Graduate Course Comp 5923: 2008/2009
Research in Computer Science
T. Müldner
Course description
[last update: March 13, 2009].
Please note some changes to this course in , FAQ, #9.
NOTE: There are two parts, offered respectrively in the Fall and in the Winter term.
GENERAL OBJECTIVES
The course provides an introduction to research methods in computer science. It will also involve students in critical
evaluations of research papers and presentations. It is a full-year course.
During the course there will be various invited talks that will present the following topics:
* effective use of library (the presentation will be given by the Acadia librarian)
* discussion of plagiarism and rules regarding copying and cheating at Acadia University
* technical writing and available resource at Acadia University
* preparation of presentations for talks
* appropriate evaluations of talks and papers (honesty vs. kindness)
* things to do and not to do (invited presentation of a senior graduate student)
* what is "research": selecting a research topic, defining a research problem, etc.
* your timeline: first makeup courses, then graduate courses and then your thesis
* what is a thesis, how to start it and how to complete it
* your supervisor and you; support from the School
* co-op (the presentation will be given by theco-op officer)
Course outline
Meetings: 2:30-4:30, typically every second Friday (watch this page for updates):
- School seminars, when offered the presence is mandatory
- discussions
- invited talks (such as: Acadia librarian, faculty members and grad students presenting their research).
Marking for the Fall term
It is a pass/fail course (no specific mark given), but to pass at least 70% is required based on the table shown below (there is no final exam):
|
Item |
Mark |
| attendance | -5% for each "no-show" |
| 5 written reports | 5*10=50% |
| 2 presentations | 2*15=30% |
| 4 peer evaluations | 4*5%=20% |
There may be two important presentations:
1) School of Computer Science Faculty presenting their research interests
2) School of Computer Science Graduate Students presenting their research interests
Schedule of meetings and seminars (NOTE: All in CAR113); seminars are in green, while meetings/classes in yellow/ for the Fall term
|
Day |
Description |
Presenter |
Intro |
| Sept. 5 | Class cancelled | ||
| Sept. 12; 2:30-4:30 | Co-Op | Michelle Larsen, Acadia U. | |
| Sept. 19 | Class | ||
| Sept. 26 | Javascript and the iPhone: Git 'er done. | Jim Laskey | RG |
| Oct. 3; 2:30-4:30 |
Class (2:30-3:20) Secure Energy Efficient Data Dissemination in Wireless Sensor Networks (3:30-4:30) |
Dr. Sajid Hussain, Acadia U. | |
| Oct 10 | Class | ||
| Oct 17 | Key Management for Security in Wireless Sensor Networks | Dr. Sajid Hussain, Acadia U. | |
| Oct 24 2:30-3:30 3:30-4:30 |
Evolutionary Bioinformatics & Bachelor of Informatics at Dal Faculty Presentations for Graduate Students |
Christian Blouin, Dalhousie U. | |
| Oct 31 | Workshop on the use of library resources. | Ann Smith, Acadia Academic Librarian | |
| Nov 7 | Designing for Web Tasks | Carolyn Watters, Dalhousie U. | |
| Nov 14 | Workshop on effective writing. | Stephen Ahern, Acadia Writing Centre |
|
| Nov. 21 | Artistic Image Processing | Stephen Brooks, Dalhouse U. | |
| Nov 28 | Last Class: 2nd presentation | Students |
1) Print and bring with you a peer evaluation sheet to every class/seminar.
2) Re presentation:
Allocate exactly the time given to you, but leave 3 minutes for questions
3) Re report:
You must use your own language rather than copy from other documents.
Mini-question.
In one of the reports, a student wrote:
"...During the exchange, the client is not truly validated but simply responds with the correct fields in the message exchange..."
He failed. Why?
Plagrarism. Also, look at our School's policy.
Assignments for the Fall term
1) Write a report after the seminar on September 26 (your report is to be emailed to me, in a PDF format, by October 1. Also, fill in peer evaluations, and hand in after this seminar.
2) Write a report based on references shown at the bottom of this page "Writing and Reviewing Academic Papers". 3-5 pages are required (your report is to be emailed to me, in a PDF format, by November 12). Note: the two books may have to be borrowed from the library, and it's enough to use only one to write your report. Also, you don't have to reference the entire material from either of these books; rather use a part you find important in the selected book.
3) Write a report after the seminar on October 24 (your report is to be emailed to me, in a PDF format, by October 29). Also, fill in peer evaluations, and hand in after this seminar.
4) Write a report after the seminar on Nov. 7 (your report is to be emailed to me, in a PDF format, by Nov. 12). Also, fill in peer evaluations, and hand in after this seminar.
5) Write a report after the seminar on Nov. 21 (your report is to be emailed to me, in a PDF format, by Nov 26). Also, fill in peer evaluations, and hand in after this seminar.
Additional Assignments for Rahman and Shafique
1)
Individual work: Write a "research paper" on plagiarism, based on
references shown below and your own research. Your paper has to have an
abstract, introduction, main section and conclusion. (your paper is to
be emailed to me, in a PDF format, by Nov 1).
2) Write a report after the workshop on Oc. 31 (your report is to
be emailed to me, in a PDF format, by Nov 5). Also, fill in peer evaluations, and hand in after this workshop.
| Name | Topic for Presentation #1 (7 minutes long) | |
| Durno,Scott | Mathematical induction: theory, examples and applications to Computer Science | |
| Fowler,Benjamin | Limits of infinite sequences: theory and examples | |
| Jiang,Yifei | Pitagoras theorem: an analytical and a geometrical proof | |
| Rahman,Md Shafayat | Continuous functions: definition, counter-examples and examples. Also: extra presentation | |
| Shafique,Mubashsharul | Newton Method: theory and examples. Also: extra presentation | |
| Tu,Liang | Statistical tests: examples and applications | |
| Xue,Yiqun | What are natural, integer, rational and irrational numbers; definitions and examples | |
| Yousuf,Ashif | First derivative: definition and examples |
1) [Changed on Feb 14] Write a report after the seminar on February 27. Your report is to be emailed to me, in a PDF format, 10 days after after the seminar, and should be based on questions that will be provided to you 3 days after this seminar. Also, fill in peer evaluations, and hand in after this seminar.
2) Study guidelines for writing a MSC Thesis proposal. Also, read three grant applications emailed to you (BTW; all these applications are considered to be confidential and are not to be distributed or published on internet). Both these topics will be discussed on Febr. 27, and you are expected to understand the process of writing a proposal. Also, you are expected to identify weak and strong points of each grant application (here, put yourself in a role of a reviewer, who goes to the meeting of the committee which allocates grants and has to be prepared to present his or her opinion about the proposal).
3) Review this page, and be prepared for a discussion as to how to write a research paper, and how to respond to a review (note that you will be marked based on your preparation and participation). These discussions will take place after March seminars (specifically, on March 6 and March 20). For "meet with the editor", use: "Internet Research: Electronic Networking Applications and Policy".
4) Prepare a critical evaluation of the paper, which will provided by email; in particular write a literature review to make sure that the Related work in Section 2 is well written. This evaluation will be discussed on March 27.
|
Day |
Description |
Presenter |
Intro |
| Jan. 9 (2:30-3:30) | Parallel Programming Renewed with Multi-core Computers and Threading Building Blocks | Dr. Tomasz Müldner Acadia University |
|
| Jan 16 | -- | ||
| Jan 23 | Using Geographic Information Systems and Spatial Knowledge Discovery in Business-Related Applications | Dr. Konrad Dramowicz, NSCC | |
| Jan 30 | -- | ||
| Feb 6 |
The anticipating brain |
Dr. Thomas Trappenberg, Dalhousie U | |
| Feb 13 | Class starting at 2:30 | ||
| Feb 20 | Study week | ||
| Feb 27: 1:30 | OpenMP for Shared Memory Parallel Programming followed by the class |
Duane Curry, Acadia U | |
| Mar 6 | TBA; followed by the class | Dr. J. Reid | |
| Mar 13 | TBA | Robert O''Quinn, HB | |
| Mar 20 | Class starting at 2 | ||
| Mar 27 | Workshop (starting at 2) on paper evaluation | ||
| April 3 | Artistic Image Processing | Stephen Brooks, Dalhouse U. |
Writing and Reviewing Academic Papers
* Bourne PE (2005) "Ten Simple Rules for Getting Published," PLoS Computational Biology 1(5): e57
* Robert A. Day, How to Write & Publish a Scientific Paper, Oryx Press, 1998, 5th Edition, ISBN 7-57356-164-9
* Herbert B. Michaelson, How to Write & Publish Engineering Papers and Reports, Oryx Press, 3rd Edition, 1990,
ISBN 0-89774-650-3.
Presenting Academic Research
* Bourne PE (2007) "Ten Simple Rules for Making Good Oral Presentations," PLoS Comput Biol 3(4): e77
* Erren TC, Bourne PE (2007) "Ten Simple Rules for a Good Poster Presentation," PLoS Comput Biol 3(5):
e102
The Acadia Writing Centre offers students a range of services to help them become better writers.
Look at the Acadia English Department Special Grammar Unit’s “10 Most Wanted” Grammar Errors