Description
Before any work at LDV can begin, there is a project plan and a project interview. The project plan serves on the one hand as preparation for the project interview and on the other hand as a method to deal with the task in a structured way. Often the topic description by the supervisor has a lot space for interpretation or one has no previous knowledge in the area. The preparation of a project plan helps here to make a first short research and to decide whether the topic suits you personally.
Content
- You can write your project plan in English or German.
- Make sure to include graphics and diagrams that easily explain your claims or plans
A good project plan contains, among other things, the elements:
1) Introduction:
- What motivates your thesis work?
- Why is the project interesting?
- What needs to be done?
- Where are the problems in this project that need to be solved?
- What are possible use cases?
2) Project Outline / Methodology:
- How is the general procedure in your project?
- What are the (research) questions to be addressed?
Show a structured way to find solutions for the proposed problems. (This does not mean to come up with a solution in the project plan. In the later course of your work, it will surely turn out that individual elements must be changed or exchanged.)
3) Schedule:
- Plan the individual work packages.
- Give yourself enough Puffer in case of delay.
- Remember that you always have to write a paper and / or a wiki page!
- Check the section below for further information
You should always inform yourself individually about deadlines and formalities and adhere to them independently. In case of doubt, consult your supervisor in advance time and inform him or her about approaching deadlines!
4) References
- State works that are relevant and related to your thesis/research work.
- Please use high-quality references such as papers from journals or conferences. Web blogs (like Medium) und Pre-prints (from ArXiv or similar) are less suitable.
Project Interview
Project Explanation
During the project interview with Prof. Diepold your will explain the topic in more detail and clear up any ambiguities on both sides. This interview helps you to find the right way and prevents you from coarse mistakes or misleading topics. Prepare a small amount of clean slides to transport the major points of your plan, which you can use in the project interview. A picture often says more then a thousand words.
Thesis Registration
The actual registration of the thesis takes place in this interview. It is therefore important that you obtain the particular registration form from the Administration Office (Studiensekretariat) in advance if it has not yet been automatically sent to you.
Questions
The project discussion is also the time at which you can ask questions directly to the examiner. So think about what you still need to know for your work or which advice you would like to have before you start writing.
Template
A template is available here. You can edit it directly in the ShareLaTeX or download it to your machine.
Time Plan
Regular Contact
After the project discussion and the official sign up of your thesis the real working phase starts. During this period you mostly work Independently. If you decide to complete your work at the university, you can use this room at the chair. Even though there's no presence obligation you still have to contact your supervisor and the research group regularly. Periodic feedback is essential. This can be best done using the Wiki feature, where you can document the actual status of your work. You can also document questions and discussion points that you want to discuss with your supervisor.
Documentation
Documenting your work can help you keep track of your progress. It gives you a chance to compare your progress with the time plan you initially set out. Discuss delays with your supervisor, so you can find possible solutions and avoid longer delays. Sticking to the time plan is your responsibility.
Try to keep your supervisor in the loop by showing them your software or hardware regularly (these can be used as official interim reports). Make sure you attend regular stand ups as often as possible and prepare your weekly contributions and our plans for the upcoming week. Consider giving your supervisor any completed chapters at the earliest possible stage. This gives you more time to make any changes requested by your supervisor.
It proved helpful to use the gitlab Issues features to devide your work into packages. If you have not got a project repository on https://gitlab.lrz.de yet ask your supervisor!
Contact
ToDos:
- Clarify project scope
- Prepare a written project plan
- Prepare slides for the project interview
- Acquire thesis registration form and sign it
- Conduct project interview