Devon M. Simmonds Computer Science Department, CSC550 1 1 Devon M. Simmonds Writing in Computer...

Devon M. Simmonds Computer Science Department, CSC550 1

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Devon M. Simmonds

Writing in Computer Science

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Slides compiled from various sources including:1.http://www.uakron.edu/colleges/artsci/depts/polisci/docs/PAPERWRITING.pd2.LINK


Outline• The paper writing process• Sources for Computer Science research• Paper format• Plagiarism

Main SOURCE:http://www.uakron.edu/colleges/artsci/depts/polisci/docs/PAPERWRITING.pdf


The Paper Writing Process

• A partial state model


Sources for Computer Science Research

• ACM Digital Library• IEEE Computer Society Digital Library • Academic Search Premier • ScienceDirect• etc.


Writing the paper

• Paper format– Title– Abstract – Introduction– Background– Related work– Research method/Main sections– Discussion– Conclusion– Future work– References – Appendices


Writing the paper Title

• Title should be precise and inviting• Examples of bad titles

– A Software, A theorem and its proof in wireless networks – Partial redundancy elimination in presence of critical edges

for practical imperative programs with recursion and large number of functions and calls through function pointers

• Possible good titles – A software based control system for . . . On XYZ theorem – Reducing congestion in wireless networks – Partial redundancy elimination in extreme situations


Writing the paper Abstract

• Abstract should be a succinct and stand alone description. • Reading the rest of the paper should not be necessary to

get the gist.• Self-containment only at a high level of description.• An abstract is neither a summary nor an outline of the

paper.• A checklist:

– Motivation, problem statement, approach, results, conclusions

• Common mistakes – Too verbose, Too long, Too short, Omitting essential details


Writing the paper• Introduction

– Purpose: A clear statement of the researcher's purpose in writing the paper.

– Significance: An explanation of why this topic is interesting

– Context: An explanation of how the topic is relevant to the discipline and beyond. Includes a discussion of research done in the past on the subject.

– Definitions: Define important concepts.– Research Goal: State the hypotheses to be tested --that

is, what you hope to show in the body of the paper. • If the paper is thematic and descriptive rather than a

quantitative test of hypotheses, a clear statement of the theme is substituted.


Writing the paper

• Background– Define and explain important concepts which

will help the reader grasp the technical concepts in the paper.

– Summarize past research that are foundational and explain the relationship of past research to the research presented in the paper.


Writing the paper

• Related Work– Cite and summarize past research that

are similar to the research presented in your paper.• State the significance and unique

contribution of each such reference.• Describe how the research describe in your

paper is different/better from each cited project.


Writing the paper

• Method– Describe the data collection procedures, data

sources, measures of variables and methods of analysis. • This section may be omitted if your paper does not

involve quantitative analysis.

• or Main sections


Writing the paper

• Results– A presentation of the findings. If the

paper is descriptive and thematic, this section carries out the theme, presenting the detailed evidence for it.

– If hypotheses are being tested, the results of the tests are presented and discussed here. • Counter-evidence or counterarguments

should also be presented and discussed.


Writing the paper

• Discussion– “Do not make this predominantly a

rehash of either the Introduction or the Results. It should present the overall significance of your work and show how it agrees or disagrees with previous models or allows disparate observations to be drawn together. It is often very helpful to have a Figure of new model that is based on your findings.”


Writing the paper

• Discussion– A discussion of the inferences and conclusions

to be drawn from the findings. – They should be related back to the theoretical

statements of the first section, so that it is clear how much ground has been gained by the research.

– Additional implications for policy making, if applicable.

– Remaining problems for future research should be discussed here.


Writing the paper

• Discussion– “First paragraph of the Discussion

should give a brief overview of the main findings of the paper: the final conclusions and an outline of the supporting data.”


Writing the paper

• Conclusion– A brief summary of goals and major

findings.– Future research possibilities and

intention may be stated.


Writing the paper

• Future Work– A brief summary of work to be done


Paper Formatting Styles

• Check a journal/conference for style information/templates– Font style/size– Title– Author list– Column requirement– Figures– Paper length– Citation/references– etc.


Plagiarism is the act of presenting the words, ideas, images, sounds, or the creative expression of others as your own.

What is plagiarism?

SOURCE: LINK


Two types of plagiarism:

• Intentional– Copying a friend’s

work– Buying or

borrowing papers

– Cutting and pasting blocks of text from electronic sources without documenting

– Media “borrowing”without documentation

– Web publishing without permissions of creators

• Unintentional– Careless paraphrasing– Poor documentation– Quoting excessively– Failure to use your own

“voice”

SOURCE: LINK


Real life consequences:

• Damaged the reputation of two prominent historians, Stephen Ambrose and Doris Kearns Goodwin,– Kearns left television position and stepped down

as Pulitzer Prize judge for “lifting” 50 passages for her 1987 book The Fitzgeralds and the Kennedys (Lewis)

• Senator Joseph Biden dropped his 1987 campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination. (Sabato)– Copied in law school and borrowed from

campaign speeches of Robert Kennedy • Boston Globe journalist Mike Barnicle forced to

resign for plagiarism in his columns (“Boston Columnist . . .”)

• Probe of plagiarism at UVA--45 students dismissed, 3 graduate degrees revoked– CNN Article AP. 26 Nov. 2001– Channel One Article AP. 27 Nov. 2002

SOURCE: LINK


Real life consequences:

• New York Times senior reporter Jayson Blair forced to resign after being accused of plagiarism and fraud.

• “The newspaper said at least 36 of the 73 articles he had written had problems with accuracy, calling the deception a "low point" in the newspaper's history.”

“New York Times Exposes Fraud of Own Reporter.” ABC News Online. 12 May, 2003.http://www.pbs.org/newshour/newshour_index.htmlSOURCE: LINK


Summary


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• This course is about ethical issues surrounding the use of cybertechnologies.

• This is a class about writing.• Next class – more writing…

SUMMAR Y

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