Overview
Research is a unique activity. It exacts testable insights from researchers and uses rigorous methods to reach validated proofs for those insights. At the same time, research is flexible about the selection of methods, the interpretation of results, and the type and scope of problems considered. “Every significant piece of research not only contributes to the evolution of the human knowledge frontier, the ‘what,’ but also enriches the process mechanisms underlying research, the ‘how.’”1
COMP 695 offers a broader scope on research methods while allowing you to study deeper on topics of interest.
1 Kumar, V. (2011). Review of the book Process guide for students for interdisciplinary work in computer science/informatics (2nd ed.), by A. Holzinger. Educational Technology & Society, 14(2), 287–288.
Outline
COMP 695 includes 11 units:
- Unit 1: What Is Research? Research Problems, Hypotheses, and Literature Reviews
- Unit 2: Sampling, Measurement, Reliability, and Validity
- Unit 3: Data Collection, Statistics, and Statistical Analysis
- Unit 4: Mining, Simulation, Optimization, and Modeling
- Unit 5: Qualitative Research
- Unit 6: Survey Research
- Unit 7: Correlation Research
- Unit 8: Experimental Research
- Unit 9: Select Research Methods
- Unit 10: Action Research
- Unit 11: Research Plan
Learning outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, you should be able to
- evaluate the qualities of a research article.
- review, compare, and research outcomes.
- formulate research hypotheses.
- select computational techniques from information sciences for data analysis and inference.
- associate different types of research to computational problems in various domains.
- define, and use in context, terms used in particular research methods.
- describe aspects of knowledge presented in an article and formulate opinions about the article’s quality.
- analyze data using sampling and measurement techniques to infer reliability and validity.
- apply and assess data mining, simulation, optimization, and graphical modeling techniques (using Bayesian networks).
- formulate, apply, and assess survey research, correlational research, experimental research, and qualitative research.
- assess research analysis techniques—including content analysis, computational complexity, discourse analysis, conversational analysis, and longitudinal data analysis—and apply them to information sciences.
Evaluation
To receive credit for COMP 695, you must achieve a course composite grade of at least B– (70 percent), an average grade of at least 60 percent on the assignments, and a grade of at least 60 percent on the Research Plan Presentation.
The weighting of the composite grade is as follows:
| Activity | Weight |
| Assignment 1 (units 1–4) | 15% |
| Assignment 2 (units 5–10) | 15% |
| Assignment 3 (peer-reviewed research plan) | 50% |
| Research plan presentation and Q&A | 20% |
| Total | 100% |
Materials
All course materials are found online.