Crafting a Research Paper/Talk Prasun Dewan SN 150, Sitterson, 11-12:

Paper/Talk Paper: document created Talk – Slides and/or Delivery – Some talks do not have slides! – Talk = LiveMeeting Recording

Crafting In the small – Grammar, PPT Animations – Style, PPT Color Choices – Analogous to defining an object In the large – Composition of prose and slide items – Analogous to design patterns Assume proficiency in design in the small The passive voice should not be used! Use light text on dark background ! Have an abstract, introduction, body, conclusions and future work Have a title, outline, body, conclusions, and future work

Software Design Pattern Arguably good composition techniques Situational Examples! Practice Write Method Notification Read Method Model Controller (Performs Input) Controller (Performs Input) View (Performs Output) View (Performs Output) Design pattern found in many applications

State of the art in Software engineering Arguably good composition techniques Situational Examples! Practice Design pattern found in many applications

State of the art in Papers/Talks Arguably good composition techniques Situational Examples! Practice

Research (in Computer Science) Novel concrete or abstract CS-related artifact? Argument made why significant and interesting – Paper – Talk It is the argument that must be new, not necessarily the artifact – New artifact does help increase significance Research done in the process of arguing it! Most things we learn should apply to any engineering field – Maybe not science IPhone Collaboration Toolkit GPU-based Algorithm Software Algorithm Asynchronous- Logic Chip Measurement of Network Traffic Hardware Measurement

State of the art in Papers/Talks Arguably good composition techniques Situational Examples! Practice No one seems to have looked for patterns!

Hypothesis: Such Patterns Exist Each student seems to make the same kinds of mistakes!

Even if Hypothesis is False Practice Most of talk practice done offline using LiveMeeting In crafting and reviewing talks/papers – Viewing a good talk can inspire and teach – Easier to see others’ mistakes

Why Integration of Talk/Paper Research done in the process of arguing it! At an abstract level, argument in talk and paper not that different Abstract argument is most important Concrete recommendations may also be very similar Have an abstract, introduction, body, conclusions and future work Have a title, outline, body, conclusions, and future work

Difference? Paper usually has more details – More true for journal paper – Which details to omit an important issue in giving talks Talk an advertisement for paper Easy to lose concentration in a talk – Can re-read paper

Which comes first: Paper? Usually conference paper before talk Get the details first abstracting Ready to answer detailed questions

Which comes first: Talk? Interview talk before thesis written Get the abstraction/outline first – Paper is an expanded version of the talk Easier to get reviewer of talk than paper – Quality of main argument better evaluated When integrating papers details already there, so no advantage in going to paper first Can use figures of talk in paper

Which is harder: Paper? More details – More things to go wrong

Which is harder: Talk? Abstraction is harder – “I am sorry I did not have time for a shorter letter” – “Length is used to compensate for lack of depth” Once talk is made, paper is easy So many good papers, so few good talks Will spend much more time on talks – More of an in-class activity

Make 3 minute talk Describe an area that excites you

Assignment: Analyze/Modify Talk Using Principles it Identifies Study PPT Talks on Talks Identify Principles and give before/after Examples from these talks or others such as lecture Lecture, normally has less work than research talk!

Assignments: Identify Principles/ Patterns Review Existing Talk Version 1 Present before and after video clips and principles/patterns in class Review Existing Talk Version 2 Present principles/patterns and examples Create Video Clips

Assignment: Research Description/Survey Prepare and Record Research Description or Survey Present Research Description or Survey

Assignment: Analyze/Modify Paper Using Principles it Identifies Study Paper son Writing Identify Principles and give before/after Examples from these papers

Assignments: Identify Principles/ Patterns Review Existing Paper Version 1 Present before and after excerpts and principles/patterns in class Review Existing Paper Version 2 Write principles/patterns and examples Edit paper

Research Description/Survey Write Research Description or Survey Get Feedback on Document

Assignments: Exercise Principles/ Patterns Review Advisor Talk Version 1 Present before and after video clips and principles/patterns in class Create Video Clips

Components and Rationale Initial talk/paper uncorrupted by course! – Natural personality comes out – Many ways to give effective talks – Initial paper extends final talk Review existing talk/paper – See things from consumer’s point of view – Everyone review’s same thing – Class discussion – Comparison of alternative solutions Initial paper/talk Review paper/talk

Components and Rationale Change previous talk – Easier than starting from scratch – A la changing OS or compiler code – Less emotional attachment to material – Can see things from audience point of view – Can compare alternative solutions See version 1 before version 2 so – More ideas emerge – Can better appreciate changes in version 2 Talk/paper on how to compose talk/paper based on – Discussion of existing talks and class talks – Paper summarizes results of others’ talks also Change previous paper/talk Version 1 before Version 2 Talk /paper on talks/papers

Final Products Talks – On patterns and principles Talks Papers – Research Papers – On patterns and principles Talks Papers – Research Present before and after video clips/slides and principles/patterns in class Write paper on principles/patterns with examples Present Research Description or Survey Write Research Description or Survey