Is this research?

[Adamah]

I'm planning to apply to MS programs this fall (aiming for Berkeley). I think I have a pretty strong application in terms of GPA and GRE. However, my research experience is roughly non-existent. That said, I recently took a class through the Stanford SCPD program (I'm enrolled as an Non-Degree student) that required a pretty significant class project instead of a final. The projects are viewable here: http://www.stanford.edu/class/ee368/Project_11/index.html (I'd prefer to remain relatively anonymous and therefore won't specify which is mine). The class was fantastic, by the way, and I highly recommend it. I think the TA for the class won the Best TA award at Stanford last year.

I'd like to mention the project in my application, but I'm not sure how much emphasis to put on it. The entire project was done in about 6 weeks, so I suppose it wasn't a particularly involved research project. That said, I did have to read quite a few papers and write a 5-7 page research report following the IEEE conference template. Would you all say this project counts as "research" as far as my application is concerned? How strong would it be in my application? I know this is kind of a stupid question, but I never did any research in undergrad. I was mostly a mathematics major, where undergrad research wasn't common, and my undergrad comp. sci. classes were all test-based.

Thanks!

[lyonessrampant]

I'm not sure about putting it under a research heading in your CV; I'll leave that to people in your field. As for mentioning the class and project, yes, if it fits in with your research intersts for grad school and helps you articulate your research interests/questions, definitely mention it in your SOP, but if it is unrelated to your stated research interests, that's trickier and I think I wouldn't detail the research but maybe just mention you took the class to demonstrate ability to do graduate-level course work.

[newms]

I would second lyonessrampant. I wouldn't put it on your CV/resume, but I'd talk about it in you SoP (especially if it is related to the research you want to do in grad school, or if you can use the experience to demonstrate your ability to do research).