Independent Research (CS 490)

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Cornell students who have an appropriate background in the field of computer science are eligible to receive academic credit (CS 490) for doing independent research with faculty or researchers in the Department of Computer Science.   Typically, students requesting research studies will have had at least 1-2 years worth of CS field course experience.  The background experience that you are required to have varies depending on the nature of the study and the stated requirements of the sponsoring instructor.

If you are interested in doing an independent study, you should:

  1. define your area(s) of interest
  2. review the departmental list of Faculty Research Interests to find faculty members who might have related interests*
  3. approach a CS faculty member who is working in that area and discuss the possibility of doing an independent research project
  4. reach an agreement with the supervising faculty member about what will be studied and how the results will be evaluated
  5. provide the faculty member with a brief written understanding of what you think you are studying and how the results will be evaluated
  6. register your project as outlined below

* If you are still uncertain about who to approach after looking at faculty research areas, you should discuss the matter with your CS faculty advisor.

Registering for CS 490

All CS students taking CS 490 are required to register an abstract with the department.  Unless requested otherwise, these abstracts will be included in the listing that appears here.  Here are the steps to follow to register your CS 490 project with the department:

  1. officially add CS 490, via online Add/Drop or paper Add/Drop*, using the Course ID# from the University Roster that corresponds to the professor with whom you're working.  (make sure that the professor *knows* you are working with her/him before you sign up - see steps outlined above)
  2. if using the paper Add/Drop form, stop by the Computer Science Undergraduate Office to receive departmental approval (stamped on the Drop/Add form)
  3. fill out the following form:

Your name

Title of your independent study

Brief abstract describing your study (examples)

Name of the instructor with whom you are working

Agreed upon number of credits of the independent study

Graduation year

NetID

 

The purpose for registering CS 490 projects is to share research ideas with other students in the program. Your submission may be posted on the web unless you specifically request otherwise. If you would like us to include a URL of your project web site, please make sure it is a permanent research archive site--not a location that exists in your temporary account.  For more information about obtaining a permanent web project site, email www@cs.cornell.edu.

For more information about registering for CS 490, go to Upson 303 or email the Computer Science Undergraduate Office.

* You must use the paper Add/Drop if you have already registered for another CS 490 this semester

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Last updated March 12, 2003. For more information email us at ugrad@cs.cornell.edu .