CSC 590, Fall 2018 : Computer Science Thesis Seminar
1 Course Objectives
To learn what is involved in writing a thesis,
to learn how to do research, and
to learn how to present research, orally and in writing.
2 Prerequisites
This class is intended to be a co-requisite or nearby prerequisite for the first quarter of thesis work—CSC 596. You should have at least a good idea of a thesis topic when you take CSC 590, or better yet, have already chosen a thesis topic and advisor. If you are are not that far along in your graduate studies, you should wait to take CSC 590 until you are. Given sufficient demand, CSC 590 is offered every quarter, so you won’t have to wait long if you do not enroll this quarter.
3 Names, Times, Locations
3.1 Instructor
John Clements, aoeuclements @ brinckerhoff.org
3.2 Seminar
Section 01:
Seminar 9:10–10:00, Wednesday, room 38-202
3.3 Google Calendar
See my home page for my calendar. You can add it to your calendar, if that makes your life easier.
Office hours also appear on this calendar; you may find them easier to see if you click on the "week" tab of the calendar.
3.4 Web Page
This is the course web page, its link is http://www.brinckerhoff.org/clements/2188-csc590.
4 Course Materials
The recommended “textbook” for the course is student membership in the ACM digital library. Access to ACM’s digital library is available from campus computers, but it’s a nice bit of Computer Science citizenship to become a member of the ACM, and support its efforts. Student membership is very cheap.
5 Communication
This class will use Piazza. This will be the principal means that I’ll use to notify you of deadlines, organizational updates, and changes to assignments. If you’re not keeping up with the group, you’re going to be missing important information.
It’s also the best way for you to direct questions to me and/or the class. Feel free to e-mail me with personal questions, but use the Piazza group as your main means of communication. It’s possible to post anonymously, if you like.
You should already have received an invitation to the Piazza group; let me know if you need an invite.
Don’t post your code or test cases to the group; anything else is fair game.
Also, please keep in mind that I (and everyone else) judge you based in part on your written communication. Spelling, complete sentences, and evidence of forethought are important in all of your posts & e-mails. One easy rule of thumb: just read over what you’ve written before clicking post or send, and imagine others in the class reading it.
6 CSC590 Wiki
Much of the work for this class will involve you editing the CSC590 wiki:
https://github.com/CSC590/MainWiki/wiki/Fall2018
If you start at the top level of this wiki, you’ll see that it actually contains work from many years’ worth of graduate students; yours will enrich the fertile soil for next year’s crop!
7 Assignments
There are five assignments for the class. The assignments revolve around developing your area of thesis research, evaluating other peoples’ research, writing about it, and giving two oral presentations.
A summary of the assignments follows, with an indication of the percentage each is worth. A more detailed description will be provided for each, when the assignments are distributed.
Write a “blurb” on your MS research, including an initial bibliography; present your topic to the class. (15%)
Read two MS theses in your area of research and critique them. (15%)
Design a research validation framework for your thesis work (20%).
Prepare and deliver a 25-minute oral presentation of your research topic. (25%)
Prepare what is or could be the related work section of your thesis. (25%)
8 Exams
There are no in-class exams for the class. The final exam period will be used for oral presentations.