Term Projects
To receive an extra 1 hour credit (for a total of 4 hours), graduate
students must complete a project before the end of the term. Possible
types of projects include
-
An educational module that illustrates or demonstrates some important
concept or algorithm covered in the course. Here is
more information on possible educational
projects. Examples are available, both in MATLAB and Java, as models.
-
A research project on some general numerical method. Here are some
example ideas for research projects.
-
A research project in which the student applies a numerical method to
solve a specific problem arising in the student's own research area.
-
If none of the previous three categories is appealing, then a project
consisting of extra homework (assigned by the instructor) is
acceptable. In this case, the project proposal should specify a
preferred topic (e.g., a chapter from the textbook) on which the extra
homework will be chosen by the instructor.
If you are unsure what project to propose or what sort of project would
be acceptable, feel free to consult the instructor.
To ensure that a given project is appropriate in scope and content,
students electing this option must submit a brief description of
the proposed project to the instructor for approval before beginning
implementation of the project. The instructor may suggest modifications
or alternatives, if appropriate. Projects will be evaluated for
both correctness and creativity. The final hand-in for each project
will be deemed either satisfactory or unsatisfactory. The project
makes no numerical contribution to the final grade, only to the
hours of credit received.
Deadlines
- October 8: project proposal due.
- November 5: progress report due.
For educational projects, hand-in should include a detailed description
of the intended functionality and either a detailed sketch of the
graphical design or a (possibly crude) prototype implementation.
For a research project, hand-in should include a detailed statement
of the problem being addressed and a brief synopsis of progress to
date. For projects consisting of extra homework, solutions for the
problems completed to date should be submitted. The grade for the
project will be based on the final version handed in, but this
preliminary hand-in is required in order for the final hand-in
to be accepted.
- December 12: final project due.
Projects can be submitted in hardcopy or electronically via email.
If the latter, pdf format is strongly preferred. Materials submitted
should include a brief write-up of the problem addressed and results
obtained, and should also include any code you developed.