Course Overview
In this course, students will learn the methodology behind experimental research in computer science. The course will cover topics such as planning a new research project, designing experiments, enabling repeatable research, and effectively presenting your results. It will also provide practice with the four skills critical to being an effective researcher: reading, writing, speaking, and thinking creatively.
Announcements
- You should have gotten an email inviting you to our Zotero group. Install the program and join the group!
Schedule
Note: This schedule may not include all project deadlines!
| Week 1 Wed. Jan 16 |
Intro to Research Methods and Reading Papers |
| Week 2 Wed. Jan 23 |
Selecting Research Projects and Computer Science as Science DUE before class: Read Loehle’s paper on creativity and take this survey |
| Week 3 Wed. Jan 30 |
All About Papers and Conferences DUE Sunday 1/27: Project Report 0 |
| Week 4 Wed. Feb 6 |
Why Science is Hard |
| Week 5 Wed. Feb 13 |
Writing Well - Abstracts DUE before class: |
| Week 6 Wed. Feb 20 |
No Class - attend CS colloquiums! |
| Week 7 Wed. Feb 27 |
Experimental Design |
| Week 8 Wed. March 6 |
Presenting Clearly DUE before class: Project Report 2 |
| Week 9 Wed. March 13 |
No Class - Spring Break |
| Week 10 Wed. March 20 |
No Class - attend CS colloquiums! |
| Week 11 Wed. March 27 |
Statistics - Guest Lecture by Dr. Pablo Frank Bolton DUE before class: Project Report 3 |
| Week 12 Wed. April 3 |
Presenting Clearly |
| Week 13 Wed. April 10 |
Research Recipes, Personal Productivity, and behind the scenes of CS hiring DUE before class: Project Report 4 |
| Week 14 Wed. April 17 |
Visualizing Your Research and Grant Writing |
| Week 15 Wed. April 24 |
Grant Writing |
| Week 16 Sunday May 5 |
DUE 11:59PM: Final Report |
Acknowledgements
This course includes materials drawn from similar courses by David Jensen, UMass and Omprakash Gnawali, University of Houston.