Learning Objectives: Graduate Students completing this project should be able to independently and successfully:

1. Perform a thorough bibliographical search of a particular topic in computer science.
2. Categorize papers related to a particular topic and identify the most important papers to actually read.
3. Write thorough, critical reviews of papers.
4. Compare and contrast and summarize a set of papers/research contributions on a particular topic.
5. Write an informative, but concise and critical survey of the state-of-the-art in a particular field of computer science.
6. Brainstorm new ideas on a particular topic, based on previous work in the area.
7. Develop an evaluation plan which would successfully determine the effectiveness of new ideas.
8. Write a well-developed, concise research proposal.
9. Convey their research ideas and the state-of-the art in a particular topic to an audience, both orally and visually.

In addition, the students should learn to work together as a research team in gathering information, discussing existing approaches to gain understanding, critical thinking, and formulating new ideas.

The Divided Project: The following chart lays out the various subtasks and the timeline of minideadlines to ensure that each student makes the best use of the entire semester to hit every aspect of the first stages of research up through the proposal. We will discuss each subtask individually in class, in addition to actually doing some of these tasks in class.

The project is also divided throughout the semester in terms of individual and group efforts. The tasks have been carefully designated according to which method would lend itself to increased learning.

Potential Topics: Based on current proceedings and lectures in various conferences over the past year, I have developed the following list of topics. I prefer that you choose one of these topics, as they were included due to their "hot topic" status and the relevancy to this course. Only one group will focus on a given topic from the list. If more than one group selects the same topic, we will flip a coin.

The topics are "program analysis and transformation for":

1. Embedded Systems
2. Real-time Systems
3. Mobile Code
4. Dynamic compilation and dynamic optimization
5. Multithreaded/Parallel codes
6. Integration of compiler and architectural features for better code
7. Large applications and components
8. Web applications
9. Software development tools: debuggers, testing, program understanding
10. Security and safety of systems

If you are currently doing research in one of these areas, and are already past the stage of creating a literature survey, then you should choose another topic. If you have just started research in one of these topics, but have not done a literature survey, you may choose a topic somewhat closely related to your topic or a completely unrelated topic. If you are not sure which category you belong in here, you should talk to me.