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====== Initial Project Plan ====== | ====== Initial Project Plan ====== | ||
- | The final year project is a substantial part of your degree. It can | + | The final year project is a substantial part of your degree. It can have a major effect on the degree class you are awarded and even whether or not you pass the degree. The initial project plan is to make sure you understand what your project requires you to do and how you are going to finish it successfully. You must submit an initial project plan at the beginning of your project. |
- | have a major effect on the degree class you are awarded and even | + | |
- | whether or not you pass the degree. The initial project plan is to | + | |
- | make sure you understand what your project requires you to do and how | + | |
- | you are going to finish it successfully. You must submit an initial | + | |
- | project plan at the beginning | + | |
- | (the deadline for this is listed in your PATS account under the | + | |
- | project description). | + | |
- | The initial | + | The initial plan is marked |
- | moderator. | + | |
- | before you submit it to make sure both of you agree on what your | + | |
- | project entails. You should further check the project plan with your | + | |
- | moderator and also seek his approval in person before you submit. | + | |
- | However, the first person to talk about your initial plan is | + | |
- | usually your supervisor. | + | |
- | We suggest that you write an initial version of your project plan and | + | We suggest that you write an initial version of your project plan and arrange meetings with your supervisor to discuss it and revise the plan. If you are not sure what to write in the plan, please discuss this with your supervisor before you write the draft. |
- | arrange meetings with your supervisor | + | |
- | revise the plan. If you are not sure what to write in the plan, please | + | |
- | discuss this with your supervisor before you write a draft. Once your | + | |
- | supervisor and moderator are happy with your plan, submit it on PATS | + | |
- | where they can officially approve it. As you can resubmit | + | |
- | via PATS multiple times, you can also submit a draft and your | + | |
- | supervisor and moderator can look at it there and also leave comments. | + | |
- | However, unless there are exceptional circumstances (e.g. supervisor | + | |
- | or moderator may be away), we highly recommend to discuss the plan in | + | |
- | person and not just on PATS or by e-mail. | + | |
- | Finally, note that this is an initial plan, and you can, and most | + | You can find the deadline for submitting your initial |
- | likely should, adjust | + | |
- | with the initial | + | |
- | at the various stages of the project (in particular for the final and, | + | |
- | if applicable, interim report). | + | |
- | For information about how to submit your initial plan via PATS please | + | Finally, note that this is an initial plan, and you can, and most likely should, adjust the plan as you progress. Note, however, that with the initial plan you are prescribing what you intend to deliver at the various stages of the project as explained below. |
- | see the [[Submission Guide]]. | + | |
+ | ===== Ethics ===== | ||
+ | |||
+ | For the initial plan you should consider, after discussion with your supervisor, whether the project will require research that needs ethical approval. See [[http:// | ||
===== Structure and Contents ===== | ===== Structure and Contents ===== | ||
- | For your initial plan one to two pages of text are sufficient. It | + | Your initial plan should be at most 2,000 words, excluding any figures and tales. It should contain the following information: |
- | should contain the following information: | + | |
==== Project Title ==== | ==== Project Title ==== | ||
- | The title of the initial plan document should be " | + | The title of the initial plan document should be " |
- | followed by the title of your project. List yourself as author and | + | |
- | also say who your supervisor | + | |
- | module number you are taking and credits due for this module | + | |
- | [[Initial Plan# | + | |
==== Project Description ==== | ==== Project Description ==== | ||
- | The first section of the document should be a brief description of | + | The first section of the document should be a brief description of your project outlining |
- | your project outlining its context and what it is overall | + | |
- | can adapt the proposal used to select your project. | + | |
- | need to describe a lot of detail and this would usually not more than | + | |
- | half a page. | + | |
==== Project Aims and Objectives ==== | ==== Project Aims and Objectives ==== | ||
- | The second section of the document should be a list of aims and | + | The second section of the document should be a list of more detailed |
- | objectives for your project. These are statements of what you set out | + | |
- | to achieve with your project. Try to be as specific as possible at | + | |
- | this stage, but avoid getting into too many details that may change | + | |
- | later. It's the main results and components of your project you should | + | |
- | list. A bullet point list with at most one level of sub-points is | + | |
- | usually sufficient. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | For modules CM0300, CM0333 or CM0400 (the short individual project) your aims and | + | |
- | objectives are what you expect to have at the end of the module for | + | |
- | your final report. | + | |
==== Work Plan ==== | ==== Work Plan ==== | ||
- | The last section of your plan should consist of a time plan stating | + | The last section of your initial |
- | what you are working on when. This should include clear milestones of | + | |
- | what you expect to achieve by which date and also show how you intent | + | Make sure you clearly describe what you intend to include in the deliverables |
- | to achieve these milestones. Make sure the deliverables for the | + | |
- | reports (especially | + | |
- | with your time plan, such that you can actually deliver them when they | + | |
- | are due. | + | |
- | You are free to choose the work plan format that you think is best | + | Your time plan should further have at least two scheduled review meetings with your supervisor. You should typically see your supervisor once a week for a shorter |
- | suited for your project and working style. This //may// be a [[wp> | + | |
- | but sometimes it may also be sufficient to simply list in sequence | + | |
- | what you are working on with a time-scale and milestones/ | + | |
- | Usually a weekly scale for the work plan is a good choice. Take note | + | |
- | of the deadlines | + | |
- | description when you develop | + | |
- | commitments and busy times such as the exam periods. | + | |
- | ===== Approval Procedure ===== | + | You are free to choose the work plan format that you think is best suited for your project and working style. This //may// be a [[wp> |
+ | description when you develop the work plan and also consider any other commitments and busy times such as the exam periods. | ||
- | Once you have discussed your project plan with your supervisor and | + | ==== Planning for Multiple Reports ==== |
- | moderator and have submitted it on PATS, both, your supervisor and | + | |
- | moderator, must approve your plan on PATS. They can choose to leave | + | |
- | any comments with your plan. You will see the comments and the | + | |
- | approval as soon as they have done this. | + | |
- | You can resubmit your plan at any time until the deadline. Should | + | This section is only relevant if you have to produce an interim and a final report for your project. Note that the final report should not repeat content of the interim report. They should rather |
- | resubmit | + | |
- | removed and the new plan must be approved again. | + | |
- | After the submission deadline | + | What to include in the two reports depends on the nature of your project. Your interim report should provide |
- | approve | + | contain an initial version of a final deliverable or some other building block of the overall project. It is not necessarily everything you have done by its due date (this depends on your time plan and other commitments), |
- | even remove approval (they should get in contact | + | |
- | if they choose to do this). They can do this until about one week | + | |
- | after the plan submission deadline | + | |
- | them in shown in PATS to them). After this approval deadline they | + | |
- | cannot undo any approval (but still approve | + | |
- | any delay, just that approval will then be final). | + | |
- | In case you fail to submit your plan by deadline or wish to resubmit a | + | The final report contains |
- | plan after the submission deadline, please get in contact with the | + | |
- | project | + | |
- | ===== Approval Criteria ===== | + | Your project plan effectively defines what should go into which report. Hence, you should carefully discuss this with your supervisor to make sure there is enough for 25% in the interim report and you neither try to do too much or too little for the interim report. |
- | Your supervisor and moderator will approve your plan according to the | + | ===== Marking Criteria ===== |
- | following criteria: | + | |
- | * Title and project description accurately represent the project and are suitable for the module you are are taking | + | |
- | * Aims and objectives are clear, sufficiently detailed and provide a suitable challenge for your project | + | |
- | * For modules CM0300, CM0333, CM0400 the deliverables for the final report are clearly specified | + | |
- | * For module CM0343 the deliverables for the interim and final report are clearly specified and split the total amount of work into 25% / 75% between the two reports | + | |
- | * Time plan is feasible, sufficiently specific to the project, and has a clear timeline and milestones | + | |
- | * The amount of work is suitable for the credits and level of the module: | + | |
- | * 30 credits (300 hours of work) for CM0333 | + | |
- | * 20 credits (200 hours of work) for CM0300 | + | |
- | * 20 credits (200 hours of work) for CM0400 | + | |
+ | Your supervisor and moderator will mark your plan according to the following criteria: | ||
+ | * Title and project description accurately represent the project and are suitable for the module you are are taking; | ||
+ | * Aims and objectives are clear, sufficiently detailed and provide a suitable challenge for your project; | ||
+ | * Time plan is feasible, sufficiently specific to the project, and has a clear timeline and milestones; | ||
+ | * Deliverables for the reports required for your project are suitable and clearly specified; | ||
+ | * Approximate dates for at least two review meetings are given; | ||
+ | * The amount of work is suitable for the credits and level of the module; | ||
+ | * The report is well written and clearly structured; | ||
+ | on the following scale: | ||
+ | * 0 marks: No suitable plan has been submitted. | ||
+ | * 1 mark: Only a partial plan with major deficiencies/ | ||
+ | * 2 marks: A plan with a project description, | ||
+ | * 3 marks: ...which is feasible to execute within the constraints of the project... | ||
+ | * 4 marks: ...and has sufficient project-specific details and clear milestones... | ||
+ | * 5 marks: ...and shows originality and professionalism and/or scholarship. | ||
+ | Supervisor and moderator will leave comments about your plan explaining any concerns they may have and their expectations regarding the aims and objectives and deliverables. Make sure you consider these when executing the project. |