Dissertation Time

zetec452 · 25 Sep 2006 at 09:46

Hey Guys,

I have the rather daunting task of choosing a dissertation this week. There's a possibility that some have already completed one.

What kind of project did you do? Would you recommend looking at a web application for a final project?

Some of my choices at the moment, not necessarily in order or conclusive:

Using CSS style sheets to provide Accessibility.
SCAN Open Source (some uni software thingy)
Interactive Menu for Caterers (web app)
Neighbourhood Watch (another web app)

I appreciate that without full specs these don't mean much.

There were some other interesting topics like building a http training tool or mail server for Linux.

I do prefer the first topic as it will be a broad topic and will be rather interesting.

So what do you chaps think? Any advice from the more experienced would be awesome.

happytechie · 25 Sep 2006 at 09:52

Choose something that you can write a fulll set of specs for rather than a wooly wouldn't it be nice type of requirements set.

Don't choose your problem to fit the desired solution, choose a problem space and them design / develop the best solution for it, you'kll get a higher set of marks.

Don't start code too early, check the marks perceentage for each section of your solution (design, writeup, analysis etc) and pput in the right amount of work according to the marks. There is no point spending all yuor time building a GREAT solution when it's only worth 5% of the final mark.

Thats about all the advice I have of the top if my head

Paul

Mr_L · 25 Sep 2006 at 09:56

JonRohan said:
SCAN Open Source (some uni software thingy)

Is that like a student resource portal? At my uni last year there was this gash thing called SCAN (web app), and my dissertation/project was to investigate it and come up with something better.

zetec452 · 25 Sep 2006 at 10:08

Mr_L said:
Is that like a student resource portal? At my uni last year there was this gash thing called SCAN (web app), and my dissertation/project was to investigate it and come up with something better.

It is the student portal yes. And yes, it is gash.

zetec452 · 25 Sep 2006 at 10:13

happytechie said:
Choose something that you can write a fulll set of specs for rather than a wooly wouldn't it be nice type of requirements set.

Don't choose your problem to fit the desired solution, choose a problem space and them design / develop the best solution for it, you'kll get a higher set of marks.

Don't start code too early, check the marks perceentage for each section of your solution (design, writeup, analysis etc) and pput in the right amount of work according to the marks. There is no point spending all yuor time building a GREAT solution when it's only worth 5% of the final mark.

Thats about all the advice I have of the top if my head

Paul

Thanks Paul.

I am weary of doing a project which involves making a program. I'd much rather do a full write up.

My task today is to look at all the options and see what will look interesting.

happytechie · 25 Sep 2006 at 10:22

I think that the CSS and accesibility one prvides the best scope fior a full write up with some inovation and good research to come to the correct solution.

HT

MagicalTrevor · 25 Sep 2006 at 11:00

I wrote a stand-alone skeleton online banking system in Java. I then evaluated various methodologies for reducing the round trip time from the client to server and then back to the client. In such systems that use encryption as a means of providing confidentiality there is an incurred delay caused by the actual encryption/decryption of the information, so you have to form a balance between the amount of time the user is willing to wait and the amount of time that is required to ensure sufficient confidentiality of the information.

The system architecture consisted of 3 servers and a client etc. I actually learnt a serious amount of information regarding various encryption methods, diffie-hellman etc. hashing, sockets (persistent connnections etc.), databases. Was a lot of effort and some serious coding, but I got a first for it.

You want to do something that you will enjoy doing, will learn from but not over stretch yourself to a point where you end up after 3 months research and deciding you cant actually do it.

zetec452 · 25 Sep 2006 at 11:06

MagicalTrevor said:
You want to do something that you will enjoy doing, will learn from but not over stretch yourself to a point where you end up after 3 months research and deciding you cant actually do it.

Some of the projects im sure people will do and think ops.. why did I do that. There are some pretty hard projects and some pretty easy ones.

I'm just trying to get a balance between something I find interesting which a good scope and something which will get me a good mark.

gord · 25 Sep 2006 at 11:12

happytechie said:
I think that the CSS and accesibility one prvides the best scope fior a full write up with some inovation and good research to come to the correct solution.

HT

I would agree although it does appear to be the easiest topic from what i can see. Everyone knows what CSS is and everyone knows about accessibility, or they should at least if they have ever designed a website. You might find most of your class doing the same thing, in which case yours will have to be exceptional in order to stand out.

zetec452 · 25 Sep 2006 at 11:34

Only one person can select one project which is good.

This is the sepecification for the CSS Project:

The client for this project is a project manager.

Description
The project manager is responsible for the maintenance of existing and development of new web-based applications at an educational establishment.

Currently accessibility issues are deal with in an ad-hoc fashion, with each web-developer chosing his or her own way of ensuing accessibility.

The client requires you to:-

a. Identify the key issues associated with accessibility of web-based appliactions that can be handled using CSS style sheets.
b. Produce a recommended list of the actions that a web-developer should carry out in order to use CSS to provide accessibilty.
c. Develop and evaluate a sample web-based application that makes use of these recommendations.

Deliverables
1. A working system that meets the needs of the client.

2. A project report of around 8,000 to 10,000 words detailing the process followed to research, design, implement and test the software.

3. The final source code for the project in a documented form.

4. A user guide detailing how the software operates.

I potentially have a lot of things I can cover. You can always branch out onto new issues and things.

I do agree that it could look a bit easy.

Mr_L · 25 Sep 2006 at 12:02

Are you at UCE Jon?

If not, these project descriptions are scarily close to theirs.

zetec452 · 25 Sep 2006 at 12:07

I am unfortunately.

Moved from Leeds Met this year.

You at UCE?

EDIT: Just seen your website:

What did you do for your final year?

Mr_L · 25 Sep 2006 at 12:12

I was, finished last year. I was only there for my final year though. I'd scratch the SCAN project off the list if it's the same project manager from last year. She was a nice woman, but not very helpful. Plus she was in charge of foreign students, so she would dissapear for weeks to other countries.

If the CSS/accessibility one is managed by the woman I think it is, I'd go with that one. I can't remember her name, but if she has curly hair she's the one. She'd push you to do the best you can.

JonRohan said:
What did you do for your final year?

Computing and Multimedia. My modules were: GUI, Multimedia, Ecommerce and IT Proffesional Practice. I think everyone has to do PP, which is shockingly easy. Ecommerce was the best module I did, followed by Multimedia.

zetec452 · 25 Sep 2006 at 12:20

I've put the css one as my first option, just trying to find another 2.

.

Im doing e-commerce next semester and top down network design this year. Should be ok.

Mr_L · 25 Sep 2006 at 12:27

JonRohan said:
I've put the css one as my first option, just trying to find another 2. .

Im doing e-commerce next semester and top down network design this year. Should be ok.

Dr Hu will be teaching you then.

You have to come up with a buisiness and create a buisiness plan for it, as well as finally creating an ecommerce solution for it.

zetec452 · 25 Sep 2006 at 12:30

Sounds a little more interesting that your average project. Can you develop in .NET?

I've now decided on.

Using CSS to Provide accessibility,
A neighbour Hood Watch thingy web application
Desining a dabase for a clinic

Hopefully I'll get the first one.

Mr_L · 25 Sep 2006 at 12:36

JonRohan said:
Sounds a little more interesting that your average project. Can you develop in .NET?

They go about teaching you ASP and JSP, but they let you use whatever technology you want, I used PHP and MySQL. You might get some questions about JSP and XML in the exam, so it's as well to pay attention.

zetec452 · 25 Sep 2006 at 14:15

Sounds good. I've always wanted to play with .NET so will try and use that.

Cheers for the pointers

.

Mr Nice · 25 Sep 2006 at 15:44

Takes me back to 2001!

TBH, avoid doing any database driven web based applications as that's what 90% of other people will be doing.

If possible try and find something different/unique.

zetec452 · 25 Sep 2006 at 15:56

2001, you old bugger.

I agree about the database driven website stuff. Unless its very very and I repeat very special its not going to gain good marks.