Crafting a Research Paper/Talk
Prasun Dewan
SN 150, Sitterson, 11-12:15
962 1823
dewan@unc.edu
Paper/Talk
• Paper: document
created
• Talk
– Slides and/or
Delivery
– Some talks do not
have slides!
– Talk = LiveMeeting
Recording
Crafting
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
• 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
Software Design Pattern
Model
Notification
View
(Performs Output)
Read
Method
Write
Method
Controller
(Performs Input)
• Arguably good
composition
techniques
• Situational
• Examples!
• Practice
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)
Collaboration
Toolkit
AsynchronousLogic Chip
Software
Hardware
• 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
IPhone
– New artifact does help
increase significance
GPU-based
Algorithm
Algorithm
Measurement of
Network Traffic
Measurement
• Research done in the
process of arguing it!
• Most things we learn
should apply to any
engineering field
– Maybe not science
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
Practice
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
Have an abstract,
introduction, body,
conclusions and future work
Have a title, outline, body,
conclusions , and future
work
• 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
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
Review Existing
Talk Version 2
Create Video
Clips
Present before and after video
clips and principles/patterns in
class
Present
principles/patterns and
examples
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
Edit paper
Review Existing
Paper Version 2
Present before and after excerpts
and principles/patterns in class
Write principles/patterns
and examples
Research Description/Survey
Write
Research Description
or Survey
Get Feedback on
Document
Assignments: Exercise Principles/
Patterns
Review Advisor
Talk Version 1
Create Video
Clips
Present before and after video
clips and principles/patterns in
class
Components and Rationale
Initial paper/talk
• Initial talk/paper uncorrupted by
course!
– Natural personality comes out
– Many ways to give effective talks
– Initial paper extends final talk
Review paper/talk
• Review existing talk/paper
– See things from consumer’s point of view
– Everyone review’s same thing
– Class discussion
– Comparison of alternative solutions
Components and Rationale
• Change previous talk
Change previous
paper/talk
Version 1 before
Version 2
Talk /paper on
talks/papers
–
–
–
–
–
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
Final Products
Present before and after video
clips/slides and
principles/patterns in class
Present
Research Description
or Survey
Write paper on
principles/patterns with
examples
Write
Research Description
or Survey
• Talks
– On patterns and
principles
• Talks
• Papers
– Research
• Papers
– On patterns and
principles
• Talks
• Papers
– Research