SANAA UNIVERSITI
FACULTY OF COMPUTER SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY
RESEARCH METHODS IN COMPUTER SCIENCE
ASSIGNMENT #1
Prepared by
Dr.Malek Algabri
RESEARCH METHODS IN COMPUTER SCIENCE
CLASS DISCUSSION 1
October 2019
A. What is research? What activities can be considered as research?
Part 1: What is research?
Research is a process through which we attempt to achieve systematically and with
the support of data the answer to a question, the resolution of a problem, or a greater
understanding of a phenomenon. This process, which is frequently called research
methodology, has eight distinct characteristics:
1. Research originates with a question or problem.
2. Research requires a clear articulation of a goal.
3. Research follows a specific plan of procedure.
4. Research usually divides the principal problem into more manageable sub
problems.
5. Research is guided by the specific research problem, question, or hypothesis.
6. Research accepts certain critical assumptions.
7. Research requires the collection and interpretation of data in attempting to
resolve the problem that initiated the research.
8. Research is, by its nature, cyclical; or more exactly, helical.
Part 2: What activities can be considered as research?
Research activities are considered “Exempt” in cases in which the only involvement
of human subjects will be in one or more of the following six categories. However it
is the responsibility of USF’s IRB to make this determination:
(1) Research conducted in established or commonly accepted educational settings,
involving normal educational practices, such as (a) research on regular and special
education instructional strategies, or (b) research on the effectiveness of or the
comparison among instructional techniques, curricula, or classroom management
methods.
(2) Research involving the use of educational tests (cognitive, diagnostic, aptitude,
achievement), survey procedures, interview procedures or observation of public
behavior, unless: (a) information obtained is recorded in such a manner that human
subjects can be identified, directly or through identifiers linked to the subjects; and (b)
any disclosure of the human subjects’ responses outside the research could reasonably
place the subjects at risk of criminal or civil liability or be damaging to the subjects’
financial standing, employability, or reputation. If the subjects are children,
exemption 2 applies only to research involving educational tests and observations of
public behavior when the investigator(s) do not participate in the activities being
observed. Exemption 2 does not apply if children are surveyed or interviewed or if
the research involves observation of public behavior and the investigator(s)
participate in the activities being observed. [Children are defined as persons who
have not attained the legal age for consent to treatments or procedures involved in the
research, under the applicable law or jurisdiction in which the research will be
conducted.]
(3) Research involving the use of educational tests (cognitive, diagnostic, aptitude,
achievement), survey procedures, interview procedures or observation of public
behavior that is not exempt under section (2) above, if the human subjects are elected
or appointed public officials or candidates for public office; or federal statute(s)
require(s) without exception that the confidentiality of the personally identifiable
information will be maintained throughout the research and thereafter.
(4) Research involving the collection or study of existing data, documents, records,
pathological specimens, or diagnostic specimens, if these sources are publicly
available or if the information is recorded by the investigator in a manner that subjects
cannot be identified, directly or through identifiers linked to the subjects.
(5) Research and demonstration projects which are conducted by or subject to the
approval of department or agency heads, and which are designed to study, evaluate, or
otherwise examine: (a) public benefit or service programs; (b) procedures for
obtaining benefits or services under those programs; (c) possible changes in or
alternatives to those programs or procedures; or (d) possible changes in methods or
levels of payment for benefits or services under those programs.
(6) Taste and food quality evaluation and consumer acceptance studies, (a) if
wholesome foods without additives are consumed or (b) if a food is consumed that
contains a food ingredient at or below the level and for a use found to be safe, or
agricultural chemical or environmental contaminant at or below the level found to be
safe, by the Food and Drug Administration or approved by the Environmental
Protection Agency or the Food Safety and Inspection Service of the U.S. Department
of Agriculture.
B. You are given the following two papers.
1. Topi, H. and Lucas, W. 2004. Mix and Match: Combining Terms and
Operators for Successful Web Searches. Information Processing and
Management, 41(2005), pp: 801-817.
2. Glass, R.L., Ramesh, V., and Vessey, I. 2004. An Analysis of Research in
Computing Disciplines. Communications of the ACM, 47(6), pp: 89-94.
Based on these two papers, identify whether each of them is a research
paper. Justify your answer.
a. Paper 1: Topi, H. and Lucas, W. 2004. Mix and Match: Combining Terms and
Operators for Successful Web Searches. Information Processing and
Management, 41(2005), pp: 801-817.
First: Standard structure of a scientific research paper.
Standard structure Yes/NO
Title
Author name
Publication details
Publish date
Abstract
Introduction
Literature Review/Related Works
Research Methodology/Research Model
Result
Discussion
Conclusion & Future work
References
Second: Is the paper has eight distinct characteristics:
No characteristic Yes/No Notes
1 Originates with a question Yes,page 4 ,prograph 4"
In this article, we simplify
problem the problem by
2 Demands a clear articulation assuming
of a goal the same probability
applies for any codeword
3 Requires a specific plan of (except the allone
procedure codeword) to be
4 Usually divides the principal declared as the all-one
problem into more codeword, and
this probability is thus"
manageable sub problems
5 Is tentatively guided by
research problem, research
questions, or hypotheses
6 Accepts certain critical
assumptions
7 Will countenance only hard,
measurable data in attempting
to resolve the problem that
initiated the research.
8 By its nature, circular; or,
more exactly, helical.
b.Paper 2: Glass, R.L., Ramesh, V., and Vessey, I. 2004. An Analysis of Research in
Computing Disciplines. Communications of the ACM, 47(6), pp: 89-94.
First: Standard structure of a scientific research paper.
Standard structure Yes/NO
Title
Author name
Publication details
Publish date
Abstract
Introduction
Literature Review/Related Works
Research Methodology/Research Model
Result
Discussion
Conclusion & Future work
References
As we see that paper doesn’t follow all Standard structures of a scientific research
paper.
Second is the paper has eight distinct characteristics:
No characteristic Yes/No Notes
1 Originates with a question problem
2 Demands a clear articulation of a
goal
3 Requires a specific plan of
procedure
4 Usually divides the principal
problem into more manageable sub
problems
5 Is tentatively guided by research
problem, research questions, or
hypotheses
6 Accepts certain critical assumptions
7 Will countenance only hard,
measurable data in attempting to
resolve the problem that initiated
the research.
8 By its nature, circular; or, more
exactly, helical.
In conclusion, paper (Topi, H. and Lucas, W. 2004. Mix and Match:
Combining Terms and Operators for Successful Web Searches. Information
Processing and Management, 41(2005), pp: 801-817.) is a research paper but
paper (Glass, R.L., Ramesh, V., and Vessey, I. 2004. An Analysis of Research in
Computing Disciplines. Communications of the ACM, 47(6), pp: 89-94.) is not a
research paper as it doesn’t follow the all Standard structures of a scientific
research paper even though is has some of eight distinct characteristics.
