Dissertation Thesis

Code:

EEC0156

Acronym:

DISS

Instance: 2012/2013 - 2S

Active?	Yes
Web Page:	https://www.fe.up.pt/~jms/Dis
Responsible unit:	Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Course/CS Responsible:	Master in Electrical and Computers Engineering

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
MIEEC	67	Syllabus (Transition) since 2010/2011	5	-	30	40	800
		Syllabus	5	-	30	40	800

Teaching language

Suitable for English-speaking students

Objectives

According to the Portuguese legislation (artigo 20º do Decreto-Lei nº 74/2006 de 24 de Março), for students to finish their Masters Degree, they have to write a dissertation thesis. It has to be scientific-oriented dissertation or a project especially set for this purpose. It has to reach a specific objective, which is set by the regulations and it corresponds to 35% of the ECTS credits. In this course unit students have to carry out an individual project of investigation. They have to write a scientific dissertation thesis about an area of knowledge of the course, or about a theme which aims to integrate and apply complex engineering problems, skills and attitudes acquired during the course. It may be a project of investigation or a project of technological development of application, using experimental and/or simulation tools, which promote the development of the capacity of initiative, decision, innovation and creative and critical thinking. It has to cover the analysis of new situations, the gathering of relevant information, development and selection or conception of methodologies and tools, which will be used to solve the projected problem. It also has to comprise the solution of the problem, the description of the conclusions and preparation of a relevant dissertation, which has to be presented in public and discussed.

Learning outcomes and competences

SSensitization and acquisition of competences of management of a research work or of technological and applied development, involving experimental means and/or simulation, which promote the acquisition of capacities of initiative, decision, innovation, and of critical and creative thinking.

Working method

Presencial

Pre-requirements (prior knowledge) and co-requirements (common knowledge)

Conclusion of at least 246 ECTS credits of the curricular programme.

Program

2nd Semester- February to July 2013

 

For the students who: - only need the Dissertation curricular unit to finish their Integrated Masters - only need to complete the Dissertation plus some course units to be concluded in a final course season exame to finish their Integrated Masters.

 

Up until the end of the 1st month: - Presentation of a detailed plan of work - Jury proposal During the development of the project: - Presentation (via Web) of intermediate results and elements, to show if the project is being developed accordingly to the plan of work. Up until two weeks before the end of the occurrence: - Delivery of a provisory version of the dissertation thesis in a normalized format with all the suggestions of the supervisors. After the approval: - Delivery of the final version. Without it students will not earn a Master Degree’s certificate or diploma supplement. The final version and corrections (if any), which will be indicated in the statement, have to be verified by the supervisor, who will sign it. - Delivery of a summary version of the dissertation thesis (2 pages).

Mandatory literature

James E. Mauch and Jack W. Birch; Guide to the successful thesis and dissertation. ISBN: 0-8247-8972-5
Rita S. Brause; Writing your doctoral dissertation. ISBN: 0-750-70744-5
Ana Carla Madeira, Maria Manuel Abreu; Comunicar em ciência. ISBN: 972-592-165-8
J. Eduardo Carvalho; Prática do controle de projectos

Teaching methods and learning activities

The dissertation thesis can be carried out either in an academic or in an academic-enterprise environment. The objectives, the nature of the project and way of supervision have to be previously set between students and the supervisor in FEUP and the supervisor in the company (See model contract) and validated by the course director. It has to be done, in order to assure that the objectives are reached and to protect possible confidentiality issues of the company.

keywords

Technological sciences > Engineering

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

Description	Type	Time (hours)	Weight (%)	End date
Attendance (estimated)	Participação presencial	34,00
Web page	Trabalho escrito	20,00	10,00	2013-06-27
Defence of dissertation	Defesa pública de dissertação, de relatório de projeto ou estágio, ou de tese		90,00	2013-07-26
	Total:	-	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Description	Type	Time (hours)	End date
Study of bibliography	Estudo autónomo	100	2013-06-24
Development and experimental evaluation	Trabalho laboratorial	500	2013-06-21
Edition of documents	Elaboração de relatório/dissertação/tese	150	2013-06-24
	Total:	750,00

Eligibility for exams

According to the FEUP’s regulations regarding Integrated Masters, students have to exclusively work on their dissertation theses, unless otherwise agreed. Project supervision - Web page Students have to upload documents since the beginning of the project into a SiFEUP page, so that the elements of the jury can watch the evolution and development of the project. - Progress report(s) Up until the end of the fourth week, students have to present a concise description of the objectives and stages of their project. Supervisor(s) will announce periodically and at the end of each stage, information in the same page about the evolution of the project.  Students have to deliver an electronic version of their dissertation for assessment and public defense purposes. After approval, the final version will be printed out, signed by the student and the jury and then archived in SDI.

Calculation formula of final grade

Final assessment by the jury - Public presentation of the project It will take place a public presentation of the project (a session), which may be accompanied by the presentation of posters or other ways of multimedia presentation. - Discussion of the project, presentation and report The public presentation cannot last more than 60 minutes. It has to include the oral presentation and discussion. Projects which have similar themes will be presented in the same day (if possible). - Assessment by the jury At the end of each session, the jury will assess each student. Assessment Assessment of the project (40%) These are the elements which will be taken into consideration: - Students’ autonomy - Level of detail of the project - Results obtained - Methods - Quantity and quality of the project and documentation produced - Assiduity and punctuality Assessment of the report (30%) These are the elements which will be taken into consideration: - Interpretation and scope of the theme and/or company project - Critical analysis of the state of art and work that had been developed - Structure and logical development of the project - Adequate use of figures, algorithms and other illustrations - Summary, introduction and conclusion - Global presentation of the document - Presentation of information and references - Spelling and other grammatical aspects Assessment of the webpage (10%) Quality of the content Assessment of the public presentation (20%) - Presentation of the project and results - Organisation and contents of the presentation - Professionalism and attitude - Discussion - Level of assurance and confidence when answering to questions - Level of knowledge showed The values of reference which will be used on students’ assessment can be consulted on ‘Contents’.

Examinations or Special Assignments

Not applicable

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

It will not take place any other assignment or project besides the public presentation of the project in July. The special season can also be used to the presentation of projects.

Classification improvement

Not applicable

Observations

According to the regulations, dissertations submitted to defence have to be delivered on an electronic support (CD) at the DEEC secretariat until the 25th June 2013. After the presentation and possible modifications suggested by the jury and after being validated by them, copies have to be delivered at the academic services to be archived: a) TWO copies on paper (FEUP + Biblioteca Nacional – National Library) b) THREE copies on CD  (.pdf format, FEUP + Biblioteca Nacional + Observatório da Ciência e Ensino Superior). Students will also have to deliver a summary (2 pages) of their projects, according to the model available on ‘Contents’.