CS553 Research Methodologies in Computer Science
CS553 Research Methodologies in Computer Science
Syllabus | International University of Sarajevo - Last Update on Sep 09, 2026
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Computer Sciences and Engineering
Özge Büyükdağlı
Course Lecturer
Course Objectives
This course develops methodological skills needed for research in computing disciplines. It covers defining a research problem, reviewing and synthesising relevant literature, selecting an appropriate research design and approach, planning data collection and analysis, and applying research ethics and academic integrity. The course concludes with a structured research proposal that integrates these elements into a coherent study plan.
Learning Outcomes
After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:
Course Materials
Required Textbook
Thiel, D. V. (2014). Research methods for engineers. Cambridge University Press.
Additional Literature
Montgomery, D. C. (2019). Design and analysis of experiments. Wiley. Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2017). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. Sage publications.Teaching Methods
Lectures
Workshops
Discussions
Peer-evaluation presentations
Peer-led instruction
Supervised research assignments
Weekly Topics
| Week | Topic | Readings / References |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Course Introduction | Syllabus |
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Assignment: Prepare research snapshot for next week.
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| 2 | The Research Process + Research Snapshot Presentations | Thiel Ch. 1 |
| 3 📍 | Problem, Literature & Purpose | Thiel Ch.1.3, Ch.3.1–3.2 |
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Assignment: Pick your anchor/core paper tied to your actual intended thesis topic, since your Week 15 presentation will be reviewed by faculty.
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| 4 | Literature Review Workshop | Thiel Ch.2+ Creswell Ch.2 |
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Start working on literature review, deadline: 3 weeks
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| 5 | Qualitative Methods | Creswell & Creswell Ch.9 |
| 6 | Quantitative Methods & Hypotheses | Creswell Ch.7–8; Thiel Ch.3.3–3.5 |
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Assignment: Lock in your method: qualitative or quantitative/simulation form
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| 7 | In class activity: Peer evaluation | |
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Assignment: Literature review draft due (submit before the lecture)
Assignment: Peer evaluation form submitted (due end of class) |
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| 8 | Midterm | |
| 9 | Design of Experiments Presentation | Recorded Lecture + Montgomery Ch.1, Ch.3 |
|
Assignment: submit questions for Week 10 discussion
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| 10 | Design of Experiments Q&A | Montgomery Ch.1, Ch.3 |
| 11 | Research Ethics & IP | Thiel Ch.1.4, Ch.2.2, Ch.6.3 |
| 12 | Peer Evaluation Session | |
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Assignment: Submit peer evaluation form
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| 13 | Research in Practice Seminar | |
| 14 | Final revision and presentation preparation | |
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Final Proposal Submission Deadline!
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| 15 | Final Research Proposal Presentations | |
Course Schedule (All Sections)
| Section | Type | Day 1 | Venue 1 | Day 2 | Venue 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CS553.1 | Course | Wednesday 17:00 - 19:50 | A F1.4 - Class/Laboratory | - | - |
Office Hours & Room
| Day | Time | Office | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 12:00 - 15:00 | A F1.8 | |
| Wednesday | 10:00 - 12:00 | A F1.8 |
Assessment Methods and Criteria
Assessment Components
Research Proposal
AI: Consult InstructorAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3 4 5
Literature Review Report
AI: Consult InstructorAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3 4
Participation (7 assignments)
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3 4 5
Presentation
AI: AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 5
IUS Grading System
| Grading Scale | IUS Grading System | IUS Coeff. | Letter (B&H) | Numerical (B&H) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 - 44 | F | 0 | F | 5 |
| 45 - 54 | E | 1 | ||
| 55 - 64 | C | 2 | E | 6 |
| 65 - 69 | C+ | 2.3 | D | 7 |
| 70 -74 | B- | 2.7 | ||
| 75 - 79 | B | 3 | C | 8 |
| 80 - 84 | B+ | 3.3 | ||
| 85 - 94 | A- | 3.7 | B | 9 |
| 95 - 100 | A | 4 | A | 10 |
Late Work Policy
Information about late submission policies will be shared during class and posted in this section. Please check back for official guidelines.
ECTS Credit Calculation
📚 Student Workload
This 6 ECTS credit course corresponds to 150 hours of total student workload, distributed as follows:
Lectures and presentations
42 hours ⏳ (14 week × 3 h)
Home study (reading and preparation)
28 hours ⏳ (14 week × 2 h)
Assignments
60 hours ⏳ (10 week × 6 h)
Final proposal integration and presentation preparation
16 hours ⏳ (4 week × 4 h)
Individual consultations and feedback sessions
4 hours ⏳ (4 week × 1 h)
150 Total Workload Hours
6 ECTS Credits
Course Policies
Academic Integrity
All work submitted must be your own. Plagiarism, cheating, or any form of academic dishonesty will result in disciplinary action according to university policies. When in doubt about citation practices, consult the instructor.
Attendance Policy
Students are expected to adhere to the attendance requirements as outlined in the International University of Sarajevo Study Rules and Regulations. Excessive absences, whether excused or unexcused, may impact academic performance and eligibility for assessment. Mandatory sessions (e.g., labs, workshops) require attendance unless formally exempted. For detailed policies on absences, documentation, and penalties, please refer to the official university regulations.
Technology & AI Policy
Laptops/tablets may be used for note-taking only during lectures. Phones should be silenced and put away during all class sessions. Audio/video recording requires prior permission from the instructor.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Usage: The use of AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini) varies by assessment component. Please refer to the AI usage indicator next to each assessment item in the Assessment Methods and Criteria section above. Submitting AI-generated content as your own work, where AI is not explicitly allowed, constitutes an academic integrity violation.
Communication Policy
All course-related communication should occur through official university channels (institutional email or SIS). Emails should include [CS553] in the subject line.
Academic Quality Assurance Policy
Course Academic Quality Assurance is achieved through Semester Student Survey. At the end of each academic year, the institution of higher education is obliged to evaluate work of the academic staff, or the success of realization of the curricula.
Learning Tips
Be prepared to contribute thoughtfully during class discussions, labs, or collaborative work. Active participation deepens understanding and encourages critical thinking.
Complete assigned readings or prep materials before class. Take notes, highlight key ideas, and jot down questions. Aim to grasp core concepts and their applications—not just facts.
Use course frameworks or methodologies to analyze problems, case studies, or projects. Begin early to allow time for reflection and refinement. Seek feedback to improve your work.
Don’t hesitate to reach out when something is unclear. Use office hours, discussion boards, or peer networks to clarify concepts and stay on track.
Syllabus Last Updated on Sep 09, 2026 | International University of Sarajevo
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Referencing Curricula Print this page
| Course Code | Course Title | Weekly Hours* | ECTS | Weekly Class Schedule | ||||||
| T | P | |||||||||
| CS553 | Research Methodologies in Computer Science | 3 | 0 | 6 | Wednesday 17:00-20:00 | |||||
| Prerequisite | None | It is a prerequisite to | - | |||||||
| Lecturer | Özge Büyükdağlı | Office Hours / Room / Phone | Monday: 12:00-15:00 Wednesday: 10:00-12:00 |
|||||||
| obuyukdagli@ius.edu.ba | ||||||||||
| Assistant | Assistant E-mail | |||||||||
| Course Objectives | This course develops methodological skills needed for research in computing disciplines. It covers defining a research problem, reviewing and synthesising relevant literature, selecting an appropriate research design and approach, planning data collection and analysis, and applying research ethics and academic integrity. The course concludes with a structured research proposal that integrates these elements into a coherent study plan. |
|||||||||
| Textbook | Thiel, D. V. (2014). Research methods for engineers. Cambridge University Press. | |||||||||
| Additional Literature |
|
|||||||||
| Learning Outcomes | After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to: | |||||||||
|
||||||||||
| Teaching Methods | Lectures, workshops, discussions, peer-evaluation presentations, peer-led instruction, supervised research assignments | |||||||||
| Teaching Method Delivery | Face-to-face | Teaching Method Delivery Notes | ||||||||
| WEEK | TOPIC | REFERENCE | ||||||||
| Week 1 | Course Introduction | Syllabus | ||||||||
| Week 2 | The Research Process + Research Snapshot Presentations | Thiel Ch. 1 | ||||||||
| Week 3 | Problem, Literature & Purpose | Thiel Ch.1.3, Ch.3.1–3.2 | ||||||||
| Week 4 | Literature Review Workshop | Thiel Ch.2+ Creswell Ch.2 | ||||||||
| Week 5 | Qualitative Methods | Creswell & Creswell Ch.9 | ||||||||
| Week 6 | Quantitative Methods & Hypotheses | Creswell Ch.7–8; Thiel Ch.3.3–3.5 | ||||||||
| Week 7 | In class activity: Peer evaluation | |||||||||
| Week 8 | Midterm | |||||||||
| Week 9 | Design of Experiments Presentation | Recorded Lecture + Montgomery Ch.1, Ch.3 | ||||||||
| Week 10 | Design of Experiments Q&A | Montgomery Ch.1, Ch.3 | ||||||||
| Week 11 | Research Ethics & IP | Thiel Ch.1.4, Ch.2.2, Ch.6.3 | ||||||||
| Week 12 | Peer Evaluation Session | |||||||||
| Week 13 | Research in Practice Seminar | |||||||||
| Week 14 | Final revision and presentation preparation | |||||||||
| Week 15 | Final Research Proposal Presentations | |||||||||
| Assessment Methods and Criteria | Evaluation Tool | Quantity | Weight | Alignment with LOs | AI Usage |
| Research Proposal | 1 | 40 | 1, 2, 3, 4,5 | Consult Instructor | |
| Semester Evaluation Components | |||||
| Literature Review Report | 1 | 20 | 1, 2, 3, 4 | Consult Instructor | |
| Participation (7 assignments) | 1 | 30 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 | Not Allowed | |
| Presentation | 1 | 10 | 5 | Allowed | |
| *** ECTS Credit Calculation *** | |||||
| Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | |||
| Lectures and presentations | 3 | 14 | 42 | Home study (reading and preparation) | 2 | 14 | 28 | |||
| Assignments | 6 | 10 | 60 | Final proposal integration and presentation preparation | 4 | 4 | 16 | |||
| Individual consultations and feedback sessions | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | ||||||
| 0 | 0 | |||||||||
| 0 | 0 | |||||||||
| Total Workload Hours = | 150 | |||||||||
| *T= Teaching, P= Practice | ECTS Credit = | 6 | ||||||||
| Course Academic Quality Assurance: Semester Student Survey | Last Update Date: 30/09/2026 | |||||||||
Detailed Weekly Plan
Assignment: Peer evaluation form submitted (due end of class)