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Unit of study_
INFO4990: Computer Science Research Methods
2025 unit information
This unit will provide an overview of the different research methods that are used in Computer Science. Students will learn to find and evaluate research on their topic and to present their own research plan or results for evaluation by others, write a literature review, learn about research quality metrics and ethics. This unit of study is required for students in Computer Science who are enrolled in a research project as part of their Honours degree, and for students starting their research degree (PhD, MPhil) in the School of Computer Science.
Unit details and rules
Managing faculty or University school:
Engineering
| Study level | Undergraduate |
|---|---|
| Academic unit | Computer Science |
| Credit points | 6 |
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Prerequisites:
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Students must satisfy Honours admission requirements |
|---|---|
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Corequisites:
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None |
| Prohibitions:
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INFO4444 or INFO5993 |
| Assumed knowledge:
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None |
At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:
- LO1. demonstrate knowledge of major approaches used in CS research and ability to apply one or more to own project
- LO2. plan a program of research in Computer Science
- LO3. perform a critical evaluation of research work
- LO4. retrieve academic literature on a specific topic and identify top journals, conferences, research groups on this topic
- LO5. produce a literature survey for a field of CS research
- LO6. write and present a research proposal
- LO7. understand ethical practices and copyrights
- LO8. read research literature and understand how the described work fits into one or more research approaches
- LO9. understand the nature of CS research and how research is evaluated
- LO10. understand scientific peer reviewing and how to give constructive feedback
- LO11. communicate research ideas and proposal in a clear, effective way in oral and written form
Unit availability
This section lists the session, attendance modes and locations the unit is available in. There is a unit outline for each of the unit availabilities, which gives you information about the unit including assessment details and a schedule of weekly activities.
The outline is published 2 weeks before the first day of teaching. You can look at previous outlines for a guide to the details of a unit.
| Session | MoA ? | Location | Outline ? |
|---|---|---|---|
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Semester 1 2025
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Normal day | Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney |
Outline unavailable
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Semester 2 2025
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Normal day | Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney |
Outline unavailable
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Find your current year census dates
Modes of attendance (MoA)
This refers to the Mode of attendance (MoA) for the unit as it appears when you’re selecting your units in Sydney Student. Find more information about modes of attendance on our website.
Important enrolment information
Departmental permission requirements
If you see the ‘Departmental Permission’ tag below a session, it means you need faculty or school approval to enrol. This may be because it’s an advanced unit, clinical placement, offshore unit, internship or there are limited places available.
You will be prompted to apply for departmental permission when you select this unit in Sydney Student.
Read our information on departmental permission.
Additional advice
This unit requires departmental permission to ensure students are enrolled in the research pathway of a School of Computer Science undergraduate degree. Students in the Bachelor of Advanced Computing who are undertaking Honours do not need to provide supporting documentation. Students in other Computer Science degrees must have obtained approval from the Unit Coordinator and must include evidence of this approval in their permission request for review by the Faculty.
