Department of Computer Science
CSU Stanislaus
California State University

CS4960-001: Seminar in Computer Science

Spring 2026

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Instructor: Dr. Xuejun Liang

My Office: DBH 282

Office Hours: MWF 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

ZOOM Meeting ID: 4438930033, Phone: (209) 667-3169, Email: xliang@csustan.edu

Class Information:

Classroom: DBH 113

Class Days & Times: Tu 3:30 p.m. - 4:20 p.m.

Class Website: https://www.cs.csustan.edu/~xliang/Courses3/CS4960-26S

Class Canvas: Use your class Canvas account to submit homework assignments

Class Modality: In-Person. Student attendance is required

Preliminary Topic and Topic Proposal Due Days

	Requirement	Due day
Preliminary Topic	One paragraph	02/09/2026
Topic Proposal	One-to-three pages	02/16/2026

Presentation Schedule and Due days of Paper, PowerPoint Slides, and Feedback

Days of Presentation	Paper and Presentation Slide for presenters	Feedback for non-presenters
First Presentations: 04/14	Due 04/13	Due 04/14
Second Presentations: 04/21	Due 04/20	Due 04/21
Third Presentations: 04/28	Due 04/27	Due 04/28
Fourth Presentations: 05/05	Due 05/04	Due 05/05
Fifth Presentations: 05/12	Due 05/11	Due 05/12

Catalog Description:

CS4960: Seminar in Computer Science (1 unit). Pre-requisites: Senior standing and consent of instructor and either passage of (strongly recommended) CS 4100, or co-enrollment in CS 4100. Presentation and discussion of selected topics in computer science from current literature.

Textbook:

None

Course Objectives

· To explore aspects of computer science beyond what you have encountered in your previous course work,

· To benefit from similar research done by your fellow students, and

· To present an important body of work in both written and oral form.

Useful links

· How to select research topic in computer science

· How to write a proposal essay/paper

· How to write a research paper

· 14 PowerPoint presentation tips to make more creative slideshows [+ templates]

· Information on citation of sources.

· Research Topic, Writing and Public Speaking Information.

Course Syllabus and Feedback Form

· Course Syllabus and Schedule

· Oral Presentation Feedback Form

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Course Requirements

• Accept a presentation date assigned by the instructor at the beginning of the semester.
• Choose a computer science topic to research and present to an audience. The audience will include, but not be limited to, the other members of the class.
1. The topic must have significant scholarly, as opposed to merely technological, content.
2. The research must draw on multiple sources and embody concepts that may be expected to endure beyond any particular current technology.
• Select a preliminary research topic and submit it to the instructor in Canvas. The topic should be specific in a field related to computer science. It needs to be involved in a college level of theoretical and/or technical discussion.
• Submit the topic proposal to the instructor in Canvas. The proposal must specify multiple reliable sources (at least two) from which you intend to draw. Include full citations in bibliographic form: for details about the required form for citations see "Your List of References" and "When You Make Direct Use of a Source" below. Your proposal must also describe the nature of the scholarly content you will include in your presentation.
• To pass the course, you must turn in a satisfactory proposal. You must get the instructor's formal approval of the proposal by working out an agreement with the instructor. Your presentation must correspond to the agreed-upon proposal.
• Create a balanced and unbiased written report on your topic. Base it on a variety of solid sources, including the ones you listed in your approved proposal. Synthesize and summarize the knowledge you gained from the research. Infuse the exposition of the report with freshness and originality. The report must tell what you learned about the subject matter - what you think, feel, and wonder about it. What interesting questions did your research answer? What interesting questions remain unanswered?

· Turn in your written report and your presentation slides one week in advance of your presentation date in Canvas. All students should review the presentation slides before the talk. Reports must use a font of size 12 and have 5 to 6 pages with single space. Your report must include a reference page citing your sources, at least two of which must be books or peer-reviewed journal articles. More information on proper citation of sources.

· On your assigned date deliver a 20-25-minute oral presentation of the content of your written report. (Seminar presentations will be publicly announced and will be open to visitors who may wish to attend.)

• Attend all the presentations of the other members of the class and react to them by asking questions and by writing a short critique which will be collected and given to the presenter.

Grading

Assuming you fulfill all the requirements listed above, I will base your grade on three components:

1. your grade on your written report,

2. your grade on your oral presentation, and

3. your participation grades.

Each of the components above will get equal weight.

I'll grade your paper and oral presentation based on the thoroughness and depth with which you address your topic as well as the clarity, accuracy, and style of your presentation. You'll get a grade between 0 and 100 for each.

You'll get one participation credit for each time you attend a presentation and turn in an acceptable critique sheet. I'll compute your number of satisfactory critiques as a percentage of the number of possible critiques, and this percentage will be your participation grade.

You will receive credit (a grade of "CR") for the course if

1. you receive a score of 60 or above in each of the three components, and

2. your average over the three components is 70% or above.

Otherwise, you will receive no credit ("NC").

(The above "Course Requirements" and "Grading" are borrowed liberally from Dr. John Sarraille's CS 4960 course description, with permission.)

Academic Honesty

The work you do for this course will be your own, unless otherwise specified. You are not to submit other people's or AI generated work and represent it as your own. I consider academic honesty to be at the core of the University's activities in education and research. Academic honesty is always expected in this course.

Accommodation for Students with Disabilities

Students with disabilities seeking academic accommodation must first register with the Disability Resource Services (DRS) program, located in MSR 210, ph. (209) 667-3159. Students are encouraged to talk with the instructor regarding their accommodation needs after registering with DRS.

Students Support Services

Services Director can be accessed via the link: Student Services | California State University Stanislaus (csustan.edu)