RESEARCH METHODS AND PROJECTS IN COMPUTER SCIENCE

 

CS476/476G

 

SYLLABUS

 

Instructor        : Dr. Mostafa G. Mostafa

WebSite          : www.wku.edu/~mostafa.mostafa

E-mail              : mostafa.mostafa@wku.edu

Office              : TCCW Room 113B

            Phone  : (270) 745-6183

Hours  : MW:  9:00 am to 10 am, 11:30 am to 2:30 pm

              Fri: 11:15 am to 12:15 pm

  Tue, Thu: by Appointment

 

Course Description:

The languages, programming techniques and skills acquired in the sequence of core courses in the undergraduate program are applied to the analysis and design of computer-based systems. Top-down design techniques are applied in one or more large-scale programs which require attention to the documentation, communication, and inter-facing or modules in a team project. These techniques are essential in most large-scale research applications of computers. Graduate students are expected to work more on research topics than undergraduate students in this course.

Text:

Software Project Survival Guide, by Steve McConnell, Microsoft ; ISBN: 1-57231-621-7

 

Attending Policy:

Attendance will be recorded during each class meeting. You will miss a lot but your grade will be affected by 5 % of final grade if you absence more than 3 classes without accepted excuse.

 

Grading Policy:

Final Exam                              25%

Final Project                            25%

Presentations/Assignments     20%

Research Papers                      25%    

Participation/Attendance        5%

 

Note: Arrangements must be made IN ADVANCE if for some valid reason you cannot take an exam at the scheduled time.

90% - 100%    A

80% - 89%      B

70% - 79%      C

60%-69%        D

<=60%            F

 

Term Project:


The purpose of the term project is to build a complete software application based on the team proposal. The whole class will be divided up to 10 groups. Each group will be responsible to come up with a project idea. An approved project proposal is required after the first week. Each group will be presenting its progress to the rest of the class in a week after week basis. All the group members MUST be ready to present the project. A final with a complete documentation (well documented code – screen shots – project description – Analysis and design – use cases – UML documentations) is required by the final week.

 

Cheating Policy


Students are encouraged to work together and learn from each other.  However, cheating in any form on exams, or copying of homework or computer programs will not be tolerated.  Any evidence of cheating will result in a failing grade for the course.

 

General Policy:


Homework is due at the start of class on the due date. Late homework will only be accepted in extenuating circumstances.

 

Student Disability Services

In compliance with university policy, students with disabilities who require accommodations (academic adjustments and/or auxiliary aids or services) for this course must contact the Office for Student Disability Services in DUC A-200 of the Student Success Center in Downing University Center.

Please DO NOT request accommodations directly from the professor or instructor without a letter of accommodation from the Office for Student Disability Services.

 

The Learning Center (TLC)

Located in the Academic Advisng and Retenion Center, DUC-A330
Should you require academic assistance with this course, or any other General Education Course, there are several places that can provide you with help. TLC tutors in most major undergraduate subjects and course levels throughout the week. To make an appointment, or to request a tutor for a specific class, call 745-6254 or stop by DUC A330.  Log on to TLC’s website at www.wku.edu/tlc to find out more. TLC hours: M-Thu. 8am-9pm, Fri. 8am-4pm, Sat.-Closed, and Sundays 4pm-9pm.

Course Activities and Contents:

In this class we will have three different activities:

1-      Team based activities

a.       Final Project (teamwork skills, team lead skills and activities)

                                                                          i.      Project proposal

                                                                        ii.      Task sheets

                                                                      iii.      Microsoft project management

                                                                      iv.      UML

b.      Research Area that each team interested and welling to investigate

                                                                          i.      AI

                                                                        ii.      Wireless Security

                                                                      iii.      Recognition (face, handwriting, voice…)

                                                                      iv.      VoIP

                                                                        v.      Graphics / 3D graphics

                                                                      vi.      Parallel processing

                                                                    vii.      3D user interface

                                                                  viii.      Robotics

                                                                      ix.      Game Design

                                                                        x.      Bio-Informatics , Bio-Engineering

                                                                      xi.      Data Mining

                                                                    xii.      Expert Systems

                                                                  xiii.      UML / Software architecture

                                                                  xiv.      …

c.       Poster Design

                                                                          i.      Using the material that the team read and gathered in the research area to create a poster to widen the knowledge of all the school’s students

                                                                        ii.      Material will be provided

2-      Individual based activities

a.       Paper review

                                                                          i.      What is a paper?

1.      Conference papers

2.      Journal Paper

3.      Chapter book

4.      Poster

                                                                        ii.      How to write a paper (Format, content, references, copyright)?

                                                                      iii.      Abstract

                                                                      iv.      Introduction

                                                                        v.      Literature review (previous work)

                                                                      vi.      Proposed model

                                                                    vii.      Contribution and experimental results

                                                                  viii.      Conclusion

                                                                      ix.      References

b.      Paper presentation

                                                                          i.      Area selection

                                                                        ii.      Searching for recent papers

                                                                      iii.      10 prospective papers abstract

                                                                      iv.      3 full papers review

                                                                        v.      1 paper to be extensively reviewed and presented to the class

c.       Writing a paper

                                                                          i.      What it is needed to write a paper?

                                                                        ii.      Can you do it?

3-      All students

a.       Final Exam

                                                                           i.      Software Project Survival Guide ("How to be sure your first important project isn't your last" by Steve McConnell)