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Research

This document provides guidance on selecting a research topic and conducting research for a PhD dissertation. It discusses various ways to identify a research topic, including having a flash of brilliance, adapting a course project, improving upon past work, working on an advisor's suggested topics, publishing a series of papers, and applying insights from other fields. The document emphasizes the importance of perseverance, communicating results, and becoming an expert in the chosen research area.

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35 views

Research

This document provides guidance on selecting a research topic and conducting research for a PhD dissertation. It discusses various ways to identify a research topic, including having a flash of brilliance, adapting a course project, improving upon past work, working on an advisor's suggested topics, publishing a series of papers, and applying insights from other fields. The document emphasizes the importance of perseverance, communicating results, and becoming an expert in the chosen research area.

Uploaded by

kiranbdpl
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
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Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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All About Research

Adapted from presentations and slides by: M.J. Harrold - Georgia Institute of Technology O. Pearce - Texas A&M University M.L. Soffa - University of Virginia P. Raghavan - Penn State University F. Berman - UC San Diego The CRA-W Grad Cohort for Women Program

What is Research and Why Do It?


What?
Investigation of a problem in scientific manner Discovery of a solution that advances state of knowledge in areas from theory to algorithms to prototypes to experimentation to applications

Why?

Create, have fun, play Invent, be on leading edge of discovery, be a scientist Transfer discoveries to benefit society Work in interesting and rewarding careers

Beginning with the End in Mind


A PhD graduate should know how to

select a difficult and interesting research direction (that matters to someone) form hypotheses that can be scientifically evaluated (and learn how to perform the evaluation) conduct research report on the results by becoming an effective oral and written communicator obtain funding, run a research group, be an advisor and mentor to your own students, etc. (so you can continue to do research, have an effect on others, etc.)

Plan for a research career not a research project!

Approximate Timeline
Getting started

Choose an area Find research advisor Begin research

Completing your dissertation


Do the research Write the dissertation Develop long term career goals Prepare for your career

Identify thesis problem Choose Ph.D. committee

year

Defining your research

Choosing a Research Area


Criteria
Exciting and interesting area to you Important problems in area Research type is suitable to you Take courses, attend seminars and colloquia Talk to professors, visitors, other students Consider both applied and theoretical areas Read widely Learn about yourself, what you like, etc. Solve some research problems

Ways to identify a research area


How to choose a Research Advisor


Advisor-advisee relationships are forever!

Talk to potential advisors and their advisees What are their projects? How much time do they spend with students? Do they have group and/or individual meetings? How long to return written materials? How much freedom do they give students? How long does it take students to finish? What is the placement of past students? Does the adviser publish a lot with students? What is the order of names? Who presents the papers that are co-authored? Do they have research assistantships? Do you feel comfortable with this person as your advisor?
Try out an advisor Take one of their courses Work with them on an independent study

Working on a Research Team (or not)


Why work on a team (in a group)?

Part of a larger project (less common in more theoretical areas) Research often a collaborative, social process Helps you to learn to communicate ideas Try new ideas, practice talks, get feedback on papers, learn to advise other students, etc.

How to work on a research team


Carve out your problem in the group Be generous with giving credit to others, but Stand up for your accomplishments Your role in the group will change as you progress

You need to be an expert in your area


Read papers
Use papers references to get to original papers Keep an annotated bibliography of papers, note
Main contribution Open questions How it relates to your interests, work

Identifying a Thesis Problem

Talk to experts

When they visit UDel At conferences and workshops Carry a notebook to record notes, thoughts, etc.

Attend talks, etc.

Question previous works assumptions

You need to consider potential problems


Consider hot topics carefully Thoroughly understand the problem

Identifying a Thesis Problem

Break problem into manageable pieces


Develop methods that work for you
When to work deeply, broadly; when to put aside Set aside blocks of time to focus on research Work consistently on the problem

PersevereYou Will Find a Topic


Every morning I would sit down before a blank
sheet of paper. Throughout the day, with brief interval for lunch, I would stare at the blank sheet. Often when evening came it was still empty It seemed quite likely that the whole of the rest of my life might be consumed in looking at that blank sheet of paper (Bertrand Russell, autobiography)

Went on to publish (with Whitehead) the 3volume Principia Mathematica


Remember that drive distinguishes the great scientists (but brains help )

Really starting your dissertation


A major transition (often the 3rd year) Classes are finally done Now, you have to define your own research agenda Self-driven schedule

Completing Your Dissertation


The research itself Plan your research, and regularly revisit, reevaluate, and revise these plans Work consistently; work very hard Take the initiative in your own research

Usually start out taking advice

Want to end up being a colleague of your advisor


Advisor sets most goals for your work

Should know your research area better than anyone else (even your advisor) Should be able to defend your work/decisions Should set directions for next subgoals

Completing Your Dissertation


showing the world

Communicate your results along the way


Develop excellent presentation skills (oral and written)


Identify publishable pieces of your work Make appropriate contacts along the way Workshops and conferences Intern or visit with a research group Electronic communication with researchers Understand rules for authorship

Get feedback for your presentations Practice, practice, practice To your research group In your SIG group At conferences

You Will Find that Elusive Result (hopefully )

Persevere

Every morning I would sit down before a blank

sheet of paper. Throughout the day, with brief interval for lunch, I would stare at the blank sheet. Often when evening came it was still empty It seemed quite likely that the whole of the rest of my life might be consumed in looking at that blank sheet of paper (Bertrand Russell, autobiography)

There are no guarantees that is what makes it research! And, youll often have difficult/stressful times But remember drive distinguishes the great scientists

Some Ways to Find a Topic

There is no one size fits all But, here are six common ways to find a topic

1) A Flash of Brilliance

You wake up one day with a new insight/idea New approach to solve an important open problem

Warnings: This rarely happens if at all Even if it does, you may not be able to find an advisor who agrees

2) The Term Project

You take a project course that gives you a new perspective E.g., theory for systems and vice versa The project/paper combines your research project with the course project

Warnings: This may be too incremental

3) Re-do & Re-invent

You work on some projects Re-implement or re-do Identify an improvement, algorithm, proof You have now discovered a topic Warnings: You may be without a topic for a long time

It may not be a topic worthy of a PhD thesis

4) The Apprentice

Your advisor has a list of topics Suggests one (or more!) that you can work on Can save you a lot of time/anxiety

Warnings: Dont work on something you find boring, badly-motivated, Several students may be working on the same/related problem

5) 5 papers = Thesis

You work on a number of small topics that turn into a series of conference papers E.g., you figure out how to apply a technique (e.g., branch and bound) to optimize performance tradeoffs

Warnings: May be hard to tie into a thesis May not have enough impact

6) Idea From A

You read some papers from other subfields/fields Apply this insight to your (sub)field to your own E.g., graph partitioning to compiler optimizations

Warnings: You can read a lot of papers and not find a connection Or realize someone has done it already!

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