quote

using

citation marks. Quote your source

correctly

–

Avoid keeping your source text open in front of you

when you rewrite the text; it will make it easier for you

to actually use your own words (it is important that you

rewrite to a sufficient extent

).

–

Also indicate if it is a

direct translation

–

Keep careful track of from where you take the

information for your thesis

Support material for avoiding

plagiarism

§

Johanna Bäckström, from the language centre, has

produced a series of three videos on writing essays and

the correct use of references, so that you avoid

plagiarism.

§  http://www.abo.fi/student/etik_plagiat#document4

1.  What is science and my relation as a student to it?

2.  How to take notes for an academic essay/thesis and a little

referencing.