Doing Research in Computer Science - Capstone
- 1. Doing Research in Computer Science
- 2. Session Outline • Purpose of Thesis Projects • What is Research? • Research Methods • Actors in the Project • The Process • Choosing a Subject Area • The Thesis Proposal • Assessment Criteria
- 3. Purpose of Thesis Projects • A thesis project can be viewed as serving the following purposes: – Learning More • The project is an opportunity to study an area in greater depth – Stepping Stone towards Securing a Job • View the project as a preparation for working life – Stepping Stone towards Graduate Studies • Explore a research problem and learn about the research process
- 4. Purpose of Thesis Projects • A thesis project in school also serves two other goals: – Educational • A test to show that you have mastered previously attained knowledge and skills and know you can apply them to a more realistic problem • The project should 1) Develop your critical thinking 2) Enhance your ability to work independently 3) Increase your understanding of how to use and appreciate the scientific method 4) Develop your presentation skills, both oral and written
- 5. Purpose of Thesis Projects • A thesis project in school also serves two other goals: – Research • You will deepen your understanding of the subject area and • Contribute to the common knowledge and understanding of the subject area • To attain this goal, your project must have aspects that are original
- 6. What is Research? • In an academic context, it refers to: – The activity of a diligent and systematic inquiry of a subject area – The objective of which is to discover or revise facts, theories and applications – The goal is to discover and disseminate new knowledge – Therefore, its overall goal is to reduce or eliminate uncertainty in what we know
- 7. What is Research? • What is a CS research? – Allen Newell and Herbert Simon (1975 ACM Turing Awardees) characterized Computer Science as "...an empirical discipline, in which each new artifact, e.g. a program, can be seen as an experiment, the structure and behavior of which can be studied."
- 8. What is Research? • What is a CS research? – Computer Science is concerned with a number of different issues seen from a technological perspective • Theoretical aspects, such as numerical analysis and data structures and algorithms • How to store and manipulate data • The relationship between different pieces of software • Techniques and tools for developing software
- 9. What is Research? • What is a CS Research? – It is defined as being focused on the improvement and use of theories and principles in computing for the development of software systems – A CS solution should make use of an approach (or approaches) that has been demonstrated to provide or has the potential to provide a measurably optimal (best) solution – An improvement to an approach may also be introduced and subsequently proven
- 10. What is Research? • What is an IT Research? – An Information Technology capstone project is more focused on the recommendation of an infrastructure and its implication on other systems – It is more centred on the use and the development of an emerging software product, software framework and/or architecture with the use of new technology
- 11. What is Research? • CS Thesis vs IT Project – Both are concerned with the notion of a solution to a problem – Computer Science is more concerned with the novelty of the solution – Information Technology is more concerned with the use of an emerging software product, software framework and/or architecture
- 12. What is Research? • Example. Passenger Route Advisory System – It is the problem of providing real-time route guidance information to commuters – The route suggestion consists of a variety of transportation modes available in a city such as walking, PUJ and taxis
- 13. What is Research? • Example. Passenger Route Advisory System – Computer Science • The research may be centred on the formulation of a localized problem as a multi-criteria, multi-modal transport network • It seeks an optimization approach such as evolutionary algorithms or particle swarm optimization that will best fit the problem • Thus, a CS research may dwell on the use of either or both approaches as the researcher sees fit.
- 14. What is Research? • Example. Passenger Route Advisory System – Information Technology • The problem may or may not be formulated as a multi-modal transport network • The research can then focus on the use of a web mapping interface and on the architecture that will be used in the system • Should the model be 2-tiered or 3-tiered? Peer-to- peer or client-server? Should it be made a mobile service, a web service or a desktop application?
- 15. What is Research? • Areas of Originality – According to Cryer (1996; as quoted by Hustadt, 2009) • Exploring the unknown – Investigate a field that no one has investigated before • Exploring the unanticipated – Obtaining unexpected results and investigating new directions in an already existing field • The use of data – Interpret data in new ways • Tools, techniques, procedures, and methods – Apply new tools/techniques to alternative problems and try procedures/methods in new contexts
- 16. What is Research? • Which among the following is a CS research? 1. What are the critical elements that shape the organizational changes associated with the adoption and use of CASE tools? 2. What features do software developers want from OO- CASE tools? How well do current OO-CASE tools meet these needs? 3. In this paper, the meta-CASE system KOGGE will be described. In order to illustrate the KOGGE approach, it will be shown how KOGGE was used to implement a CASE tool supporting the object-oriented method BON.
- 17. Research Methods • A method represents the means, procedure or technique used to carry out some process in a systematic way. • It is an organized approach to problem-solving that includes 1. Collecting data 2. Formulating a hypothesis or proposition 3. Testing the hypothesis 4. Stating conclusions that can later be evaluated independently by others
- 18. Research Methods • Quantitative methods have their origin in natural sciences – The scientific concern is with attaining an understanding of how something is constructed, how it is built or how it works – Repeatability of experiments and testing of hypotheses are vital to the reliability of the results – Its goal is to develop models, theories and hypotheses pertaining to natural phenomena
- 19. Research Methods • Qualitative methods have their roots in social sciences – Its primary concern is understanding an area, rather than producing an explanation for it – Typically used in specific social contexts – It is often associated with fieldwork and analysis in a limited number of organizational settings – As humans and organizations change, the pre- condition for the study and the analysis change – Repeatability of experiments may not be possible
- 20. Actors in the Project • The three main actors in the project – The student – The supervisors (moderator and adviser) – The panelist
- 21. Actors in the Project • The Student – The student is the one who moves the project forward – Without the student's initiative and commitment, the work will not progress satisfactorily – Supervisors expect a high level of commitment from their students
- 22. Actors in the Project • The Responsibilities of the Student: 1. Plan and discuss the topic and timetable of the project with the supervisors 2. Maintain progress according to the agreed schedule 3. Keep systematic records of work completed 4. Make sure to submit written material to the supervisors in time to allow for discussion and comments 5. Write up and submit the report within the time limit
- 23. Actors in the Project • The Responsibilities of the Student: 6. Address and respond to criticism, guidance and suggestions 7. Be informed about and respect any regulations and considerations 8. Drive the project forward and initiate discussions 9. Inform supervisors of any problems and difficulties 10. Prioritize and organize work in such a way that it represents best efforts 11. Submit to supervisors written material that is well in form
- 24. Actors in the Project • The Student – Although supervisors point out problems and errors in your written work, they will expect that you proofread your own text – Remember that your adviser is a busy person with limited time – If your work is well-structured, carefully- proofread and clearly written, the adviser can spend more time on substance
- 25. Actors in the Project • Multiple Students – All project members are held equally responsible for the outcome of the project – It is good for both students and supervisors that students are allocated distinct problems in the project
- 26. Actors in the Project • The Supervisor – Normally skilled in carrying out projects in the particular subject area – Knowledgeable about the methods relevant to and accepted in the subject area – Helps you choose and define the boundaries of the topic to be studied – Helps you ensure that your project can be completed in time
- 27. Actors in the Project • The Responsibilities of the Supervisor- Moderator: 1. Inform you of the instructions for carrying out a thesis project 2. Inform you of assessment criteria and the expected standard 3. Discuss dates when your work should be handed in, presented and discussed 4. Provide guidelines for how to report the project
- 28. Actors in the Project • The Responsibilities of the Supervisor-Adviser: 1. Discuss what is expected in terms of how you should work together 2. Give guidance concerning the nature of research, relevant literature and sources, and research methods 3. Inform you with relevant regulations and issues 4. Help ensure that your project can be completed within the allocated project time 5. Meet you regularly and discuss the progress 6. Request that you hand in written reports within an agreed time 7. Inform you of any inadequacy with respect to progress or the quality of the work
- 29. Actors in the Project • The Supervisor – It is important to stress that the supervisor is not expected to undertake major editing or revision of a draft report
- 30. Actors in the Project • The Panelist – The person who assesses your project, either continuously or summatively – There are two typical roles an examiner can take: 1. Quality evaluator 2. Quality assuror
- 31. Actors in the Project • The Panelist as Quality Evaluator – Focuses on a result-oriented approach 1. The quality of the work based on the contributions made 2. The complexity of the problem 3. The usefulness of the solutions 4. How well presented is the work – During the project, there is no project-related communication between the panelist and yourself nor between the panelist and the supervisors
- 32. Actors in the Project • The Panelist as Quality Assuror – Reviews material produced at different checkpoints in your project – Enables the panelist to gain a deeper understanding of your project – Takes on a more process-oriented view – May give feedback to you and/or your supervisor regarding the strengths and weaknesses
- 33. Actors in the Project • The Responsibilities of the Panelist – Scrutinizes your work and points out its strengths and weaknesses – Decide if you pass or not and set your grade – Test criteria that are commonly used include: • Level of creativity in the process • Ability to analyze and reason in different situations • Clarity in written presentation • Oral presentation skills and ability to defend work • Relevance and originality of the problem and topic
- 34. Choosing a Subject Area • Start Early – Finding and choosing a subject area is a task that benefits from being initiated well – Start thinking about possible subject areas early – Let the decision regarding the chosen area of study be refined incrementally – Also familiarize yourself with important sources of information
- 35. Choosing a Subject Area • How to Choose a Subject Area – Which subject area to choose is a decision only YOU can make – Some factors to consider: • Motivation. Strive to choose a subject area you are most interested in • Necessary Skills. Do not choose a subject area in which you have failed courses.
- 36. Choosing a Subject Area • How to Choose a Subject Area – Focus your interest by identifying a problem within the subject area – Some ways to identify a problem within a subject area: • Ask yourself what you would like to do within a particular area • Read the literature • Ask potential advisers • Ask companies and organizations
- 37. Choosing a Subject Area • How to Choose a Subject Area – After finding a problem, investigate whether it is worthwhile to explore – Try to write down arguments for why it is worthwhile – Ask yourself what type of project you would really like to do • Descriptive Project (IT/IS) • Theory-oriented Project (CS/IT/IS) • Applied Project (CS/IT) • Comparison of Theory and Practice (IS)
- 38. Choosing a Subject Area • How to Choose a Subject Area – Descriptive Projects (IT/IS) • The aim is to categorize and compare previous works within a subject area • The objectives may include 1. Categorizing previous work 2. Selecting comparison criteria 3. Comparing previous works with respect to comparison criteria • This is useful when you want to identify how a subject area has evolved over time
- 39. Choosing a Subject Area • How to Choose a Subject Area – Theory-oriented Projects (CS/IT) • The aim may be – To extend an already existing theory or model (CS) – To extend an already existing software (IT) • The objectives may include 1. Identifying the details of the extension 2. Introducing the extension to the original theoretical model 3. Comparing the original theoretical model with the extended version
- 40. Choosing a Subject Area • How to Choose a Subject Area – Theory-oriented Projects (IS) • Another may be to compare the support for business rules in two different data models • The objectives may include 1. Selecting comparison criteria 2. Analyzing the two data models with respect to the comparison criteria
- 41. Choosing a Subject Area • How to Choose a Subject Area – Applied Projects (CS/IT) • Often deal with conducting experiments and building proof-of-principle implementations and gathering experiences from them • The aim is to gain experience from implementing an algorithm • The objectives may include 1. Setting up a simulator 2. Testing and analyzing the results obtained 3. Suggesting improvements to the algorithm
- 42. Choosing a Subject Area • How to Choose a Subject Area – Comparison of Theory and Practice (IS) • Projects with combined theory and practice may contrast the theory with current practice in companies • The objectives may include 1. Selecting companies or organizations 2. Selecting comparison criteria 3. Investigating the details of the theory with respect to the comparison criteria 4. Investigating how companies or organizations work with respect to the comparison criteria 5. Comparison of the results obtained from (3) and (4)
- 43. Choosing a Subject Area • How to Choose a Subject Area – Applied and Theory-oriented Researches • The theory-oriented type of research requires a preliminary expertise on the model that will be studied and extended • Applied projects require a preliminary knowledge on the context where an approach is to be applied
- 44. Choosing a Subject Area • How to Choose a Subject Area – Theory-oriented Researches • “An Enhanced Hungarian Algorithm for the Taxi Assignment Problem” by Hao & Reyes (2008) • “An Optimized Byte Pair Encoding for String Matching on Compressed Text” by Olivar, Passion & Yap (2010)
- 45. Choosing a Subject Area • How to Choose a Subject Area – Applied Researches • “A Statistical Machine Translation Approach to the Normalization of the Tagalog Texting Language Using Moses” by Moreno, Nacorda & Velez (2010) • “Association Rules Discovery in the Course Timetabling Problem” by Cruz, Lumancas & Romuar (2011) • “A Role-Playing Game (RPG) Based on the Traditional Game of Patintero” by Gido & Leong (2011) • “Using Decision Trees to Evaluate Student’s Performance” by Crame, Enriquez & Fernandez (2011) • “An Expert System for Basketball Coaching Using a Fuzzy and Opponent Classifier Approach” by Chingkaw, Gealon & Sacay (2011)
- 46. Choosing a Subject Area • How to Choose a Subject Area – Applied Researches • “Forming Student Groups Using Bees Algorithm” by Ablazo, Bonga & Viscayno (2012) • “Prediction of Length of Stay of Dengue Patients through Bayesian Networks” by Buntag, Uy & Villas (2012) • “A Rule-Based Machine Translation Approach for the Translation of Manobo to English Using Apertium” by Ang, Sarmiento & Tubera (2012) • “Word Prediction Using Recurrent Neural Network For Stroke And Cerebral Palsy Victims” by Acharon, Sta. Rita & Viray (2012) • “Emotion Analysis Using Knowledge-Based Artificial Neural Networks And Emotional Keyword Dictionary On Detecting Depression” by Amoguis, Arcilla & Tan (2012)
- 47. Choosing a Subject Area • How to Choose a Subject Area – Identify 1 to 2 Broad Problem Areas (BPA). • In the next 1 hour, write a brief description of the problem area that you think is interesting to solve in a PowerPoint slide. • At the onset, also write down the possible CS areas that you know of that might be useful in solving the problem.
- 48. Choosing a Subject Area • Subject Areas in Computer Science (based on CHED CMO. # __ ) – Software Development and Theory • Mobile Computing (Theory- oriented/Applied) • Expert Systems and Decision Support Systems (Applied) • Game Development (Applied) • Image/Signal Processing (Applied) • Natural Language Processing (Applied) • Computational Biology (Theory- oriented/Applied)
- 49. Choosing a Subject Area • Subject Areas in Computer Science (based on CHED CMO. # __ ) – Software Development and Theory • Graphics Applications (Theory- oriented/Applied) • Cloud Computing (Applied) • Parallel Computing (Theory- oriented/Applied) – Foundations of Computer Science • Automata and Formal Language (Applied) • Data Structures and Algorithms (Theory- oriented/Applied)
- 50. Choosing a Subject Area • Subject Areas in Computer Science (based on CHED CMO. # __ ) – Foundations of Computer Science • Programming Languages (Applied) • Modeling and Simulation (Applied) – Human-Computer Interaction • Usability (Theory-oriented/Applied) • Affective Computing (Theory- oriented/Applied) • Emphatic Computing (Theory- oriented/Applied)
- 51. The Thesis Proposal • The paper must contain the following chapters: 1. Introduction 1.1 Background of the Study 1.2 Problem Statement 1.3 Objectives of the Study 1.4 Significance of the Study 1.5 Scope and Limitations 2. Review of Related Works 3. Research Design and Methodology 4. Theoretical Background Bibliography
- 52. Assessment Criteria • General – Relevance of chosen topic – Originality of chosen topic – Significance of findings – Degree to which the work is the student's own • Report – Clarity of presentation – Consistency between parts of the report – Degree of insight – Ability to differentiate between other's thoughts and own – Ability to handle references and citations – General stylistic impression
- 53. Assessment Criteria • Defense – Degree of insight apparent from arguments to support claims and conclusions – Degree of insight apparent from responses to questions • Other – How the student performed as opponent – Fulfillment of deadlines and other formal requirements
- 54. Doing Research in Computer Science • Reference Berndtsson, M., Hansson, J., Olsson, B. & Lundell, B. (2008). Thesis Projects A Guide for Students in Computer Science and Information Systems 2nd Edition. London: Springer-Verlag.