Collaborative Undergraduate Research Experience (CURES) Program

Learn by Doing

A research project is a systematic and comprehensive investigation aimed at analyzing and evaluating a specific question or hypothesis. In this semester, we will form teams of 2 to 4 students to explore a research question related to the topics covered in this course. At the end of the semester, each group will present your findings to the class using either a poster or slides presentation. The research project accounts for 20% of your final grade.Please make sure this project is cool!

Project Evaluation Criteria

• It is each team's burden to justify why the project is related to this class. Projects that are not related to topics discussed in this class will get no credits.
• The project grade consists of four components: (i) procedure performance (30 points), (ii) peer evaluations (20 points), (iii) instructor evaluation (40 points), and (iv) collaboration and teamwork (10 points), for a total of 100 points.
• Procedure Performance (30 points):
• Proposal (first deadline) (5 points): each team must submit a one-page proposal that outlines a specific research topic, formulates one to two research questions to be explored and describes the methodologies intended to use. The format of all paper submissions should follow the IEEE Manuscript Templates for Conference Proceedings.
• Implementation (second deadline) (10 points): each team must submit a two-page document that clearly presents the research questions, methodologies, implementation details, analysis, and conclusions of the project. The document must be written in a clear, precise, and professional manner. Please refer to the appendix for academic writing guidelines.
• Poster/Slides Preparation(third deadline) (15 points): each team must submit a fully-prepared poster or slides. Please refer to the appendix for posters or slides guidelines. Consider recording your live demonstration beforehand so you don’t have to worry about technical problems during the presentation.
• Changing your term project topic after the initial deadline (note: you are free to revise your research questions) will result in resubmission and re-grade of all previous term project submissions. Make-up submissions (including topic changing submissions) for the above three deadlines are allowed, but only 80\% of the earned credit will be awarded.
• Collaboration and teamwork (10 points): Your team’s overall grade percentage—based on the procedure performance, instructor’s evaluation and peer evaluations—will be the base percentage for the group. Your "collaboration and teamwork" grade will be 10 x (base percentage). Teams who have only one team member will get 0 point in "collaboration and teamwork" category.
• Project Award:If a term project is deemed the best—based on evaluations from both peers and the instructor—all group members will have their final grade elevated by one level. For example, if a student were originally supposed to receive a A-, the grade will be raised to a A.

• As a project team, you are responsible for demonstrating and persuading the graders of the quality of your project regarding each of the categories outlined above.
• As a judge, please follow the rubric closely when judging each project; we are counting on each of you to perform a fair, professional, and thoughtful evaluation.

• You are not allowed to grade your own group.
• Please begin by grading each project individually. Then, discuss your evaluations with your group members, reach a consensus.
• Please ensure that the average "Total" grade among all groups (except yours) is no higher than 90 out of 100. Failure to comply will result in your grading being disregarded.
• In your final group-agreed submission, please report only the "Total" grade for each project and the average "Total" grade across all projects.
• Thank you all for your hard work on both the project and the evaluation process!

Tips for a Successful Research Project

• Please view this project as an opportunity to develop your leadership skills, teamwork spirit, and communication capabilities. They are vital for your future career.
• Please note that all team members are expected to contribute to the term project in a balanced and equitable manner. Throughout the semester, each student has full flexibility to leave a team, join another team, or form a new team at any time.
• Take time to get to know your classmates first—collaborate on class-related tasks and observe each other's strengths. When you're ready, aim to form a team with a diverse set of skills and expertise to enhance your project’s success.
• Choose a topic that genuinely interests your team members. Passion for the subject matter can drive motivation and creativity.
• Work on something that has potential to serve your long-term career goals. For example, a project that could put in your resume, you can talk with your interviewers.
• Conduct thorough literature reviews to understand the current state of research in your chosen area. This will help you identify gaps and formulate relevant research questions.
• Practice your presentation multiple times to ensure clarity and confidence during the actual delivery. Consider recording a rehearsal to identify areas for improvement.
• If you are nervous about public speaking or unsure how to create a presentation, a highly effective approach is to study example presentations such as TED talks, imitate their style, and practice multiple times before your actual presentation.

FAQs

Q1: Can I change my project topic after the initial proposal submission?

A1: Yes, you can change your project topic after the initial proposal submission. However, please note that changing your term project topic after the initial deadline will result in resubmission and re-grade of all previous term project submissions. Make-up submissions (including topic changing submissions) for the proposal, implementation, and poster/slides preparation deadlines are allowed, but only 80\% of the earned credit will be awarded.

Q2: Can I work on a project that is not related to the topics covered in this course?

A2: No, it is each team's burden to justify why the project is related to this class. Projects that are not related to topics discussed in this class will get no credits.

Q3: How do I find a good research topic?

A3: Start by exploring topics that interest you. Consider the relevance and significance of potential topics, review existing literature to identify gaps, and narrow down your focus to a specific research question. Seek feedback from peers and instructors to refine your topic. Go to job hunting webistes and review job descriptions to identify skills and knowledge that are in demand, and build those skills through your research project.

Appendix

The appendix includes additional guidelines and tips on how to conduct a research project, what makes good academic writing, professional presentations, posters, and slide presentations.

Appendix A: How to Conduct a Research Project?

Step 1: Identify a Research Topic

A well-chosen topic sets the foundation for a successful research project, making the entire process more enjoyable and fulfilling. Here are some critical considerations for selecting an effective research topic:

1. Identify Your Interests: Start by exploring topics that fascinate you. Think about subjects you've enjoyed in your courses or issues you are passionate about. A topic that genuinely interests you will keep you motivated throughout your research.
2. Consider Relevance and Significance: Assess the relevance of your topic to your field of study. Is it addressing a current issue or gap in research? Selecting a topic that contributes to existing knowledge can enhance the impact of your work and attract the attention of readers and researchers alike.
3. Review Existing Literature: Conduct a preliminary literature review to understand your area's current state of research. This will help you identify gaps, ongoing debates, and under-explored topics. It can also spark new ideas and refine your research question.
4. Narrow Down Your Focus: Once you have a broad topic in mind, narrow it down to a specific research question. A focused topic will make your research more manageable and provide a clear direction. Ask yourself, "What specific aspect of this topic do I want to explore?"
5. Seek Feedback: Discuss your topic ideas with peers, or instructors. Their feedback can provide valuable insights and help you refine your question. They may also suggest additional angles to consider or highlight potential challenges.
6. Assess Feasibility: Consider the resources available to you, such as time and access to data. Ensure that your chosen topic can be realistically researched within these constraints. A feasible topic will save you from unnecessary stress later in the research process.

You can also visit a job information website, such as cyber security jobs, and find a position you’re most interested in, review the job requirements or description to identify a knowledge area where you could use improvement. Then, consider how this course could help bridge that gap and better prepare you for the role. Some of the example ideas include:

1. Creative applications of concepts learned in this course to real-world scenarios.
2. Innovative implementations of algorithms, mechanisms, or ideas covered in this course.
3. Original exploration of topics briefly mentioned in this course but not explored in detail.
4. One state-of-the-art technology or tool that related to this class.
5. ......

Step 2: Formulate a Research Question or Hypothesis

A sound research question is one of the most important characteristics of good research. A good research question details exactly what a researcher wants to learn and defines a study’s scope. A good research question is often: (i) feasible; (ii) interesting; (iii) novel; (iv) ethical; (v) relevant.

Step 3: Literature Review and Information Retrieval

The literature review is where you will analyse and evaluate existing research within your subject area. It is essential to use credible sources as failing to do so may decrease the validity of your research project. Places to find your information include: (i) articles from peer-reviewed journals/conferences; (ii) books; (iii) technical reports. Google Scholar is a great website to find academic works. Please avoid citing websites, as they are typically not peer-reviewed and are therefore not considered credible sources within the scientific community.

Step 4: Develop Research Plan and Methodology

The overall quality and success of a research study are largely determined by the research methodology it uses. It refers to the systematic procedures or techniques a researcher uses to ensure that their study achieves valid, reliable results. Research methodologies are often classified into qualitative research and quantitative research.

1. Qualitative research methodology involves collecting and analyzing non-numerical data, such as language to interpret subjects’ beliefs, experiences, and behaviors. Qualitative research techniques include interviews, focus groups, and case studies, etc.
2. Quantitative research methodologies involve the collection and analysis of numerical data to discover patterns, test relationships, and make predictions. In doing quantitative research, surveys, experiments, and systematic observation can be used to collect accurate data. Writing programs to demonstrate the effectiveness of a method is a common practice of quantitative research methodologies in computer science.

Step 5: Collect and Analyze Data

One of the distinguishing characteristics of research is that the entire process is guided by logic. Using logic, for instance, can help researchers determine what kind of data they need for answering their research question. Being guided by logic throughout the research process also helps researchers spot fallacies and inconsistencies in their claims and findings. Good research has external validity and reliability if its results or findings can be applied to the real world. If your research findings can be generalized to other situations or applied to a broader context, your study has high external validity. Since generalizable knowledge is almost always the aim of scientific research, external validity is an important component of good research as well.

Step 6: Draw Conclusions and Communicate Results

Replicability, reproducibility, and transparency are some of the most important characteristics of research. The replicability of a research study is important because this allows other researchers to test the study’s findings. Replicability can also improve the trustworthiness of a research’s findings among readers. Though replicability and reproducibility are often used interchangeably, research is reproducible if researchers achieve consistent results using the same data and analysis methods. For research to be replicable or reproducible, it must also be transparent or available to other researchers. Research must follow proper research paper formatting or be written or presented in such a way that it provides comprehensive details on how data was collected and analyzed and how conclusions were reached. This is why most scholarly articles provide clear descriptions of their corresponding research process.

In addition to information on data collection and analysis methods, good research also opens doors for future research on the topic. In many cases, these suggestions for future research stem from the research’s limitations. Researchers must acknowledge their study’s limitations and potential flaws and present these along with the study’s findings and conclusion.

To get more information of how to do a good research project and the guidelines, please check out this book: Bell, Judith. Doing Your Research Project: A guide for first-time researchers. McGraw-hill education (UK), 2014.

Appendix B: What Makes Good Academic Writing?

The goal of academic writing is to present new insights or perspectives about the world—ideas that readers may not already know—making originality a key to success. It follows a structured and formal style intended to communicate ideas clearly, logically, and persuasively. Helpful tips for effective academic writing include:

• Evidence-based arguments: Academic writing requires objective, evidence-based arguments rather than personal opinions or unsupported claims. Therefore, one should always support arguments with data (such as collected datasets or experimental results), analysis (such as mathematical proofs or derivations), or references from credible sources (including books, peer-reviewed academic articles, and technical reports). Most websites are not considered credible sources.
• Formal and objective tone: Academic writing employs a formal tone that is neutral, objective, and narrative in style. It avoids colloquialisms, slang, and emotional language. Writers are expected to use the third person rather than the first person—for example, avoiding pronouns such as "I", "me", or "we", also, avoiding being too personal, such as using "you".
• Avoid using contractions such as 'don't' or 'can't'; use 'do not' or 'cannot' instead, if needed. Also, refrain from overly casual language. Choose precise vocabulary and avoid vague expressions like "a lot", "stuff", "perhaps", "maybe", etc.
• Focused and well structured: Divide long texts into chapters or sections with clear headings. Use short, focused paragraphs, each beginning with a topic sentence. Ensure smooth and logical transitions between paragraphs to guide the reader through your argument.
• Use short, and straightforward sentences if possible.
• Clearly outlining your methodology and being honest about the limitations of your research.

Appendix C: What Makes a Good Professional Presentation?

A good presentation is like a good story. You need to have a clear narrative that engages your audience and conveys your message effectively. Think about the key points you want to convey and how they connect to each other. Your story should have a beginning, where you introduce the topic and capture the audience's interest; a middle, where you delve into the details and provide supporting information; and an end, where you summarize your main points and leave the audience with a memorable conclusion.

Practicing your presentation beforehand is crucial. This allows you to refine your story, work on your delivery, and ensure that you stay within the time limit. Practicing in front of a friend, roommate, or teammate can provide valuable feedback and help you identify areas for improvement. Remember to also time yourself during practice so you know how much to include and what to leave out during the actual presentation. Some of the core tips for a good professional presentation is listed as:

1. Clear speech
   1. Loud enough, speak to the people in the last row.
   2. Avoid speaking in a monotone.
   3. Be passionate and confident about your topic. You are an expert on this topic and don't present things you have no interest in it.
2. Eye contact
   1. Look at individuals if you wish (but not the same person or people all the time).
   2. Or look between people (less distracting to you).
   3. Or (especially if you are nervous) look just above the last row of people.
   4. Avoid just reading your slides/posters/index cards.
3. Body language
   1. Be natural, then you will make the right gestures without thinking about it.
   2. Move your hands a bit when you are saying something important.
   3. Avoid swaying your body back and forth or distracting your audience with your body language.
4. Good organization
   1. Emphasize the important things and leave out the unimportant things.
   2. Talk about basic things first, then later talk about the things that depend on them.
   3. Begin your talk with a summary of what you are going to say.
   4. End your talk with a summary of what you have said.
5. Time management
   1. Finish your presentation in given time, don't go over or finish early.
   2. Practice your pace and time it before the presentation.
   3. Don't rush. If you are running behind, don't try to talk faster; leave things out.
   4. Be prepared that people might interrupt you so you won't have enough time.
   5. Be prepared that you might finish much earlier than you expected.

Appendix D: What Makes a Good Poster?

Posters are widely used in the academic community, and most conferences include poster presentations as part of their programs. A poster should be viewed as a snapshot of your work, designed to engage viewers in a dialogue. It typically combines brief, focused text with tables, graphs, images, and other visual elements to convey your key findings. You can download free poster templates from platforms such as poster nerd, PosterPresentations. There's also an informative video on how to structure poster content, which you can view here. Some common practices for good poster design include:

1. Large and readable font size. Important information should be readable from about 10 feet away.
2. Text is clear and to the point, simply and tightly written. Word count of about 300 to 800 words.
3. Use of bullets, numbering, and headlines make it easy to read.
4. Focus on key findings or takeaways rather than exhaustive detail.
5. Effective use of graphics, color and fonts, make it visual appealing. A picture worth 1K words!
6. Each visual should serve a purpose—avoid decorative or unrelated images.
7. Keep a balanced layout with sufficient white space to reduce visual clutter.
8. Design your poster so that your audience can grasp the key points within two minutes or less of reading.

The poster dimensions used for this research project is 48 × 36. The instructor will provide necessary help on the printing.

Appendix E: What Makes a Good Slide Presentation?

The purpose of slides is to visually support your spoken presentation. They help clarify complex ideas, highlight key points, and keep your audience engaged. Slides should enhance your message—not replace it—by presenting information in a clear, simple, and memorable way. Here are some of the rules for effective presentation slides:

1. Overall structure
   1. Include an outline at the beginning, and mention it in each section during the presentation.
   2. Summarize your main ideas and key takeaways at the end of your slides.
   3. Include references (cite peer-reviewed books, articles, etc., avoid citing websites) at the end of the slides if you have.
   4. Use approximately one slide per minute of your presentation (e.g., ~20 slides for a 20-minute presentation).
   5. Stick to a consistent layout, font, and color scheme throughout.
2. In each slide
   1. Keep it simple—your audience should be able to grasp the main message of each slide within five seconds. Use visuals whenever possible to enhance understanding.
   2. Include only essential points—avoid paragraphs and, unless necessary, even full sentences.
   3. Font size should be large enough so audience in the last row could see it clearly.
   4. Avoid distractions—use simple transitions and animations only when they serve a purpose.
   5. Use color to emphasize, not decorate.