Independent Work Spring 2008 David Walker

What Is Independent Work? Research Research Advanced development Advanced development Some combination of the two Some combination of the two Literature survey leading to research Literature survey leading to research

Goal: Fun, Profit, Enrichment Opportunity to learn something in detail Opportunity to learn something in detail More than you could do in a standard course More than you could do in a standard course Differentiator Differentiator Grad schools Grad schools Jobs Jobs Life Life Fun Fun You get to do exactly what you want to! You get to do exactly what you want to!

Key Points of this Talk Everything you need to know is on the web: just in case I’ve miscopied a date in this presentation, the definitive set of deadlines is up on the web just in case I’ve miscopied a date in this presentation, the definitive set of deadlines is up on the web But if you have questions, ask: Donna O’Leary, CS 410 Donna O’Leary, CS David Walker, CS 412 David Walker, CS And aside from logistics, the most important thing to do is find an advisor who you can work well with and a project you are excited to work on.

General Outline (1 semester) Find an advisor Find an advisor Start working Start working 6-10 hours/week is an appropriate amount of time per week 6-10 hours/week is an appropriate amount of time per week work steadily work steadily Give a 12 minute project proposal talk (+ 3 minutes for questions/changeover) Give a 12 minute project proposal talk (+ 3 minutes for questions/changeover) Oct 6-10 Oct 6-10 Write up a 1-page checkpoint report Write up a 1-page checkpoint report Nov 7 Nov page Final Report page Final Report Jan 5 Jan 5 Poster Session Poster Session Jan 7, 2-4pm Jan 7, 2-4pm

General Outline (thesis) Find an advisor Find an advisor Start working Start working 6-10 hours/week is an appropriate amount of time per week 6-10 hours/week is an appropriate amount of time per week work steadily work steadily Give a 12 minute project proposal talk Give a 12 minute project proposal talk Oct 6-10 Oct 6-10 Checkpoint I Checkpoint I Nov 7 Nov page February Paper 5-7 page February Paper Feb 6 Feb 6 Checkpoint II (Thesis Outline) Checkpoint II (Thesis Outline) March 27 March 27 Final Report (40-50 pages) Final Report (40-50 pages) April 17 April 17 Final Presentation Final Presentation April April Poster Session Poster Session May 7, 2-4pm May 7, 2-4pm

How To Have a Good 12 Weeks Start as soon as possible Start as soon as possible Take some time right now to shop around Take some time right now to shop around Read project ideas Read project ideas Read web pages Read web pages Talk to grad students you’ve had as TAs Talk to grad students you’ve had as TAs Talk to faculty – Finding an advisor you want to work with is the key step Talk to faculty – Finding an advisor you want to work with is the key step Come up with your own idea Come up with your own idea Be clever, but not too clever Be clever, but not too clever Do a decent sales pitch Do a decent sales pitch But listen to your advisor’s advice But listen to your advisor’s advice Don’t be afraid of change Don’t be afraid of change Better to change course than dead end Better to change course than dead end Don’t change course too often Don’t change course too often

How To Have a Bad 12 Weeks Delay project selection until last minute Delay project selection until last minute Ignore your advisor Ignore your advisor you should try to meet once/week, even if it’s a brief meeting you should try to meet once/week, even if it’s a brief meeting Allow yourself to get stuck Allow yourself to get stuck talk to your advisor; don’t avoid them when you are stuck talk to your advisor; don’t avoid them when you are stuck Bluff your way through checkpoints Bluff your way through checkpoints think hard about your plans think hard about your plans work hard & start early work hard & start early Give incoherent presentations Give incoherent presentations prepare & practice prepare & practice get feedback from your advisor & friends get feedback from your advisor & friends give slides to your advisor in advance & ask for feedback give slides to your advisor in advance & ask for feedback communication skills are the key to technical success communication skills are the key to technical success

On to the specifics....

How To Find a Project Meet professors for lunch on Monday Meet professors for lunch on Monday 12-1:30pm 12-1:30pm Browse the web: Browse the web: wiki.cs.princeton.edu/index.php/UgradResearchTopics wiki.cs.princeton.edu/index.php/UgradResearchTopics

Proposal Presentations [Sign up Feb 16-20; Present March 3-6] Logistics: Logistics: 12 minute talk; 3 minutes for questions/changeover 12 minute talk; 3 minutes for questions/changeover Attend full 1-hour session and give feedback to other students Attend full 1-hour session and give feedback to other students Content Goals: Content Goals: Describe the problem Describe the problem explain why it is important, challenging and interesting explain why it is important, challenging and interesting make me excited to hear more later make me excited to hear more later Explain how the research will be evaluated Explain how the research will be evaluated Present a realistic plan for the semester Present a realistic plan for the semester point out possible stumbling points – what is your contingency plan if research does not go as you hoped? point out possible stumbling points – what is your contingency plan if research does not go as you hoped?

Proposal Presentations Presentation Goals: Presentation Goals: Clearly communicate the key points Clearly communicate the key points Be sure your talk is well-structured Be sure your talk is well-structured Pretend you are talking to a goup of CS seniors who have not taken a course in the area of research you are pursuing Pretend you are talking to a goup of CS seniors who have not taken a course in the area of research you are pursuing Don’t use uncommon jargon or terms without defining them Don’t use uncommon jargon or terms without defining them Use screen real estate effectively Use screen real estate effectively Pictures, charts and graphs are your friends Pictures, charts and graphs are your friends Be conscious of your presentation style Be conscious of your presentation style Speak clearly Speak clearly Make eye contact Make eye contact Show energy and enthusiasm in your voice Show energy and enthusiasm in your voice Assess your audience’s level of comprehension Assess your audience’s level of comprehension Practice in advance and in front of friends and your advisor Practice in advance and in front of friends and your advisor Heed feedback Heed feedback

Proposal Presentations Audience Goals: Audience Goals: Listen to the content and note both good and bad presentation elements Listen to the content and note both good and bad presentation elements both for your benefit and the speaker’s benefit both for your benefit and the speaker’s benefit Give feedback notes to your fellow students: Give feedback notes to your fellow students: summarize the most important points of the talk summarize the most important points of the talk what could improve what could improve what is already good what is already good For proposals, each student will attend the talks give in the same hour as their talk For proposals, each student will attend the talks give in the same hour as their talk Grades: Grades: Formal grades won’t be given to the presentation itself Formal grades won’t be given to the presentation itself However, presentation quality & amount of progress will be a component when assigning an overall grade at the end of the semester. However, presentation quality & amount of progress will be a component when assigning an overall grade at the end of the semester. eg: when deciding between an A- and B+, we’ll think about presentation quality eg: when deciding between an A- and B+, we’ll think about presentation quality

Checkpoints [March 27] approximately a 1 page document approximately a 1 page document describe the accomplishments made so far describe the accomplishments made so far note tasks partially or completely completed note tasks partially or completely completed note papers read, experiments conducted, code completed note papers read, experiments conducted, code completed illustrate your understanding of the topic illustrate your understanding of the topic give a plan for the rest of the semester give a plan for the rest of the semester note deadlines for completing other tasks note deadlines for completing other tasks meet with your advisor, have them read your checkpoint document and sign the checkpoint form meet with your advisor, have them read your checkpoint document and sign the checkpoint form You must return the form to Donna O’Leary (CS 410) by the checkpoint deadline You must return the form to Donna O’Leary (CS 410) by the checkpoint deadline

Poster Session [May 6, 2-4pm] Create a display for a 4-by-4 bulletin board Create a display for a 4-by-4 bulletin board poster, collection of slides, etc. poster, collection of slides, etc. plus optional software demo plus optional software demo Content Content background – explain the problem & motivation background – explain the problem & motivation what have you learned? what have you learned? what experiments have you performed? what experiments have you performed? what have you proven? what have you proven? what algorithms have you defined? what algorithms have you defined?

Final Report [May 4] Final report is pages Final report is pages do not go “much” over 25 pages do not go “much” over 25 pages you may have an appendix that contains auxiliary materials such as code that spills over 25 pages you may have an appendix that contains auxiliary materials such as code that spills over 25 pages Thesis Reports: approximately twice as long (40-50 pages) Thesis Reports: approximately twice as long (40-50 pages) Content and writing are both important Content and writing are both important Visuals such as graphs, diagrams, pictures, etc can be effective communication mechanisms Visuals such as graphs, diagrams, pictures, etc can be effective communication mechanisms See website for turn-in instructions & specifics about fonts and such (which aren’t that important, but be reasonable...) See website for turn-in instructions & specifics about fonts and such (which aren’t that important, but be reasonable...) A printed copy needs to be submitted to Donna by the deadline A printed copy needs to be submitted to Donna by the deadline 2 unbound copies for a thesis 2 unbound copies for a thesis Give your advisor a copy (either or hard copy as they prefer) Give your advisor a copy (either or hard copy as they prefer)

Grading Grades will depend upon: Grades will depend upon: the creativity and originality of student ideas the creativity and originality of student ideas the content, amount of work accomplished to date, clarity and polish of presentations the content, amount of work accomplished to date, clarity and polish of presentations the content, eloquence, organization and clarity of writing the content, eloquence, organization and clarity of writing the majority of the grade will depend upon the final report the majority of the grade will depend upon the final report however, poor presentations and missing checkpoints will also have an impact however, poor presentations and missing checkpoints will also have an impact

Summary: Most important things Find an adviser and project as soon as possible Find an adviser and project as soon as possible lunch on monday 12-1:30 may help lunch on monday 12-1:30 may help feel free to them feel free to them check out the independent work projects page check out the independent work projects page Go to the course web site and read the course web pages – make a note of all deadlines Go to the course web site and read the course web pages – make a note of all deadlines If something is unclear, ask me, your advisor or Donna O’Leary If something is unclear, ask me, your advisor or Donna O’Leary Meet with your advisor often (once per week is a basic requirement) and talk to them as soon as you get stuck – do not procrastinate Meet with your advisor often (once per week is a basic requirement) and talk to them as soon as you get stuck – do not procrastinate

Conclusions A good project is a lot of work... but it could be more fun than any other course you’ll take.

Questions?