Postgraduate Course: MSc Dissertation (Informatics) (INFR11077)
Course Outline
| School |
School of Informatics |
College |
College of Science and Engineering |
| Course type |
Dissertation |
Availability |
Not available to visiting students |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) |
SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Credits |
60 |
| Home subject area |
Informatics |
Other subject area |
None |
| Course website |
http://www.inf.ed.ac.uk/teaching/courses/diss |
|
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| Course description |
This is a major piece of full-time independent work which occupies the final months of the MSc course. It is intended to allow students to demonstrate their ability to organise and carry out a substantial investigation into a problem in Informatics, according to sound scientific and engineering principles. The project involves both the application of skills learnt in the past and the acquisition of new skills.
The types of activity involved in each project will vary but will include most of the following:
* Researching the literature and gathering background information.
* Analysing requirements, comparing alternatives and specifying a solution.
* Analysing and extending relevant theory in novel ways.
* Designing and implementing the solution.
* Experimenting with and evaluating the solution.
* Discussing existing results and presenting new research.
* Developing written and oral presentation skills.
The project is conducted individually by the student under the supervision of a member of teaching staff. Students are formed into groups for the purpose of a Review Meeting. |
Entry Requirements
| Pre-requisites |
|
Co-requisites |
|
| Prohibited Combinations |
|
Other requirements |
For Informatics PG students only, or by special permission of the School. There is also a possibility of further project dependent pre-requisites.
|
| Additional Costs |
None |
Course Delivery Information
|
| Delivery period: 2010/11 Block 5 (Sem 2) and beyond, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
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WebCT enabled: No |
Quota: None |
| Location |
Activity |
Description |
Weeks |
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
| No Classes have been defined for this Course |
| First Class |
First class information not currently available |
Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes
1 - Structure and summarise a body of knowledge relating to a substantial project topic in Informatics.
2 - Critically evaluate previous work in the area.
3 - Conduct a programme of work in further investigation of issues related to the topic.
4 - Discuss and solve conceptual problems which arise during the investigation.
5 - Justify design decisions made during the investigation.
6 - Critically evaluate the investigation.
7 - Present their work, with demonstration of working artifacts where appropriate. |
Assessment Information
The project is assessed on the basis of a written dissertation which should typically contain:
Title page with abstract (a one or two paragraph summary of the contents).
Introduction : background, previous work, exposition of relevant literature, setting of the work in the proper context.
Description of the work undertaken : this may be divided into chapters describing the conceptual design work and the actual implementation separately. Any problems or difficulties and the suggested solutions should be mentioned. Alternative solutions and their evaluation should also be included.
Analysis : results and their critical analysis should be reported, whether the results conform to expectations or otherwise and how they compare with other related work.
Conclusion : concluding remarks and observations, unsolved problems, suggestions for further work.
Bibliography.
Students may be required by their project markers to demonstrate any system that arose from the project. |
Special Arrangements
| Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser |
Dr Michael Rovatsos
Tel: (0131 6)51 3263
Email: mrovatso@inf.ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary |
Miss Kate Weston
Tel: (0131 6)50 2701
Email: Kate.Weston@ed.ac.uk |
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copyright 2010 The University of Edinburgh -
1 September 2010 6:11 am
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