IMEC Presentation

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INFORMATION SESSION 26.10.2004
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Objective of Project Thesis Class
The overall objective of the class is to equip
the student with all the tools and methodological
know-how required for the effective planning,
execution and reporting of his research. To
achieve this objective, we will arm you with
fundamental research tools (both tangible and
non-tangible) to assist you throughout the
duration of your thesis.and beyond! The
contents of the class should assist in the
preparation of the DEA thesis and DEA
presentation, and the culmination of the class
will be a formal presentation
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Outcomes of Project Thesis Class

• At the end of this class you will have
• identified the novelty and originality of your
  research and the contribution it will make
• identified the objectives and sub-objectives of
  your research
• carried out a detailed literature search,
  created a database of this literature (Endnote)
  and using this database, written a literature
  review
• written an abstract summarising your research
  work
• carried out a plan of your research, identifying
  research tasks, resources required, identified
  deliverables and milestones, carried out a risk
  analysis and identified a contingency plan,
  plotted Pert and Gnatt charts (MS Project)
• written an article based on your research and
  submitted it the Project Thesis Editorial Office
• refereed articles and written a referee report
• replied to a referee report
• drafted a project proposal
• carried out a detailed patent search and drafted
  a patent of your research work
• prepared and video-ed a presentation of your
  research
• given a formal presentation of your research
  work to a mock DEA panel and your colleagues and
  supervisors

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Class Profs
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Class layout
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Class layout
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Class Rules
The language of the class is ENGLISH. All
homeworks and presentations must be done in
English. Students must attend at least 80 of the
classes in order to pass. Students must attend
75 of Multidisciplinary Seminars as part of the
Project Thesis Class. Each prof will provide
homework submission dates, that will be posted on
the web with the homework. Homework submitted
after the deadline will not be accepted. The
class will be graded on the basis of (i) class
attendance and interaction (ii) homeworks and
(iii) final presentation, in an equivalent
manner.
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Tutor Groups
Each class will be given on Tuesday between 17.00
and 19.00 in Aula 116. Each prof has an assigned
tutor group (to be decided in information
session) of nine students and the prof and tutor
group will arrange a time to meet on Friday to
review homeworks, discuss themes/problems/concerns
etc. The students of the tutor group and
their assigned prof can meet on an individual or
group basis, as is decided between
them. Homeworks will be carried out on an
individual basis but could be reviewed within a
group format.
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Website
There will be a Project Thesis class web page,
that should be consulted frequently for
messages/links/downloads etc. The webpage will
contain OVERVIEW CLASSES - description, ppt
file, links, homework, useful downloads, book
references ADDITIONAL RESOURCES - links,
downloads, book references STUDENT
PRESENTATIONS MESSAGES - homeworks
etc. SUGGESTION BOARD - PLEASE use CLASS
EVALUATION
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Homeworks
Throughout the course there will be homeworks
that all have one final common objective -
preparation and execution of the DEA. Although
not obligatory, it is STRONGLY recommended that
the theme chosen for all the homeworks will be
the research theme of your DEA. It is also
HIGHLY recommended that you discuss the homeworks
of the class with your supervisor and keep
him/her updated of the class.
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Example Research Theme
To complement that the students homeworks will
be based on one constant research theme, the
examples given from class to class to demonstrate
tools etc. will be the constant theme of Beer
brewing .and maybe sampling!
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Class 1 General Introduction, Identification of
research objectives and literature review José
Luis Toca 23rd November 2004
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Contents
Identification of research theme Identification
of objectives Introduction to basic
definitions Philosophy, scientific methodology
and ethics Literature Review Database searching
and management Impact factor, citation index Live
ENDNOTE tutorial Live ISI tutorial Identification
of novelty of research theme Identification of
contribution of literature theme
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Homework
Identification of research themes Carry out
literature review and using trial version of
ENDNOTE, create organised database. Using ISI,
choose 5 of the articles found and make a table
listing journal, impact factor, no. of citations
of paper Short summary of literature
review Identification of novelty of research to
be carried out, contribution that will be made
and where results could be published Due date
29 November, 2004
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Class 2 Efficient writing and workplanning Ciara
O Sullivan 30th November, 2004
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Contents
Guidelines to writing efficiently Interactive
tutorial for improvement of grammar and
punctuation skills outline of abstract and
abstract elements Class activity - draft abstract
exercise Methodology for planning of
research Task timing, deliverables,
milestones Resources Risk analysis and
contingency planning Pert, Gantt Charts
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Homework
Abstract of research theme Workplan - identifying
research tasks, time required to carry out tasks,
identification of deliverables, milestones, their
timing as well as a contingency plan.
Identification of required resources and Pert
and Gantt charts. Due date 7 December, 2004
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Class 3 Article writing Joan Rosell 14th
December, 2004
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Contents
Guidelines to preparation of a technical journal
article Initial barrier considerations
surrounding artcile writing will be discussed -
defining the story, choosing the journal, impact
factor, citation index Questions of execution
will be discussed - what is in each section,
computer tools, figures, log vs linear plots The
submission and refereeing process
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Homework
Students provided with a short mystery story
describing a research process and asked to
transform into a short communication for a
scientific journal (e.g. JACS) and will be asked
to submit to the Project Thesis Editorial
Office Due date 20 December, 2004 Students will
be sent three manuscripts to referee and should
prepare a referee report and return to the
Project Thesis Editorial Office Due date 11th
January, 2005 Students will be sent referee
reports and should correct and resubmit their
corrected article according to correct
protocol Due date 18th January, 2005
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Class 4 Proposal writing and patent
searching José Luis Toca Ciara O
Sullivan 21st December, 2004
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Contents
Preparation of a DEA research proposal, focusing
on format, use of illustration, structure,
referencing and editing Example proposal will be
extrapolated in class and financial planning
explained Major sources of research funding (e.g.
EU, NSF etc.) will be introduced and this style
of research proposal will be outlined and the
research proposal review process explained. IPR,
ownership, inventorship, patent application,
patent protection, patent databases will be
outlined. An interactive patent search will be
carried out using Derwent Innovation Office,
European Patent Office and the US Patent Office

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Homework
Preparation of complete DEA project proposal,
complete with Introduction, Identification of
novelty and potential contributions,
Identification of Overall Objective and
Sub-objectives, Task descriptions, Timing,
Deliverables, Milestones, Resources, Finances,
Risk Analysis, Contingency Planning, Pert and
Gantt Charts, Bibliography Due date 7th January,
2005 Patent search related to research theme and
summary of patent search Due date 14th January,
2005
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Class 5 Presentation Guidelines José Luis Toca,
Joan Rosell Ciara O Sullivan 11th January,
2005
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Contents
Preparation and delivery of effective
presentations Body language, attitude, effective
visual aids, equipment, content timing,
structure, importance of introduction, visual
aids dos and donts Guide to preparation outlined
and voice exercises to highlight correct
stressing will be carried out Tips to giving
presentations in English Guidelines for
preparation of European PhD Video highlighting
examples of good and poor presentations
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Homework
Preparation of 10 minute presentation based on
research theme Due date 18th January, 2005
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Presentation Practise José Luis Toca, Joan
Rosell Ciara O Sullivan 18th January, 2005
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Contents
There will be two three-hour sessions on Tuesday
18th January Each student should attend the
entirety of at least one of these sessions Each
student will give a 10-minute presentation, that
will be video-ed and 2 minutes will be allocated
for questions Each student should takes notes to
evaluate the other students
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Homework
Summary of notes to assist in evaluation of
student presentation Due date 19th January,
2005
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Presentation Evaluation José Luis Toca, Joan
Rosell Ciara O Sullivan 19th January, 2005
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Contents
There will be two three-hour sessions on
Wednesday 19th January Each student should
attend the entirety of at least one of these
sessions (and the same one they attended on
Tuesday 18th January) Each student will shown the
video of their presentation and students and
profs will discuss how the presentation could be
improved
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Homework
Prepare final presentation Due date 27th
January, 2005
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Formal Presentation All supervisors,
colleagues and a mock-DEA panel 27th January,
2005
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Contents
This should be treated as a trial run of the DEA
presentation and students should dress
semi-formally as the would for the final DEA
presentation Students and supervisors will be
asked to attend and will contribute to the
grading of the presentation and will complete a
feedback form that will be given back to the
student so as to assist in further improving the
quality of the presentation A mock DEA panel
will ask questions - if possible technical - but
the importance is the style!
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Homework
Meet with assigned tutor for final feedback on
formal presentation Before 31st January HAVE
MANY BEERS TO CELBRATE!
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EVALUATION
The only way we can improve our class is to have
feedback and evaluation. There will be an
anonymous suggestion board available on the web
page - please use it We will distribute an
informal evaluation from at the end of the course
ALL students should complete the formal
evaluation process - it is a very bad reflection
on the profs if this evaluation is not
completed!
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GOOD LUCK!
Whatever problem you have regarding the class -
contact us! Remember this class is to help you,
and any homeworks etc will assist you in your
research work. Looking forward to
collaborating,
José Ciara Joan