Independent Work Fall 2007 David Walker

Welcome Junior ABs (both semesters) Junior ABs (both semesters) Senior ABs (thesis) Senior ABs (thesis) BSEs (one semester) BSEs (one semester)

What Is Independent Work? Research Research Advanced development Advanced development Some combination of the two Some combination of the two Literature survey leading to research Literature survey leading to research

Goal: Fun, Profit, Enrichment Opportunity to learn something in detail Opportunity to learn something in detail More than you could do in a standard course More than you could do in a standard course Differentiator Differentiator Grad schools Grad schools Jobs Jobs Life Life Fun Fun Why not? Why not?

General Outline Shop around, find something to do Shop around, find something to do Write up a brief proposal, get advisor’s OK Write up a brief proposal, get advisor’s OK Present it in front of others Present it in front of others Work on it Work on it Checkpoint in November, get feedback Checkpoint in November, get feedback Work on it some more Work on it some more Write it up, turn it in, present it Write it up, turn it in, present it You should be working 6-10 hours per week. You should be working 6-10 hours per week. This is a full-time course! This is a full-time course!

How To Have a Bad 12 Weeks Delay project selection until last minute Delay project selection until last minute Ignore your advisor Ignore your advisor you should try to meet once/week, even if it’s a brief meeting you should try to meet once/week, even if it’s a brief meeting Allow yourself to get stuck Allow yourself to get stuck talk to your advisor; don’t avoid them when you are stuck talk to your advisor; don’t avoid them when you are stuck Bluff your way through checkpoints Bluff your way through checkpoints it will be graded it will be graded think hard about your plans think hard about your plans work hard & start early work hard & start early Give incoherent presentations Give incoherent presentations prepare & practice prepare & practice get feedback from your advisor & friends get feedback from your advisor & friends communication skills are the key to technical success communication skills are the key to technical success

How To Have a Good 12 Weeks Start as soon as possible Start as soon as possible Take some time to shop around Take some time to shop around Read project ideas Read project ideas Read web pages Read web pages Talk to grad students you’ve had as TAs Talk to grad students you’ve had as TAs Come up with your own idea Come up with your own idea Be clever, but not too clever Be clever, but not too clever Do a decent sales pitch Do a decent sales pitch But listen to your advisor’s advice But listen to your advisor’s advice Don’t be afraid of change Don’t be afraid of change Better to change course than dead end Better to change course than dead end Don’t change course too often Don’t change course too often

On to the specifics....

Milestones Yesterday: Yesterday: Bookmark: Bookmark: Sign up for mailing list Sign up for mailing list Think about & meet with possible advisors; refine your topic of study Think about & meet with possible advisors; refine your topic of study Today: general overview Today: general overview Tomorrow 1-2PM: Talk to advisors Tomorrow 1-2PM: Talk to advisors Forms due: Oct 4 (Oct 11 for thesis) Forms due: Oct 4 (Oct 11 for thesis) Sign up for presentations: (Oct 1-4) Sign up for presentations: (Oct 1-4) Proposals: Oct 9-12 (thesis Oct 16) Proposals: Oct 9-12 (thesis Oct 16) Checkpoints: Nov 13 Checkpoints: Nov 13 Presentations: Dec Presentations: Dec Projects due: Jan 7 Projects due: Jan 7

How To Find a Project See a bunch of professors tomorrow 1-2PM in their offices See a bunch of professors tomorrow 1-2PM in their offices pgm/topics.php pgm/topics.php pgm/topics.php pgm/topics.php

Proposal Presentations [Oct for IW; Oct. 16 for thesis] Logistics: Logistics: 10 minute talk; 3 minutes for questions 10 minute talk; 3 minutes for questions Attend full 1-hour session and give feedback to other students Attend full 1-hour session and give feedback to other students Content Goals: Content Goals: Describe the problem Describe the problem explain why it is important, challenging and interesting explain why it is important, challenging and interesting make me excited to hear more later make me excited to hear more later Explain how the research will be evaluated Explain how the research will be evaluated Present a realistic plan for the semester Present a realistic plan for the semester point out possible stumbling points – what is your contingency plan if research does not go as you hoped? point out possible stumbling points – what is your contingency plan if research does not go as you hoped?

Proposal Presentations [Oct for IW; Oct. 16 for thesis] Presentation Goals: Presentation Goals: Clearly communicate the key points Clearly communicate the key points Be sure your talk is well-structured Be sure your talk is well-structured Understand your audience and don’t use uncommon jargon or terms without defining them Understand your audience and don’t use uncommon jargon or terms without defining them Use screen real estate effectively Use screen real estate effectively Pictures, charts and graphs are your friends Pictures, charts and graphs are your friends Be conscious of your presentation style Be conscious of your presentation style Speak clearly Speak clearly Make eye contact Make eye contact Show energy and enthusiasm in your voice Show energy and enthusiasm in your voice Assess your audience’s level of comprehension Assess your audience’s level of comprehension Practice in advance and in front of friends and your advisor Practice in advance and in front of friends and your advisor Heed feedback Heed feedback

Proposal Presentations [Oct for IW; Oct. 16 for thesis] Audience Goals: Audience Goals: Listen to the content and note both good and bad presentation elements Listen to the content and note both good and bad presentation elements both for your benefit and the speaker’s benefit both for your benefit and the speaker’s benefit Fill out feedback forms for your fellow students: Fill out feedback forms for your fellow students: summarize the most important points of the talk summarize the most important points of the talk what could improve what could improve what is already good what is already good For proposals, each student will hear at least 3 other student proposals. For proposals, each student will hear at least 3 other student proposals.

Checkpoints [Nov. 13] 1-2 page introduction 1-2 page introduction well-written, well-structured well-written, well-structured illustrate things you have already learned about the problem & related work illustrate things you have already learned about the problem & related work 1-2 page point-form outline for the final project 1-2 page point-form outline for the final project note tasks partially or completely completed note tasks partially or completely completed note deadlines for completing other tasks note deadlines for completing other tasks illustrate your understanding of the topic illustrate your understanding of the topic demonstrate your organizational and critical thinking skills demonstrate your organizational and critical thinking skills see website for turn-in instructions see website for turn-in instructions upload to moodle upload to moodle

Final Presentations [Dec ] Similar goals in terms of presentation style Similar goals in terms of presentation style Content Content an “almost-finished” project an “almost-finished” project what have you learned? what have you learned? what experiments performed? what experiments performed? what have you proven? what have you proven? what algorithms defined? what algorithms defined? run through previous plan run through previous plan have you followed your plan? have you followed your plan? what remains to be done before final turn-in? what remains to be done before final turn-in?

Final Report [Jan. 7] see website for turn-in instructions see website for turn-in instructions upload to moodle upload to moodle 1-2 page introduction 1-2 page introduction well-written, well-structured well-written, well-structured illustrate things you have already learned about the problem & related work illustrate things you have already learned about the problem & related work 1-2 page point-form outline for the final project 1-2 page point-form outline for the final project note tasks partially or completely completed note tasks partially or completely completed note deadlines for completing other tasks note deadlines for completing other tasks illustrate your understanding of the topic illustrate your understanding of the topic demonstrate your organizational and critical thinking skills demonstrate your organizational and critical thinking skills

Thesis Midpoint Report [Jan. 7] coherent 5-10 page report coherent 5-10 page report well-written, well-structured well-written, well-structured components: components: problem statement & background problem statement & background related work (in academia and/or industry) related work (in academia and/or industry) progress so far (impress me with your results) progress so far (impress me with your results) express these results clearly and in detail express these results clearly and in detail you are educating me on your research results you are educating me on your research results plan for the spring semester plan for the spring semester see website for turn-in instructions see website for turn-in instructions upload to moodle upload to moodle

Grading Grades will depend upon: Grades will depend upon: the creativity and originality of student ideas the creativity and originality of student ideas the content, amount of work accomplished to date, clarity and polish of presentations the content, amount of work accomplished to date, clarity and polish of presentations the content, eloquence, organization and clarity of writing the content, eloquence, organization and clarity of writing 1-Semester Work: 15% proposal presentation 15% checkpoint 20% final presentation 50% final report Thesis Work: 5% proposal presentation 10% fall checkpoint 15% january midpoint paper 10% spring checkpoint 15% final presentation 45% final report

Conclusions A good project is a lot of work... but it could be more fun than any other course you’ll take.

Questions You should have lots of questions You should have lots of questions