Ensure that you have the three MCS 801 texts (these 3 texts are used in every subsequent MCS course)before arriving on-campus:
 Biermann, Great Ideas in Computer Science, 1997
 Brookshear, Computer Science: An Overview, 1997
 Dewdney, The New Turing Omnibus, 1993
In addition, you should obtain several “popular” and “scholarly” articles on computer science for in-class discussion.

PRIOR TO JUNE 14 (prior to arriving on campus)

1. Skim the contents of all three texts.
2. Obtain some “popular” level articles dealing with computer science (eg, from the newspaper or newsweekly magazines).  Bring at least one article with you to class that you found interesting and understandable.
3. Obtain some “scholarly” level articles dealing with computer science (eg, from a journal or technical publication).  Bring at least one article with you to class.
4. Ponder several alternative ideas for a research paper.

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

Class will begin at 8:30am each day, Monday – Friday.
Lunch will be from 11:30am – 1:00pm each day, M – F.
Class will end at 3:30pm each day, Monday – Friday.

Class will be held in S118B (Stuenkel Hall).

Monday, June 14

- CS Forum: discussion of the MCS program along with informal student and faculty introductions.
- Computer Science Research Examples:  We will review and discuss research from the two primary CS professional societies: Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers - Computer Society (IEEE-CS).
- Computer Facility Orientation
- Library Tour: Richard Wohlers, Research Librarian
- Topic Selection: I recommend that you leverage the M 801 research paper by expanding a paper required for your MCS program.  For example, expanding the "History of Computer Science" paper in MCS 810.

Example Paper - this link contains an MS Word document file of a 1998 MCS 801 Research Paper

Tuesday, June 15

- Topic Statements for Research Paper are due.
- An oral presentation of your topic proposals.  The class will offer questions to aid you in clarifying the topic and approach.
- Computer Science Research Examples:  We will continue the review and discussion of CS research from yesterday's examples
 - APA Style Sheet
 - Computer Science Style Sheet:
- Bibliography: Using local (TOPCAT) and remote (FirstSearch) resources as an aid to bibliographic preparation.

Wednesday, June 16

- Working Bibliography (12 preliminary sources) due.
- WWW CS sites
- e-Research
- Chapel @ 10AM with President Dr. Pat Ferry
- MCS 890 Presentation: Mr. Mark Van Donsel, M.S.
- Computer Science Research Examples:  We will continue the review and discussion of CS research from the first day's examples
- Philosophy of Graduate CS education: We will discuss what we (students and instructor) perceive to be important aspects of graduate education in computer science.

Thursday, June 17

- Annotated Bibliography (12 sources) due.
- Research Proposal (1 - 2 pages) due.
- Specific Internet Resources and Research:
- Computer Science Resource Site List:
- Discussion of Fred Brook’s The Computer Scientist as Toolsmith II
- Research Article Analysis: Unique aspects of computer science research will be discussed and related to M 801 discussion components.

Friday, June 18

- Computer Science Internet Resource list (10 sites) due.
- Revised Research Proposal Due
- Oral Presentation on Research topic given.
- A Definition of Computer Science
- Where’s the science in Computer Science?
- A Framework for Computer Science
- The Grand Ideas of Computer Science
- Worldviews in Computer Science