NDAK25001U Empirical Research Methods in Computer Science (ERMCS)

Volume 2025/2026
Education

MSc Programme in Computer Science

MSc Programme in Computer Science with a minor subject 

Content

This course teaches students to design and evaluate empirical research in computer science. Students will acquire knowledge of central ideas about research quality and an understanding of how research is planned, conducted and analysed. On completion of the course, students will be prepared to select and use research methods in their projects (e.g. master's theses and dissertations) and to read and use the results of empirical research. Participants will also learn to critically evaluate results and sources of bias/error in the research of others.  The course focuses on empirical research in all areas of computer science, including software engineering, human-computer interaction, natural language processing, graphics, and artificial intelligence.   

Learning Outcome

Knowledge of

  • Notions of research quality, including validity, credibility, reliability, transparency, ethics, and integrity 

  • Types of empirical research methods, including observation, experiments, field studies, interviews, surveys, archival research, crowdsourcing  

  • Tradeoffs in research, including between realism, precision, and generalizability 

  • Different research traditions and their underlying philosophies 
     

Skills in

  • Formulating research questions 

  • Planning and analyzing research of the types noted above 

  • Analysis and representation of qualitative and quantitative data 
     

Competences in

  • Analyzing research papers with respect to their quality and choice of method 

  • Interpreting and drawing conclusions from quantitative and qualitative data 

Selected papers. See Absalon when the course is set up.

 

Academic qualifications equivalent to a BSc degree are recommended.
The aim of the course is to give participants practical and theoretical insight into research methods. Practical insight is obtained through compulsory assignments on planning or analysis of empirical research. The theoretical insight is obtained through the reading and discussing selected papers and book chapters.
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Lectures
  • 32
  • Preparation
  • 78
  • Project work
  • 96
  • Total
  • 206
Written
Oral

Written and oral feedback on assignments, oral feedback on oral presentations. 

Credit
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Continuous assessment
Type of assessment details
Continuous assessment of 5 written assignments. All assignments must pass. The final grade is based on an overall assessment of the assignments.
Aid
All aids allowed
Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
No external censorship
Several internal examiners
Re-exam

Oral examination, 20 minutes (including grading) without preparation.

Criteria for exam assesment

See Learning Outcome