Doing a Master's thesis

New master thesis guidelines

From January 24th, these IxD master thesis guidelines are in effect. They describe the details of the process to start up and finish a master thesis project.

Staffan Björks mandatory lecture on research methodology

The lecture - from January 2013 - was audio recorded and also included powerpoint slides.

Master thesis mentor

Thommy Eriksson (thommy@ituniv.se) is your guide and mentor to starting up your master thesis. He acts more or less as course manager for the master thesis, and is especially of help before you have had your supervisor assigned. This means help with starting up your project. When the supervisor have been appointed that person should be the first one to ask questions. Thommy might also be of help in some questions wrapping up the final details on the master thesis work.

You are most welcome to ask questions via e-mail and make appointment over e-mail as well.

Presentation time slots 2013

30 May

09.00 - available
10.00 - available
11.00 - available
13.00 - Rikard Ljungstrand, Edvin Linge (opponent Jonathan Gren)
14.00 - Jonathan Gren (opponent Rikard Ljungstrand, Edvin Linge)
15.00 - Niels Swinkels, Markus Jansson (Jonas Wickerström, Edvard Rutström)
16.00 - available

31 May

09.00 - available
10.00 - available
11.00 - available
13.00 - Peter Kun (opponent Robert Fohlin)
14.00 - available
15.00 - available
16.00 - available

14 June

09.00 - Juan Wendeus (opponent Jonatan Mato Lopez)
10.00 - available
11.00 - Jonas Wickerström, Edvard Rutström (opponents Philip Wallin, Christopher Pavlic)
13.00 - available
14.00 - David Andersson, Frida Wikander (opponents Peter Börjesson, Francesco Busolini)
15.00 - available
16.00 - available

17 June

09.00 - Gustaf Dalemar (opponent Nakisa Gordani)
10.00 - Philip Wallin, Christopher Pavlic (Dan Ludvigsson, Sara Elebro)
11.00 - Anton Persson, Johannes Andersson (opponent Vi Dat Thai, Daniela Dichkova)
13.00 - Maria Kougioumoutzi (opponent Anastasios Thomaidis)
14.00 - Nakisa Gordani (opponent Anton Persson, Johannes Andersson)
15.00 - Jonatan Mato Lopez (opponent Amanda Cueljo)

30 August

09.00 - Emilio Bahl (opponent Kaspar Raats)
10.00 - Mikael Danell (opponent David Andersson, Frida Wikander)
11.00 - Kaspar Raats
13.00 - Anastasios Thomaidis (opponent Emilio Bahl)
14.00 - available
15.00 - available

27 September 09.00-16.00
25 October 10.00-12.00
22 November 10.00-12.00
20 December 10.00-12.00

This is the presentation dates for 2013. The idea is that all master thesis should preferably present on some of these dates, and that the presentation should be open for everyone; on the program, at the department, university and even outside the university. Presenting your master thesis should be a fun and public event! The presentations takes place in the Speaker's Corner on ground floor in Kuggen. There is a flat screen available there and the receptionist can help you with the remote and so on to the screen. The screen has a 16:9 aspect ratio (close to HD format) so it might be a good idea to make any presentation in that format. If you need good speakers you can borrow speakers from Kuggen Medialab (ask Thommy Eriksson thommy@ituniv.se ). There is no whiteboard so if you need that it has to be carried down from second floor.
If you have outside guests it can be good to give them a road description, for example linking to http://www.lindholmen.se/en/services-area/getting-here or http://www.lindholmen.se/en/services-area/getting-here/map .

It is your task as master thesis student - together with your tutor - to decide on a presentation date and to arrange the date with the people that need to be involved; you, the tutor/examiner and the opponents. Since the date might be taken already you should also check with Thommy at thommy@ituniv.se if the date is availbale When the date is decided, let Thommy know. The date must be decided at least two weeks in advance.

Opposition

Each master thesis must have an opponent during the final presentation. The opponent must have read the whole thesis and it is their job to ask questions and suggest improvements (it is the examiner who at the end of the presentation decide on which - if any - changes must be done before the thesis is approved). The master thesis student can suggest opponent, preferably together with the tutor, but Thommy Eriksson decides on who will eventually oppose on whom (primarily to avoid opposition in pairs, on each others). The opponent must be other master students that are doing or have done their master thesis. It can be students from other educations, but preferable they should be interaction design students.

Remember that the opponent is there to help with constructive criticism, and that all master thesis students must be opponents at least one time in order to have their own master thesis approved. The opposition should cover research questions, methods, how the results have been discussed and analyzed, as well as the clarity of the text and the quality of the academic argument made in the text.

30hp or 60hp

Almost everyone do the 30hp master thesis project. There is also a possibility to do a 60hp master thesis (course code CIUX60). This master thesis should have roughly twice the scope of an ordinary thesis, and it requires you to do a half-time presentation. If you have questions, ask Thommy.