P00999 Project/Dissertation

Dr. Abusaleh Jabir

What is an MSc Project?

Essential requirement for the MSc award A means for thorough and critical investigation and evaluation Allow students to demonstrate their scholarly ability
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NOT an essay! You are expected to record the progress/development of Primary research / theoretical Hardware/software development A critical analysis or investigation etc. Final report should be 10000-15000 words Topic area should be reasonably related to your MSc course

The Four Assessed Elements of the Project

Project Plan
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Interim Report Project Presentation Final Dissertation

Assessment
Assessment Criteria out of 100:
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Project Plan Interim report Presentation Dissertation

5% 15% 20% 60%

Project Timetable (Semester 2)

Week 0 -- 3:00pm Friday, 28 January, 2011 Submit proposed titles and outline proposal on T199 to supervisor Week 2 -- 3:00pm Friday, 11 February, 2011 Agreed project title with supervisor, registration using T199 form Week 6 -- 3:00pm Monday, 11 March, 2011 Submit Project Plan Week 10 -- 3:00pm Friday, 29 April, 2011 Submit Interim Report Week commencing 422 July, 2011 Project presentations 12:00pm Friday, 26 August, 2011 Submit 2 paper copies of final dissertation to the Department office.
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Project Registration
Complete T199 form (available in handbook)
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1 copy to supervisor, 1 copy to MSc administrator Should be accompanied by the outline proposal. Students failing to register T199 form will be allocated a supervisor

An Outline Proposal
Un-assessed but required for registration on T199 form 1-2 sides A4 to include:
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Project title Supervisor Subject area and relationship to course Project aim and objectives Literature influencing work Proposed deliverables

Project Plan
Different from the outline proposal with T199! This will be assessed, and will be worth 5% of the total.
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Should contain: Abstract Preliminary research around a chosen topic An outline of the work to be done in terms of objectives and proposed methodologies to achieve them Description of the required resources A Gantt chart showing the time to be spent on different parts of the dissertation

Starting Your Project

Think of several ideas Dont eliminate ideas too quickly Write down each idea You are the best judge of what you can achieve Your experience, skills and ability What is expected (project requirements) How much time and effort are you prepared to give Be realistic in your project goals!

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Getting a supervisor
You will be expected to select a supervisor Supervisors will select the projects they prefer up to
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their limit You may not get your first choice of supervisor Start early and propose a well thought out project with some substance and distinct objectives.

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Selecting a subject
Project titles To write software for a mobile. To study Broadband To investigate security

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Analysis of soft/hard handover gains and losses in multi-channel UMTS systems Design of a transatlantic optical link Billing in a 3G mobile network
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Selecting a subject
Dont just copy previous titles
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The supervisor will prefer something new You will get marks for originality

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Dr. Maaruf Ali Teaches: Basic communications principles, local area networking Research Interests: Fractal image compression and decompression techniques, still and motion image compression algorithms, fractal dimension analysis, image processing techniques, mobile phone locating techniques, telemedicine, video compression over 3G networks
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Dr. Peter Ball

Teaches: Optical and broadband communications, mobile communications, digital control for media applications

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Research Interests: Cross layer design for wireless networks, mobile ad hoc networks, optical systems and networks, Vehicular ad hoc networks, Cognitive radio.

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Dr. Geoff Childs

Teaches: Optical communication systems, mobile communications and local area networking

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Research Interests: MPEG-4 Video Transmission over WCDMA 3G Mobile, Networks, improving efficiency of mobile and ad-hoc networks through use of multiple wideband carriers

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Dr. Khaled Hayatleh

Teaches: RF and Analogue circuit design

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Research Interests: Precision non-linear analog signal processing, current-mode analog IC design, current feedback op-amps and current conveyors, development of RF Circuit Design (PLL design, sigma delta converters, and oscillators)
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Dr. Abusaleh Jabir

University Reader

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Teaches: Digital systems architecture, software engineering, programming Research Interests: Low power and high performance digital
systems design, test, verification, hardware/software co-synthesis, fault tolerant and reliable systems, cryptography and data security especially their reliable hardware issues in IP protection and Hardware Trojans detection, error control coding, quantum and reversible logic, molecular and nano electronics.
More Info: https://tech.brookes.ac.uk/people/abusaleh.jabir

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Mr. Kashinath Basu

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Lecturer in Computer Science Expertise Network Principles Multi-service Networks

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Dr. Shumao Ou

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Lecturer in Network Communications Expertise and interests:

Next generation wireless access networks. Vehicular communications networks. Mobile ad hoc & sensor networks. Embedded systems and pervasive computing.

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Prof. Geoff Tagg

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Professor of Computing Expertise Network Principles Multi-service Networks

Lecturer in Computer Science

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Dr. Faye Mitchell

Senior Lecturer Teaching and Research Networks Security Operating Systems

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Supervisor allocation
All supervisors are experienced Engineers/Scientists and Academics
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They can supervise any Research project in their field of expertise For a developmental project it is preferable to match interests

Start early!
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Planning
Work breakdown structure (WBS) Write down a list of tasks As many as you can think of in as much detail as possible Ideally 2 3 week activities List the predicted duration for each Note any dependencies Show required deliverable milestones Define one or two project specific milestones

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Planning
You can use a project planning tool Microsoft Project on pooled computers
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ID 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Task Name Define Project Project title and supervisor agreed Project Planning Project Plan Background research 1st interim report Design model 2nd interim report Implement model 3rd interim report Testing and fault finding Final report and conclusions Prepare presentation Presentation Submit Report Work 150 hrs 0 hrs 150 hrs 0 hrs 280 hrs 0 hrs 280 hrs 0 hrs 280 hrs 0 hrs 280 hrs 280 hrs 100 hrs 0 hrs 0 hrs % Work Complete 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 31 Oct '05 M T W T F 07 Nov '05 S S M T W T F 14 Nov '05 S S M T W T F 21 Nov '05 S S M T

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Planning (MS Project)

Useful skill for future career
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Good for tracking progress Far more than needed for a one person project

Use a simple Gantt chart for plan Perhaps convert to MS Project later

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Planning (Simple Gantt Chart)

Excel is adequate Tables in a word processing software can be used
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######## ######## ######## ######## ######## ######## ######## ######## ######## ######## ######## ######## ######## ######## ######## ######## ######## ######## ######## ######## ######## ######## ######## ######## ######## ######## ######## ######## ######## ######## ######## ######## ######## ######## Weeks Define Project & discuss Project title and supervisor agreed Project Planning Project Plan Background research 1st interim report Design model 2nd interim report Implement model 3rd interim report Testing and fault finding Final report and conclusions Prepare presentation Presentation Submit Report 9 0 hrs 150 hrs 0 hrs 280 hrs 0 hrs 280 hrs 0 hrs 280 hrs 0 hrs 280 hrs 280 hrs 100 hrs 0 hrs 0 hrs ########

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Planning (time management)

Leave gaps for revision and exams
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Start writing early. The deliverables are paper, not hardware or software If your task overruns, put in the extra effort to recover the schedule

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Project Progress
Its your project
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Its your MSc Its your life!

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Supervisors will not

Do your project
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Correct your code Mark your project before submission Arrange extensions because you have to go skiing

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Your supervisor may

Tell you how he might take a first approach to a problem
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Direct you to useful resources Look through sections of your project to make useful comments on presentation Encourage you when things are tough

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Resources
If you need hardware or software, request it very early in the project
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If you intend to use available software, check that it works in plenty of time to recover if it doesnt If the software has a limited time licence, remind your supervisor to get the license renewed
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Late submission
Up to one week late 10% More than one week late PGDip
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Deadline Extension Very exceptionally At the discretion of the Mitigating Circumstances Committee (not supervisor) Written description of circumstances required
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Circumstances that may warrant the granting of an extension to the dissertation submission deadline A medical certificate covering indisposition for a period during which key work was due to be carried out An unexpected bereavement A failure of a third party to honour a previously arranged agreement to provide data or facilities A failure of University equipment that had been allocated for the dissertation Absence of a supervisor at a point when key supervision had been specifically planned

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Circumstances which would not normally be sufficient for an extension Loss of a computer disk (backups should be kept)
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Failure of a printer (printing should be done well in advance of the deadline) Change of (paid) work schedule, unless imposed at short notice by management (evidence required) Need for a holiday Family commitments

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Questions?

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