THIRD YEAR PROJECT TALK

1. THIRD YEAR PROJECT TALK • Project planning • IT skills • Use of literature and standards • Log books • HSE requirements • If things go wrong • Warning on plagiarism (copying) • Things to do list These are key steps in the training of a professionalengineer

2. Project planning • Be realistic • The project is one quarter of the final year; • One quarter of 23 weeks is about 6 weeks (42 days); • You cannot do a PhD level project in 42 days. • Targets • State a few clear objectives and achieve them; • Staff will penalise unfinished projects; • Planning chart • The first report should include a planning chart; • The second report should show progress against the chart and a revised plan if necessary; • Consider risks and have a backup plan.

3. Project planning • Example planning chart – work packages and milestones

4. Project planning • Exercise: Insert main work packages and milestones

5. Project planning • Risk Mitigation: Identify risks to progress and backup the example is from a satellite radar project

6. Project planning • Exercise: Identify risks to progress in your project

7. IT skills • Skills needed include: • Use of standard tools – Word, Excel, Powerpoint; • Programming – as required by project. • IT training should be arranged with Information Systems • http://www.ucl.ac.uk/is/training/student

8. Use of literature and standards • Review of academic literature • Review and use of 8-10 relevant published papers is expected; • Projects with no literature references will normally be penalised. • Use of WOK and on-line journals • Use the journals and proceedings data bases at http://wok.mimas.ac.uk ; • The password is your UCL ISD password (ATHENS access); • For full papers, visit the library for paper copies of journals and/or use the on-line electronic journal facility at: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/UCL-Info/Divisions/Library/index.htm • ATHENS access needed, some are only available from UCL.

9. Use of literature and standards • Don’t forget to use www too • e.g. http://www.google.com ; • Key words for the literature searches • semiconductors, diamond are too general • (diamond UV detector), “diamond UV detector”

10. Use of literature and standards • Use of standards • Standards should be applied for: Circuit symbols, notation and technical vocabulary • Web site for British Standards: http://www.bsonline.bsi-global.com (Log in using “ATHENS login” and then select “Alternative login” to enter your UCL ISD password) • e.g. Look at BSEN60617-4, BS 4727 • Patent searching • http://www.european-patent-office.org/espacenet/info/access.htm

11. Use of literature and standards • Standards for bibliographic references • Harvard standard for citing journal papers and books: http://www.lib.monash.edu.au/tutorials/citing/harvard.html • Standard for citation of electronic web sites: http://www.apastyle.org/elecref.html • Generic forms for the reference list • Electronic reference: Author, A. A., (2000). Title of work (in italics). Retrieved month day, year, from source. • Journal reference: Authora, A.A., Authorb, B.B., and Authorc, C.C., (2000). Title of article, Journal name (in italics), Vol. 20, pp 256-280. • Book reference:Author, A. A., (2000). Title of chapter, in: Editor, E.E., (ed), Book Title, (in italics, all capitalized), publisher, place of publication.

12. Log books • Log books are required • Log books can be important legal documents; • The log book has to be handed in with the final report; • Log book is a bound book. Loose leaf is not allowed; • Buy the log book today, also scissors and glue; • The safety risk assessment form must be stuck in; • Start it on page 5 and write something in it every day: e.g. stick in the project description and the planning chart. • Number the pages and use pages 1-4 for the index.

13. HSE requirements • A safety appraisal is needed • Safety form has to be competed by student and signed by the supervisor; http://www.ee.ucl.ac.uk/~cleanrm/safety/RISK.HTML • Keep a copy, glue it into your log book at the beginning; • Even computing projects need a safety appraisal. • Source of information: http://www.hse.gov.uk/index.htm • e.g. Search for the hazards of VDUs, RSI, laser, solder • In the safety appraisal you have to write (a) what are the hazards (b) how to minimize them.

14. If things go wrong • Look in the Undergaduate Manual: http://www.ee.ucl.ac.uk/students/undergraduate/current/undergradmanual • There is a departmental procedure for students experiencing difficulties with their project: • For difficulties in progress: (i) The student should report a problem as early as possible to the Project Coordinator (PC) and/or Head of Teaching (HT). (ii) The PC and/or HT will meet with the student to find out the nature of the problem and to decide on a plan of action. Ideally this should involve the supervisor, but only with the consent of the student.

15. Warning on plagiarism • Plagiarism and cheating • Plagiarism means copying without acknowledgement; • Cheating and plagiarism are a serious examination offences; • Please read the guidelines on plagiarism: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/current-students/examinations/irregularities/ They state that copying from ANY source is unacceptable; They explain how to correctly quote someone else's work; 3rd year projects are INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS; Every student has to do their own work and write their own report. • Common materials appearing in two reports is an examination offence and both students will be reported and investigated. • Reports containing material copied from books or papers will get a zero mark and students will be investigated for cheating.

16. Things to do list • Buy a log book • Do the safety form • Do the planning chart • Do the technical risk chart • Decide upon key words and do the literature search • Write the first report • Do a successful project