Guidelines for honors theses for
Computer Science,
Computer Systems Engineering,
and Informatics
March 2013
• This session provides general guidelines.
Please check with the Barrett Honors College
guidelines for updated information.
Finding a thesis topic
• The student is responsible for:
–
–
–
–
formulating the thesis topic
requesting faculty to serve on the committee,
to submit the necessary forms to the Honors College
to inform the chair of the committee of all Honors
College requirements and deadlines.
– to request CIDSE to register for CSE492/493
• The students can start thinking of thesis topics as
early as their freshman and sophomore years.
Finding a thesis topic
• Investigate the research areas of the faculty in
your department or in a related field.
http://cidse.engineering.asu.edu/facultyandrese
arc/4-major-research-areas/
• Honors students can also contact the faculty
honors advisor Mutsumi Nakamura
(mutsumi@asu.edu) for any guidance on how
to find a thesis director/advisor.
Finding a Thesis Director
• Based on the research areas or what you have
learned in a particular class, choose your
thesis director.
• The Director and Second Reader must be:
– a regular faculty member at ASU, which includes
full professor, associate professor, assistant
professor, and lecturer.
– They need to sign your prospectus when taking
CSE492
– Third reader can be someone outside of ASU
Timeline
• The recommended timeline is to begin work
on the project no later than three semesters
prior to anticipated graduation, taking CSE492
in first semester, then CSE493 the following
semester. This leaves your final semester open
in case you switch your topics, or an
unexpected turn/problem arises.
CSE492/493
• You must sign up for the appropriate thesis/creative project credit.
• CSE492/493 (or HON492/493, XXX492/493)
• FIRST SEMESTER
– Typically this will be CSE492 (or HON492, XXX492)
– Note that Honors students will be given the SLN for Research and
Thesis only after a form. Please contact the CIDSE advising center for
the form.
– Work with your thesis director to find a second reader.
– Write your prospectus and have it signed by your director and second
reader.
– Turn in the prospectus by the relative deadlines (about one month
after the semester starts) to the Barrett Honors College.
CSE492/493
• SECOND SEMESTER (CSE493 or HON493, XXX493)
– Choose the Third Reader no later than six weeks prior
to the defense; the Third Reader should receive a
draft of your thesis/creative project at least 2-3 weeks
before the
– Meet with your Barrett honors advisor to make sure
you are registered for the appropriate class at the
appropriate time.
- Schedule your Defense and defend by a given deadline
- Signed Signature Title Page, Final Unbound Copy by a
given deadline
Prospectus
• The Prospectus is your declaration that you
are beginning and formalizing your work on
the thesis. It is submitted to the Barrett
Advising office the semester PRIOR to the
semester you register for thesis hours and
schedule your defense.
Important Deadlines
• Spring 2013 Thesis/Creative Project Deadlines
Prospectus Due: September 21, 2012
Defense Reporting Form: March 08, 2013
Recommended Defense Completed*: March 22, 2013
Signed Signature Title Page, Final Unbound Copy, and
Emailed Copy: April 12, 2013
• Fall 2013 Thesis/Creative Project Deadlines
Prospectus Due: February 08, 2013
Defense Reporting Form: October 21, 2013
Recommended Defense Completed*: November 4, 2013
Signed Signature Title Page, Final Unbound Copy, and
Emailed Copy: November 25, 2013
Important Deadlines
• Spring 2014 Thesis/Creative Project Deadlines
Prospectus Due: September 20, 2013
Defense Reporting Form: March 07, 2014
Recommended Defense Completed*: March 21, 2014
Signed Signature Title Page, Final Unbound Copy, and
Emailed Copy: April 11, 2014
* Barrett recommends that you defend by this date. The
defense date is subject to your Director’s approval. Please
note that if you defend after this date, you will have less
time to make any revisions by the final due date.
Capstone courses
• Yes, you still need to take capstone courses in
addition to your thesis courses.
• However you can choose to have some kind of
add-on work to your capstone project and make
it to be your thesis/creative project.
• In that case, your capstone instructor or your
project mentor can be your thesis director
• Since each capstone project is a team project, you
need to make sure that this additional part that
you do for your thesis is completed by yourself.
Defense
• About 1 hour long – consult with your thesis
director
• Outcomes – pass/fail, or pass with some
modifications
• You should communicate with your committee
members well before your defense, such as
providing your thesis. Otherwise, you will
likely to encounter some “surprises” during
your defense.
The Barrett Website for
thesis/creative project
• http://barretthonors.asu.edu/2011/02/whatis-the-thesis-creative-project/
Writing a Thesis
• Title, your name, your contact, your affiliation
• Abstract
– often including keywords
– People decide whether to read the entire paper or nor
based on its abstract
• Introduction
– Compare with similar existing works, how your work
differs from such previous works
– Motivation for your work
• Discussion on Technical Details, Design, etc. – this
part can be divided into multiple sections.
Writing a Thesis
• Conclusion
– Any possible future work, what you have achieved
• Acknowledgement
– Appreciate people who helped you on your
research and thesis
• References – follow certain format
– Any possible future work, what you have achieved
CS/CSE/CPI honors faculty advisor:
Mutsumi Nakamura
Office: BYENG 520
Phone: 480-965-1757
Email: mutsumi@asu.edu