CSCI 514: Research Methodology in Computer Science

Instructor: Dr. Jianna Zhang

E-mail: Jianna.Zhang@wwu.edu
Phone: 650-3845
Office Hours: 11:30 – 12:30 Mondays, Wednesdays
3:30 – 4:30 Tuesdays, Thursdays
9:00 – 10:00 Fridays

About This Course

1. Credit Hours: 4
2. Lectures: 4 hour per week including presentations,

Prerequisite
Graduate student status.

Textbook

The material used in this class is selected refereed conference and journal articles and reference books in all
subjects of computer science according to students’ research interests.

Description
The goal of this course is to help students making transitions from knowledge learning to comprehension,
application, analysis, and synthesis learning (See Notes). These basic learning skills are foundations of
research. Course contents include research process, research design, quantitative and qualitative reading,
literature research, organizing theories and research ideas, conducting experiments, and academic plagiarism.
The final product of this course is a research survey paper of the student’s research interest.

Notes:

1. knowledge learning (remembering information)

Examples: recite Bobble sort algorithm, list all components of an operating system, name all latest
network routers, remembers complex formulas, etc…
2. comprehension (explaining the meaning of information)
Examples: Rewrites the principles of an operating system, explain how genetic algorithm works, interpret
complex algorithms, formulas, graphics, etc…
3. application (using abstractions in concrete situations)
Examples: Using genetic algorithm to compose a piece of guitar music, apply Association Rule methods
to predict the trends of stock market, combine the principles of several operating systems and use it to
design a new operating system, etc…
4. analysis (breaking down a concept or system into components to understand it)
Examples: Finding advantages and disadvantages of a particular research work or method, reasoning on
why Fractal Algorithms are better than Procedure Algorithms, identify problems for Rough Set
Algorithm that applied to stock market predictions, etc…
5. synthesis (putting parts together to create a new concept or system)
Examples: Improving an existing algorithm by adopting a new concept, combining the advantages of
several systems to create a new one, create new applications with pieces new ideas from several research
papers, etc…
Course Objectives
The objectives of this course are to help students learn:

1. search related research papers via libraries, citations, databases, and the Internet
2. read research papers efficiently
3. identify, understand, and gather useful information from research papers to form research ideas
4. express scientific ideas using logic, formulas, and definitions
5. design and make posters
6. write survey papers, technique reports, conference papers, and journal papers
7. present papers
8. avoid academic plagiarize

Mark Distribution

1. Attendance: 10%
2. Assignments: 50%
3. Paper Presentations: 10%
4. Term Paper: 30%
5. Marking Policy
Percentage Grade
90-100 A
80-89 B
70-79 C
60-69 D
<60 F
The use of ‘+’ or ‘-’ discriminators is completely at the discretion of the instructor.