6.826 provides an introduction to the basic principles of computer systems, with emphasis on the use of rigorous techniques as an aid to understanding and building modern computing systems. Particular attention is paid to concurrent and distributed systems. Topics covered include: specification and verification, concurrent algorithms, synchronization, naming, networking, replication techniques (including distributed cache management), and principles and algorithms for achieving reliability.

It is expected that Students who take part in this course have completed almost all courses of their MSc and are about to start on their Master Orientation project, their Literature Study or MSc thesis depending on their chosen MSC track.

It is of little value to take this course early, so please plan accordingly!
Course Contents The aim of the course is to be a research-driven preparation for the aerospace engineering MSc thesis in the final year of the MSc. It will help you prepare for the challenges of your thesis work.

The course will consist of 7 lectures and will be taught online using video lectures in periods 1, 2 and 3 and face-to-face using traditional lectures in period 4.

The lecture set up is as follows:
1. Research Design in MSc - Introduction to research, research framework
2. Research Methods - Stages of a project, Research objective, research questions, research strategy, research methods
3. Data Analysis - Quantitative & Qualitative methods
4. Validation & Verification - How to validate & verify your work?
5. Project Management & Peer review of draft Project plan - How to manage your project and your thesis progress. Project plan peer review
6. Planning - How to plan, expectations, Gannt Charts
7. Literature Review - How to carry out a scientific literature review? Differences between review and research

Please be advised that all lectures are also available via Blackboard for those following the online version. It is possible to do this course by distant learning, attendance in the 4th period, though highly appreciated, is not mandatory!
Study Goals At the end of the course the student will:
- be aware of the expectations of an MSc student
- be able to formulate a research question and research aim
- be able to set up a research plan for their MOP/Literature Study/MSc thesis
- be able to write a literature review based on the research plan with a view to select appropriate methodologies for their MOP/MSc thesis

Education Method (Online) Lectures, Assignments and voluntary Peer review of each others research plans and literature studies

 Verifying social media posts is quickly becoming a necessary endeavor in everyday life, let alone in the world of education. Social media has moved beyond a digital world which connects with friends and family and has become a quick and easy way to access news, information, and human interest stories from around the world. As this state of media has become the "new normal," especially for our younger generations, we, educators, find ourselves charged with a new task of teaching our students how to interact with and safely consume digital information.The following three modules are designed to be used as stand-alone activities or combined as one unit, in which the lessons can be taught in any order. "Who Said What?!" is a module focusing on author verification. "A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words'' is a module devoted to image verification. "Getting the Facts Straight" is a module designed to dive into information verification. Lastly, there are assessment suggestions to be utilized after completing all three modules.

 Verifying social media posts is quickly becoming a necessary endeavor in everyday life, let alone in the world of education. Social media has moved beyond a digital world which connects with friends and family and has become a quick and easy way to access news, information, and human interest stories from around the world. As this state of media has become the "new normal," especially for our younger generations, we, educators, find ourselves charged with a new task of teaching our students how to interact with and safely consume digital information.The following three modules are designed to be used as stand-alone activities or combined as one unit, in which the lessons can be taught in any order. "Who Said What?!" is a module focusing on author verification. "A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words'' is a module devoted to image verification. "Getting the Facts Straight" is a module designed to dive into information verification. Lastly, there are assessment suggestions to be utilized after completing all three modules.

The web gives us many strategies and tactics and tools, which, properly used, can get students closer to the truth of a statement or image within seconds. For some reason we have decided not to teach students these specific techniques. As many people have noted, the web is both the largest propaganda machine ever created and the most amazing fact-checking tool ever invented. But if we haven't taught our students those capabilities is it any surprise that propaganda is winning?

This is an unabashedly practical guide for the student fact-checker. It supplements generic information literacy with the specific web-based techniques that can get you closer to the truth on the web more quickly.