dissertation

OwenM

I'm starting my final year dissertation in the next week or so and i've got 1.5 weeks to come up with a title, any one here care to throw a few suggestions at me ?, i'm a bit lost. I was kind of thinking about AI but it's a very broad topic.



It's a software engineering degree, thats why I'm asking here btw.

Tom Dunne

What do you like? What are your areas of interest?

What (preferably manual process) can you improve upon, using software?

OwenM

it's a literature only dissertation, their is practical project work else where in the course so it won't have a coding aspect. I have done Java, RPG, PHP, Shell scripting. I'm a mature student with experience in manufacturing IT(Dell for 8 years) and Hotel IT, also have previous diploma in chemistry from GMIT in 1996.

pauldiv

Hi Owen,

I was a mature computing student as well and had industry experience before I did my degree

Can you explain more about what a dissertation is and what you are expected to do? Is it an open essay on a non programming topic of your own choosing?

Regards

AARRRGH

You could explain Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC). This is what I did my thesis on and it got me an excellent grade.

ECC is the strongest, most efficient cryptography available, but it's extremely complicated.

I'd be willing to send you my thesis which would make your life much easier.

Tom Dunne

OwenM wrote: »

it's a literature only dissertation, their is practical project work else where in the course so it won't have a coding aspect. I have done Java, RPG, PHP, Shell scripting. I'm a mature student with experience in manufacturing IT(Dell for 8 years) and Hotel IT, also have previous diploma in chemistry from GMIT in 1996.

Ok, some of the current buzzwords are cloud computing and data mining.

They are areas of active research and could make a good dissertation.

stephenlane80

Some current hot topics in Software Engineering are:

Open Source Software Development
Global Software Developemnt
Software product Lines
Software process and Practice

If it is a literature only Thesis you will find great stuff on databases like Springer Link, IEEEXplore and ACM for these and other topics

DublinWriter

Agile as a software development methodology is pretty exciting (well, to me anyways, note to self - get out more).

Webmonkey

DublinWriter wrote: »

Agile as a software development methodology is pretty exciting (well, to me anyways, note to self - get out more).

You an Extreme Programmer? - Agile is good alright, but all these terms are bringing back bad memories of boring lecturers in software development

OwenM

thanks all, i had kind of settled on 'future browser technology and the impact of html 5' (inspiration was here http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/08/28/html_5_dream/) but my supervisor wants journal and published books as references and so far im drawing a blank so it's back to the drawing board.

AARRRGH: I didn't really enjoy algorithims last year so I'm not going to draw it upon myself...thanks anyway.

Evil Phil

OwenM wrote: »

on 'future browser technology and the impact of html 5'

Good choice.

adm

The Semantic Web could be a good one.

Or you could look at how newspapers are going to monetize their news in future cos they are starting to say it cant be free anymore.

OwenM

adm wrote: »

The Semantic Web could be a good one.

Or you could look at how newspapers are going to monetize their news in future cos they are starting to say it cant be free anymore.

Both interesting, the semantic web is heavy on AI and the library is littered with dissertations on AI so i'm avoiding that. The news industry one is current but more of a business type topic.

I'm playing it safe because (I think) the purpose of the undergraduate dissertation is about demonstrating the ability to collect, present and demonstrate comprehension of a body of research, and not so much about producing new academic material. A bit cynical on my part, but even at masters level, how many of them end up in refereed journals?

Current thinking: Agile software development methods: something something something..........

damnyanks

Thats going to be weak on the research side of things. You'll probably end up reading consultancies white papers who seem to also specilize in agile development.

OwenM

No problem finding material in Journals and it is settling down nicely.

I was however backed into a corner and must do some primary research, so....

I do need a favour from anyone on this forum who describe themselves or have ever described themselves as software engineers, developers or project managers.

Could you please complete a simple web survey, to be distributed in a few weeks.

If those wiiling to participate would PM their email addresses and correct names to me?

Rest assured those email addresses will not be used for anything else.