COMP-400

Introduction and Orientation

Winter 2006January 19, 2006

School of Computer ScienceMcGill University

1. What is the course about and for?

2. Eligibility

3. Course Structure

4. Evaluation

5. Contacts

6. (Previous Projects)

Overview

● A course for you to do a small project:● Computer science related● Typically a programming project, but can be

theoretical, or something in between

● Emphasis is on showing the ability to take a project

from idea to completion:● Design (creativity required!)● Implementation, or execution● Research

What is the Course For and About

● Should demonstrate your abilities:● Organization● Independence● Problem solving● Technical competence:

● Programming● Theory

What is the Course For and About

● Why bother?● Give some experience in doing research● Good preparation for grad studies

● Investigate a topic of interest in detail

● Meet and get to know a professor

● Opportunity to demonstrate what you can do

● End products show your skills to potential employers

What is the Course For and About

● Undergraduate students in the cs honours program● Computer science, or joint cs-math honours● At least 15 credits in cs courses

● If not you need special permission:● Chair of the Undergraduate Committee

● Doina Precup● 400-Instructor

● Clark Verbrugge

● Must have:● A very good academic record● A defined project, found a supervisor

Eligibility

● Finding a project

● Finding a supervisor

● Course requirements

1. Meetings

2. Proposal

3. Report

4. Presentation

Course Structure

● Should have some idea of what you want to do● Doesn't have to be fully worked out● Some professors may have suggestions

● Aim at a specific problem or issue

● Keep it feasible● Core project definitely possible● Develop increased complexity in stages: the onion model

Finding a Project & Supervisor

● Any computer science faculty member can supervise COMP-400 projects

● But may not have time, or resources, or be appropriate for the topic

● You need someone appropriate, willing, and with whom you can get along

● Once you found a supervisor, let the 400-instructor know (email ok)

● If you can't find an agreeable supervisor by the end of the 3rd full week of courses (before Jan. 27), you must withdraw from the course

Finding a Project & Supervisor

● There are no regular classes; instead progress is monitored through regular meetings with your supervisor

● Typically individual meetings

● Minimally once every two weeks● May be more often (once a week)● Actual scheduling is agreed by you and your

supervisor

Meetings

● Purpose:● Supervisor can see progress● You can get advice

● How to proceed● Pitfalls

● Explain requirements

Meetings

● First step to a good project: sort out exactly what you intend to do.

● A 2-5 page written proposal● Coherent, properly formatted, spell-checked● To your advantage to do it soon!● Hand in to your supervisor

● Supervisor must accept it, or ask for revisions● If not accepted by Feb 12, you must withdraw from

the course.

Proposal

● Proposal should:● Give a high level view of the project goal or

problem being addresssed

● Give some description of the basic tasks to be done in order to complete the project

● Break up your project into discrete steps

● List any resources you will require● What hardware, software, research tools, etc you

will need (and their availability)

● Include a schedule● Doesn't need to be precise, but should show

ordering, dependencies, expected time● Be realistic!

Proposal

● A common flaw is to try and do too much, all at once.

● design the project to be built in stages● Get basic project done, add features or other stages

incrementally● If you cannot finish, at least you will have something

useful.

● Your supervisor may have other requirements

Proposal

● A written report is due the last day of classes (April 10)● Handed in to your supervisor

● Formal style, coherent, properly formatted, spell-checked

● Length & content will vary, but normally 10-20 pages (not including code)

Report

● Your supervisor may have specific report requirements

Report

● Your supervisor may have specific report requirements

● A good report typically includes:

● IntroductionExplain what the problem/issue is, and how you intend to examine it.

Report

● Your supervisor may have specific report requirements

● A good report typically includes:

● OverviewWhat are all the pieces, and how do they go together.

Report

● Your supervisor may have specific report requirements

● A good report typically includes:

● DetailsSections or subsections on specific details of your project.

Report

● Your supervisor may have specific report requirements

● A good report typically includes:

● Related WorkOthers will have looked at the same or

similar problems---what did they do, and how does their approach/solution relate to what you did?

Show you are aware of the area.

Report

● Your supervisor may have specific report requirements

● A good report typically includes:

● Future Work & ConclusionsWhat remains to be done; how the project could be improved or expanded.What worked and what did not.

Report

● Your supervisor may have specific report requirements

● A good report typically includes:

● AppendicesAny program code or supplementary

material should be provided in a form suitable for testing and inspection.

Code must be well-commented, structured, and generally in a professional style.

Report

● A short presentation to the other COMP-400 students, the COMP-400 instructor, and interested professors

● A block of time scheduled during exam period for all presentations

● Approximately 15-20 minutes per student● 3-4 hrs depending on number of students, available time, etc.

● You must attend the presentations of everyone else!● Peer-review of presentations

● Assessed by the COMP-400 instructor, considering audience/peer comments

Presentation

● Your supervisor may have advice on presentation format and skills

● Structure your presentation● Report organization may work out well

● Consider your audience● Upper year CS-students: assume general cs

knowledge, but may not know your problem domain

● Practice your talk – out loud!● Check timing

Presentation

● Note: the presentation counts as an exam● If you don't do it, you get a “J”

● Apply to SAO to try again (supplementary exam) at the end of the next term, with the next group

● note: this may affect graduation!

● It is hard to do a good presentation if you haven't finished the project

Presentation

● 75% of your mark is given by your supervisorBased on your report, and a general assessment of how well you

did on the project

● 25% of your mark is given by the COMP-400 instructor● 20% Project presentation

● Considers input from peer-review, and other audience members

● 5% Participation in presentations

Evaluation

● No group projects● Each student to go through all aspects of project

development

● Research involvement is great● But keep in mind that the point is for you to see a

project through, not simply implement or develop someone else's project—you need to have significant design and/or creative input.

● No literature surveys

Miscellaneous

● COMP-400 TA 2005-2006● Perouz Taslakian● perouz@cs.mcgill.ca

● COMP-400 Instructor 2005-2006● Clark Verbrugge● clump@cs.mcgill.ca

● Chair of the Undergraduate Committee, 2005-2006● Doina Precup● dprecup@cs.mcgill.ca

● Undergraduate Program Coordinator● Liette Chin● liette@cs.mcgill.ca

Contacts