On Research and Writing Research Papers

Srinath Perera. Ph.D.

Outline

● What is Research?● Writing: How Research Works?● Contributions● Literature Survey● Outline of a Paper● Closing Remarks

•

What is Research?

What is Research?

● The search for knowledge● Any systematic investigation

to establish facts● Discovering, interpreting, and

the development of methods and systems for the advancement of human knowledge on our world and the universe.

Scientific Method

● You can research with any way, but for scientific method, you have to follow the scientific method

● Scientific Method● Observation● Formulation of an hypothesis● Predict a outcome based on hypothesis● Experimental tests

Scientific Method(Contd.)● When you use above steps follow

● Empiricism: The Use of Empirical Evidence -evidence that one can see, hear, touch, taste, or smell

● Rationalism: The Practice of Logical Reasoning - Logic allows us to reason correctly

● Skepticism: Possessing a Skeptical Attitude – questions your beliefs and conclusions

Doing Research● So you want to add to the

knowledge?● Do you know the current

knowledge?● No point reinventing the wheel

Dissemination of results● Humans advance by building on the results of

ancestors. ● There should be a way to disseminate

research findings. ● “Frogs on the Well” model does not work

How to Disseminate results?● Will word of mouth works?● How about talks,

presentations?● Writing is the only way!

Research publications Disseminate results.

● Writing down and publications are considered a integral part of doing research.

Question of Quality?

● Does any writing is Knowledge?● We need quality control● How about 1, 10 people to quality control?

● Will they be impartial?● Who is going to pay for them?● Will that scale?

Peer Review● Peer review does not always work, but that is

the best we have. ● So no point crying over it, learn to survive

So every paper suppose to add to

Knowledge

Contribution● We call this addition to the knowledge as

“contribution”. ● A contribution should be

● New● Significant● Useful● Verifiable/refutable

● Typically paper should be explicit about the contributions it make.

Types of Research Papers

● Problem-Solution Papers● Present a problem, propose a solution, and defend it

● Survey Papers● Out line or synthesis on a work done on a topic

● Position Papers● Present a problem, propose a solution, and argue

● Experience Papers● Describe a concrete usecase in detail.

Types of Research Papers & Contribution

● Each of these types have a contribution ● Survey Papers – survey and synthesis existing

work● Position Papers – public brain storm● Experience Papers – share useful experiences

Figuring out Contributions● Well what I said might scare you, it might sound

like, if you do not add knowledge do not bother writing.

● In truth most work has contributions, it is up to you to bring them to focus.

Ideal Case: ● Joan et. al. proposed this

algorithm, we proposed this variation to the algorithm ..

● Kumar et. al. Proposed this architecture, we propose a variation to this algorithm ..

Figuring out Contributions (Contd.)

● Other Cases: ● This is a architecture for solving this problem that

occurs in this real world scenario ● It is hard for a new comer to find related work in this

area, here is a survey● We use the algorithm proposed by Frank et. al. to solve

a new problem● We implemented an algorithm/specification proposed

by Chen et. al. This is how we realized it, and these are problems and solutions

● This is a comparative performance study on approaches A, B, and C to solve the problem X.

Figuring out Contributions (Contd.)

● Talk to your Project advisor, he can give you some ideas

● Read related work, see what are the contributions they have claimed.

● Brain Strom ● Keep in touch with IT @ real world

Negative Results● You can not publish negative results:

Edison could not have published 1000 ways how not to make a light bulb!

Literature Survey

● Papers are ranked by incoming links (well page rank was invented long ago ;) )

● Look for related work for related works

● Look for who has cite related work (Google scholar give that as well)

● Know well know people, groups, and conferences on the topic, know their papers

● Google Scholar, IEEE, ACM sites – actually last two much weaker compared to #1

● References make a tree, that how you trace

Literature Survey (Contd.)● Use abstract, intro, and discussion to remove

out of scope papers● Read, and Reread● Make notes, that will save you trouble next time

● I use mind mapping tools (e.g. Freemind)● Synthesize your notes, be lookout for what is

missing or connections, that how you get new ideas.

● Before you know it you might have data for a survey paper

Following are Guidelines Only!For first time writers, they will

help a lot.When you are experienced

you should know when to break them

Paper should Look like this● Describe a problem● Show it is an useful problem to solve ● Show it is an unsolved problem ● Show how you plan to solve it (contribution)● Defend my idea ● Here is my idea compared to others● And this is why you should care

Archimedes and Lever as an Example

● Results: Empirical Demonstration and mathematical analysis

● Related Work: Naval Battle, Blockades

● Discussion: Other use cases of Lever, like Trebuchet

● Topic: Lever: A tool to defend your Country

● Introduction – Problem = Roman Army, why stopping the roman army is good?

● Problem : Roman Army

● Contribution: Lever

Paper should Look like this● Abstract● Introduction - Describe a problem (example) +

Show it is useful problem + unsolved problem ● Problem + Background● Here is how I plan to solve it (contribution)● Results: Defend my idea ● Related Work: Here is my idea compared to

others● Discussion: And this is why you should care

Abstract● Typically it is suppose to written last, personally, I write it

first, and then revise and edit on the way.

● Used by others to decide weather the paper is relevant

● Typically using a sentence each [Kent Beck/ Jones]● State the Problem● Say why it is interesting ● Say what does your solution achieves● Say what follows from the solution

● Think how would you use other's abstracts in your Literature Survey, match yours to that.

Acknowledgement: How to write a great research paper by Simon Peyton Jones, Microsoft Research, Cambridge

Role of Introduction and Discussion

Introduction● Big Picture

● Try to give a motivating use case● Describe the Problem briefly● Establish that the problem you want to solve is

important.

● State you contributions● Outline of the paper

Problem and Solution● Describe your problem and proposed solution

in detail. ● You may have to give some background. ● Make sure you give an example or an

motivating usecase. Try to use examples from the application domain of venue.

● Try to describe the intuition across to the user● Cite related works when relevant, but leave

the discussion to the end.

Defend the Claims

● Four ways to defend● Citing other papers● Empirical analysis ● Theoretical results (Proofs)● Analytical discussions

● If it is Empirical analysis or Theoretical results, make sure you state clearly what do they mean

● You should tie back each result to contributions● Make sure you have covered each claim you had

in the introduction.

Presenting your Resulting● Know performance indicators of your field,

design tests such that they are relevant to what you demonstrate.

● Describe the experiment carefully● Draw Graphs whenever possible● Make sure you analyze your results

Remember: Picture is worth 1000 words

● http://www.visual-literacy.org/periodic_table/periodic_table.html

Related Work● Provide a small introduction on what each

related work did● Compare and contrast with relevance to your

contributions ● Be generous to related work, give them credit that

are due, and often they are your reviewers (remember peer review)! You do not have to make them look bad. [Jones]

● Acknowledge any weakness, often there are trade-offs, and try to bring them out.

Acknowledgement: How to write a great research paper by Simon Peyton Jones, Microsoft Research, Cambridge

Discussion● Outline the motivations● Outline the main flow and solutions● Restate contributions● Present potential applications of your solution.● Try to look at the bigger picture. Make sure

you answer “So what? question”● Finish with future works

On English and Style● Bad writing is sure way to get the

paper rejected. ● Work on your English, that will save

you lot of trouble in the future. ● e.g. The Elements Of Style [Strunk &

White]

● Use active voice at all cost● It is ok to use “We” and “You”

Photo from http://www.flickr.com/photos/confetta/

On English and Style (Contd.)● Many people can write different parts, but one

guy has to edit it and make it consistent. ● Focus: avoid going in to irrelevant details● As I said, it takes few rounds to get it right.● Most good works goes through lot of proof

reading● Leave 1-2 days to proof read● Get others to read your paper● Proof read, Proof read, Proof read ...

Find Friendly Guinea Pigs to Read your Paper

● Try to Proof read before you give them, you do not need them to show you grammar mistakes.

● You want them to tell “I do not get what this mean?” etc.

● Finally

There is no point of having expert's help

unless you are ready to listen

Know Your Tools● Latex – learn Latex, and feel

the power ● Gnuplot – visualizing results ● Inkscape + Open Clipart/ Xara

exteme – Vector graphics● Freemind – mind mapping tools● Google Scholar – Literature survey ● http://www.websequencediagrams.com/ -

sequence diagrams ● http://www.visual-literacy.org/periodic_table/periodic_table.html

- Data visualization

Finding a Venue

● Publishing papers takes time● Decision takes 1-2 months● Conference is 5-6 months away● Typical CFP time is November to April ● Conferences are held in the summer● Most conferences expect you to come in-

person and present, plan accordingly.

Sure ways to Get Rejected

● Do not Submit by deadline● Ignore formatting instructions● Merge the paper at last minute● Obscure, make it very hard to find what your

paper do● Write poor English ● Do not add related work

Finally● Writing a good paper needs you to do a good

work on the problem as well as tie it well to the bigger picture. ● You have to keep in touch with latest and greatest● Keep your eye open for current and potential

usecases of Computer science

● Having said that you need something to write

so learn to thinkRemember Socrates's words

Wisdom begins in Wonder --Socrates

Resources/ Reading● A scrutiny of the introduction By JON F. CLLERBOUT

Stanford University● A Scrutiny of the Abstract by Kenneth K. Landes● The Elements of Style by William Strunk, Jr.● Efficient Reading of Papers in Science and Technology

by Michael J. Hanson● Developing Writing Skills in Computer Science

Students by Dr. Marguerite Hafen● How to write a great research paper by Simon Peyton

Jones, Microsoft Research, Cambridge [Slides]

Questions?