TP F2008

Thesis Preparation

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The participants will after the course have insight into a diverse set of topics which are helpful when working on a thesis and practical experience with the initial phases in the process of writing the thesis. The working method of the course will also train the participants to independently seek information, to plan and complete projects, to communicate professional issues, and to read and understand research papers.

Time and place

Lectures: Wednesdays 14:00-17:00 in Shannon-157.
The first lecture is on 30th January.

Exercise classes: Tuesdays 15:00-17:00 in Shannon-157.
The first exercise class is on 5th February (notice that there is no exercise class on 29th January).

Lecturer

Olivier Danvy <danvy@daimi.au.dk>

Course Plan (subject to completion)

Lecture	Exercises	Topic	Course Material	Other Material	Exercises
Wed Jan. 30	Tue. Feb. 5	- General introduction. - Guest lecture on Jan. 30 at 15:15 by Olav Bertelsen about possible theses in human-computer interaction at DAIMI (slides). - Guest lecture on Feb. 5 at 15:15 by Gudmund Frandsen about the formal rules regulating the MSc thesis process.	-The summary.	-Richard Feynman.	- This one.
Wed. Feb. 6	Tue. Feb. 12	- Guest lecture on Feb. 6 at 14:15 by Gerth Brodal about possible theses in algorithmics at DAIMI (slides). - Guest lecture on Feb. 6 at 16:15 by Finn Overgaard Hansen about possible theses at IHA (slides). - Guest lecture on Feb. 12 at 15:15 by Lars Kristensen about possible theses in modelling and validation of distributed systems at DAIMI (slides).	-Aristotle's 4 causes - Modes of persuasion	- Olin Shivers's dissertation advice - Thesis title - List of the MSc theses produced at DAIMI - List of the PhD theses produced at DAIMI - Abstracts of most BRICS PhD theses	- These three.
Wed. Feb. 13	Tue. Feb. 19	- Reading, understanding, analyzing and offering comments. - Guest lecture on Feb. 13 at 15:15 by Peter Gorm Larsen about possible theses at IHA (slides). - Guest lecture on Feb. 19 at 15:15 by Ivan Damgaard about possible theses at DAIMI.	-	- Cargo Cult Science - Ian Parberry's Referee's Guide - The Elements of Style - Joseph M. Williams - Mark Twain's text Fenimore Cooper's Literary Offences - Calvin and Hobbes	- Same exercises as in the last two weeks.
Wed. Feb. 20	Tue. Feb. 26	- Guest lecture on Feb. 20 at 14:15 by Henrik B. Christensen about possible theses in object-oriented software systems at DAIMI (slides). - Guest lecture on Feb. 20 at 15:15 by Peter Møller-Nielsen and Michael Bang Nielsen about possible theses in computer graphics and scientific computing at DAIMI (slides). - Scientific writing.	-	- Alan Perlis's Epigrams on Programming. - Dick Gabriel's classic article Worse is Better.	- None.
Wed. Feb. 27	Tue. Mar. 4	- Oral presentations. - Scientific methods.	- Definitions. - Guy Steele's classic article Growing a Language. - Proofs. - Syllogisms. - Some of Ludvig Holberg's (da) syllogisms	- David Morrell's Lessons from a Lifetime of Writing. - Stephen King's On Writing. - Lyn Dupré's Bugs in Writing: a guide to debugging your prose. - The Princess Bride.	- This one.
Wed. Mar. 5	Tue. Mar. 11	- Guest lecture on Mar. 5 by Birgit Pedersen and John Kruuse: Hunting for bibliographic references. - Exercises about bibliographic references.	- The IT Library.	-	- This one.
Wed. Mar. 12	.	- 13h00-17h30: Exercises about oral presentations.	-	-	-

Please note that a number of oral and written exercises will be set during the course, all of which should be solved. Pass or fail grades for the course will be based on your solution of these exercises.

Offices

DAIMI has offices for students writing their theses. The deadline for applications for this semester is 31st January. Students who have signed a thesis contract will have bigger chances of getting an office. The application form is found at the home page of the Office Committee.

News

News about the course will be available from this page. Please check back regularly.

Latest updates:

Apr 8: Addition to the item "Getting credit for the course" below.
Apr 7: Addition of the item "Getting credit for the course" below.
Feb 27: Addition of course material and exercises.
Feb 20: Addition of slides.
Feb 14: Speaker update + addition of course material.
Feb 13: Speaker update.
Feb 7: Extra help added.
Feb 6: Speaker update + addition of course material.
Feb 5: Speaker update.
Feb 4: Two new speakers added.
Feb 1: Course plan updated.
Jan 26: Exam requirements updated.
Jan.26: Added lecture and exercise class hours.
Jan. 7: F2008 webpage created. Last semester's webpage can be accessed here.

Exam

Weekly exercises + a signed thesis contract.

Getting credit for the course

Students having handed in a signed thesis contract pass.
For each of the students who did the weekly exercises but did not hand in a signed thesis contract, a signed letter will be available Monday 14 April in the lecturer's office (Turing 218) certifying that the said student only needs a signed thesis contract to get the 5 ECTS points of the course.
April 8: Any student who hasn't received an e-mail from the lecturer about getting credit for the course should manifest himself.

Extra help, should anyone need it

Should you experience any personal difficulty or hardship, the university service Rådgivnings- og støttecentret is there to help you.