| Unit name | Individual Research Project |
|---|---|
| Unit code | EENGM8891 |
| Credit points | 40 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Academic Year (weeks 1 - 52) |
| Unit director | Professor. Piechocki |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
None, |
| Co-requisites |
Project-dependent - known to student at time of choosing project, if applicable |
| School/department | Department of Electrical & Electronic Engineering |
| Faculty | Faculty of Engineering |
The research project involves an extended investigation into the design or evaluation of an unfamiliar product, process or system. It offers the opportunity for an in-depth study of a specialist subject, and requires both research and practical application. Each project occupies a nominal 240 hours of laboratory time (around 400 hours in total), and is carried out under the supervision of a member or members of staff. Importance is given to the planning of the work programme; the setting and achievement of objectives; innovation in design; laboratory recordkeeping; appropriateness of the design (including costing where appropriate); analysis of the results and overall presentation of the work.
Aims:
The precise aim of any particular project will vary between individual students, however, the work to be performed will, in general, not be repeating known work or techniques, other than where a new application is being explored. In this way the student will be encountering new challenges and is encouraged to seek and propose his or her own solutions to these challenges and hence demonstrate individual ability. The project will normally involve the design of hardware or software, or a mix of both. This might be in the form of a prototype or simulation environment.
Documentation of the work involves both the day-to-day recording of information in a laboratory notebook, together with a thesis at the end of the project.
Students will be expected to:
Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of essential facts, concepts, theories and principles relating to an engineering problem; an awareness of developing technologies in the area, together with an appreciation of their work in the wider multidisciplinary engineering context.
Apply appropriate mathematical and engineering tools to the analysis of the problem; to demonstrate aptitude in assessing possible solutions and the formulation of suitable designs.
Demonstrate technical competence in the practical design of hardware and/or software, and in the use of measurement equipment and analysis tools. Assess the limitations of the system: including commercial and industrial constraints.
Show independent learning and the skills to individually tackle unfamilar challenges.
Show aptitude in project planning and monitoring, and updating plans to reflect a changing operating environment. Procedures and outcomes should be accurately recorded in a laboratory notebook.
Demonstrate report structuring, writing and presentation skills by means of the interim assessment, poster presentation and project report. Field/respond to challenging technical questions as part of the poster presentation.
Interim Assessment - written report and talk, 8%
Poster presentation - poster design and questioning, 20%
Performance assessment by supervisor - Motivation, project management; design and practical implementation, 12%
Thesis of approximately 8,000 - 10,000 words, marked by two people:
Supervisor -content & communication, 30%
Assessor - content & communication, 30%
Project-dependent - supplied by academic advisor.
