Thesis

yeah! All my assignments are handed in and I’ve only got the exams to worry about now, but I suddenly got a desire to do a thesis. Although I might not need to do a thesis, I came up with 2 topics which I find are worth going into. Steal my ideas if you want, but do send me a copy once your paper is published or if you have seen similar papers, do let me know.

Thesis idea #1

Anarchy in Technological Standards

Most IT people would know for a fact that standards would be the key for the implementation of any technology to a needed critical-mass for achieving economies-of-scale, hence eventually benefiting society on a whole. Only with agreed standards across competing vendors would technology evolve and allow technological reliant products or services to survive longer in the market. Consumers would then be able to finally enjoy a longer life span of the products that they have purchased. The current outlook is that every technology provider is trying to capture the market by marketing their product as the next big thing, but with conflicting interests between competing vendors the industry is in a state of anarchy.

This paper would discuss the parallel between the way a government runs a country with the key intention of bringing prosperity to the country and the way in which IT vendors wish to bring reliable technologies to consumers. The paper would also explore the possibility to establish a governing body for standards and introduce the concept of voting for technological providers to run this governing body for a predefined period just like a government’s “term-in-office”. This paper also aims to put into perspective that anarchy in the IT industry is hindering the evolution of future technology.

Thesis Idea #2

Answering in Exams: writing or typing

Most university students have written essays and reports using a computer and submitted their work either electronically or on crispy clear laser print outs, but when it comes to exams, their traditional writing stamina and skills are put to the test. Are exams about handwriting, spelling and grammar or assessing the level of knowledge after a semester of study.

This paper explores the advantages and disadvantages of using keyboard entry in contrast to writing in exams while exploring issues regarding the implementation of such an option for students and exam markers alike.