1. How to do research Dan Simon Cleveland State University October 2003

2. The key is balance You can study too much, or not enough Gain / bandwidth can be too high, or too low

3. Solve the right problem Find a problem that is interesting and challenging Find a problem that is solvable Balance challenge with solvability Experience helps with balance

4. Solve the right problem in the right way Look for problem-driven solutions, not solution-driven problems

5. Achievability and Payoff Attack a problem that you can solve Attack a problem that has a payoff Likely Payoff Difficulty

6. Use the best tool to solve the problem Use available resources –Seminars –Books / Journals –Colleagues –Internet –Library Collect a repertoire of tools

7. Generalize and specialize Balance breadth and depth A generalist knows nothing about everything A specialist knows everything about nothing Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar (1910-1995) Nobel Prize, 1983 A new topic every seven years

8. Have a plan of attack Follow your blueprint Be flexible enough to deviate from your blueprint

9. Simplify / complicate your work Simplify your work –Solve your problem one step at a time –Apply the theory to a simple problem Generalize the theory –F = ma –Eastern mysiticism and Zadeh’s fuzzy set theory Isaac Newton 1642 - 1727

10. Example However, Therefore, Furthermore, Finally,

11. Work! A necessary and sufficient condition Genius is 1% inspiration, 99% perspiration Thomas Edison 1847-1931

12. Persist Sometimes months of work pays off in a single day Know when to change your approach  = 3. 14159265358979323846264338327…

13. Don’t be afraid to fail “I have not failed. I have merely found 10,000 ways that did not work.” Admit your mistakes (so you can learn from them) Petroski, To Engineer Is Human: The Role of Failure in Successful Design

14. Faith and doubt Believe that your ideas will eventually work Healthy skepticism – don’t take someone else’s word for it, convince yourself

15. Communicate Read and write Speak Write and speak with authority

16. Progress is cumulative Build on others’ work Allow others to build on your work Isaac Newton 1642 – 1727 John Donne 1572-1631

17. Independence / cooperation Researchers need to be able to work independently Researchers need to be able to work as part of a team

18. Find balance in your life Relationships, spirituality, hobbies, rest Sabbath James Watson 1928 -

19. Conclusion It all boils down to balance

20. References http://academic.csuohio.edu/simond/courses C. Loehle, A guide to increased creativity in research – inspiration or perspiration? BioScience 40(2), pp.123-129, February 1990 D. Bernstein, A student’s guide to research, IEEE Control Systems, pp. 102-108, February 1999 R. Hamming, You and your research, IEEE Potentials, pp.37-40, October 1993 V. Li, Hints on writing technical papers and making presentations, IEEE Transactions on Education 42(2), pp.134-137, May 1999