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/MasterSemi17.html Time and place: Tuesdays at 13 – 15 weeks 37 – 51 in 332A, Agora

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 – oral presentation of the thesis plans

Preliminary schedule

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

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

3.10 Discussion about avoiding plagiarism, as well as about possible topics and supervisors

17.10, 24.10,

31.10 Discussion about possible topics and supervisors 7.11, 14.11,

21.11

If needed, discussion about possible topics,

supervisors and the structure of the thesis, etc.

28.11, 5.12,

12.12, 19.12 Presentations of extended abstracts

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.”

Maturity test (proficiency exam)

Grades for the thesis

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

– l (laudatur)

– e (eximia cum laude approbatur) – m (magna cum laude approbatur) – c (cum laude approbatur)

– n (non sine laude approbatur) – b (lubenter approbatur)

– a (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 Akademiskt

skrivande på engelska för magisterstuderande (Academic writing in English for master's students). The goal of the course is to give an introduction or improve the participants' skills in academic writing.

– This academic year courses start

§ Text consultation in English is arranged free of charge by the

CLC (

)

Language check and evaluation

§ All theses should be language checked and accepted by the language centre

– bachelor theses – master's theses

– licentiate and doctoral theses

§ The possible maturity test is written in English and is not

language checked

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

– Otherwise very likely that the text is not accepted

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)

§ Information on language checking is given at

http://www.abo.fi/stodenhet/csklanguagecheck

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 – discuss the extended abstract and the timetable with

your supervisor

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

§ The supervisor has to accept the topic

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 (cost- benefit) and be prepared to argue the case

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

§ You should, however, aim at choosing a topic that can be

Supervisor

§ 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 – http://research.it.abo.fi/thesis_ideas/DV

Agreement on thesis process

§ Introduced at Åbo Akademi University from 1.8.2017

§ Student and supervisor agree on – the division of responsibilities, – obligations and rights,

– the schedule for the thesis (goal: completed thesis), – participation in the seminars.

§ The agreement is made the first time the supervisor and student meet.

§ The agreement is revised if essential changes occur in the student’s or supervisor’s situation.

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 – timescale:

• ca 2 months for planning and literature studies

• ca 2 months for the practical part

• ca 2 months for writing

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

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 the English language

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

– language

Final phase of the thesis work

The final steps of the thesis work (1/2)

§ The work with the thesis continues until both the student and the supervisor are satisfied

§ If a maturity test (proficiency exam) is needed, agree on a time for the test 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 final steps of the thesis work (2/2)

§ 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 Student Office and one to the examiner (and supervisor)

§ Accept the thesis for web publishing in Doria (still voluntary)

§ The thesis will be sent to the dean for final approval

Maturity test

§ The thesis work may also contain a maturity test (also called proficiency exam)

– in English for international students

§ A maturity test is only needed if a student presents an almost ready thesis for the supervisor without regular supervision meetings

§ The purpose of the maturity test is

– to show that you have independent knowledge of the

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

– proves text competence of the student

• ability to structure the contents

• to present the work in a consistent way

• to use correct language

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: first_name.surname.abo@analys.urkund.se – 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

supervisor

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://static.urkund.com/manuals/URKUND_Plagiarism_Handbook_EN.pdf

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

– this is cheating and can result in failing the course (and even in

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

(From http://web.abo.fi/lc/material/cheating_plagiarism.pdf)

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#document3

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.

3. How to organize your essay/thesis and how to read academic