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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, writing a standout computer science college essay.

Hey all, I'm applying to colleges next year and I plan on majoring in computer science. I want my college essay to stand out, so do you have any tips or ideas on how to make a computer science-related essay unique? Thanks in advance!

Absolutely! Your college essay is a great opportunity to showcase your passion for computer science while also highlighting your personality and unique experiences. Here's an outline to help make your computer science-related essay stand out:

1. Choose a specific angle: Avoid writing a general essay about your love for computers or programming. Instead, focus on a particular aspect of computer science that has significantly impacted your life or inspired you. This could be a project you worked on, a specific concept or language you found fascinating, or a problem you encountered and worked to solve.

2. Incorporate a personal story or moment: Present your idea or experience through a personal narrative to make it relatable and engaging. A moment of conflict, challenge, discovery, or growth can make for a captivating story, allowing you to demonstrate how you've applied computer science to your own life or how it has shaped you.

3. Show your passion and curiosity: Highlight your enthusiasm for learning and exploring new concepts within computer science. Showing that you're not only skilled in this field but also genuinely interested and dedicated to its development will make your essay more compelling to admissions officers.

4. Emphasize your impact or contribution: Colleges love to see how you've made a positive impact or contributed to something greater through your passion for computer science. Discuss how you've overcome obstacles, acted as a mentor, or used your skills to benefit your community, school, or other organizations. This will demonstrate your commitment to bettering the world through your talents.

5. Infuse your personality: Don't forget to let your personality shine through in your writing. Admissions officers want to get to know you as an individual, so write as authentically as possible and use your unique voice. This could include sharing a quirky hobby related to computer science or revealing how your cultural or personal background has shaped your perspective in the field.

6. Revise and polish: Finally, don't underestimate the importance of editing and revising your essay. Ensure that your narrative flows smoothly, and work on making your sentences clear, concise, and powerful. Ask for feedback from a trusted friend, teacher, or family member, and be open to their suggestions.

Remember, the key is to make your essay a reflection of who you are and how computer science has played a meaningful role in your life. Good luck with your writing!

About CollegeVine’s Expert FAQ

CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.

Computer Science Essay Topics

Unleash Your Creativity with 160+ Computer Science Essay Topics

12 min read

Published on: May 5, 2023

Last updated on: Jan 30, 2024

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One of the biggest challenges students face when it comes to writing an essay is choosing the right topic.

This is especially true for computer science students, who often struggle to find a topic that is relevant to the subject.

That's where our blog comes in!

We have crafted a list of over 160 computer science essay topics to help students find inspiration. Whether you're looking to write an impressive essay or simply looking for topic suggestions, we have got you covered.

So, let's get started!

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Computer Science Essay - Overview

A computer science essay is a written piece that explores various topics related to computer science. These include technical and complex topics, like software development and artificial intelligence. They can also explore more general topics, like the history and future of technology.

In most cases, computer science essays are written by students as part of their coursework or academic assignments.

Computer science essays can take many forms, such as research papers, argumentative essays, or even creative writing pieces.

Regardless of the format, a well-written computer science essay should be informative, engaging, and well-supported by evidence and research.

Now that we understand the purpose of it, let's explore some of the most popular and interesting topics within this field.

In the following sections, we will dive into over 160 computer science essay topics to inspire your next writing project.

Computer Science Essay Topics For High School Students

How Artificial Intelligence is Revolutionizing the Gaming Industry
The Ethics of Autonomous Vehicles: Who is Responsible for Accidents?
The Role of Computer Science in Modern Healthcare
The Benefits and Drawbacks of Artificial Intelligence
The Future of Cybersecurity: Challenges and Opportunities
How Virtual Reality is Changing the Way We Learn
The Ethics of Autonomous Vehicles
The Role of Big Data in Modern Business
The Pros and Cons of Cloud Computing
The Implications of Blockchain Technology

Computer Science Essay Topics For Middle School Students

How Computers Work: An Introduction to Hardware and Software
The Evolution of Video Games: From Pong to Virtual Reality
Internet Safety: Tips for Staying Safe Online
How Search Engines Work: Understanding Google and Bing
Coding Basics: An Introduction to HTML and CSS
The Future of Technology: What Will We See in the Next 10 Years?
The Power of Social Media: How it Impacts Our Lives
The Ethics of Technology: The Pros and Cons of Social Media
The Science of Cryptography: How Messages are Secured
Robots and Artificial Intelligence: What Are They and How Do They Work?

Computer Science Essay Topics For College Students

The Role of Machine Learning in Business
Cybersecurity and Data Privacy in the Digital Age
The Impact of Social Media on Political Campaigns
The Ethics of Artificial Intelligence and Autonomous Systems
The Future of Cloud Computing and Cloud Storage
The Use of Blockchain Technology in Financial Services
The Integration of IoT in Smart Homes and Smart Cities
The Advancements and Challenges of Quantum Computing
The Pros and Cons of Open Source Software
The Impact of Technology on the Job Market: Opportunities and Threats

Computer Science Essay Topics For University Students

The Application of Machine Learning and Deep Learning in Natural Language Processing
The Future of Quantum Computing: Challenges and Prospects
The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on the Labor Market: An Empirical Study
The Ethical Implications of Autonomous Systems and Robotics
The Role of Data Science in Financial Risk Management
Blockchain and Smart Contracts: Applications and Limitations
The Security Challenges of Cloud Computing: A Comparative Analysis
The Prospects of Cognitive Computing and its Implications for Business Intelligence
The Integration of IoT and Edge Computing in Smart City Development
The Relationship between Cybersecurity and National Security: A Theoretical and Empirical Study.

Research Paper Topics in Computer Science

Artificial Intelligence in Cybersecurity: Advancements and Limitations
Social Media and Mental Health: Implications for Research and Practice
Blockchain Implementation in Supply Chain Management: A Comparative Study
Natural Language Processing: Trends, Challenges, and Future Directions
Edge Computing in IoT: Opportunities and Challenges
Data Analytics in Healthcare Decision Making: An Empirical Study
Virtual Reality in Education and Training: Opportunities and Challenges
Cloud Computing in Developing Countries: Opportunities and Challenges
Security Risks of Smart Homes and IoT Devices: A Comparative Analysis
Artificial Intelligence and the Legal Profession: Challenges and Opportunities

Computer Science Essay Topics On Emerging Technologies

5G Networks: Trends, Applications, and Challenges
Augmented Reality in Marketing and Advertising: Opportunities and Challenges
Quantum Computing in Drug Discovery: A Review of Current Research
Autonomous Vehicles: Advancements and Challenges in Implementation
Synthetic Biology: Current Developments and Future Prospects
Brain-Computer Interfaces: Opportunities and Challenges in Implementation
Robotics in Healthcare: Trends, Challenges, and Future Directions
Wearable Technology: Applications and Limitations in Healthcare
Virtual Assistants: Opportunities and Limitations in Daily Life
Biometric Authentication: Advancements and Challenges in Implementation

Computer Science Essay Topics On Solving Problems

Using Artificial Intelligence to solve traffic congestion problems
Implementing Machine Learning to predict and prevent cyber-attacks
Developing a Computer Vision system to detect early-stage skin cancer
Using Data Analytics to improve energy efficiency in buildings
Implementing an IoT-based solution for monitoring and reducing air pollution
Developing a software system for optimizing supply chain management
Using Blockchain to secure and manage digital identities
Implementing a Smart Grid system for energy distribution and management
Developing a mobile application for emergency response and disaster management
Using Robotics to automate and optimize warehouse operations.

Computer Science Argumentative Essay Topics

Should the development of autonomous weapons be banned?
Is social media addiction a mental health disorder?
Should governments regulate the use of artificial intelligence in decision-making?
Is online privacy a fundamental human right?
Should companies be held liable for data breaches?
Is net neutrality necessary for a free and open internet?
Should software piracy be treated as a criminal offense?
Should online hate speech be regulated by law?
Is open-source software better than proprietary software?
Should governments use surveillance technology to prevent crime?

Computer Science Persuasive Essay Topics

Should coding be a mandatory subject in schools?
Is artificial intelligence a threat to human jobs?
Should the use of drones for commercial purposes be regulated?
Is encryption important for online security?
Should governments provide free Wi-Fi in public spaces?
Is cyberbullying a serious problem in schools?
Should social media platforms regulate hate speech?
Is online voting a viable option for elections?
Should algorithms be used in decision-making processes in the criminal justice system?
Should governments invest in space exploration and colonization?

Current Hot Topics in Computer Science

The ethical implications of facial recognition technology
The role of blockchain in data security and privacy
The future of quantum computing and its potential applications
The challenges and opportunities of implementing machine learning in healthcare
The impact of big data on business operations and decision-making
The potential of augmented and virtual reality in education and training
The role of computer science in addressing climate change and sustainability
The social and cultural implications of social media algorithms
The intersection of computer science and neuroscience in developing artificial intelligence

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Controversial Topics in Computer Science

The ethics of Artificial Intelligence
The dark side of the Internet
The impact of social media on mental health
The role of technology in political campaigns
The ethics of autonomous vehicles
The responsibility of tech companies in preventing cyberbullying
The use of facial recognition technology by law enforcement
The impact of automation on employment
The future of privacy in a digital world
The dangers of deep face technology

Good Essay Topics on Computer Science and Systems

The history of computers and computing
The impact of computers on society
The evolution of computer hardware and software
The role of computers in education
The future of quantum computing
The impact of computers on the music industry
The use of computers in medicine and healthcare
The role of computers in space exploration
The impact of video games on cognitive development
The benefits and drawbacks of cloud computing

Simple & Easy Computers Essay Topics

How to choose the right computer for your needs
The basics of computer hardware and software
The importance of computer maintenance and upkeep
How to troubleshoot common computer problems
The role of computers in modern business
The impact of computers on communication
How to protect your computer from viruses and malware
The basics of computer programming
How to improve your computer skills
The benefits of using a computer for personal finance management.

Computer Science Extended Essay Topics

The impact of Artificial Intelligence on the job market
The development of a smart home system using IoT
The use of Blockchain in supply chain management
The future of quantum computing in cryptography
Developing an AI-based chatbot for customer service
The use of Machine Learning for credit scoring
The development of an autonomous drone delivery system
The role of Big Data in predicting and preventing natural disasters
The potential of Robotics in agriculture
The impact of 5G on the Internet of Things

Long Essay Topics In Computer Science

The ethical implications of artificial intelligence and machine learning.
Exploring the potential of quantum computing and its impact on cryptography.
The use of big data in healthcare: Opportunities and challenges.
The future of autonomous vehicles and their impact on transportation and society.
The role of blockchain technology in securing digital transactions and information.
The impact of social media and algorithms on the spread of misinformation.
The ethics of cybersecurity and the role of governments in protecting citizens online.
The potential of virtual reality and augmented reality in education and training.
The impact of cloud computing on business and IT infrastructure.
The challenges and opportunities of developing sustainable computing technologies

Most Interesting Computers Topics

The rise of artificial intelligence in information technology: opportunities and challenges.
The evolution of programming languages and their impact on software development.
The future of pursuing computer science education: online learning vs traditional classroom.
The impact of virtualization on computer systems and their scalability.
Cybersecurity threats in information technology: prevention and mitigation strategies.
An analysis of the most popular programming languages and their advantages and disadvantages.
The role of cloud computing in the digital transformation of businesses.
Emerging trends in pursuing computer science education: personalized learning and adaptive assessments.
Developing secure computer systems for critical infrastructure: challenges and solutions.
The potential of quantum computing in revolutionizing information technology and programming languages.

How To Choose The Right Computer Science Essay Topic

Choosing the right computer science essay topic can be a challenging task. Here are some tips to help you select the best topic for your essay:

Consider your Interests

Choose a topic that you are genuinely interested in. This will help you to stay motivated and engaged throughout the writing process.

Do your Research

Spend some time researching different computer science topics to identify areas that interest you and have plenty of research material available.

Narrow Down Your Focus

Once you have a list of potential topics, narrow down your focus to a specific aspect or issue within that topic.

Consider the Audience

Think about who your audience is and choose a topic that is relevant to their interests or needs.

Evaluate The Scope Of The Topic

Make sure that the topic you choose is not too broad or too narrow. You want to have enough material to write a comprehensive essay, but not so much that it becomes overwhelming.

Take some time to brainstorm different ideas and write them down. This can help you to identify patterns or themes that you can use to develop your topic.

Consult With Your Instructor

If you're struggling to come up with a topic, consider consulting with your instructor or a tutor. They can provide you with guidance and feedback to help you choose the right topic.

Tips To Write An Effective Computer Science Essay

Writing an effective computer science essay requires careful planning and execution. Here are some tips to help you write a great essay:

Start with a clear thesis statement: Your thesis statement should be concise and clearly state the purpose of your essay.
Use evidence to support your arguments: Use credible sources to back up your arguments. Also, make sure to properly cite your sources.
Write in a clear and concise manner: Use simple and straightforward language to convey your ideas. Avoid using technical jargon that your audience may not understand.
Use diagrams and visual aids: If appropriate, use diagrams and visual aids to help illustrate your ideas. This will make your essay look more engaging.
Organize your essay effectively: Use clear and logical headings and subheadings to organize your essay and make it easy to follow.
Proofread and edit: Before submitting, make sure to carefully proofread your essay to ensure that it is free of errors.
Seek feedback: Get feedback from others, to help you identify areas where you can improve your writing.

By following these tips, you can write an effective computer science essay that engages your audience and effectively communicates your ideas.

In conclusion, computer science is a vast and exciting field that offers a wide range of essay topics for students.

Whether you're writing about emerging technologies, or hot topics in computer science, there are plenty of options to choose from.

To choose the right topic for your essay, consider your interests, the assignment requirements, and the audience you are writing for. Once you have a topic in mind, follow the tips we've outlined to write an effective essay that engages your audience.

If you're struggling to write your computer science essay, consider hiring our professional essay writing - CollegeEssay.org.

We offer a range of services, including essay writing, editing, and proofreading, to help students achieve their academic goals.

With our essay writer AI , you can take your writing to the next level and succeed in your studies.

So why wait? Visit our computer science essay writing service and see how we can help you!

Donna C (Law, Literature)

Donna has garnered the best reviews and ratings for her work. She enjoys writing about a variety of topics but is particularly interested in social issues, current events, and human interest stories. She is a sought-after voice in the industry, known for her engaging, professional writing style.

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College Essay Tips for Software Engineering Programs

This article was written based on the information and opinions presented by Hale Jaeger in a CollegeVine livestream. You can watch the full livestream for more info.

What’s Covered:

“why this . . .” essays for software engineering, writing your essay.

For many college applications, you’ll write essays in addition to the Common App personal statement . These prompts will often ask you about what you’re planning on pursuing at the college. This article will give you practical advice for explaining your interest in software engineering.

Many supplemental essay prompts are quite common, such as “ Why this major? ” and “ Why this school? ” If you’re sure about pursuing software engineering and know which college you want to kick off your career at, you should already know the answers to these questions.

Certain schools have strong software engineering and computer science programs. If this is the case for your chosen college, it should be easy for you to say that you can identify with their program. You can add that you’re excited to use the specific resources there and how they will help you reach your goal of becoming a software engineer.

When talking about your major, bring up what attracts you to the field. Your eventual salary and career prospects are incentives, but you want to explain what specifically about the study of computer science and engineering makes you excited. Why do you like to learn about it? Maybe you’re fascinated by the inner workings of technology. Perhaps you’re interested in how specific tools on certain websites work. It’s also possible that you want to improve user experience and innovate existing software.

These reasons are a bit less shallow than money. They also get to the heart of why you want to pursue software engineering: you like to build things and solve problems.

From Abstract to Specific

In general, when writing your essays, you should work on funneling these types of ideas about your major from the abstract to the specific. You can open with a particular anecdote or story to catch the reader’s attention, of course, but try to start with high-level interests. Fundamental things like identifying the inner workings of a website can lead to more niche topics.

Personal Experiences

When writing your essays, make sure you touch on any personal experiences that can help show why this subject is your passion. It can all add to the personal narrative that you’ve been building in your entire application and help make the admissions officers understand you better.

If you had an experience with technology that fascinated you, drew you into the subject, and made you want to learn more, then include that. Be sure to add the important details so the reader can get a good sense of the scene. Another way to go is if you had the opposite experience: you encountered a frustrating piece of technology and were desperate to figure out how to get it working. You realized that you wanted to go into the field to improve software and make people’s lives easier. You can try writing about your interests that way.

Another way to write your essay is to back up an explanation of your passions with a personal story that will make your essay compelling. Try to draw on an anecdote, and if possible, explain what you’ve accomplished after your initial interest was sparked.

How did you get involved in coding? If you found technology that was glitching all the time or something that excited you, did this inspire you to figure out how it all worked? Write about how you’ve developed your skills in coding and science and how much you’ve learned about good systems and malfunctioning systems. Then, write about what you want to accomplish and innovate in the field.

Plans for the Future

When you’ve discussed the past and present, you can begin to probe the future. For the sake of narrative, try to include how you’ve grown and what your ultimate ambitions are. If you’re not sure exactly what branch of software engineering you want to go into, that’s fine. You can name a few options, such as game design or mobile design, or you can just talk about how you want to build things and make better technology to improve people’s lives.

When you’re talking about personal things, you should aim to be specific. Draw on stories when you can, and be honest about what interests you about this subject and what you want to do in the field. This is your chance to explore why you’re looking to go into software engineering, so you should come away from these essays feeling much more confident about your planned course of study.

Writing in Engineering

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32 Best Topics For An Engineering Essay

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If a regular college student was told to come up with a list of the most difficult academic disciplines to deal with, we bet that engineering would be deservedly mentioned. Yes, this discipline is quite challenging to get around, which is especially true of home assignments in engineering so some students are forced to ask someone to write my essay . This delicate problem often prompts some students to apply for help to online services, asking, “ do my engineering homework .” But it’s not only homework assignments in engineering that give college kids a hard time – another big burden connected with this discipline is academic writing.

In engineering paper writing, the first and most exasperating obstacle is settling on the topic. At first sight, choosing a paper topic seems to be quite easy. In reality, given the complexity of the discipline, developing a topic for an engineering discipline is a rigorous process. For this reason, we decided to put pen to paper and provide you with the greatest engineering essay topics!

Software Engineering Essay Topics

The rapid evolution of neural networks
Computer-assisted education as an innovative solution to the traditional academic system
The implementation of machine learning in today’s digital industry
The risks of using virus-infected computer software
Virtual reality and human perception
AI in modern digital marketing
The challenges of database management
The interactions between humans and machines
The problem of ethical hacking today
The development of biometric systems for computers

Biomedical Engineering Essay Topics

The critical importance of modeling diseases through engineering
The ways of improving medical imaging methods
The outlook for structural health monitoring
Genetic engineering as one of the most popular fields of biomedical engineering
The use of biomedical engineering in handling the COVID-19 situation
Biorobotics in disease detection
The authentication systems based on biorobotics
The treatment of cardiac diseases with the help of biomedical engineering

Structural Engineering Essay Topics

The use of software in modeling experiments
How to study the vulnerability of a particular area
Self-healing: core principles
The utilization of probabilistic methods in structural engineering

Mechanical Engineering Essay Topics

Marine shipping and air pollution
The history of mechanical engineering
Parallel kinematic machines
Manufacturing systems: performance analysis
Electricity production mechanisms used at nuclear power plants
The technology of solid-liquid separation
The mechanical engineering of the smart auto-reeling mechanism
Perpetual motion machines: the outlook
The implementation of oil depletion
The use of mechanical engineering in metallurgy

Engineering Writing Is Easy!

Developed by our top engineering specialists, these longed-for paper topics are for all students who fail to develop a good idea for their engineering papers. As you can now see, creating a solid engineering paper topic is not as big a deal as some college students believe it to be. Equipped with these 32 brilliant paper topics, you no longer have to torment yourself with the tedious procedure of seeking inspiration for your academic paper. Make sure to select the best topic from our top list developed by the leading experts in engineering!

Hal Abelson

I’m looking for leadership and initiative. My group has a large number of undergraduate students and I look to our grad students to be role models and leaders. Compelling application essays should talk about actual accomplishments: applications you’ve created that others are using, technical organizations you’ve started or where you play a major role. There of course needs to be a track record of academic excellence. But the centerpiece of my group is empowering people of all ages through technology, as users and creators. That passion should come through in the essay–and it’s even better if there’s a track record to point to.

Karl Berggren

An application essay provides a number of useful information points when I’m reading a candidate’s application. I’m mostly looking to see if the person can communicate clearly. Second, I’m trying to find out a bit about the person, especially their personality and motivation, and how they think about science and engineering. Finally, I’m interested in learning a bit about what circumstances have shaped the candidate’s life. This is the place where I want to know if someone has faced exceptional challenges or took advantage of a unique opportunity to do something special. Because of the importance of writing in an academic environment, I’m looking to see if there is structure to the essay, and if paragraphs are well formed. For me, the essay is really not usually the main compelling reason to admit a student, but an essay that is over the top, or is poorly written or poorly structured, sometimes puts me off a candidate who otherwise would be a possible admit.

Adam Chlipala

I think it’s useful to think of PhD applications as more like job applications than earlier educational applications. You are applying to be an apprentice researcher, and thus concrete research experience (attested to by knowledgeable supervisors in letters) is most useful to give evidence that you will succeed. Then the specifics vary by research area. I’m looking for specific technical skills and bigger-picture direction-setting skills. In my area, the former are a mix of software/hardware implementation at a decently large scale and comfort with rigorous math and logic. The latter come down to finding ways that computer systems are developed ineffectively today, and thinking up ways we could change the development tools–ideally applicants can point to cases where they were the ones driving that brainstorming, not just implementing ideas coming from supervisors. Giving some examples of project directions you want to explore is helpful both for showing that kind of initiative, and for helping potential advisors gauge fit with their own interests. However, don’t worry that anyone will hold you to working on any of the specific ideas you list!

Frédo Durand:

Mostly two things:

1/ Can the applicant think and write deeply and intelligently about state-of-the-art technical issues?

2/ What kind of technical area (very broadly speaking) are they interested in?

One challenge for applicants is that the two answers sometimes conflict: the first question requires narrowness, but you probably want to show you’re interested in a broader set of topics to maximize the number of faculty members who feel they may want to work with you. So, I usually advise students not to restrict their essay to their past research, but have a paragraph or two at the end or beginning to list the areas that appeal to them. Ideally, the letter would give me a sense of how they attack an open problem, through the example of past projects (ideally research projects).

Regarding recommendation letters, I want to read about a candidate’s potential to do research. The most insightful letters are from people who have supervised you on a research project, or on a project that involves a fair amount of independence and creativity. I find letters from people who only know a candidate in a class context less useful, unless the student has done a particularly remarkable project. Letters from mentors in industry can be useful, especially if they do or have done research. However, not all applicants (including successful ones) have three letters that are equally thorough, and it’s quite common to have 1 or 2 letters from people who really know you well from a research perspective, and 1 or 2 that are a little more superficial.

Polina Golland

The essay should focus on your interests and look to the future. Describe what problem you would like to tackle in the future and approaches you might want to take. Even if I disagree with what the applicants write, it is revealing on how they think and gets me interested. Keep the description of your (very impressive) past projects to the minimum, mention them only as support for what you want to do in the future. Your CV, other sections of the applications, and recommendation letters will talk about past projects, and it’s a pity to use your essay to rehash it again.

Piotr Indyk

For me, the most important aspect of the application is the evidence of research skills. In the ideal case, it would take the form of publications/manuscripts describing the research project(s) and results, which I can read and review. Descriptions of research projects in recommendation letters and/or the research statement are less optimal, but also OK. However, it is understandable that not all applicants have the same opportunities to pursue undergraduate research. In such cases, I try to infer from other parts of the applications, such as grades (esp. for relevant technical subjects), recommendation letters and other activities like olympiad participation. Regarding the research statement, I find it to be useful as a broad indicator of applicant research interests, but since interests of many (most?) applicants evolve, I do not put that much weight on it.

Daniel Jackson

When I think about taking on a graduate student, I ask myself: is this a good match? I want to be sure that we’ll enjoy each other’s company and be successful working together. That means you’ll be excited by the kind of work I do, and have a reason to think that working with me will be better for you than working with someone else. The students I tend to gel most with want to reconsider how we design and build software, and like to think deeply (and even a bit philosophically) about the fundamental problems. So I read the statement carefully, looking for someone who thinks clearly and creatively, knows a little bit about what I do, isn’t too distracted by technology or formalism for its own sake, and is eager to pursue big ideas. And if there’s some project you’ve done that shows some promise (especially if one of your letter writers can talk about it), so much the better.

Leslie Kaelbling

For me, the most important thing in an application is the best letter of recommendation, by a large margin. The main research letter should speak to the candidate’s creativity, independence, bravery, and ability to get things done. The other letters usually don’t matter much. I like unusual candidates, and am generally more interested in someone who has done something on their own, or in an unusual place, than someone with a lot of papers who spent four years in a very productive and prominent research group. Most essays are neither a positive nor a negative for the application. The ones I remember and value are ones that I learned something from–essays that are actually interesting to read because they have a strong or novel view or that articulate a clear vision. I also like to get the feeling that the candidate really values research intrinsically–that they are not simply applying to do a PhD because it seems like a good stepping stone to something else, or something that is highly esteemed by others. I don’t worry about a few poor grades, if they have an explanation: early in the student’s career, or during one rough semester, or as the result of exploration. I’d rather see a student with a few Bs or a C, who has taken challenging classes, than someone with a perfect GPA and completely standard undergraduate curriculum. I am completely unimpressed by a student who takes twice the normal course load—they should have been doing research!

David Karger

There are two questions that I ask when I’m looking at an application.

(1) Will this student be interested in working on the kinds of things that excite me?

And (2) do they have the independence and organization necessary to work for a laid back, disorganized advisor like me?

For the first question, I like to hear what specific problems interest you, and why. Not why you’ve loved computer science since you got your first PC at age 4, but why you consider certain specific problems important and interesting, and how you might go about trying to solve them. It certainly doesn’t hurt to have looked at some of the work my group is doing, talk about why it’s interesting to you (not just that it is), and maybe give some thoughts on where it might be interesting to take it further. But hearing your own ideas is wonderful too. You need not have solved them already, although it is great to talk about a problem you have already worked on.

The second question is specific to my advising style. I provide a lot of support and feedback to my students, but I don’t do a lot of management. So it’s important for me to know that a student will take initiative, make choices about what to work on, make decisions about designs and implementations, set their own deadlines and meet them, and come to meetings with ideas and questions to move the work forward. Just claiming this in your statement isn’t particularly meaningful, but I look for signs of it in past work (and recommendation letters).

Manolis Kellis

I’m looking to see several things:

(1) Clarity of thought: this comes through in the essay; the vision they have (for the field, how their works fits in, the broader perspective within, next steps, etc); the way they describe their accomplishments (organization, background, clarity of innovation, are they able to explain the problem, the challenge, the novelty, etc); and, of course, their grades and accomplishments.

(2) Research accomplishment: Show that they can innovate, invent, find problems, frame them, and bring things to completion, writing papers, completing projects, packaging up code, creating tools.

(3) Letters: Evidence of standing out, innovation, novelty, ability to make progress independently, yet team spirit and collaboration.

(4) Technical: Of course, their training, the rigor, the background, grades, competitions, etc.

(5) Passion: Especially for an applied field like genomics/biology/medicine, showing that they truly care about the application area, not just about the algorithms, but that they truly have sought to find something novel in the specific application area that they have chosen, and been able to interpret their results and make conclusions about the applied field.

Stefanie Mueller

For me, the most important is that the applicant can show that they have research experience in my research field. Hiring a PhD student is a 5-6 year commitment, so it is very important for me that the applicant can show me that we will produce exciting research together. When I read an application, I first check if the applicant has publications in my research field on topics related to what my research group works on. After this, I look at the recommendation letter writers and see if they come from faculty in my research field and if they talk about that the applicant can conduct research in my field. Letters from outside my research field are not very useful in determining if the applicant can do research in my area. After this, I read the statement of purpose to see if the applicant has ideas that I would also be excited to work on.

Will Oliver

When I read a graduate student applicant’s research statement, I look to obtain a picture of the student and their research interests. This includes the student’s motivations for research. Who is this person, where did they come from, what sparks their interest in science and engineering, how has that been reflected in their lives and their trajectory? I then look for examples of research experience, broadly defined. This could be an experience as an undergraduate researcher, a summer internship, or even a substantial hobby project (to name a few). I look for tangible outputs from those projects, such as a peer-reviewed publication. I then look for what the student wants to accomplish in graduate school. I appreciate a genuine exposition of intellectual curiosity and enthusiasm in describing these goals. While this approach naturally leads to some specificity in research topics, I also look for some flexibility and breadth. For example, even if the student has one top-choice topic or group, it is a good idea to articulate other (often related) areas that would also be of interest.

Al Oppenheim

A long time ago one of my graduate students asked me what I look for in choosing the students to work with. My quick and somewhat playful answer was that I have four criteria: intelligent, creative out of the box thinker, enjoyable to interact with, and coachable. From applications on paper and without personally meeting the applicant, it’s often hard to assess these and particularly the second, third, and fourth. An approximation to the first can be based somewhat on the transcript. The other three, perhaps mostly from the reference letters and personal statement and when possible personal interaction. The two areas in which applications are often weak are in the choice of references and the lack of detail in the reference letters, and in the crafting of the personal statement. In writing the personal statement I’ve typically advised potential applicants to use it as an opportunity to truly show their motivations, goals and personality, rather than trying to pattern match to what they think readers will give high marks to. If the personal statement is genuine and honest, it shows. And if it isn’t, it also shows.

Gerald Jay Sussman

The problem is that we have too many “excellent” applicants, most of whom would do fine in our graduate program. Most would do good, publishable, but incremental research. We accept plenty of those excellent people. But I am looking for the candidates that could break a paradigm and open up a new field of research.

So what I look for in an application is evidence that the candidate has an unusual perspective, perhaps in conflict with the conventional wisdom of the field. I am open to considering crackpots, but I also look for evidence of technical skill and clarity of thought and expression that separates the interesting characters from crackpots.

Additionally, the most persuasive information in an application is reference letters from previous supervisors or teachers who attest to the skill and creativity of the applicant.

George Verghese

Most of my reading of graduate folders necessarily happens at the initial stage of evaluations, when I’m looking for applicants who seem like they would thrive in, and contribute strongly to, our department or a broad research area within it. The application folders that emerge from this reading then get passed on to other faculty for more focused evaluation. So at the initial stage I am not necessarily looking for a good match to my personal research interests or style; that can come later, when I look at short-listed folders, perhaps sent my way by other faculty who think I might want to take a look.

For the initial reading, I first examine the applicant’s academic record, to be reassured that they will be able to handle at least the course work in our graduate program. A few blemishes in early years may be fine, but anything less than a strong overall academic record is likely to be a non-starter (though I will read quickly all the way through the application, feeling I owe at least that much to a hopeful applicant who has paid their application fee!).

I then look for tangible, documented outcomes of activities that go beyond standard academic efforts, whether unusual and independent projects (not standard lab projects in a class), or in research or internships. An important part of the substantiation is in the letters of reference, which have to reflect genuine, specific, modulated knowledge of the applicant and their work, and corresponding enthusiasm. A letter that sounds generic, though filled with superlatives and rating the candidate as Truly Exceptional, will not count for much. I want to know that the letter writers see stellar achievement (in academics and beyond) and potential, based on the specifics of their interaction with and knowledge of the applicant.

Finally, I turn to the student’s statement to get a sense of their voice, how they see and present themselves and their accomplishments, and what they’re looking to find in/with their graduate work. A well-crafted statement that comes across as mature, genuine, and reasonably aware of the field in which they hope to concentrate counts for a lot.

Ryan Williams

When reading a grad school application, I focus on several things. The first (obvious) thing is whether my interests align well with the applicant. This doesn’t necessarily mean that the applicant is working on the same exact problems as me; it means that I try to understand their taste in problems and topics, and how this fits with what we study in my research group. Another important thing is independence (in research, thought, etc): we get many applications from many talented students from all over the world, but we don’t see too many who showed a significant degree of independence in their thought and behavior, different from those around them (including their mentors). This can come out in the statement of purpose, but often more so in the letters. “Independence” can have various interpretations, and I’m deliberately leaving the term somewhat vague, because I think any of those interpretations can be important. Another important thing is the quality of their communication, especially their writing. I always read the statements of purpose carefully, as well as any writing samples the applicant has provided. Of course, letters of recommendation which attest to all of these qualities are also very helpful.

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SIGCSE Top 10 Paper Awards

Top Ten Computer Science Education Research Papers of the Last 50 Years Recognized

At 50th anniversary sigcse symposium, leading computer science education group highlights research that has shaped the field.

New York, NY, March 2, 2019 – As a capstone to its 50th annual SIGCSE Technical Symposium , leaders of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) Special Interest Group on Computer Science Education (SIGCSE) are celebrating the ideas that have shaped the field by recognizing a select group of publications with a “Top Ten Symposium Papers of All Time Award.” The top ten papers were chosen from among the best papers that were presented at the SIGCSE Technical Symposium over the last 49 years.

As part of the Top Ten announcement today in Minneapolis, the coauthors of each top paper will receive a plaque, free conference registration for one co-author to accept the award and up to a total of $2,000 that can be used toward travel for all authors of the top ranked paper.

“In 1969, the year of our first SIGCSE symposium, computing education was a niche specialty” explains SIGCSE Board Chair Amber Settle of DePaul University, of Chicago, USA. “Today, it is an essential skill students need to prepare for the workforce. Computing has become one of the most popular majors in higher education, and more and more students are being introduced to computing in K-12 settings. The Top Ten Symposium Papers of All Time Award will emphasize the outstanding research that underpins and informs how students of all ages learn computing. We also believe that highlighting excellent research will inspire others to enter the computing education field and make their own contributions.”

The Top Ten Symposium Papers are:

1. “ Identifying student misconceptions of programming ” (2010) Lisa C. Kaczmarczyk, Elizabeth R. Petrick, University of California, San Diego; Philip East, University of Northern Iowa; Geoffrey L. Herman, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Computing educators are often baffled by the misconceptions that their CS1 students hold. We need to understand these misconceptions more clearly in order to help students form correct conceptions. This paper describes one stage in the development of a concept inventory for Computing Fundamentals: investigation of student misconceptions in a series of core CS1 topics previously identified as both important and difficult. Formal interviews with students revealed four distinct themes, each containing many interesting misconceptions.

2. “ Improving the CS1 experience with pair programming ” (2003) Nachiappan Nagappan, Laurie Williams, Miriam Ferzli, Eric Wiebe, Kai Yang, Carol Miller, Suzanne Balik, North Carolina State University Pair programming is a practice in which two programmers work collaboratively at one computer, on the same design, algorithm, or code. Prior research indicates that pair programmers produce higher quality code in essentially half the time taken by solo programmers. The authors organized an experiment to assess the efficacy of pair programming in an introductory Computer Science course. Their results indicate that pair programming creates a laboratory environment conducive to more advanced, active learning than traditional labs; students and lab instructors report labs to be more productive and less frustrating.

3. “ Undergraduate women in computer science: experience, motivation and culture ” (1997) Allan Fisher, Jane Margolis, Faye Miller, Carnegie Mellon University During a year-long study, the authors examined the experiences of undergraduate women studying computer science at Carnegie Mellon University, with a specific eye toward understanding the influences and processes whereby they attach themselves to or detach themselves from the field. This report, midway through the two-year project, recaps the goals and methods of the study, reports on their progress and preliminary conclusions, and sketches their plans for the final year and the future beyond this particular project.

4. “ A Multi-institutional Study of Peer Instruction in Introductory Computing ” (2016) Leo Porter, Beth Simon, University of California, San Diego; Dennis Bouvier, Southern Illinois University; Quintin Cutts, University of Glasgow; Scott Grissom, Grand Valley State University; Cynthia Lee, Stanford University; Robert McCartney, University of Connecticut; Daniel Zingaro, University of Toronto Peer Instruction (PI) is a student-centric pedagogy in which students move from the role of passive listeners to active participants in the classroom. This paper adds to this body of knowledge by examining outcomes from seven introductory programming instructors: three novices to PI and four with a range of PI experience. Through common measurements of student perceptions, the authors provide evidence that introductory computing instructors can successfully implement PI in their classrooms.

5. " The introductory programming course in computer science: ten principles " (1978) G. Michael Schneider, University of Minnesota Schneider describes the crucial goals of any introductory programming course while leaving to the reader the design of a specific course to meet these goals. This paper presents ten essential objectives of an initial programming course in Computer Science, regardless of who is teaching or where it is being taught. Schneider attempts to provide an in-depth, philosophical framework for the course called CS1—Computer Programming 1—as described by the ACM Curriculum Committee on Computer Science.

6. “ Constructivism in computer science education ” (1998) Mordechai Ben-Ari, Weizmann Institute of Science Constructivism is a theory of learning which claims that students construct knowledge rather than merely receive and store knowledge transmitted by the teacher. Constructivism has been extremely influential in science and mathematics education, but not in computer science education (CSE). This paper surveys constructivism in the context of CSE, and shows how the theory can supply a theoretical basis for debating issues and evaluating proposals.

7. “ Using software testing to move students from trial-and-error to reflection-in-action ” (2004) Stephen H. Edwards, Virginia Tech Introductory computer science students have relied on a trial and error approach to fixing errors and debugging for too long. Moving to a reflection in action strategy can help students become more successful. Traditional programming assignments are usually assessed in a way that ignores the skills needed for reflection in action, but software testing promotes the hypothesis-forming and experimental validation that are central to this mode of learning. By changing the way assignments are assessed--where students are responsible for demonstrating correctness through testing, and then assessed on how well they achieve this goal--it is possible to reinforce desired skills. Automated feedback can also play a valuable role in encouraging students while also showing them where they can improve.

8. “ What should we teach in an introductory programming course ” (1974) David Gries, Cornell University Gries argues that an introductory course (and its successor) in programming should be concerned with three aspects of programming: 1. How to solve problems, 2. How to describe an algorithmic solution to a problem, and 3. How to verify that an algorithm is correct. In this paper he discusses mainly the first two aspects. He notes that the third is just as important, but if the first two are carried out in a systematic fashion, the third is much easier than commonly supposed.

9. “ Contributing to success in an introductory computer science course: a study of twelve factors ” (2001) Brenda Cantwell Wilson, Murray State University; Sharon Shrock, Southern Illinois University This study was conducted to determine factors that promote success in an introductory college computer science course. The model included twelve possible predictive factors including math background, attribution for success/failure (luck, effort, difficulty of task, and ability), domain specific self-efficacy, encouragement, comfort level in the course, work style preference, previous programming experience, previous non-programming computer experience, and gender. Subjects included 105 students enrolled in a CS1 introductory computer science course at a midwestern university. The study revealed three predictive factors in the following order of importance: comfort level, math, and attribution to luck for success/failure.

10. “ Teaching objects-first in introductory computer science ” (2003) Stephen Cooper, Saint Joseph's University; Wanda Dann, Ithaca College; Randy Pausch Carnegie Mellon University An objects-first strategy for teaching introductory computer science courses is receiving increased attention from CS educators. In this paper, the authors discuss the challenge of the objects-first strategy and present a new approach that attempts to meet this challenge. The approach is centered on the visualization of objects and their behaviors using a 3D animation environment. Statistical data as well as informal observations are summarized to show evidence of student performance as a result of this approach. A comparison is made of the pedagogical aspects of this new approach with that of other relevant work.

Annual Best Paper Award Announced Today SIGCSE officers also announced the inauguration of an annual SIGCSE Test of Time Award. The first award will be presented at the 2020 SIGCSE Symposium and recognize research publications that have had wide-ranging impact on the field.

About SIGCSE

The Special Interest Group on Computer Science Education of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM SIGCSE) is a community of approximately 2,600 people who, in addition to their specialization within computing, have a strong interest in the quality of computing education. SIGCSE provides a forum for educators to discuss the problems concerned with the development, implementation, and/or evaluation of computing programs, curricula, and courses, as well as syllabi, laboratories, and other elements of teaching and pedagogy.

ACM, the Association for Computing Machinery , is the world's largest educational and scientific computing society, uniting educators, researchers, and professionals to inspire dialogue, share resources, and address the field's challenges. ACM strengthens the computing profession's collective voice through strong leadership, promotion of the highest standards, and recognition of technical excellence. ACM supports the professional growth of its members by providing opportunities for life-long learning, career development, and professional networking.

Contact: Adrienne Decker 585-475-4653 [email protected]

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