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Module MAU44P00: Capstone project

This page refers to the 2024/25 version of the module.

Credit weighting (ECTS)
20 credits
Semester/term taught
Michaelmas & Hilary terms 2024-25
Contact Hours
Academic year long module (2 terms), meetings with supervisor by arrangement. Significant independent work is required.
Lecturer
Nicolas Mascot, Marvin Hahn (Module coordinators)
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module, students will be able to:
  • demonstrate competence in independent study at a high mathematical level, at the forefront of knowledge in a specifically chosen topic
  • demonstrate skills in scientific writing
  • demonstrate presentation skills
  • synthesise and apply materials used.
Module Content
Basic Rules
  • Senior Sophisters must take the Capstone Project module (MAU44M00), with a member of staff supervising the work.
  • In August 2024, students will be prompted to express up to 7 preferences about project topics and supervisors. A supervisor will then be assigned to each student based on these preferences. This will be done in the following manner:
    • Students will be sorted in a completely random way.
    • The first student in this random order will then receive the supervisor corresponding to their #1 preference.
    • The second student in this random order will then receive the supervisor corresponding to their #1 preference if still available; otherwise they will receive their #2 choice.
    • And so on, until the last student in this random order.
  • These projects should be thought of as an introduction to the world of research. In particular, learning outcomes include written and oral exposition skills, and proper use of LaTeX (except for Mathematics Education projects, where the use of LaTeX is not traditional).
  • The basic standard of the work should correspond to 20 credits of advanced level modules in depth and difficulty. Ideally the topic should touch on something in the recent research literature (paper in a journal or a preprint), or involve a novel implementation or calculation.
  • A written thesis, henceforth referred to as the final report, must be submitted; subsequently a poster presentation will be scheduled. Before then, the students will submit a short (1-2 pages) proposal outlining their project topic and goal(s) by the end of the Reading Week of the Michaelmas term as well as a draft of their final report by the beginning of the Hilary term, both of which will be marked by the project supervisor, carry little weight (see below) in the final mark, but will be used to confirm whether the student is on the correct course or whether changes are required. Students will also be asked to make an informal oral presentation of their proposed work during the Hilary term (while it is in progress). Where relevant, any computer source code should be submitted (in conjunction with the final report).
  • Students and their project supervisors should arrange to meet on a regular basis to discuss the progress of the work.
Steps and Deadlines
  • Work on the project must commence before the second week of Michaelmas term in the Senior Sophister year and the agreement of the projects coordinator should be obtained by this time.
  • The supervisor of the project should warn the student during Michaelmas term if the work is not proceeding satisfactorily.
  • Students must submit a short proposal (max. 2 pages) to their supervisor and to the projects coordinator by the end of the first term reading week (i.e. Monday 28 October 2024). This proposal must consist of a succinct description of the project topic(s) and goal(s), and a draft bibliography. Except for Mathematics Education projects, this proposal must be written using LaTeX, with functional hyperlinks (for the bibliography at least). Supervisors will mark these short proposals, and provide comments and suggestions to the students.
  • Students must submit a draft of their final report by the beginning of the second (Hilary) term (i.e. Monday 20 January 2025). Except for Mathematics Education projects, this draft must be written using LaTeX. The idea is to check that students took feedback from their proposal into account, and to let students know how they are doing with their project so far.
  • Students will give a 10-minute Oral presentation of their ongoing work around February/March. Except for Mathematics Education projects, this presentation must be based on LaTeX (Beamer) slides. These talks will be public, so all students and supervisors are encouraged to attend.
  • Final reports should be completed and submitted to the supervisor and to the projects coordinator approximately two weeks before the end of Hilary term (which means Sunday 06 April 2025). These reports should be at least 35 pages long (but no more than 70). Projects involving implementation work should include their code as an appendix, contributing towards the total number of pages. Except for Mathematics Education projects, reports must be written using LaTeX. Reports must include a statement signed by the student that the report is their own work except where due citations are given (this is a requirement of the College policy on plagiarism - refer to tcd-ie.libguides.com/plagiarism/declaration for the exact wording).
  • Poster presentations of the projects will be scheduled before the end of Hilary term.
Marking Weights and Criteria
Projects by students other than TP students will be marked according to the following marking scheme (see below for TP students): 
  • Proposal: 1%, marked by supervisor.
  • Draft: 4%, marked by supervisor. The main marking criterion will be the quality of the written exposition, including (except for Mathematics Education projects) proper use of LaTeX.
  • Oral presentation: 15%, marked by the module coordinators, based on the quality of the oral exposition, i.e. how engaging the presentation is.
  • Final reports: 30+30=60%, marked by two persons (the project supervisor, and an appointed "second marker"), each of them giving a mark contributing to 30% of the project mark. Marking criteria and instructions are listed below.
  • Poster presentations: 20%. During these presentations, students will explain their project work to their markers, using their poster as a conversation opener. Markers may ask students a few questions to assess their understanding. The marking criteria will be the understanding of their own project by the student, the quality of their oral expression, and the quality of the written presentation on their posters, which should present the main points of the project in an effective and visually clear manner.

For TP students, the marking scheme is the same, except that supervisors do not read and mark the final report; instead, the supervisor provides a mark (still worth 30% of the total project mark) about their general evaluation of their student's work throughout the project, based on results obtained, efforts and performance, and intiative and understanding. The final report is thus only marked by the second marker, whose mark still contributes to 30% of the total mark.
Guidelines and marking criteria for the final report
  • Except for Mathematics education projects, final reports must be written using proper LaTeX.
  • The account should be in the style of a scientific thesis (a mathematical one, perhaps an expository one), understandable by a mathematician or theoretical physicist (or statistician or computer scientist) who may not be in the same field;
  • Should have a title, your name as the author, chapters or sections of content and a bibliography.
  • Should convey what you have done, as well as you can in a pedagogical style, and should include discussion of background material you had to master and any difficulties encountered.
  • Start with an abstract, then an overall summary and then some background.
  • We expect an amount of effort and sophistication equivalent to 20 credits, i.e. to two full year 5+5 = 10 credit courses. Does your write-up show that? It should also have enough content to show that. The suggested minimum is 35 pages, but you should not exceed 70.
  • Do not transcribe stuff. If you find a perfect explanation of something, it is probably best to refer to it (if it is long anyway). If you reproduce an explanation in the literature with your own slant or more explanations of the steps, this is not a problem. You should cite the sources of things you use.

Examiners will be provided with marking sheets to facilitate their marking. Here are some of the considerations that will be used by the examiners in marking the final reports.
  • Clarity of exposition and style of writing 
    Is there clarity and precision in the explanations given? Is there a clear development of the ideas? Is the terminology clearly laid out? Are sources and relevant work appropriately cited? (The thesis should include a bibliography formatted in a recognisable style used by journals in the field (with author names, source [journal or publisher], date, pages).)
  • Understanding of the material, understanding of the problem and the background 
    Are the ideas explained and developed in a way that makes it clear that the student has understood them?
  • Difficulty of the topic, appropriate research method? 
    Difficulty: is this a challenging topic for the student as compared to the standard of sophister modules? Where appropriate, has the student made contact with recent published literature? 
    Method: has the student gone about the project in a sensible way? Modified strategy in the light of early results or difficulties encountered?
  • Originality 
    Does the report show the student's own viewpoint? Were the goals of the project achieved, and was it a substantial accomplishment?
Module Prerequisite
Students will be assigned to a member of staff who will supervise their work.
Assessment Detail
This module will be 100% continuous assessment. Written thesis (which should normally exceed 35 pages) and presentations including a poster presentation.

The module is passed if the overall mark for the module is 40% or more. If the overall mark for the module is less than 40% and there is no possibility of compensation, the module will be reassessed as follows: 
1) A failed exam in combination with passed continuous assessment will be reassessed by an exam in the supplemental session; 
2) The combination of a failed exam and failed continuous assessment is reassessed by the supplemental exam; 
3) A failed continuous assessment in combination with a passed exam will be reassessed by one or more summer assignments in advance of the supplemental session.

 

Capping of reassessments applies to Theoretical Physics (TR035) students enrolled in this module. See full text at https://www.tcd.ie/teaching-learning/academic-affairs/ug-prog-award-regs/derogations/by-school.php  Select the year and scroll to the School of Physics.