Formalising research methods for graduate programs in computer science

Traditional M.Sc. and Ph.D. programs are being supplemented by "fourth-level", integrated Ph.D. programs which seek to formalise the transition from undergraduate to postgraduate study. As well as undertaking formal modules, graduate students on these programs are expected to quickly learn how to plan, manage and conduct research. They should also know how to present the outcomes of their research in peer- reviewed publications. Moreover, they must be able to reflect critically on existing research as well as on their own findings. In the development of one such integrated Ph.D. program it was found that there is little agreement on the constituent elements of a module on computing research methods or on the pedagogical principles to be employed in the preparation and delivery of such a module. This paper reports on the design, experience and assessment of a graduate level module on research methods in computer science, documenting how it was planned and realised, reporting on the staff and student experiences, and providing both objective and subjective assessments of the module and its outcomes.