This paper outlines the guidelines and requirements for students undertaking a computing project as part of their academic program. The project is a critical component of most undergraduate programs and is designed to provide students with the opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge to practical scenarios, demonstrating their ability to plan, execute, and present a complex piece of work. Unfortunately, there is currently a lack of clear and helpful guidance on how to conduct elementary research at this level, differentiate a computing project from other types of projects, and report it effectively. This paper aims to assist both computing students and faculty in carrying out and reporting on final-year research projects. It documents the differences in research approaches across various computing disciplines and provides a guiding framework for faculty overseeing the undergraduate research process. The guidelines cover various aspects of the project process, including the development of a project proposal, conducting the research, and writing the final report. It emphasizes the importance of early planning, regular supervision, and adherence to academic standards, particularly in the presentation and documentation of the project work. Additionally, the document details the criteria for project assessment, highlighting the need for clarity, innovation, and rigor in both the practical and written components of the project. Instructions on the submission process and the responsibilities of students and supervisors throughout the project lifecycle are also included.
References
Albert, W., & Tullis, T. (2013). Measuring the User Experience: Collecting, Analyzing, and Presenting Usability Metrics. Morgan Kaufmann.
Altman, D. G. (1991). Practical Statistics for Medical Research. Chapman & Hall.
APA. (2020). Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). American Psychological Association.
Boote, D. N., & Beile, P. (2005). Scholars Before Researchers: On the Centrality of the Dissertation Literature Review in Research Preparation. Educational Researcher, 34(6), 3-15.
Booth, W. C., Colomb, G. G., & Williams, J. M. (2016). The Craft of Research (4th ed.). University of Chicago Press.
Boud, D., & Lee, A. (2009). Changing Practices of Doctoral Education. Routledge.
Bryman, A. (2016). Social Research Methods (5th ed.). Oxford University Press.
Carroll, J. M. (2014). The Nurnberg Funnel: Designing Minimalist Instruction for Practical Computer Skill. MIT Press.
Connolly, T., & Begg, C. (2015). Database Systems: A Practical Approach to Design, Implementation, and Management (6th ed.). Pearson.
Cooper, A., Reimann, R., Cronin, D., & Noessel, C. (2014). About Face: The Essentials of Interaction Design (4th ed.). Wiley.
Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches (4th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2017). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches (5th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Day, R. A., & Gastel, B. (2012). How to Write and Publish a Scientific Paper (7th ed.). Cambridge University Press.
Elmasri, R., & Navathe, S. B. (2015). Fundamentals of Database Systems (7th ed.). Pearson.
Fink, A. (2019). Conducting Research Literature Reviews: From the Internet to Paper (5th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Fitzgerald, M., & White, L. (2012). Supervising and Writing a Good Undergraduate Dissertation. McGraw-Hill Education.
Flick, U. (2018). An Introduction to Qualitative Research (6th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Gatfield, T. (2005). An investigation into PhD supervisory management styles: Development of a dynamic conceptual model and its managerial implications. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 27(3), 311-325.
Ghezzi, C., Jazayeri, M., & Mandrioli, D. (2012). Fundamentals of Software Engineering (2nd ed.). Pearson.
Glass, R. L. (2002). Facts and Fallacies of Software Engineering. Addison-Wesley.
Hart, C. (1998). Doing a Literature Review: Releasing the Social Science Research Imagination. SAGE Publications.
Hartley, J. (2014). Designing Titles for Research Articles. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication, 44(2), 182-197.
Jamali, H. R., & Nikzad, M. (2011). Article title type and its relation with the number of downloads and citations. Scientometrics, 88(2), 653-661.
Johnson, D. W., & Johnson, R. T. (2009). Theories and Models in Educational Research: A Critical Analysis. Educational Researcher, 38(5), 345-354.
Jones, T., & Smith, R. (2022). Bridging Theory and Practice in Computing Education: The Role of Capstone Projects in HEIs. Journal of Computing in Higher Education, 34(1), 45-62.
Kallet, R. H. (2004). How to Write the Methods Section of a Research Paper. Respiratory Care, 49(10), 1229-1232.
Knight, P. T., & Steinbach, R. (2008). The Realities of Research Supervision. Open University Press.
Laudon, K. C., & Laudon, J. P. (2018). Management Information Systems: Managing the Digital Firm (15th ed.). Pearson.
Lee, A., & Murray, R. (2015). Supervising Writing: Helping Postgraduates Develop as Researchers. Open University Press.
Lee, K., & Lee, J. (2015). Identifying Research Gaps and Formulating Hypotheses: A Guide for Researchers. Research in Practice, 12(4), 257-268.
Machi, L. A., & McEvoy, B. T. (2016). The Literature Review: Six Steps to Success (3rd ed.). Corwin.
Maxwell, J. A. (2013). Qualitative Research Design: An Interactive Approach (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications.
Mertler, C. A., & Reinhart, R. V. (2017). Advanced and Multivariate Statistical Methods (6th ed.). Routledge.
Miles, M. B., Huberman, A. M., & Saldaña, J. (2014). Qualitative Data Analysis: A Methods Sourcebook (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications.
Mullen, C. A. (2016). The Handbook of Doctoral Programs: Forms and Practical Guidance for Educators. Rowman & Littlefield.
Myers, G. J., Sandler, C., & Badgett, T. (2011). The Art of Software Testing (3rd ed.). Wiley.
Neville, C. (2016). The Complete Guide to Referencing and Avoiding Plagiarism (2nd ed.). Open University Press.
Nguyen, T., & Brown, J. (2022). Innovative Practices in Computing Education: Enhancing Student Engagement and Learning. Journal of Educational Technology, 45(2), 123-139.
Nielsen, J. (2012). Usability Engineering. Morgan Kaufmann.
Nielsen, J., & Budiu, R. (2012). Mobile Usability. New Riders.
Peat, J. (2001). Health Science Research: A Handbook of Quantitative Methods. SAGE Publications.
Perrin, R. (2015). Pocket Guide to APA Style (5th ed.). Cengage Learning.
Pressman, R. S. (2014). Software Engineering: A Practitioner’s Approach (8th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.
Ridley, D. (2012). The Literature Review: A Step-by-Step Guide for Students (2nd ed.). SAGE Publications.
Schach, S. R. (2011). Object-Oriented and Classical Software Engineering (8th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.
Silverman, D. (2020). Doing Qualitative Research (5th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Smith, A., Johnson, R., & Lee, K. (2021). Project-Based Learning in Computing Education: Developing Essential Skills for the Modern Workforce. International Journal of Computer Science Education, 36(4), 250-265.
Smith, J., & Kosslyn, S. M. (2007). The State of Knowledge in Scientific Fields: A Comprehensive Review. Journal of Science, 78(2), 102-118.
Smith, R. (2017). Ethics in Medical Research: A Handbook of Good Practice (2nd ed.). Cambridge University Press.
Sommerville, I. (2011). Software Engineering (9th ed.). Addison-Wesley.
Swales, J. M., & Feak, C. B. (2012). Academic Writing for Graduate Students: Essential Tasks and Skills (3rd ed.). University of Michigan Press.
Weaver, D., Spratt, C., & Nair, C. S. (2006). Evaluation: Web-based student feedback for an online course. Higher Education Research & Development, 25(3), 271-286.
Williams, P., Brown, L., & Green, M. (2021). Curriculum Development in Computing: Ensuring Practical Application of Theoretical Knowledge in Higher Education. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 18(3), 99-115.
Wisker, G. (2012). The Good Supervisor: Supervising Postgraduate and Undergraduate Research for Doctoral Theses and Dissertations. Palgrave Macmillan.
Yin, R. K. (2018). Case Study Research and Applications: Design and Methods (6th ed.). SAGE Publications.
