** Note: you need to score 45% or above on this report to be permitted to continue to the full MSc dissertation **
** you must fill out the Ethics Form for your project to be permitted to continue to the full MSc dissertation **
To submit your Ethics Form, go to https://www.macs.hw.ac.uk/cs/project-system/?group_id=pgcse log in, and go to the Ethical Approval Tab at the top of the screen.
Note: Using Vision you can resubmit your document as many times as you want before the deadline. It will over-write your previous submissions.
The Research Report (RR):
The RR consists of a Literature review, a project plan, and a discussion of professional, legal, and ethical considerations for your research project.
You should construct this report in close consultation with your project supervisor. A latex template for a Research Report is attached to this page. You can also use Word.
The latex template is also available on Overleaf here.
We don't have a prescriptive style/format, but you should choose a font that is easy to read (normally 11 or 12 point) and are encouraged to use one-and-a-half line spacing.
You should include appendices for additional material not central to the report (e.g., questionnaires, screenshots).
More details are below:
Important: Read the guide to plagiarism: http://www.hw.ac.uk/registry/resources/plagiarismguide.pdf
Your report must:
- be all your own work. While you are likely to discuss your work with other people, you must explicitly acknowledge anyone that helps you;
- have full citations and references that will enable a reader to find the sources;
- use proper quoting conventions to identify where you have used other people's writing.
You will be penalised if you do not follow these requirements.
Important: note that the MACS policy on late submissions is as follows:
"Coursework that is submitted late will normally be subject to a penalty.
The standard penalty system is that 10% of the maximum available mark is deducted from the mark awarded for each day late.
Days are counted as working days for the School Office. Any coursework submitted more than five days late will be awarded a mark of zero."
This is a 15 to 20 page chapter in which you:
- introduce the topic and explain its significance;
- discuss relevant literature for each of the main ideas in the topic;
- summarise the literature to make a critical assessment of the topic;
- make recommendations for further activity.
Your report should also:
- be based on at least 10 references;
- have at least 50% published sources, e.g. books, journals, conference/workshop proceedings, magazines;
- avoid unattributed Internet sources, especially Wikipedia.
(NOTE: this is only a suggestion! You should follow your supervisor's advice)
Title page: your name, your course, your Project title, your Supervisor's name, the DATE.
1. A signed statement of non-plagiarism (obligatory):
``DECLARATION
I, ...................................................................,
confirm that this work submitted for assessment is my own and is
expressed in my own words. Any uses made within it of the works of
other authors in any form (e.g., ideas, equations, figures, text,
tables, programs) are properly acknowledged at any point of their
use. A list of the references employed is included.
Signed: ..................................................................
Date: ...................................................................... ''
2. An abstract of the Research Report (about 200 words)
3. Objectives of your project, as agreed with your supervisor.
4. A literature review chapter, as agreed with your supervisor (see above).
5. Methodology - a description of the research methods you will use in your project
6. Requirements analysis - (derived from aims and objectives, and linked to evaluation) -- at least 3 pages
7. Optional: some modelling/formal analysis to improve your understanding of the issues/ problem you are addressing
8. A discussion of the professional, legal, ethical, and social issues for your project
9. Project Plan (project task analysis and gantt chart)
The report should be divided into several chapters or sections, for example:
- Introduction
- Objectives
- Literature Review
- Methodology
- Requirements Analysis
- Professional, legal, ethical, and social issues
- Project Plan
- A conclusion and discussion of the issues for your MSc project.
Also remember: Tables of contents, figures, References, Bibliography. Your name, your supervisor.
Note: the recommended citation and referencing style is Harvard.
You must use this style or else agree a different style with your project supervisor.
Probable length for the whole RR is 30-40 pages
- Quality is far more important than length!
- Do not cut and paste from any source without attribution: if you do, this is plagiarism, and you will fail.
Note: MSc project and Dissertation Guidelines are HERE. Do not forget to submit the Ethics Form for your project.
Is the report late ? i.e. past the agreed deadline : (-10% per day late)