302956 (v.1) Computer Science 651

Area:	Department of Computing
Credits:	25.0
Contact Hours:	3.0
Seminar:	1 x 3 Hours Weekly
Other Requisite(s):	Admission: to the Master of Science (Computing Science).
Syllabus:	Scientific discovery and the benefits of research and development. Research projects available in Spatial Sciences. Acquiring research related information. Designing a research project - literature reviews, critical appraisal of previous work, formulating a research project and hypothesis generation, the scientific method, elements of good research proposals, using computers in research, LaTeX document processing, windedit, PCTeX, bibtex, style files, inclusion of graphics. Thinking critically about research in science. Empirical Science - induction, deduction, verification, theory dependence of observation, the complexity of making theoretical choices, falsification as an approach. New Approach to Science- paradigms of science, lies, deception and fraudin research. Numerical data analysis - data types, descriptive statistics, probability distributions, precision and accuracy, error analysis, sampling theorems, significant and insignificant figures, strategies for correct data analysis.

Unit Outcomes:	On successful completion of this unit students will be aware of how to perform research, how to conduct a thorough literature review, how to formulate a research proposal, and how to communicate research results.
Text and references listed above are for your information only and current as of September 30, 2003. Please check with the unit coordinator for up-to-date information.
Unit References:	Many prescribed references in the fields of generic research methods, technical writing, oral presentations, philosophies of science, research proposals, data analysis, general interest.
Unit Texts:	Chalmers, A., 1999, ' What is This Thing Called Science?', 3rd edition, University of Queensland Press. Leedy, P.D. & Ormrod, J.E., 2001, 'Practical Research, Planning and Design', 7th ed, Prentice-Hall. Unit materials can be obtained from the unit web page: www.cs.curtin.edu.au/units/pdm351.

Unit Assessment Breakdown:	Major Assignment - Annotated Bibliography 15%, Philosophy of Science 15%, Research Proposal 35%. Minor Assignments - Oral presentation 10%, Minor Assignment One 5%, Two 5%, Three 10%, Four 5%.