Computer Science

This module gives you a chance to look beyond the core technical content of the Computer Science syllabus to give you a view of some of the exciting topics at the forefront of current research in computing and its applications. You will attend a series of seminars in which members of staff currently active in research will present some of their recent work in an accessible way, thereby conveying an understanding both of the nature of research in Computer Science and of the expertise available in the department for e.g. future project supervision. This module has no specific prerequisites and should be accessible to students from other disciplines with an interest in computing.

The aim of this module is to provide a series of “snapshots” conveying some of the motivation and content of current research work in Computer Science. You will learn about the nature and purpose of research activity, some of the problems addressed and the methods employed to tackle them, and how the results are evaluated. You will demonstrate what you have learnt by producing a seminar diary comprising summaries of each of the seminars attended, and a more in-depth lecture review of one of the topics covered by the seminars. In groups, you will also find out about a current topic of Computer Science research and make a presentation on it.

On successful completion of this module, you should be able to:
 

Module Specific Skills and Knowledge:
1 Describe in general terms a number of different areas of research within Computer Science;
2 Describe in greater depth one area of research within Computer Science.
Discipline Specific Skills and Knowledge:
3 Appreciate how and why Computer Science is a subject in which active research is being pursued at both a practical and a theoretical level;
4 Appreciate the nature of academic research and how it differs from e.g., commercial enterprise.
Personal and Key Transferable / Employment Skills and Knowledge:
5 Use the library and the internet to follow up references in researching a topic of interest;
6 Write a concise general summary covering a range of related topics;
7 Write a more detailed review of a specific topic of interest;
 

- what computer science research is;

- reasons for conducting computer science research;

- the frontiers of computer science;

- how to find information in libraries and on the internet;

- the elements of a good presentation and how to write about and reference other people’s work;

- a variety of topics based on the current research interests of lecturers.

Students failing the module as a whole will be reassessed in each component that they have individually failed except. If a student has failed the group presentation they will have to do a 2,500 word review on the topic covered in their group presentation.


On-line resources listed on ELE page for guidance on writing literature reviews and referencing.

ELE http://vle.exeter.ac.uk/

Web based and Electronic Resources:

Dependent on the particular topics covered in the seminars.

Other Resources:

Dependent on the particular topics covered in the seminars.

Reading list for this module: