1. What is Research? It may be different from what you think Target Audience: Undergraduate and Graduate Students Yung-Hsiang Lu Purdue University 1Yung-Hsiang Lu

2. What is Research? Research = Solve problems that have no known solution by anyone in the world Research ≠ Learning from books, papers, news reports, professors... Anything that can be learned, by definition, is not research "Searching online" is not research Why to do research? –Understand the world –Solve new problems –Improve existing solutions 2Yung-Hsiang Lu

3. Why to "Do Research"? Look around you? How many things were unavailable 100 or only 10 years ago? e.g., –spacecraft –electronic toll collector on highways –global positioning systems –social networks –autonomous vehicles –jet airplane –digital cameras –... 3Yung-Hsiang Lu

4. Why Do Students Do Research? "Research" means to invent new knowledge, never known before. Anything in textbooks is already known. Students learn what is already known and have no experience creating new knowledge. To become competitive in career, one must have the skills and methodologies to discover new knowledge, i.e., doing research. 4Yung-Hsiang Lu

5. Benefits of Doing Research Learn methodologies to solve real problems Work in teams and make friends Enhance communication (writing and speaking) Develop leadership skills Integrate the knowledge from multiple courses Improve prospect in employment (or advanced degrees) 5Yung-Hsiang Lu

6. Classroom vs. Research ClassroomResearch Learning (acquiring), InputSolution (producing), Output Everything resets every semester Continue until solutions are found Instructor knows answersNobody knows the answer Homework assignments and exams Need to design evaluation metrics 6 knowledge skills solution Yung-Hsiang Lu

7. Learning focuses on "input". Research focuses on "output". 7 knowledge skills solution studentresearcher Yung-Hsiang Lu

8. The Most Important Difference Students believe everything is in textbooks or handouts. Documentation is unnecessary. Researchers know the importance of documentation. If you want to become a researcher, you must document the process. Students do not document their work. Researchers do. 8Yung-Hsiang Lu

9. Don't enter a research project "to learn". Enter a research project "to contribute". 9Yung-Hsiang Lu

10. Important Research Questions Homework assignments rarely asks these questions and students do not think like researchers. What is the real problem? Why is the problem important? To whom? What has been done? What can be improved in existing solutions? What is your new solution? How is it different? Is the new solution better? In what ways? By how much? 10Yung-Hsiang Lu

11. Tourists Research is weight training not sightseeing. Tourists are not welcome. 11Yung-Hsiang Lu

12. Doing Research Needs Efforts spend many hours before you can do anything –understand the project –learn the relevant knowledge / tools / skills –familiarize what has been done –know team members and their responsibilities You haven't done anything yet determine topics, survey existing solutions, compare solutions, document the process now, you can do some work 12 What does not? Yung-Hsiang Lu

13. You must take ownership of the problem. You are in charge. Do not "help". You must take responsibility. Team members work on different problems. 13Yung-Hsiang Lu

14. Advice for New Researchers Understand the differences between students and researchers Focus on solving one problem thoroughly Explain the solution in speaking and writing Evaluate the solution carefully Stay in the same project until a solution is found Do not expect anyone (especially the professor) to know the solution right away. If the professor knows the answer, you have no contribution. 14Yung-Hsiang Lu

15. Frequently Asked Questions Q: I do not have high GPA. Should I do research? A: Do you want to learn how to solve difficult and important problems? Q: Would research experience help me in applying for jobs or graduate schools? A: There are many cases where students receive exceptionally strong recommendation letters from their research advisers. 15Yung-Hsiang Lu

16. Frequently Asked Questions (2) Q: If I do not want to go to graduate school, would research experience be helpful? A: There are many cases where students obtain positions because of their contributions in research projects. Q: Can I ask the professors questions? A: Yes, of course. Expect the communication to be discussions. Do not expect the professors to have answers right away. 16Yung-Hsiang Lu

17. Frequently Asked Questions (3) Q: What are the most common reasons of failure? A: First, you cannot "fail" in research. You may fail to find a solution. The most common problem is that some students expect research to be the same as classroom learning  weekly homework, office hours, teaching assistants, textbooks, midterm exams... Students tend to think "everything resets and disappears after the semester is over." This is wrong. 17Yung-Hsiang Lu

18. Frequently Asked Questions (4) Q: How to become good researchers? A: You must think for long terms  do the right things if you would stay in the project for many years. Do not take shortcuts. Document your thinking, design, and steps. Q: What should I do if I decide this is not for me? A: Tell the team as soon as possible. Do not wait. Your team members depend on you. 18Yung-Hsiang Lu

19. Frequently Asked Questions (5) Q: Should I focus on keeping my high GPA? A: You need to have a reasonable GPA. However, does it really matter if your GPA is x or x + 0.05? Outstanding contributions and a exceptionally strong letter will be more helpful. Q: Why isn't research required if it is good? A: Research is good for some people, not everyone. 19Yung-Hsiang Lu

20. Frequently Asked Questions (6) Q: Why doesn't the professor know all answers? A: Congratulations! You are doing research now. Q: Why don't my teammates know the answers? A: Your mind is too much deep into the "classroom thinking". In a classroom, everyone does the same assignments. In the real world, each person does something different to build a team. Imagine a restaurant has only cooks and there is no waiter or waitress. 20Yung-Hsiang Lu

21. Beyond Research If you want to have a successful career, choose a job that requires "research" (solving problems without known solutions) If your job is mainly applying what you have learned, your growth potential is limited Hire "problem solvers" not "students". Do not tell a hiring manager that your purpose is to learn. You will not be hired. Building your long-term team who can work together for years solving difficult problems 21Yung-Hsiang Lu

22. Welcome to the Research World 22Yung-Hsiang Lu