Meeting aboutI-Tech thesis projects

23-01-2020Mariët Theune and Sanne Gritter-Spuls

First read:

Steps

Carry out thesis project

Carry out Research Topics

Find a supervisor

Find a thesis topic

External thesis project

• Not if you already did an internship (min. 90 EC at academic institute / research organisation)

• Companies sometimes call it internship, but it’s not• Must support research and thesis writing• Best to go through our contacts• Check confidentiality restrictions

• Thesis can be kept confidential for a limited period of time• With permission from programme director

• Final presentation needs to be PUBLIC• Sample contract is available if needed

Search – Other Starting Points

☐ Experience reports https://canvas.utwente.nl

☐ Jobteaser https://www.utwente.nl/en/ces/career-service/student/Jobteaser

☐ Student Power https://www.studentpower.com/?lang=en

☐ UT-Supervisor https://people.utwente.nl/ https://www.utwente.nl/en/eemcs/research

☐ Linked-In https://www.linkedin.com

☐ Vacancies Twente https://www.twente.com/vacatures/ https://www.twentewerkt.nl

☐ Science Shop https://novelt.com/nl/science-shop-voor-studenten

☐ Study association https://su.utwente.nl/en/associations/study

☐ IAESTE / AIESEC https://www.iaeste.nl/ https://www.aiesec.nl

☐ Thesis abroad http://www.europlacement.com

☐ Integrand https://www.integrand.nl/stage

☐ Wilweg (study abroad) https://www.wilweg.nl/landen

Finding a supervisor

• Easy, if you do one of our assignments!

• Not so easy if you want to do a different topic

• You can directly ask someone from the I-Tech teaching staff

• For Research Topics, one supervisor is enough• Usually from the HMI

research group

Research Topics

• Research Topics I-Tech, course code 201900194• 10 EC = 10 x 28 hours = 280 hours = 7 weeks full-time work• Preliminary research on thesis topic: often literature study

(background, related work) but also data analysis, stakeholder interviews, etc.

• Resulting in research proposal• Research questions (what you will investigate) with motivation • Methodology (how you will answer the RQ)• planning (which steps you will take, rough timing)

Mobility Online: register your Research Topics

• Needs to be done, otherwise you can't register your thesis project (next step)!

• Choose “Standard Registration” → “Application Form – Graduation” • Fill in code 201900194, name supervisor, short description of what you'll do• Download filled in form• Ask supervisor to sign it• Upload signed form

• Consult MO manual if anything is unclear• https://www.utwente.nl/en/educational-systems/about_the_applications/mo/

Final thesis project

• Final Project I-Tech, course code 201900195• 30 EC = one semester, full-time • Carry out your thesis proposal• Hand in complete draft thesis (at the latest) end of July for green light

• Necessary to graduate within the academic year, which ends 31 August• You get your diploma at your final presentation

• Check planning with your supervisors (holidays!)• Make sure all your paperwork is done by then!!

• Registration of thesis project in Mobility Online• Approved course programme

• Look at example theses at essay.utwente.nl

Thesis steps (with ultimate deadlines for graduating this academic year)

Hand in final version of thesis and give your final presentation

Receive green light and feedback on draft

Hand in your thesis draft

Carry out your research

End Aug

Begin Aug

Half / end July

Feb - July

Mobility Online: register your Final Project

• Needs to be done, otherwise you can’t graduate!• Choose “Extended Registration” → “Proposal Form – Graduation”

• Fill in code 201900195, thesis committee, short description of what you'll do• Download filled in form• Ask main supervisor or chair to sign it• Upload signed form

• Consult MO manual if anything is unclear• https://www.utwente.nl/en/educational-systems/about_the_applications/mo/

Thesis committee

New rules (not yet in the step-by-step document)• Include a full professor as chairperson

• In most cases, this will mean you need to list Dirk Heylen as chair -- he’ll do this in name, but in practice he will delegate it to your main supervisor

• Include someone from another research group than HMI • And of course your actual supervisor

What if I get stuck?

• Inform your supervisors: Wellbeing: Social network, family, friends, etc., but also: • Study adviser Thea de Kluijver: t.h.dekluijver@utwente.nl• Student Counselling Service: SACC

• Motivation: Study Encouragement Group• Buddy-system: ask if other students work on similar topics• Writing process: Academic Writing support• To be expected: Thesis Boost

Report issues in time!

Other challenges you might encounter

This may be the first time you have to lead the entire process yourself (self-directed)• Writing problems• Formulating a research question• Planning• Structuring your thesis• Focus: broaden deepen• Research skills• Depending on others:

• Feedback • Data • External company• Communication

• ?

Reminder: ethics

• Do you do research with human subjects and/or personal data?• Always ask approval from the Ethics Committee EEMCS!• First send to Dennis Reidsma for a check

More details

• See https://www.utwente.nl/en/itech/Education%20I-Tech/Procedure%20Final%20Project%20I-Tech/

Questions?