CSE4080: Computer Science Project

Project Contract

A contract is typically a few pages in length. It has the following layout:

Course: CSE4080
Academic Year: E.g. W 2007
Project title: < title >
Supervisor name (email): < name > (< email >)
Student name: < name >
Student number: 123456789
Student's email: < email >


Project Description
What the project is to achieve, a half to one page. Please describe the educational component of the project.

Requirements
  • Prerequisite courses: list the courses and the minimum-mark requirement for each
  • Corequisite courses: list the courses to be taken concurrently
  • Other experience:  technical know-how needed, familiarity with languages and systems, mathematical background, etc.

    • Resources
    This is worth spelling out because it may be more helpful to the student in choosing a project than the project description.

  • Software:  list of programming languages, tools, operating systems, etc.
  • Hardware: list of computer and other needed devices.

    • Readings
    A short list of research papers/books that could/must be studied or referenced for the project, that can help give some idea of what the project is about and the background required.

    Deliverables
    List of artifacts to be completed by the final due date; includes programs, documentation, reports, user guides, etc.

    Milestones List
    Milestones to be reached during the project. Useful for the project contract and progress evaluation. The following is an example.
    1. by ?: Background reading completed.
    2. by ?: Preliminary project description document due. Background summary (2 pages). Specification of the work to be performed in terms of technical milestones (4 pages). Rationale for the approach and expected intellectual contribution (2 pages).
    3. by ?: Progress report due. Summary of achievements so far, difficulties encountered, possible change in the technical milestones. Prototype implementation.
    4. by ?: Preliminary draft of the final documents. Implementational work done except for bells and whistles.
    5. by ?: Project due. All deliverables completed.

    Evaluation:
    Some indication as to how the project will be evaluated. For example, the project can be marked on the basis of the progress towards stated goals, and the clarity and completeness of programs, documentation and reports. It is strongly recommended and encouraged that evaluation has a number of components and not just a grade at the end. Grades can be associated with different deliverables or their parts. Components could include: documentation, programming style, quality of the interface design, project proposal presentation, project status presentation, and overall evaluation.

    At least 20% of the evaluation should be available before the drop date.

    The following is an example. Note that all projects must have a requirement for an oral seminar presentation. The grading of this requirement is worth 30% of the final grade and is assigend by the 4080 seminar committee. By signing this contract both student and supervisor agree to participate in the seminar day which will be typically scheduled during the first week of class following the term that student is enrolled in CSE4080. Students and supervisors should check the course web page for the current term to find the date scheduled for the seminars.

    Signatures
    Student ____________________________________

    Supervisor ____________________________________

    Course Director     ____________________________________