Computer Systems Techlab Project
Summary Details for your Research Paper
Final version due June 2, 2004

  • 15-20 Pages (3000-4000 words)
  • 20 or more pages of CODE
  • 10 References
  • Appendices with Sample Tests, Runs, Screenshots
    1. Summary of details for the research paper: ~15 - 20 pages + Appendixes, Bibliography
      • -Commented code sections: an additional 10+ pages
      • Hard copy in LaTeX and website version, latex2html,
        approximately 250 words per page, double-spaced,
        Check your Scientific Method Outline to help guide your paper's development
      • Title Page,
      • Abstract 1/3 - 1/2 page, ~75-150 words
      • Introduction: 2 - 3 pages, 500-750 words
        • Purpose, subject of the project, goals of the project, why is the this worth
          doing, who will be interested in the results, how can the results be applied?
        • Scope of your study and project, the overall bounds of the work that
          will be involved, e.g., the research or data that will be required,
          and the relationships and variables that will need to be programmed,
          the expected results. You may have to narrow down your research/project objectives.
        • Be specific about what you want to develop. You may have to select a portion of
          your original project idea
      • Background research, similar projects/products: 2 - 3 pages, 500-750 words
        • Background and review of current literature/research in this area.
        • Demonstrate that you know the background of your topic.
        • What kinds of research have been done before in this area?
        • How have others gone about trying to solve similar problems you are dealing with?
        • Where is the "state of the art" today?
        • In what ways may your approach build on and vary from previous work
          that has been done in your project area?
      • Development sections, theory and procedures you're using, analysis: 7 - 10 pages,
        2000-3000 words
        • Hypothesis, explain how you think your project can demonstrate your purpose.
        • Procedure and methods you're using.
        • Show you followed a time plan
        • Demonstrate your research, design, programming, sub-testing and testing
          phases of your project. Show you identified resources that you needed.
        • Tasks and sub-tasks that accomplished to meet your objectives
        • Materials and programming language(s)/tools that were necessary, graphics tools that
          were needed?
        • Describe your algorithms in detail, where did you learn these algorithms
          (methods, processes)
        • Was any data needed, how was this data collected?
        • Methods or processes will be used to test and analyze the data?
        • What error analyses will be performed on the gathered data?
      • Results, analysis, and conclusions: 3 - 5 pages, 750-1250 words
        • Present your final results and analysis - include visuals such as graphs and charts
        • What contributions can these results give to future researchers?
        • Observations/Data/Results, describe your detailed journal of observations, data, and results
        • Analysis (think about how your testing relates to the goal/direction of your project.
          Explain your observations, data, and results, give a summary of what your data has shown you.
        • Describe the main points that you have learned, how about your original hypotheses?
        • Conclusions? Look at your original problem statement. What does it (your project) all
          add up to? What is the value of your project?
        • What further study do you recommend given the results of your experiment?
          What would be the next question to ask?
        • If you repeated this project, what would you change?
      • References and Bibliography: 1 - 2 pages, you should have at least 10 references
    2. Code development: 20+ pages
      • Code and Development, Research Elements (include your Scientific Method)
      • Screenshots, Output samples, Analysis
      • What sort of algorithms did you need to develop? Comment about this in your code.

    3. Reading other papers: Report on at least 4 Technical Research Papers
      - 1 paper each quarter of the school year.

    4. Project Description