Phase 2: Thesis Project
The process described on this page follows the process in Phase 1: Getting Started.

Follow these steps to complete your Thesis Project
During the ten-week period, students should work on their projects, with regular meetings with their supervisors. Most UU-supervisors meet with their students at least once a week. For projects with an external partner, please establish in the kick-off meeting how often the student and the partner will be in contact.
Contents of your thesis
The thesis should be written as an academic paper. There is no set length for a thesis. Given the duration of these projects, ADS theses are typically between 10 and 20 pages long.
Because of the diversity in projects, the writing output can be different between projects. For instance, for some projects, a larger literature review is needed. Supervisors should also keep in mind that the ADS thesis forms a smaller component than a regular research thesis (which are usually 30 EC). Students should also discuss specific structure and layout preferences (templates, reference style, presentation of code etc.) with their supervisors at the beginning of the project.
Keep in mind that:
- While students work in teams, each student is expected to submit a report which is independently written.
- In addition to the written report, students should also provide their source code and datasets when handing in their final product. These can be linked via a repository such as github.
Project cycle
Since these are Data Science projects, they typically include problem formulation, data wrangling, data analysis, assessing results and drawing conclusions. However, how much time each of these aspects will take up is very much dependent on your project. Some projects are exploratory, while others are prediction-focused. In some cases, the challenge might be to integrate a variety of data sources; in others, the major challenge is the translation of the research question into a data science problem.
Computing power
For high-performance computing, if required, we recommend using cloud-based services (e.g. Google Collab, Kaggle). The ICS department does not provide access to HPC servers for masters students, though individual supervisors may be in a position to provide their students with this. External partners may in some cases be in a position to provide such access -- this should be checked in the kick-off meeting between student, supervisors and external partners.
Assessment
The final grade for the thesis project is made up of the following components:
- Process (30%): Independence in execution of the project, independence in writing the report, planning and meeting deadlines, communication, integrity and responsibility, critical and reflective attitude
- Thesis (60%): Introduction, data and methods, results, discussion, English language usage, references
- Presentation (10%): Structure, context, content, quality of slides/media, presentation skills, suitability for audience, ability to cope with questions
You can find a detailed explanation of these components in this document (pdf). You can also take a look at this example assessment form, similar to the one your examiners will use. Please use this form only as a discussion piece and do not send in paper or scanned forms.
Find help with writing your thesis:
At Skills Lab, you can access workshops and guidance in areas such as writing, studying, and other academic skills. Tip: sign up for free writing coaching and/or study coaching.
Other tips:
- Make a to the point presentation
- Formulate a good research question
- Manage your time efficiently
- Concentrate better
- Join a Thesis Study Group. Our Study Advisors offer support groups for students in their thesis writing phase. Weekly meetings with your group help you create structure and complete your project successfully.