Acompressedguideforyour

MasterThesiswork
at ComputerScienceandEngineering

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MASTERTHESIS
ThemasterthesisisthefinalpartoftheMasterofScienceprogrammeandisintended togiveadeeperknowledgeofthesubjectathandandtogiveaninsightintothe workingprocessesusedwithinacompany,otherinstitutionsorwithinthedepartment. Theworkisdoneasanindependentproject,inmostcasesingroupsoftwostudents. Someimportantpointsare:
Gathernewinsightsandapplyacquiredknowledge. Independentlyplanandsolveaproblemwithinaselectedfield. Workwithaconcreteandwelldefinedproblemwithinarealisticengineering

situation.
Produceawellwrittenreportofthework. Presenttheworkorally.

ThegoalistopreparethestudentforfutureindependentworkasaMasterofScience Chalmershavecentralrules,andincasethereisaconflictintheinformation,the informationonourpagesisvalid. Responsibleforthethesisworkatthedepartment: SvenKnutsson

Epost:svenk@chalmers.se

Tel:0317725727

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STUDENTPAGES
Themasterthesisisthefinal,vitalpartoftheMasterofScienceprogramme.Theworkis doneasanindependentproject,inmostcasesingroupsoftwostudents. Therearetwolevelsofmasterthesis,30hecand60hec: 1. The30hecmasterthesisisthenormalone.Inmostcasesitisconductedata companyandingroupsoftwostudents.Theworkisscheduledtolastfor20weeks. 2. The60hecmasterthesisismoreofanexception.Itisnotonlysupposedtolast longerandtake40weeksinsteadof20,butitshouldalsocontainahigherdegreeof researchrelatedwork.Thiskindofmasterthesisshouldbeconductedinclose contactwithoneoftheresearchgroupsatthedepartmentandshouldinmostcases takeplacewithinoneofthesegroupsalthoughanexternalcompanymightalsobe involved.

PREREQUISITES
ForstudentsatChalmers
StudentspursuingthefiveyearMasterofSciencetrainingmusthaveacquiredatleast 225hecbeforebeginningworkonamasterthesis.Studentswhoonlytakepartina Masterprogrammemusthaveacquiredatleast45hecwithintheprogrammebefore startingthemasterthesiswork.Foraspecificthesisproposaltheremightalsobe additionalprerequisitsconcerningwhichcoursesthathavetobetakenbeforestarting themasterthesiswork.

ForstudentsatGU

Tobeeligibleforthiscourse,theequivalentof90hecisrequired,notcountingcredits fromanearlier,firstcycle(Bachelor)degree.Atleast60hec(ormore)mustcomefrom coursesontheadvanced(Master)level,outofwhich45hec(ormore)mustcomefrom courseswithintheComputerSciencearea.Afirstcycle(Bachelor)degreeisassumedin general.Inparticular,aBachelorthesis(15hec)isrequiredasaprerequisite.Notonly thenumberofpointsisimportant,thecoursestakenshouldalsobesuitableforthe projectathand.

GETTINGSTARTED
Thefirststepsontheroutefromfindingamasterthesistobeingassignedanexaminer, are:

Makesurethatyouhavetherequiredprerequisites Findaprojectforthemasterthesis

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Makeadescriptionoftheproposedproject Downloadandfillintheregistrationform Submittheproposaltothemasterthesiscoordinatorforapproval.Theproposal shouldbeaccompaniedbyaregistrationform Onapprovaltheprojectgroupwillbeassignedasupervisorandanexaminerat thedepartmentandtheprojectwillberegistered Themasterthesiscoordinatorinformsthestudentoftheapprovalandthe assignedexaminer.

HOWTOFINDAPROJECT
Projectsformasterthesescanbefoundexternallyintheindustryorother organizations,orinternallywithinthedepartment.Werecommendthatyoutrytofind theprojectintheindustrysincetheindustrialsurroundingisagoodstartfora forthcomingworkinglife. Manystudentsfindtheirprojectsbythemselvesthroughearliercontactsorby contactingcompanies.Manycompaniespublishmasterthesisproposalsontheirhome pages.Someproposalsfromtheindustryarepresentedonourhomepage.The proposalsmightneedsomepolishingbeforetheycanbeapprovedbythedepartment. Projectproposalscanalsobefoundfromwithinthedepartment.Youwillfindthese proposalslistedonthedepartmentsmasterthesishomepage. Ifyouhaveanideainwhatfieldyouwouldliketodoyourmasterthesisbutyouhave nofinishedproposalyoushouldcontactsomestaffmemberwithinthedepartment whoisworkingonthesetopicsandtrytoworkoutaproposal.Butasstatedearlier,in mostcasesitisbetterifyoucanfindaprojectintheindustry. YoucanalsolookintheNationellaexjobbspoolen,atwww.xjobb.nu.

ACCEPTANCEFLOW
Thisistheexpectedflowfromthetimethestudenthasfoundasuitableprojectfor his/hermasterthesistotheregistrationoftheproject

Thestudentsubmitstheproposaltothemasterthesiscoordinator.Theproposal shouldbeaccompaniedbyaregistrationform. Themasterthesiscoordinatormakessurethatthestudenthastherequirednumber ofhectostartthethesiswork. Theproposalishandedovertothecoordinatoroftherelevantmasterprogramfor approval.

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AfterapprovaltheDirectorofundergraduatestudiesappointsanexamineror makessurethatthisisdoneonhis/herbehalf. TheDirectorofundergraduatestudieswillalsoappointasupervisoratthedivision. Inmostcasestheexaminerandthesupervisorisoneandthesameperson. Theexaminerchecksthatthestudenthastakentherelevantcoursestobeableto accomplishtheprojectand,ifthisisthecase,givesthefinalapproval. Theexaminerhandsthepapersbacktothemasterthesiscoordinator. ThemastercoordinatorhandsthepapersovertotheStudentOfficeforfinal registration. Themastercoordinatornotifiesthestudentsoftheapprovalandoftheirexaminer andsupervisor.

WORKFLOW
Themasterthesisworkshouldbecarriedoutinastructuredwayandthisisensuredby awellformedplanningreportthatsetsthetimeplananddecidesontheimportant stepsontheway. Yourthesisworkcouldbedividedintoanumberofactivitieslike

Planning Preparation,findingandstudyingbackgroundmaterial Workontheassignment Reportofthework,bothorallyandinwrittenform

Althoughyourtimeplancouldbebuiltonthesepointsyoushouldnottreatthemas separatetimeslots.Theactivitiesinteractandarethereforeoftentoagreatextent carriedoutinparallel. Aspartofthepreparationforyourownpresentationyoushouldlistentothe oralpresentationoftwoothermastertheses.Thisshouldpreferablybe carriedoutinthelaterpartofthefirsthalfofyourownwork,togiveyouanidea ofhowyourownpresentationshouldbecarriedoutandthiscouldalsoassist youinthewritingofyourownreport. Youshouldalsoactasanopponenttoanothermasterthesis.Thismasterthesis shouldbewithinthefieldofthedepartmentofComputerScienceand Engineering.Youshoulddothisoppositioninthefirstpartofthesecondpartof yourwork.Onceagainasapreparationforyourownpresentationandreport. Finally,youshouldpresentyourownworkinanoralpresentationanda writtenreport.Theoralpresentationshouldnotbecarriedoutuntilthereport

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iswrittenandonlymightneedsomepolishingtogotoprint.Thismeansthat yourneedtheapprovalofyouexaminertodotheoralpresentation. Notcountinganykindofproductthatmightcomeoutofyourthesiswork,thewritten reportisthelastingresultfromtheworkandthereforeitshouldbeplanned,prepared andwritteninathoroughway.Toensurethisyoushouldstartwritingyourreportearly on,andcontinuetowritethroughoutthework,althoughsomeofitmightneedan updatelateronwhenmorepieceshavefallenintoplace.Makethewritingofthereport apartofyourthesiswork. Themasterthesisworkcardwillfollowyouthroughtheprojectandyouwillgetsigna turesonthiswhenyouhavedoneoneoftherequiredtasks:

Youhaveanapprovedplanningreportforyourmasterthesis Youhavelistenedtosomeoneelseoralmasterthesispresentation(youshouldhave twoofthese) Youhaveactedastheopponenttosomeoneelsemasterthesis Youhavedoneyourownoralpresentation ThewrittenreporthaspassedthroughUrkund Thewrittenreporthasbeenapprovedbytheexaminer Yougetafinalsignaturefromtheexaminerwhenallisdone

Printthemasterthesiscardandbringittothepresentationstogetitsigned.

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WRITTENREPORT
Instructionsonhowtowritethemasterthesisreport
inyourreportandacertainscientificlevelwillberequired.

Allresearchshouldbecarriedoutusingascientificmethodandthisshouldbereflected

Thereportmustnotonlydescribeyourresults.Itshouldalsodescribehowyou havereachedtheseresults.Youmustdescribeyourmethodofwork.Themethod andtheresultsshouldbepresentedseparately.

Includeproblemsthatyouhaveencounteredduringyourwork.Howwerethe problemssolved?Didyoubypassthemordidyounotreachasolution?This informationmakesitpossibletounderstandwhyyoudid,ordidnotchoosea certainmethod.Inmanycasesthereaderofthereportcanlearnjustasmuchfrom yoursidetracksandmistakesasfromyoursuccess.

Experimentsshouldbecarriedoutanddescribedinawaythatmakesitpossibleto reproducethem. Ifpossible,relateyourworktoyourreferenceliteratureandtoscientific knowledge. Statementsthatarenotobviousshouldbeclarified.Motivateandargueforyour statements.Ifneeded,refertoothersources. Makesurethatyouseparateactualfactsfromyourinterpretationsofthesefacts. Theremustbeasourcereferencetoallinformationthatyougetfromelsewhere. Separatecarefullybetweenyourownmaterialandquotedmaterial.Quotations shouldpreferablybesparseandclearlymarked.Plagiarismisprohibited.

Howtowrite

Youmayfindithardtogetstartedwithwritingyourreport.Itisespeciallyhardtofind agoodwaytostructurethematerial.Onthewebtherearelotsofgood recommendationsfrominstitutionsallovertheworld.Werecommendthatyoubrowse forthese.WecanalsorecommendChalmersOpenCommunicationStudioWIKI. (http://wiki.portal.chalmers.se/CHOCS/pmwiki.php/Resources/Writing)

Howtohandleyoursources

Itisimportantthatthetextinyourreportisyourown.Directreferencetoother literatureshouldbesparseandclearlynoted.Plagiarismisprohibited.Readmoreon thehandlingofsourcesatAcademicHonestyandIntegrityatChalmers.

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Coverpage

Yourreportshouldhaveacommonfrontpage.Thiscomesinthreedifferentversions dependingonyourthesiswork

MasterthesisatChalmers MasterthesisattheUniversityofGothenburg CollaborativemasterthesisbetweenChalmersandGothenburgUniversity

PleasefindthetemplatesatourhomepageRulesandtemplates.Insomecasesthe companywhereyoudoyourthesisworkwillwanttheirowncoverpage.Inthesecases thiscoverpageshouldbeplacedbehindthecommoncoverpage.

URKUND
Yourmasterthesisreportwillbecheckedforplagiarism.Thisisdoneusingtheauto matedcomputertoolUrkund,whichisawebbasedservicetocheckdocumentsfor plagiarism,thatistocheckifpartsofthematerialhasbeentakenfromothersources. YourreportshouldpassthroughUrkundwithoutbeingflagged. YousubmityourreporttoUrkundbysendingittoauseraccountatUrkund.Your examinerwillgiveyoutheaddress. Theresultoftheanalysiswillbesenttoyourexaminerandhe/shewillevaluateifthe documenthaspassedornot.Inmostcasesitisunavoidablethatsomepartofthereport willhavestrongsimilaritiestosometextthatisusedinthecomparison.Itisforthe examinertodecidetherelevanceofthissimilarity. Thedocumentyousubmitcouldbeinthefollowingformats:

.doc .docx .sxw .pdf .txt

.rtf .html .htm .wps .odt

Thedocumentcannotcontainanydocumentprotectionorencryption.Files compressedwithWinZiporBinHexaresupportedthough.

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ORALPRESENTATIONANDOPPOSITION
Oralpresentation
TheoralpresentationofyourmasterthesisshouldbepresentedinEnglishinfrontof yourexaminer,thestudentswhohavepreparedanoppositiontoyourpresentation,and otherinterestedstudentsandstaff. Thepresentationshouldlastfornomorethan30minutes.Itshouldcoverthefullthesis workandbepresentedinawaythatmakesiteasyforstudentswithsimilarbackground asyourowntofollowthedescriptionalthoughtheyhavenotreadthewrittenreport. Thepresentationshouldpreferablybesupportedbytheuseofvisualaidslikecomputer presentations.Insomecasesdemonstrationofhardwareandsoftwaremightbe appropriate. Afterthepresentationthestudentshouldbepreparedtoanswerquestionsand commentonstatementsbothfromtheoppositionandfromtheaudience.The opponentsneedtohaveaccesstothewrittenthesisreportnotlessthanoneweek beforetheoralpresentationinordertodotheirjob.

Opposition
Theoralpresentationisfollowedbyoppositionfromoneortwostudentswhoareinthe processofdoingtheirownmastertheses. Theoppositiongrouphas1015minutestopresenttheiropiniononhowthepresen tationwasperformed,toaskquestionsonthematerialandtodiscussitwiththe presenter.Thequestionsanddiscussionshouldnotfocusondetailsbutbemoregeneral sotherestoftheaudiencewhohavenotreadthewrittenreportcanbeabletofollow thediscussionandmaybegivetheirowninput. Usefulpointstoconsiderwhenperformingtheoppositionare:

Theplanningandstructureofthereport Definitionoftheproblemathand Methodandrealization Deliminations Theory Analysis Resultsandthehandlingoftheresults Theshapingofthereportandformalpointslikereferences