Cyber Security Research Skills - COM00097M
- Department: Computer Science
- Credit value: 10 credits
- Credit level: M
- Academic year of delivery: 2022-23
Module will run
| Occurrence | Teaching period |
|---|---|
| A | Autumn Term 2022-23 |
Module aims
In the context of cybersecurity: to allow students to develop an understanding of writing styles and methods appropriate to a variety of academic and business circumstances, to introduce mechanisms for evaluating the quality of published information, to develop an understanding of peer-review processes for research and funding and to develop skills in communicating advanced topics to specialist and non-specialist audiences.
Module learning outcomes
At the end of the module the student will be able to demonstrate understanding of:
* the role and nature of critical feedback when reviewing scientific literature submitted for peer review, including how to give such feedback
* how to communicate cybersecurity issues to a variety of audiences, including security experts and the general public
* how to write and evaluate business cases and funding proposals for a range of purposes
* how to use impact factors, other metrics, and the content of written work itself to evaluate its value in research
* the role and content of CyBOK and similar projects
Module content
* Writing styles and circumstances - popular press vs. internal reports vs. papers for publication.
* Writing tools and reference/bibliography management - Word processing, LaTeX, BibTeX, reference managers
* Other forms of communication - video, radio, interview, popular press
* Funding and business cases/cases for support
* Review processes for funding and publication
All the above will be explored through topics chosen from the CyBOK with appropriate papers and exercises built around those topics. Topics will normally be chosen from those not studied in detail elsewhere in the MSc Cybersecurity curriculum (e.g. Privacy and online rights, Security Operations & Incident Management, Cyber-Physical Systems Security)
Indicative assessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Essay/coursework | 100 |
Special assessment rules
None
Additional assessment information
Portfolio of work developed during the module - to include at least one of each of: paper review or paper, business case or review of funding application, online media (video, podcast etc) presentation of a topic. 100% of module mark.
Indicative reassessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Essay/coursework | 100 |
Module feedback
Within the standard timescale through written feedback provided via the online system.
Indicative reading
CyBOK: https://cybok.org/
The Digitally-Agile Researcher 1st Ed., Natalia Kucirkova, Oliver Quinlan 2017, OU Press (McGraw Hill)
Reading, Writing and Reasoning, 3rd Ed., Gavin Fairbairn, Christopher Winch, 2011, OU Press (McGraw Hill)
How to Research, 4th Ed., Loraine Blaxter, Christina Hughes, Malcolm Tight 2010, OU Press (McGraw Hill)
Gaining Funding for Research, 1st Ed. Dianne Berry, 2010 | Published: July 16, OU Press (McGraw Hill)