COSC 6321 - Research Methods in Computer Science (Spring 2024)

 

SYLLABUS

Course description

In this course, we understand and master the research methodology used in computer science. The course will cover topics ranging from the principles of experiment design, statistics, to various aspects of reading, writing, evaluating papers, and presenting research. There will be assignments during the semester allowing the students to practice different research skills and methodologies covered in the lectures. There will be a semester-long project in which students select, design, and execute research project and present the result at the end of the semester.

Textbook

There is no textbook for the course. We will use lecture notes and videos, read research papers and webpages, which will be freely available on the course website.

Prerequisites

The course does not have any formal prerequisites. You must have a research project in sufficient maturity so you can finish a meaningful portion of your research and a complete paper by the end of the semester. The research topic can be a portion of your MS or PhD thesis project, a significant extension of course projects from the past, or something you are passionate about. This course is most appropriate for graduate students who are interested in research but do not have extensive prior research experience.

Tentative list of topics

Exams

There are no exams in this course.

Homework

There will be homework in which students will analyze data, draw graphs, read/write/review papers, and do oral presentations.

Emergencies

If you cannot submit your homework, projects or be in class for the exam due to family, personal, or medical emergencies, you must send a notice to the instructor as soon as possible and document your case with the appropriate UH officials.

Academic Honesty

All the work you submit will be yours. If we find any evidence of plagarism, you will get an F in the course. Please refer to the UH Student Handbook for details.