General information
Your research paper should:
- address a problem related to computer security and consist of the design of some computer security system or technique, or
- analyze and improve some existing system or technique.
The main goal of the paper is to do original work on a problem of interest in computer security.
You should work individually or in groups of two students. Papers will be evaluated on the quality of the idea originality and the implementation of the idea.
I expect that most papers will fall (more or less) into one of two categories:
1. Design. Design papers will usually attempt to solve some interesting problem by proposing a design; implementing a prototype; and using the implementation as a basis for evaluating the proposed system architecture. In a good design paper, the authors will have:
- attacked a significant problem
- devised an interesting and practical solution
- clearly described what they have and have not implemented
- demonstrated the benefits of their solution
- articulated the advances beyond previous work
- drawn appropriate conclusions
2. Analysis. Analysis papers might, for example, study some previously-proposed implementation technique, existing system, or class of systems; evaluate its security properties; find flaws, or strengths, in it; and provide new insight into how to build secure systems.
The topic should be relevant to computer security, but this will be interpreted broadly. You are encouraged to find topics of interest to you; feel free to be creative in selecting a paper topic. You’re welcome to pick a topic that is connected to your current research: for instance, if your primary research interest is in digital libraries, you would be welcome to do a research paper on some aspect of security, cryptography, or privacy in digital libraries.
If you’re at a loss for a paper topic, I’ve prepared a list of possible paper topics that you can peruse as examples of how to a pick a suitable paper. See below. But don’t feel limited to these suggestions! They are intended only as examples.
You’re welcome to come discuss possible paper ideas with me, if you like, before the deadline for such a meeting. I’m happy to make myself available to discuss papers. Please contact me over e-mail to book an apoinment.
Term Paper Template
Here’s a ZIP archive with files for writing a term paper in LaTeX.
If you don’t use LaTeX, then you can take the PDF version of the template and recreate look-n-feel in any other typesetting system.