COMP90044 Research Methods

What is this course about?

This course is an introduction to research methods for computer science students.

What is research?

In a research domain, come up with a research question, and then find the answer to the question. A good statement of the research question is the half of the answer.

What is a good research question?

A good research question should be clear, focused, researchable, and sufficiently complex.

How to formulate a research question?

Identify a broader subject
Research existing literature and data
Use the three-step formula:
- Topic: I am studying [xxx]
- Question: Because I want to find out why/what/how [xxx]
- Significance: In order to help the reader understand [xxx]

What is the purpose of a literature review?

The purpose of a literature review is to provide understanding, identify gaps, establish a theoretical framework, and highlight significance.

What are the expectations for research writing?

Originality and contribution
Clarity and precision
Logical structure
Evidence-based arguments
Critical and objective analysis
Scholarly engagement
Methodological rigour
Ethical considerations
Proper referencing
Implications and suggestions

What should not be included in research writing?

The history of the research project
Opinion presented as fact, unsupported claims
Jokes
Essay
Wiki speculation
"Just so" stories and creation myths
Complaint

How to conduct advanced search?

Use advanced search queries like (Robotics OR “Artificial Intelligence”) AND Vision.

How to read and write critically?

Read and write with questions in mind, focusing on objectives, motivations, basis, and significance.

Don't say "it is popular" or "it is important". Always ask "why".

What types of research are there?

Back water research
Use-inspired or blue-sky
Develop solutions
Work on emerging research areas

What are the suggestions for publishing?

Books
Free books don't matter, sharing is the purpose
Journal or conference
A* is not important, good ideas are important
Gold is gold anywhere

What are common mistakes in performance analysis?

Is the system correctly defined and the goals clearly stated?
Are the goals stated in an unbiased manner?
Have all the steps of the analysis followed systematically?
Is the problem clearly understood before analyzing it?
Are the performance metrics relevant for this problem?
Is the workload correct for this problem?
Is the evaluation technique appropriate?
Is the list of parameters that affect performance complete?
Have all parameters that affect performance been chosen as factors to be varied?
Is the experimental design efficient in terms of time and results?
Is the level of detail proper?
Is the measured data presented with analysis and interpretation?
Is the analysis statistically correct?
Has the sensitivity analysis been done?
Would errors in the input cause an insignificant change in the results?
Have the outliers in the input or output been treated properly?
Have the future changes in the system and workload been modeled?
Has the variance of input been taken into account?
Has the variance of the result been analyzed?
Is the analysis easy to explain?
Is the presentation style suitable for its audience?
Have the results been presented graphically as much as possible?
Are the assumptions and limitations of the analysis clearly documented?