CS6023 Research Methods--
Notes for Book Chapter 1
Richard Halstead-Nussloch
Agenda -- Book Chapter 1
Questions and Answers
Science, Computer Science, and Computer Science as a Science; Software Engineering as Engineering
You and the scientific community
Research and categories of research methods
Steps in computing research
Products and documentation
Q & A & Summary
Questions and Answers
What is science?
What is engineering?
What is computer science?
What is software engineering?
What is research?
What is research in computer science?
What is research in software engineering?
Science
Scientific thought--Started with the Copernican Revolution (500 years ago)
Started with the physical sciences
All sciences have:
Systematic methods for discovering information and knowledge
An actual body of knowledge produced by these methods
http://www.bj.uj.edu.pl/bjmanus/manus_e.html
What is Computer Science (SE also)?
A little over 50 years old
Herbert Simon: A science of the artificial
Scientific methods suitable for the natural sciences are applicable to computer science
Computer scientists research both the inner (components & organization) and outer (functional behavior) aspects of computers
Research can be pursued into design alternatives
Hypothetical-Deductive (H-D) Method
Develop or select a hypothesis
Draw implications from it
Design a test of the hypothesis, e.g., an experiment
Implement the test--measure data
Do the data and hypothesis’ implications match?
Update the scientific status of the hypothesis through interpreting the data’s impact on the hypothesis
Computer Science and Software Engineering
Both synthetic and analytic methods
H-D synthetic: Hypothesis and test design
CS/SE adds the synthetic process of product design
Significantly an empirical science
Formal: Does the system work as designed?
Empirical: Does the system design work?
Significantly uses models (analogies & blue prints)
Blueprints for hardware, software, system designs
Model the human activity a computer system supports
CS and SE have a Scientific Community
Accept a common
Set of methods
Body of knowledge
Share common
Internal models (inside the head)
External models (public and articulated)
CS and SE have a Scientific Community
Methods: Commonly accepted external models of process and procedure to further the science of computing and engineering of software. Methods are procedural models.
Body of Knowledge: Contains commonly accepted external models that allow us to understand computing, called information models, which are declarative models.
Protocol within the CS/SE Scientific Community
Collaborative cooperation--being a good colleague--is encouraged
Plagiarism is unethical and undesirable
Products focus on communication within the scientific community
Documentation (private within a project group)
Research or project reports
Research or project presentations
Research or project proposals
Research in CS and SE
Little-r research versus big-r Research
research--finding information
Research--extending the body knowledge
Research is done according to a methodology--the subject of this course and book
Two types in CS and SE
Primary (empirical) where actual data are collected
Secondary where the findings of others are re-used
Steps in CS/SE Research
Prepare the research project
Gather the data
Interpret the data or re-interpret the findings
Develop the information (model)
Report and present on the project
Propose further research or project work
Prepare the project
Least time for highest payback rate (60:1)
Two products
Information goal
Question (research)
Thesis (research or Research)
Hypothesis (Research or research)
A plan describing the method or process to achieve the goal
Gathering the data or findings and Interpreting them
Gathering
Primary: Through measurement
Secondary: Through reading and re-using the data of others, which are called here findings
Interpreting produces
An analysis of the data or findings
An estimate of their impact on the information goals
Developing the Information (Models)
Data versus information
Data connect research to the real world.
Data are what the researcher gathers (measures), analyzes, and interprets
Data versus information
Information models (verb) the data or findings
Information models (noun)
are what the researcher builds from data and findings
achieve the information goals of the research project
Reporting, Presenting, and Proposing Research and Projects
CS/SE professionals need to be able to communicate their projects (top priority)
Proposals must be written
Products and Documents
Public Products: Reports, Presentations, and Proposals
Private Documentation: Project Work Plans, Reading Logs, Project Logs
Q&A -- Summary
Q&A
CS isa and SE isa
Science of the artificial
User of both analytic and synthetic processes
Largely an empirical science
A science or discipline that relies on models
We distinguish between
research to find points of information
Research to extend our body of knowledge
Summary
Two fundamental types of research methods
Primary, involving actual measurement of data
Secondary, involving re-using other researchers’ data--called findings
Stages or steps of research (to be covered in detail throughout the course) starting with an information goal
Summary--We distinguish among
A belief or idea, which might or might not be an information goal
Research data, obtained through measurement
Research findings -- data re-use
Research information -- interpreting data and findings against the information goal(s)
Scientific knowledge -- using research information to extend the body of knowledge
Group Activity--What is Research?
Divide up into groups of 3 or 4
Try to mix by nation of origin
Answer and discuss questions:
What are my goals for this course?
What is research?
What is research in CS and SE?
What is research in your current discipline?
What is a research method?
What is rhetoric?
Group Activity: Discussion
What are my goals for this course?
What is research?
What is research in CS and SE?
What is research in your current discipline?
What is a research method?
What is rhetoric?