.: IT 990 / CS 990 Dissertation Topic Preparation :.
.: IT 991 Engineer Topic Preparation :.
Friday 4:30-7:10pm, Thompson 2021
Instructor: Dr. Jeff Offutt
Prerequisite: Completion of all course requirements in program,
or permission of instructor.
Contact Information
email: offutt ... gmu.edu
web: http://cs.gmu.edu/~offutt/
office hours: Wed 3:00-4:00, Engineering 4430
Catalog Description:
This course covers PhD dissertation and engineer project proposal preparation.
Three classes are co-located and taught together.
- CS 990 Dissertation Topic Presentation
Students put together a professional presentation of a research proposal and
present it for critique to fellow students and interested faculty.
May be repeated with change of research topic, but credit toward doctoral degree is given once.
- IT 990 Dissertation Topic Presentation
Students put together a professional presentation of a research proposal and
present it for critique to fellow students and interested faculty.
May be repeated with change in topic, but degree credit is given only once.
- IT 991 Engineer Project Presentation
Opportunity for engineer degree students to present project proposal for critique to interested faculty and students.
Covers presentation of project topic for engineer degree in information technology,
and is required of all engineer degree students.
Students complete project proposal.
May be repeated with a change in topic, although degree credit is only given once.
Important:
You should only take 990 or 991 if you have an advisor and
a dissertation topic.
This class will meet for lectures and discussions four times,
then two or three more for student presentations.
- January 27: Initial meeting.
Discussion of requirements and expectations.
Introductions.
- February 3: Lectures:
What is a PhD?
Thoughts on choosing an advisor.
The purpose of a proposal.
Example proposals:
Jing Guan
Aynur Abdurazik
Mats Grindal
- March 9: Student presentations.
Each student will have 5 minutes to present your problem,
your thesis statements
and your validation plan.
Students are limited to a one page document.
A hard copy will be submitted and
no other visual materials can be used (PPT, whiteboard, etc.)
Deliverable:
A topic document, with problem, thesis statements, and validation plan.
Limited to one page.
- March 23: Lectures:
Hints on writing:
(parts A,
B,
C,
D)
Hints for giving presentations.
- May 4: Final student presentations.
Each student will have 12 minutes to speak
followed by a 3 minute
question and answer session (15 minutes total).
Deliverable:
A full draft of your PhD Dissertation Proposal
It should be as complete as possible,
and as close to your final, committee-ready, proposal as you can make it.
Your advisor should have a chance to review it before you submit it to me.
Note: On March 23, the class decided to have one day for presentations.
We might go a little bit late, possibly until 7:30.
- May 11:
Final student presentations (cont).
All GMU courses and research carried out here
is governed by the GMU Honor Code.
No student can ever expect to be granted a PhD with an honor code violation.
More broadly,
the most important thing a scientist has is a reputation.
If you are caught plaigarizing even once,
your research career is essentially over.
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