CPS 300
Computer Science Research Seminar

Department of Computer Science
Duke University
Durham, N. C. 27708-0129

Fall 1998
TTh 3:50-5:05
D106, Levine Science Research Center

Instructor Information

Richard Lucic, Associate Chair Computer Science
D310 LSRC (office hours: W,F 9-11am )
Box 90129
Duke University
Durham, NC 27708-0129
(919) 660-6524
lucic@cs.duke.edu

Keith Hurka-Owen, Administrative Manager Computer Science
D314 LSRC (Office Hours: M,W 1-3pm)
Box 90129
Duke University
Durham, NC 27708-0129
(919) 660-6535
hurka@cs.duke.edu

Contents

• Contents
• Course Objectives
• Background
• Course Overview
• Grading
• Course Materials
• Useful Links

Course Objectives

The goal of this course is to orient first-year graduate students to the Department of Computer Science, provide an overview of department research, and develop skills in organization and communication necessary for successful achievement at the graduate level. Upon completion of this course, Ph.D. students will be prepared to undertake their Research Requirement Presentation and Project, and Master’s students, their thesis or Master’s project. Communication of technical concepts through speech and writing will be emphasized.

Background

The graduate curriculum in Computer Science emphasizes research and projects as the primary criteria for advancement. Tests of breadth for Ph.D. students are also an important part of degree requirements; however the Research Requirement Project, which is begun with a short proposal near the end of the second semester and completed one year later, is the primary means of learning and demonstrating competence in the research process. The success of this project is the basis for continuation in the Ph.D. program. Plus, getting involved in research early is fun! For Master’s students, the project or thesis is the culmination of your studies. In either case, oral and written technical communications will ultimately determine your academic program success. This course will expose you to important communications resources, and help you identify an area of research concentration.

Course Overview

The first part of the course consists of short 15-20 minute talks by faculty members explaining the research issues they investigate. You are encouraged (even urged!) to seek out faculty members in your areas of interest. You should begin exposing yourself to research areas that interest you, which ultimately will help you pick and define a project for your research requirement project or Master's project/thesis. You are encouraged to take part in any of the regular seminar series going on in the Department, such as the SPIDER series in systems & architecture, the algorithms seminar, the scientific computing seminar, the Triangle Computer Science Distinguished Lecture Series, etc. It is your responsibility to make these contacts!

At the end of the semester we will try to schedule some in-class progress reports of the current 2nd year Ph.D. students who are actually in the midst of doing their research requirement projects.

A secondary goal of this course is to help you organize yourself, especially in speaking and writing. We will start with some basic organizational principles and exercises. During the faculty talks, you will be divided into small groups and asked to write "journals" and responses to journals of your fellow group members that reflect on the issues brought up during the faculty talks. This process will get you accustomed to the thought process behind writing without the fear of putting ideas on paper. We'll learn more about how to polish and organize writing in mid-semester. The last part of the course consists of each student making a 15-20 minute presentation in front of the class. We'll use small groups to help your develop your talks before the presentation to the whole class. You should choose as a topic some piece of research or article in computer science, preferably gotten from one of the faculty members you contact during the beginning of the semester. If you're a seminar participant, you're encouraged to give a longer version of your CPS 300 talk as part of the seminar series. We want your interest in the material and activities to drive your participation. If you feel a bit intimidated, realize that its to your benefit to participate in these activities. The more you participate, the more you will gain from the course. We are trying to help you enter the research process early and successfully. If you have any questions during the semester, give us a call or come by. Our normal office hours are listed above, but we may also be available at other times. If we are busy when you come, we'll arrange another time to talk.

Grading

Your final grade will be weighted as follows:

• One-third on journal/response writing during faculty panels & seminars.
• One-third on your in-class presentation and preparation.
• One-third on attendance and other assignments.

Anonymous feedback may be provided to the course instructors under the course name CPS 300.

Course Materials

The book for the course is Nicholas J. Higham, Handbook of Writing for the Mathematical Sciences, SIAM Press, available from the bookstore. Other materials for the course will be handed out in class. Copies are available from Gail Smith (gail@cs.duke.edu). Materials in electronic form can be found in the handouts directory .

Useful Links

Patterson's Rules for New Computer Science and Engineering Professors: Bullet list of tips for career success by David Patterson.

How to have a Bad Research Career: A tongue-in-cheek presentation by David Patterson on advice for having a bad research career and alternatives to a bad career. The presentation will download in Postscript format.

How to Give a Technical Talk: Great advice for making effective technical presentations by Mark Hill and David Patterson.