Syllabus (W'15)

DIGM 680: Thesis Development

Winter Term 2014-2015

Meeting Time: Monday 12:00 pm – 02:50 pm, URBN Center 202

Instructors: Drs. Glen Muschio & Jichen Zhu

Office Hours: by appointment

Course Description

The distinguishing mark of graduate research is an original contribution to knowledge. The thesis is a formal document whose sole purpose is to prove that you have made an original contribution to knowledge. To this end, your thesis must show two important things:

• • You have identified a worthwhile problem or question which has not been previously answered,

  • You have solved the problem or answered the question.

The main purpose of this course is to guide you through the master thesis development process. A significant part of the class will focus on gaining a general understanding of reasoning and how the scientific and/or creative process is properly applied to research related to the DIGM program as well as the Drexel co-op approach to higher education. In particular, this term's focus is guide you along your thesis projects, proposed and approved last quarter, through this the scientific and/or creative process.

Learning Objectives

• • You will progress in the development of your Master's Thesis.

  • You will orally present your thesis projects to a variety of people from different backgrounds

  • You will create a demonstration of your project to be displayed in the lobby of URBN.

Format

Regular classroom sessions will consist of two parts:

• • Individual Master Thesis progress reports and discussions:

  • In each session, half of the class will present their progress and receive feedback from your instructors and peers.

  • Advisor Critiques: Over weeks 6 and 7 each student will invite his or her thesis advisor to class to review his or her presentation and the presentations of others presenting that day.

  • Writing: Identify a writing goal for the Winter term with your advisor. Deliver your writing to your advisor and the instructors by Week 10.

Requirements and Grading Policy

Active attendance of the classroom sessions is required and will count towards your grade. This includes participation in discussions and providing feedback to classmates.

You are expected to attend all classes. Class participation is an important part of your grade. Missing 3 classes may result in automatic failure. If a student must miss class, it is the student's responsibility to contact the instructors the day prior to the missed class. Students will also be responsible for getting missed notes from the other students.

Grading System

• • Class participation and contribution to discussions: 20 points

  • Readiness and quality of class presentations: 40 points

  • Writing tasks: 20 points

  • Research day poster: 20 points

A+: 100-97, A: 94-96, A-: 90-93, B+: 87-89, B: 84-86, B-: 80-83,

C+: 77-79, C: 74-76, C-: 70-73, D+: 67-69, D: 60-66, F: 0-59

Group Assignment:

• • Group A: Wenjie, Cathy, Caroline

  • Group B: Jun, Ning, Ariel, Natalie, Ben

Thesis Project Blogs:

Section 001:

- Ariel Evans

- Benjamin Goldberg

- Jun Ma

- Shannon Sepelak

Section 002:

- Caroline Guevara

- Cathy Lu

- Natalie Lyon

- Ning Shao

- Wenjie Wu

Schedule (may be updated during the term)