CS 8803 O23: Modern Internet Research Methods

Overview

Welcome! This is a research-oriented course that covers new developments in Internet measurement techniques, with an emphasis on topics related to reliability, freedom, and security of modern Internet platforms.

The learning objectives of this course are to:

1. Describe the current state of research in the intersection of Internet measurements and cybersecurity. Specifically, you will learn about modern topics of broad and current interest related to the risks that the Internet infrastructure faces (e.g. Internet infrastructure hijacking), Internet censorship, abuse and entities on social platforms, web trust management, and the ecosystem of false information on the web. Finally, you will learn about how to perform Internet measurements using ethical guidelines, and principles of sustainable research (e.g., replicability).
2. Describe diverse passive and active measurement techniques, data collection, and analysis approaches for each of the above topics.
3. Demonstrate the ability to apply the learned techniques to different or new research questions.
4. Demonstrate the ability to put together a research project, from identifying a broad idea, to specifying a well-defined research question, to outlining and executing a research approach to address it.
5. Demonstrate the ability to transfer a research project into an academic paper, and deliver a presentation of the paper.

This course covers the following topics:

• Measurement Techniques for Internet and Cybersecurity Analytics
• Measurement Techniques for Studying Blocked Internet Access
• Measurement Techniques for Understanding Abuse on Online Platforms
• Sustainable research and ethics

This course is not foundational and does not count toward any specializations at present, but it can be counted as a free elective.

Sample Syllabi

Summer 2025 syllabus (PDF)
Spring 2025 syllabus (PDF)
Fall 2024 syllabus (PDF)

Note: Sample syllabi are provided for informational purposes only. For the most up-to-date information, consult the official course documentation.

Before Taking This Class...

Suggested Background Knowledge

This course is designed for students who are interested in conducting a research project and writing an academic paper. With guidance from the instructor throughout the semester, each student will choose their own research topic and define their approach.

Because of this flexibility, the prerequisites for the course depend on the direction of the individual project. For example, if a student chooses to conduct a Systematic Literature Review, no coding is required. If the project involves areas such as systems, machine learning/AI, data visualization, or algorithmic analysis, a background in those areas will be beneficial. Similarly, tool-building projects or those involving large-scale datasets will benefit from experience in these areas.

In general, students should be comfortable working on open-ended problems rather than following step-by-step assignments. The course expects students to take ownership of their research; giving and receiving constructive peer feedback is also an important part of the learning experience in this research oriented course.

Academic Integrity

All Georgia Tech students are expected to uphold the Georgia Tech Academic Honor Code. This course may impose additional academic integrity stipulations; consult the official course documentation for more information.