CSC 590: Thesis SeminarCSC 590: Thesis Seminar

Instructor: Alex DekhtyarInstructor: Alex Dekhtyar

Meet and GreetMeet and Greet

Your name.Your name.Undergraduate background.Undergraduate background. Point you are in your studies.Point you are in your studies. Do you have thesis area?Do you have thesis area? Do you have specific thesis topic?Do you have specific thesis topic? Have you started you thesisHave you started you thesis Any other interesting info.Any other interesting info.

Disclaimer:Disclaimer: I usually do not usedo not use PowerPoint slides in class. However this course is different.

Disclaimer:Disclaimer: Slides heavily borrow from Gene Fisher’sGene Fisher’s CSC 590 slides (with Gene’s permission)

ObjectivesObjectives

• Learn what is involved in Learn what is involved in writing a thesiswriting a thesis

• Learn how to Learn how to do researchdo research

• Learn how to Learn how to present researchpresent research in oral in oral and written formsand written forms

ObjectivesObjectives

• How to do researchHow to do research– Pick a research topic– Discover/survey literature– Validate your work

• How to «sell»«sell» your research – on paper– In presentation (twice)

On the InternetsOn the Internets

Course page Course page (for my stuff)(for my stuff)

http://www.csc.calpoly.edu/~dekhtyar/590-Fall2009http://www.csc.calpoly.edu/~dekhtyar/590-Fall2009

Wiki (for your stuff)

http://wiki.csc.calpoly.edu/590http://wiki.csc.calpoly.edu/590

Mailing ListMailing List

csc-590-02-2098@calpoly.educsc-590-02-2098@calpoly.edu

ScheduleSchedule1. September 25 Syllabus and Introductions2. October 2 M.S. research and thesis3. October 9 Thesis document structure4. October 16 Thesis document: Introduction, Background, Related work5. October 23October 23 FURLOUGH Guest lectureFURLOUGH Guest lecture6. October 30 Short Presentations, HHaalloween partylloween party7. November 6 Thesis Presentation8. November 13 Long Presentations9. November 20 Long Presentations10. December 4 Long Presentations

Alternative ScheduleAlternative Schedule1. September 25 Syllabus and Introductions2. October 2 M.S. research and thesis3. October 9 Thesis document structure4. October 16 Thesis document: Introduction, Background, Related work5. October 23October 23 FURLOUGH Guest lectureFURLOUGH Guest lecture6. October 30 Short Presentations, HHaalloween partylloween party7. November 6 Thesis Presentation8. November 13 Catch-up discussionsCatch-up discussions9. November 20 Catch-up discussionsCatch-up discussions10. December 4 Long Presentations11. December 7 Long Presentations

AssignmentsAssignments

1. Thesis reading and critique 15%

2. Research blurb/Thesis Intro 15%

3. Experimental design 10%

4. Related work 20%

5. Short presentation 5%

6. Long presentation 30%

7. Class participation 5%

DurationDuration

Today – Oct 16Today – Oct 16

Today – Oct 23Today – Oct 23(Part 1)(Part 1)

Research in a nutshellResearch in a nutshell

• Come up with interesting, novel idea.

• See what else is out there like it.

• If it’s really new, «bring it to fruition»– whatever it means.

M.S. Thesis in a nutshellM.S. Thesis in a nutshell

• The Fisher definitionThe Fisher definition:

• a "potentially publishable" piece of work.

• "by the book" definition:

««a a culminating experienceculminating experience ...» ...»

One good idea worked on for six months to a year by a smart person, under the supervision of a smart advisor.

Thesis BuZzwordsThesis BuZzwords

• "systematic study of significant problem"• "identifies problem, states assumptions"• "evidences originality, critical and independent

thinking"

Types of M.S. Thesis

TheoreticalTheoretical define stuff, prove theoremsdefine stuff, prove theorems

Experimental (Empirical)Experimental (Empirical) state hypothesis, design experiment, run it analyze state hypothesis, design experiment, run it analyze

resultsresults

Project-orientedProject-oriented identify need, design and implement system, validate identify need, design and implement system, validate

it.it.

SurveySurvey study the work of others, summarize, analyze, draw study the work of others, summarize, analyze, draw

conclusionsconclusions

Starting your workStarting your work

Figure out what general area(s) interest you.Take grad class(es) in areas, do well in them.Find advisor.

Quantitative Stuff

• Thesis Length– as long as is needed– 50 – 150 pages (depending on material)

• Thesis research length– the longer the better– 1 ac. Year now is CSC requirement (three

quarters of thesis research)– 1.5 – 2 years typically yields better results

Quantitative Stuff

• How much to put in a thesis?– pretty much, one good idea.one good idea.

• Whose idea?Whose idea?– yours (more fun, more risk, less advisor time)– Advisor’s (less risk, more advisor time, may

be harder to get excited)

Quantitative Stuff

• How big a bibliography?– Fisher says: Fisher says:

«Approximately equal to number of pages.»

– The more the merrierThe more the merrier