CS4997 Guidebook
2022-2023
This guidebook outlines the requirements for CS4997 deliverables, in the order they are due. Students are encouraged to start immediately. Topics are not approved retroactively. Confidential or proprietary topics are not normally suitable. Students are expected to consult regularly with their Supervisor throughout the course.
The Proposal
At the beginning of the course the student must submit a proposed topic that has been approved by the intended Supervisor. Each student is responsible for obtaining a suitable topic and supervisor for CS4997. Students should consult faculty members' homepages for ideas, and have discussions with professors whose areas and/or topics are of interest. Students may choose their own topic and/or work with an external group/individual, but must have a C.S. faculty member as Supervisor. With permission of the Supervisor, it is acceptable for students to work in pairs on CS4997; in such a case there may be one topic and one set of documents bearing both students' names.
Delivered to:
Course Coordinator, via email
Supervisor
Contents:
A submittal (cover) letter (in a correct business format) addressed to the Course Coordinator and Supervisor;
The completed Proposal Cover Page (see course web page for the template);
A brief abstract (1 page maximum) outlining the scope and anticipated content of the thesis; and
an initial bibliography, normally of 6 or more sources with at least one non-online source.
The Supervisor's signature is required on the Proposal Cover Page. The Supervisor and the Course Coordinator will evaluate the Proposal. The student should be promptly notified (two weeks) of any major problems with the proposed topic or scope.
Timeliness:
Unexcused late submissions will not be accepted.
The Plan
The Plan clearly identifies the major segments or phases of the thesis work and includes time for seminar and report preparation. The Plan must indicate a target schedule of completion dates and estimates of person-hour usage for each phase to be used as the basis for subsequent progress reporting. Most students spend about 140-160 person-hours on CS4997.
Delivered to:
Course Coordinator, via email
Supervisor
Contents:
A submittal (cover) letter (in a correct business format) addressed and delivered to the CS4997 Coordinator and Supervisor;
Appropriate descriptive material (usually 2-3 pages);
The Summary Sheet (available from course web page). The student should keep a copy of the original Summary Sheet for later completion and submission with the Thesis.
The Supervisor will evaluate the Plan. The student should be promptly notified (two weeks) of any major problems with the plan.
Timeliness:
Unexcused late submissions will not be accepted.
The Progress Reports
Progress Reports will keep your Supervisor and Course Coordinator up to-date on your progress and build confidence that the work will be completed correctly, and on time.
Delivered to:
Supervisor, via email
Copied to the Course Coordinator
Contents:
Business email format
Outline the work accomplished, stating approximate percentage of the overall work that is completed
Must explicitly state whether or not the work is "on schedule"
Explanation of problems and the corrective action being taken if not on schedule.
The Supervisor will grade the Progress Report. The grade will be based on the quality of the document and the degree to which the progress is satisfactory.
Timeliness:
Unexcused late submissions will not be accepted.
The Thesis Draft
CS4997 students must submit to their Supervisor a Draft copy of their thesis about three weeks prior to the end of term. It is up to the student and supervisor to discuss ahead of time what the expectations are for the draft, which may range from an outline and sample chapter to a completed report. The CS4997 Supervisor will review the Draft and return it promptly to the student so that the student can make any necessary revisions before the final thesis deadline. Thoughtful preparation of the thesis outline and approach with the Supervisor prior to the writing of the Draft minimizes the revisions required to turn the Draft into a final acceptable Thesis.
Delivered to:
Course Coordinator, via email
Supervisor
Contents:
As determined by the student and supervisor.
The Thesis Draft will be graded by the Supervisor and returned to the student within one week (usually before the seminar). The grade will be based on the quality of the document and the degree to which the progress is satisfactory.
Timeliness:
Unexcused late submissions will not be accepted.
The Thesis
The thesis describes the formal results of your work and should clearly communicate what you did, what you discovered and what you think as a result of it. It demonstrates competent organization, writing and formatting, in addition to understanding of the topic under study.
Delivered to:
Course Coordinator, via email
Supervisor (their preference of format)
Contents:
A submittal (cover) letter (in correct business format) addressed to the Course Coordinator and Supervisor;
Components: Title Page, Abstract, Table of Contents, Body of Report, Conclusions, Recommendations, and Bibliography (or References).
Bibliography/References will include several (normally 10-20) properly documented sources and the narrative must include numerous citations or references to these source materials.
Reports will be formatted in a standard 10 or 12 point font and will be double-spaced on standard 8.5x11 paper with one inch margins on all four sides.
The text of the report, conclusions and recommendations is normally between 15 and 25 pages in length.
The Supervisor will assess the Report for form and content. If the Report is considered unacceptable, the student will revise and resubmit it within a brief period of time, usually two weeks beyond the initial deadline. The CS4997 Supervisor will retain the Reports. The Thesis will be normally considered to be a public document; it may be made available to others on request in the future.
Timeliness:
Unexcused late submissions will not be accepted.
The Seminar
It is important to be able to tell others what you have discovered and be able to discuss and defend your work. A Seminar will be presented to Computer Science students, Computer Science faculty, Supervisors, and others on a designated Seminar Day towards the end of Winter term. Student and supervisor schedules will be coordinated and accommodated where possible and a Seminar Schedule will be posted by mid-term.
Delivered to:
Supervisor
Course Coordinator
Colleagues
Details:
Twenty (20) minutes in length, with an additional five (5) minute question period
CS4997 students are expected to attend the other seminars in their term.
The CS4997 Coordinator and Supervisor (as well as other attending faculty members) will evaluate seminars, primarily on the basis of preparation, organization, and clarity of communication.