WhatIsResearch實(shí)用教案

1、1Outline What is research? How much does one have to learn? PhD research What is procedure of publication? How to write technical papers? Review process第1頁(yè)/共45頁(yè)第一頁(yè)，共46頁(yè)。2Research Is Easy! Is Research = Re (repeat) + search? You have done this many times in course projects Take a known problem, and a

2、pply a known technique Obtain results, and write a report Research is not mere information gathering Research is not mere fact discovery or fact transcription Research is not merely rummaging for information Research is not a catchword used to get attention 第2頁(yè)/共45頁(yè)第二頁(yè)，共46頁(yè)。3What Is Research? Resear

3、ch is the creation of new knowledge Ask important questions and create new information What is the timescale of a research? It varies from days to years depending on the scope of research An early breakthrough in a piece of research may take a lengthy period to refine it It may take years of explora

4、tion before a breakthrough is made There is no simple model of how research should work Every piece of research will follow its own path第3頁(yè)/共45頁(yè)第三頁(yè)，共46頁(yè)。4What Is Good Research? Results, positive or negative, are useful to others Original, reproducible, and available to others Success is judged by th

5、e extent to which the results are quoted by other researchers. Bad research is a dead-end that leads nowhere. Usually there is no way of assuring a successful outcome at the beginning of a research project. We may not be able to understand the significance of our results, or we may not get any resul

6、ts if an experiment proves more difficult than expected or a theory is found to be unsound.第4頁(yè)/共45頁(yè)第四頁(yè)，共46頁(yè)。5Basic Criteria in Assessing a Good Research Is it technically correct? Does it make intuitively sense? Is it publishable, where and why? Does it offer some insights beyond what we have known?

7、 Does it have any impact? 第5頁(yè)/共45頁(yè)第五頁(yè)，共46頁(yè)。6Research Is Difficult to Some of You You are ill-prepared You have the wrong perceptions about what research is You have difficulty in finding and formulating a research question You have not usually undergone a creative thinking course You do not read wid

8、ely enough You do not know how to use the web/library for research第6頁(yè)/共45頁(yè)第六頁(yè)，共46頁(yè)。7Research Types There are basically four types of research work New problem and new solution This comes rarely, perhaps something you could only wish, once a life-time experience (such as Shannon theory) Old problem a

9、nd old solution Plenty of out there under the category of “Yet another paper on ” New problem and old solution/Old problem and new solution You may target the above two Examples: new routing algorithms, a new branch of sub-problems第7頁(yè)/共45頁(yè)第七頁(yè)，共46頁(yè)。8Where Do Ideas Come From? Drink a beer, relax, and

10、ideas will come to you The ideas fall from the sky! Understanding the existing work, build upon that incrementally A thorough understanding of those is the basis Ideas in most cases come from the deep understanding of a subject, and possess of broad knowledge This is not a technical training, i.e.,

11、this is not about solving a bipartite graph, or differential equations This is about relating them to real world problems This is about providing new insight beyond known This is about your creativity! 第8頁(yè)/共45頁(yè)第八頁(yè)，共46頁(yè)。9How Much Does One Have to Learn? I have learnt all the mathematics, and I am loa

12、ded Discrete algorithms, partial differential equations, dynamic control, probabilistic modeling, information theory, etc. I have read all papers out there from journals and conferences I still dont have a clue what to do in research. Where in the world is research topic? Can I do research now? Ther

13、e is no way you can cope with all of them Majority of the published papers are junks, and can cause brain damage and can be misleading第9頁(yè)/共45頁(yè)第九頁(yè)，共46頁(yè)。10Are You Ready to Do Research? Logical thinking, after all we are in engineering world Basic skillsAlgorithms, Complexity, Analytical skills, Progra

14、mming skills, etc. Ability to learn Life long learning process, esp. in CSE Abstraction - take a problem, you have to know What is/are the fundamental problem(s)? You have to see both “forest and trees” What have been done, why? What are seemingly undoable? Understand your strength and weakness第10頁(yè)/

15、共45頁(yè)第十頁(yè)，共46頁(yè)。11Are You Ready to Do Research? Open mind We are not dealing with math problems in that there exists perfect solutions Engineering solutions are subject to argument and debate, i.e., each solution is a trade-off, and it only works in a constrained environment Critical mindWhen you read

16、others, it is equally important to understand what circumstance that it does not work as in which it works What assumptions they made? If you cannot identify such scenario, you are not understanding the problem Finding a problem is more important, and difficult than solving a problem You need out-of

17、-box thinking第11頁(yè)/共45頁(yè)第十一頁(yè)，共46頁(yè)。12PhD Research Make a plan earlier, for 3-4 years Identify a general category of problems Your interest and your advisors interest Brainstorming with your peers Pick up a good problem at the beginning is important Turning an engineering problem into a research problem

18、 Each solution to an engineering problem is only a trade-off; it is not a cure for all, it definitely has side-effect. Example: P2P computing Publications can be “easier” 第12頁(yè)/共45頁(yè)第十二頁(yè)，共46頁(yè)。13PhD Research The research topics must be of current interest, and state-of-the-art Dont work on packet sched

19、uling, and IEEE 802.11 MAC protocol Beating the performance of Ethernet is like kicking a dead horse! It has to be something that within your capability You need to understand your strength and weakness, and be realistic (dont shoot stars) You should know your interest, self-motivation is one of the

20、 single most important factors 第13頁(yè)/共45頁(yè)第十三頁(yè)，共46頁(yè)。14PhD Research Understand the basics, fundamental problems, and open issues Do I have to read all related papers? Read top 10 or 20 papers in the area first Dont get brainwashed easily Think and read Put all papers into perspective Start from a small

21、 yet concrete problem Build you skill and confidence Discussion generates ideas第14頁(yè)/共45頁(yè)第十四頁(yè)，共46頁(yè)。15Reading Top conferences or workshops first ACM Sigcomm, ACM Mobicom, IEEE Infocom IEEE ICNP, IWQoS, MobiHoc Second tier conferences only for reference IEEE Globecom, ICC Avoid bad conferences Regional

22、, and less reputable ones Read journal papers only it has not been published else where, or when it contains more detailed and complete treatment第15頁(yè)/共45頁(yè)第十五頁(yè)，共46頁(yè)。16Research Topics Theoretical vs. practical Can this be related to a real world problem Engineering approach Focus! Dont diversify too m

23、uch It should have a clear boundary Focus on what can be done Dont lose the bigger picture Tree and the forest How does it help to solve one or more pieces in the bigger problem第16頁(yè)/共45頁(yè)第十六頁(yè)，共46頁(yè)。17Choosing A PhD Topic Before beginning any research Look around and do background seekingLook in refere

24、nce books or on the Internet for a topic that interest you and would present a good topic to research Make sure you fully understand what the question is and what you expect to find. Be direct, simple and clear when stating the research problem. Limit your study to a manageable size Limited time for

25、 PhD research But dont forget two important adjectives: “original” and “substantial”第17頁(yè)/共45頁(yè)第十七頁(yè)，共46頁(yè)。18PhD Research System work System work usually involves team efforts Building from scratch is a dangerous thing The prototype has to demonstrate significance in that either this is a proof of a con

26、cept, or demonstrate the feasibility Experimental research is expensive, but quite rewarding Example: wireless sensor networks Theoretical work Theoretical work usually provides an elegant solution to a generalized problem The significance can be greatly enhanced if practical insight can be drawn第18

27、頁(yè)/共45頁(yè)第十八頁(yè)，共46頁(yè)。19Case: The Turn Model PaperThe Turn Model for Adaptive RoutingIn 1998, this paper was selected as one of the 41 most significant impact papers in Computer Architecture area in last 25 years. 541 citations第19頁(yè)/共45頁(yè)第十九頁(yè)，共46頁(yè)。20Case: The Turn Model Paper Chris Glass: my PhD student Fin

28、ish PhD in one year Not easily get brainwashed Branch out a new problem Creative thinking第20頁(yè)/共45頁(yè)第二十頁(yè)，共46頁(yè)。21Research Methodology Research originates with a question or problem Research requires a clear articulation of a goal Research follows a specific plan of procedure Research usually divides th

29、e principal problem into more manageable subproblems Research is guided by the specific research problem, question, or hypothesis Research accepts certain critical assumptions Research requires the collection and interpretation of data in attempting to resolve the problem that initiated the research

30、. Research is, by its nature, cyclical; or more exactly, helical. 第21頁(yè)/共45頁(yè)第二十一頁(yè)，共46頁(yè)。22寫(xiě)文章的目的寫(xiě)文章的目的(md)是什么？是什么？ To students To meet the graduation requirements To teachers To meet the promotion or performance review requirements To disseminate and share your new invention or discovery with the comm

31、unity To earn creditability, respect, and recognition from the community 書(shū)中自有黃金屋，書(shū)中自有顏如玉22第22頁(yè)/共45頁(yè)第二十二頁(yè)，共46頁(yè)。23什么什么(shn me)是好的文章？是好的文章？ Motivation is clear and can be convinced Problem is important and well formulated Open a new research direction Make a major breakthrough Solution is elegant and w

32、orkable Contributions are clear and useful Paper is readable23第23頁(yè)/共45頁(yè)第二十三頁(yè)，共46頁(yè)。24Typical CSE Paper Structure (科技科技(kj)八股八股) TitleA logical, accurate, descriptive and grammatically correct titleAs short as possible Two-part titles Abstract Problem statementResearch approachSummary of contributions

33、Easy to read and informative KeywordsBe specificUse standard phrases (e.g., Computing Reviews)Introduction What is the problem?Why it is important?Questions to be explored Central idea(s) of the paper ObjectivesPaper organizationRelated Work (or before Conclusion)Give credits to others What have oth

34、er people done?Cite key papers第24頁(yè)/共45頁(yè)第二十四頁(yè)，共46頁(yè)。25Typical CSE Paper Structure (科技科技(kj)八股八股) Your work (Main body) Algorithm/System/TheoryDetailed problem formulation Evaluation metricsCentral concept underlying your work Level of detailsIllustrating example(s)Complexity analysisAnswers to questio

35、ns posedNovel aspects of the workSignificance of the results Performance EvaluationDescribe results of experiments/simulationsProvide evidence in support of your workComparison with others Conclusion and Future WorkWhat was learnedHow it can be appliedPossible future directionsReferencesStandard for

36、mat Appendix Detailed protocol description, proofs, etc.第25頁(yè)/共45頁(yè)第二十五頁(yè)，共46頁(yè)。26Writing Writing is a process of self-clarification and is part of the work Habit of writing, notes, random thoughts There are plenty of books teaching you how to write Visit my web site: how to write technical papers using

37、 Word Writing can be difficult and painful for all of us; there is no short cut; it improves along the process Revise many times, ask others to read Lots of efforts for small improvement Is there a better way to say, a better word to use?Is the paper logically connected? What are the questions revie

38、wers might have?第26頁(yè)/共45頁(yè)第二十六頁(yè)，共46頁(yè)。27Writing (contd) State the problem clearly and completely Use a complete grammatical sentence in as few words as possible Say precisely what you mean in your research problem Limit areas studied so that the study is of manageable size Edit your writing Choose you

39、r words carefully Clarify your writing Rewrite, rewrite, rewrite: Each rewrite will make your words clearer and paper more concise. Express thought fully with as few words as possible Use a thesaurusKeep your sentences short Look at each thought as it stands on the paper 第27頁(yè)/共45頁(yè)第二十七頁(yè)，共46頁(yè)。28Writin

40、g (contd) Be direct and forceful Eliminate any possibility of misunderstanding Give full disclosure of what you intend to do and not do Give the meanings of all terms used State the assumptions, hypotheses and/or research questions Be grammatical Use good writing tools Never ending optimization subj

41、ect to time and page limitation第28頁(yè)/共45頁(yè)第二十八頁(yè)，共46頁(yè)。29文章文章(wnzhng)要送到何處發(fā)表？要送到何處發(fā)表？ In computer science, we usually publish the paper in a conference, then the enhanced version will be published in a journal Which conference? SCI or EI? Prestigious and representative conferences Why good conferences?

42、Critically reviewed High popularity Easily get recognized29第29頁(yè)/共45頁(yè)第二十九頁(yè)，共46頁(yè)。30文章要送到何處文章要送到何處(h ch)發(fā)表？發(fā)表？ Focus on a few selected conferences Gain recognition To serve on the PC Which journals?30第30頁(yè)/共45頁(yè)第三十頁(yè)，共46頁(yè)。31如何評(píng)價(jià)一個(gè)如何評(píng)價(jià)一個(gè)(y )會(huì)議或一個(gè)會(huì)議或一個(gè)(y )期刊？期刊？ A good conference is usually sponsored by a w

43、ell-established non-profit organization A good journal is usually published by a well-established non-profit organization E.g., IEEE CS, ACM Not all IEEE or ACM Transactions are good E.g., IEEE SMC31第31頁(yè)/共45頁(yè)第三十一頁(yè)，共46頁(yè)。32如何評(píng)價(jià)一個(gè)會(huì)議如何評(píng)價(jià)一個(gè)會(huì)議(huy)或一個(gè)期或一個(gè)期刊刊?香港科大計(jì)算機(jī)系的作法香港科大計(jì)算機(jī)系的作法 Each research area sugge

44、sts a few top publication venues Give supporting evidence, such as impact factor, acceptance rate, etc. Classified as A or B A committee evaluates the rating and negotiates with the area members If conclusion cannot be made, I will ask the external advisory committee for comments32第32頁(yè)/共45頁(yè)第三十二頁(yè)，共46

45、頁(yè)。33如何評(píng)價(jià)如何評(píng)價(jià)(pngji)一個(gè)會(huì)議或一一個(gè)會(huì)議或一個(gè)期刊個(gè)期刊?很難作到完全公平很難作到完全公平 Some areas are stable and mature E.g., Computer Graphics, Computer Vision, Databases, AI Some areas are still evolving and changing E.g., Networking, pervasive computing Some areas have a huge research community E.g., Communications, networking

46、Some areas have a very small research community E.g., computer music33第33頁(yè)/共45頁(yè)第三十三頁(yè)，共46頁(yè)。34Conference Papers Start earlier for a conference submission Which conference to submit? Deadline is the best drive for making progress What make a good paper: content and writing! Clear, convincing, simple an

47、d good English This is a never-ending optimization process, do this within the time and page limits Review process 5/30 rule 5 minutes - Abstract, introduction, figure and conclusion 30 minutes understand 90% of the paper第34頁(yè)/共45頁(yè)第三十四頁(yè)，共46頁(yè)。35Journal Papers A good conference paper (10%-25% acceptanc

48、e rate) can be submitted to a journal, with 30% new results Report more complete and focused results Which journal to submit the paper? Give yourself a deadline Be patient with the long review and re-review At the earlier stage of ones career, dont quit if asked for major revision But dont do seemin

49、gly impossible第35頁(yè)/共45頁(yè)第三十五頁(yè)，共46頁(yè)。36Review Process Low acceptance rate Typical in many CSE conferences Reviewers are potential competitors Try to convince them and dont give them excuses to kill the paper Reviewers are very busy Try to make their job easier English is not our strength Dont try your

50、luck, it wont work!第36頁(yè)/共45頁(yè)第三十六頁(yè)，共46頁(yè)。37What Does a Reviewer Look for? New problem or new solution? Are the main results significant? Is the paper technically correct? Does the paper provide a fair assessment of its strength and limitation? Is the paper clearly written, thus accessible to general r

51、eaders? Are the references adequate? Is the paper appropriate for conference/journal? 第37頁(yè)/共45頁(yè)第三十七頁(yè)，共46頁(yè)。38Problem I Reviewers have to understand me Only you know your work well, not reviewers Make it easier to understand Motivation and rationales Control the level of details Make connection throug

52、hout the paper Use examples, graph, flow chat whenever needed Pose questions, and answer them第38頁(yè)/共45頁(yè)第三十八頁(yè)，共46頁(yè)。39Problem II Formality leads to elegance I am good at math, formal is high class, I have 20 definitions and 15 theorems Keep it simple, perhaps stupid Start with motivations and rationale

53、s Avoid unnecessary formality Avoid casual writing “believe me, this is really a good work” Flow and logic is much more important, proof reading does not help you with that第39頁(yè)/共45頁(yè)第三十九頁(yè)，共46頁(yè)。40Problem III I have 10 contributions Reviewers should see this in a masterpiece Focus in the key One problem, one