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English for Computer Science

Lecture 14

Writing CS Papers (1)

Abstract Introduction and Conclusion Main Body References Writing Practice

Abstract

An abstract is the advertisement of your paper.

An abstract is a concise paragraph summary of the entire paper.

Your reader will decide whether to read/accept your paper by reading only the abstract.

Abstract

Example

In this paper, we present a semi-supervised method for automatic speech act recognition in email and forums. The major challenge of this task is due to lack of labeled data in these two genres. Our method leverages labeled data in the Switchboard-DAMSL and the Meeting Recorder Dialog Act database and applies simple domainadaptation techniques over a large amount of unlabeled email and forum data to address this problem. Our method uses automatically extracted features such as phrases and dependency trees, called subtree features, for semi-supervised learning. Empirical results demonstrate that our model is effective in email and forum speech act recognition.

Introduction and Conclusion

Introduction gives an overview of your paper. It usually provides a background, presents problems/challenges, and explains why your work is significant and novel.

Conclusion summarizes what has been done. It usually restates your main contributions and points out future directions.

Introduction and Conclusion Caveats

Introduction should not copy from the abstract, and your abstract, introduction, conclusion should all be different from each other.

Many of your readers (including me) will only read the abstract, introduction, and conclusion of your paper before deciding to invest time on your technical details. So make them readable and meaningful.

Example

Textbook, pp. 10 – 11

In-Class Exercise

What is the best place to outline the structure of your paper, abstract, introduction, or conclusion? Write down your reasons.

Main Body

The main body consists of related work, method, (experimental) result, and discussion.

Now you should give all the technical details. Be careful with every symbol, equation, table, and figure. Explain everything in detail.

References

If you use anyone’s idea or work, do cite and list it in the references. Failure to do so is plagiarism.

A list of references is not a decorative appendix. Your reader may understand what your work is based on by reading the references.

References

Caveats

Reference works are usually sorted alphabetically. But some journals may have special requirements, e.g., sorted according to their first citation order.

Include a work in the references if and only if it is cited in your paper.

References should follow some formats, such as APA and MLA. To appropriately format your references, study a published paper in that journal or follow the journal’s specific directions.

Writing Practice

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The best way to become acquainted with a subject is to write a book about it.

See you next time.

Benjamin Disraeli