Due: Weeks 9 and 16 (during class's exam period)
Summary, Purpose, and Parameters
The purpose of the mini-project is to allow you to explore the breadth of research that is being performed by faculty in the Human-Centered Computing program. You may want to make it a goal of your mini-project to explore a discipline that is outside of your immediate research interest or area. This exploratory process serves several important functions:
It gives you an excuse to introduce yourself to an HCC faculty member. They may serve within your PhD journey as committee members in your qual exam, proposal, and PhD defense. You may find this relationship outside of your research area to be a useful independent source of advice throughout your graduate career.
It introduces you to research outside your immediate area. This breadth of exposure may prove useful in your own research. For example, you may ultimately apply techniques you learn from your mini-project area to your own research area at some later point. Who knows: the mini-project may even become your dissertation topic!
It allows faculty outside of your area to meet you. You can ultimately benefit from impressing a broader range of faculty (think cross-lab collaborations).
It’s exploratory and fun! You will ultimately narrow the project down into a very specific research problem and area. Past projects include: literature review, qual/quant data analyses, among other activity.
It is up to you to:
select a mini-project advisor, who can help you define the mini-project;
define the mini-project;
complete the mini-project to the satisfaction of the mini-project advisor.
The specific milestones for the project, and specification of those milestones, is included below.
The scope of the project should be something that you can complete in 5-7 weeks as a “class project.” Make sure that you and your mini-project advisor are clear on these expectations.
You are required to perform two mini-projects. Remember, the purpose of these projects is to give you a “rotation” with a faculty member, who will turn out to be anyone from a colleague to potentially your PhD advisor.
Milestones and Important Dates
You can start your mini-project anytime.
You must provide a title for your mini-project and the name of the faculty member with whom you are working.
Suggested due dates are week 9 and 15 and final due date is 12/11/2024 by 10:50.
Grading for this project will be A, B, or F. In addition to the initial report of who you are working with and the topic you have chosen, your final mini-project grade will have two components:
Your final mini-project report is a one-page summary of the mini-project: (1) the problem/topic, (2) what you did, and (3) what you learned from the project. This component of the project will also have an A, B or F component. This component will form 25% of your mini-project grade-- This can also be the deliverable you presented to the faculty.
We will ask the mini-project advisor for a grade (A, B or F) for the project and a brief evaluation/summary of your work. Be sure that the advisor name and email is in your project report! This component will form 75% of your mini-project grade. Your mini-project advisor will email this to the instructor.
(You will add the two reports to your portfolio)