1. Research & Research paper
In modern times, a person’s academic worth equates with
number of papers they have “authored”
Prof. Dr. Padma Bahadur Shahi
School of Engineering
Pokhara University
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2. Myself:
Ph. D.: Moscow State Automobile & Road
Construction Institute (Technical University)-1998
University)-
Post Doc researcher: Kyoto University, Japan
(2003-
(2003-2005)
Awarded by:
– Mahendra Vidhya Bhusan Ka & Kha
– Young Scientist Award by RONAST-2057
RONAST-
– Ratriya Pratibha Purasker-2058
Purasker-
Professional experience:
– Teaching & research (TU, Purb. U, PU)
Purb.
– Consulting expert for ADB, World Bank, Government
Projects
Presently Supervising a Ph. D student
9. What is Research?
The word research derives from the French
word ‘recherche’: “to search”
Research is an active, diligent, and
systematic process of inquiry aimed at
discovering, interpreting, and revising facts.
It is an entire collection of information about
a particular subject, and is related to the
output of science and the scientific methods.
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10. Research types
E xploratory
Constructive
Research
E m pirical
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11. Types
Exploratory:
Exploratory:
– It has not clearly defined problem.
problem.
– Example: reviewing existing literature/data etc.
Example: etc.
– Results are not directly used for decision making, but can
provide significant insight into the situation.
situation.
Constructive research:
research:
– Generally it is based on computer science research method
– New contribution to be developed: theory, algorithm,
developed:
framework etc.
etc.
Empirical:
Empirical:
– Findings are derived directly or indirectly from observation
as its test of reality.
reality.
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12. What are the research methods?
Action research: it can be done for our own practice.
Cartography: use of map function for spatial data.
Case study: taking only single event or instance.
Classification:
Experience
Experiment
Interview
Mathematical model
Participant observation
Simulation: it is an imitation of some real thing, state of
affairs, or process.
Statistical analysis
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13. Test de la banane:
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14. “If you would understand anything,
observe its beginning and its
development.”—
development.”—Aristotle
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17. Why Research Proposals (RP)?
Any new actions are started with the
proposal of some body.
body.
Every project starts from a proposal……
proposal……
For Academic/research degree:
degree:
For getting research grants from
Universities, Industries, Gov/NGO and
other agencies.
agencies.
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18. Research proposal:
It is intended to convince others that:
that:
– you have a worthwhile research project;
project;
– you have the competency;
competency;
– you have work-plan to complete it.
work- it.
It must include:
include:
– What you plan to accomplish ?
– Why you want to do?
– How to do?
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19. Research proposal:…..
It should have sufficient
information to convince your
readers/ assessors.
assessors.
Always remember:
remember:
– “quality of your research
proposal depends not only on the
quality of your proposed project,
but also on the quality of your
proposal writing”
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20. Content of a Research proposal: Title
What is Title?
How to formulate title?
– Should be stated in terms of a functional relationship between
independent and dependent variables.
variables.
Make any two titles of subject of interest:
interest:
21. Introduction: (logical framework)
– State the research problem
– Purpose of the study
– provide the context:
context:
– Clearly explain: why it is worth doing.
explain: doing.
– Describe briefly issues to be addressed by your research.
research.
– Identify the key independent and dependent variables of
your experiment.
experiment.
– State hypothesis or theory.
theory.
– Set boundary of your proposed research.
research.
– Provide definitions of key concept.
concept.
– Keep in mind that you are telling a story to an audience;
audience;
do not bore them
22. Content of a Research proposal (continuous….)
Literature review (Sometime it is incorporated into
introduction section)
– Ensure that you are not “reinventing the wheel”
– Give credits to those who have laid the ground for your
research.
– Demonstrate your ability to identify the research theme.
– Demonstrate your ability to critically evaluate literature
information
– Try the integrate and synthesize the existing literature.
– Develop new model as conceptual framework of the research
work.
– Convince your reader that proposed research will make a
significant contribution to the literature and science
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23. Content of a Research proposal (continuous….)
Methods
– It should provide work plan and describe the
activities necessary for the completion of the
research.
research.
– Design the method of research:
research:
field observation/questionnaire survey/lab experiment/….
experiment/…
– Describe participants and type of sampling.
sampling.
– Define measuring instruments or questionnaires and
conform their validity and reliability.
reliability.
– Mention the plan to carry out the research
schedule of activities and time period to be carried out.
out.
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24. Content of a Research proposal (continuous….)
Discussion
– Note down the possible results of
proposed research.
research.
– Express your confidence to complete it
– Mention the future scope; limitations of
scope;
the research project.
project.
– Justify all the activities by time and
financial constraints.
constraints.
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25. How to write a technical Paper?
A question…..
Teacher: Which is the oldest animal
in world?
Respondent: ZEBRA
Teacher: How?
Respondent: Bcoz it is ………..
26. The structure of a Typical Technical Paper
Introduction
Related works System Model Problem Statement
Your Solution
Analysis
simulation Experimentation
Conclusion
Future Work
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27. Basic Structure of a paper
1. Introduction
(What question was asked?)
2. Methods
(How was it studied?)
3. Results
(What was found?)
4. Discussion & Conclusion
(What do the finding means?)
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28. 1. Introductions
• It gives the background on and motivation for your research,
establishing its importance.
• It gives a summary and outline of your paper.
It should be short and arresting
Should answer the question: why have you undertaken the study?
Clarify what your work adds some thing new.
Follow the advice of publishers for about the format.
Make sure that what you are aware of earlier studies.
Think about using journalistic tricks 28
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29. 1. Introductions (continuous….)
Effective introduction:
Know your audience
Keep it short
Explain why it’s important
Convinces readers that it is better than
what was gone before
Try to hook them in the first line
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30. 2. Methods
It should describe:
– Logical sequence of your study process
– How you analyze your data
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31. 2. Methods (continuous….)
Testing Hypotheses
– For descriptive study: who, what, why, when, where?
– For Research: should state exactly what hypothesis was
tested
Null hypothesis (significant test for given possibility)
Statistics
Design: how the sampling was done?
– Participants and materials for laboratory test
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32. 2. Methods (continuous….)
Good “Methods” should explain:
explain:
– Does the text describes what question was being asked?
– What was being tested?
– How trustworthy the measurement of the variable under
consideration would be?
– Were these measurements recorded, analyzed, and
interpreted correctly?
– Would a suitable qualified reader be able to repeat the
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33. 3. The results
This section should answer the question:
question:
– What was found?
It doesn’t contain data or statement that
requires referencing.
referencing.
It is composed of words, summarizing
tables, illustrations, statistics to support
the statement.
statement.
Start chronologically, and continue
logically to the end.
end.
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34. 3. The Results (continuous…)
The words:
words:
– Start this section by characterizing the
participants and objects of your study.
study.
– Continue it by presenting the answer the main
questions.
questions.
– Dress one topic per paragraph
– Differentiate clearly between data and results.
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35. 3. The Results (continuous…)
– Consider revised version of the same result
– Emphasize most important results: as a
results:
topic sentence
– Do not use table headings or figure legends
as topic sentence
– Report the results of discrete events in
Past tense, and descriptive nature in the
present tense
– Avoid the use of quantitative words
36. 3. The Results (continuous…)
Tables and Illustrations
– Strong visual impact and easy to
comprehend.
comprehend.
– Table & illustration title should be in brief.
brief.
– Always follow the “instructions to the
authors” for specific journal
– Figure legends should be placed next to the
figure.
figure.
– Republishing figures needs permission from
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37. 3. The Results (continuous…)
The statistics
– Statistics must accompany data.
data.
– Always sample size and probability
value
– Do not list the data to a greater degree of
accuracy than that of the measurement.
measurement.
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38. 4. Discussion
Getting started:
Answer the question: so what?
Begin with the summary, of the work.
Explain: Why your study is unique?
– (this study is unique…is special….)
Do try to repeat the sentences from “Introduction”.
Give the reason why your own data are firmer.
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39. 4. Discussion (continuous….)
Stating your case:
Refer to your own results (without
repeating) in terms of:
of:
– What they add to the body of
knowledge?
– How they are advance to understand the
subject matter?
Deal with the practical lessons to be
learnt.
learnt.
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40. 4. Discussion (continuous….)
Finishing up :
Use the combinations such:
such:
(perhaps…
(perhaps….; possibly….;
possibly… more
research is needed…; here’s another
needed…
problem solved….)
solved…
Avoiding pitfalls :
Conclusions should be backed by the data.
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41. 4. Discussion (continuous….)
Three ways of ending:
– Problem solved
– More research needed
– Uncertainty remains
At the last of the discussion, you ,may need to enter
acknowledgements to those who enabled the project
successful
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43. Titles
It should encourage the reader to read
on
Concise an precise
Informative and descriptive
Specific
As brief as possible while conveying
essential features of the article’s
content
Words appropriate for classification
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44. Titles (continuous……)
Tip for developing a title:
title:
– Describe your paper in two or three sentences.
sentences.
– Precise these sentences: remove unnecessary occurrences of
sentences:
“as” and “the” as well as any references to the results.
results.
– Now write a draft title.
title.
– Review this. Perhaps try the technique of “a title in two
this.
parts”, for example:…..
example:
– Check it:
it:
Is it accurate?
Is it in any way misleading?
Does it contain essential keywords?
Is it interesting?
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45. Abstracts
Usually they are the only part of the paper freely available via
electronic search engines and are read by many people than
the rest of the paper
Some tips to write Abstract:
Start to write the paper with the abstract.
Check for maximum number of words (200-300 words)
Check for sense: ask to a colleague who is not involved in
the research to read it. Do they understand your massage?
Check for consistency: it should describe your message
briefly and accurately. Compare it with the paper.
Remember: more people read the abstract than the whole
paper.
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46. Authors
Authors are writers: “rarely there is a single author of a scientific paper”
Authorship is shared with others. However many authors are neither the
originator nor the write of the paper, but they are all essential to the team,
to the development of ideas, to the technical input, to the interpretation of
results.
Some tips:
tips:
– Discuss early about contribution for the paper.
paper.
– Ask everyone to write down their contribution.
contribution.
– Agree contributions.
contributions.
– Agree order of contributors.
contributors.
– Agree who should be acknowledged.
acknowledged.
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47. 8. References
References are the foundation on which the paper is built.
They provide scientific background that justifies the research you have
undertaken and methods you have used.
Reference format:
Journal article:
article:
– Surname and initials of authors. Full title of paper.
authors. paper.
Title of journal, year of publication; Volume
publication;
number:
number: first and last page numbers of article.
article.
Book or monograph:
monograph:
– Surname and initial of authors. Full title of book.
authors. book.
Number of edition. Town of publication: Publisher,
edition. publication:
year of publication.
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49. What is Technical paper?
Technical Paper is for:
1. For attending a conference.
2. Contains more detailed data, figures, and discussion.
3. Many people refer this as more important and permanent
literature.
4. More easily found by future researchers.
5. Selected by committee, based on abstract of the paper.
6. If technical society has a journal, may also be published
there.
7. Lead time to publication may be long.
8. Audience reached may be very small.
9. Only selected readers probably understands terminology.
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50. Bibliography
How to write a paper. Edited by George M. Hall,
paper.
BMJ Books, London, 2004
Patrick Valduriez, Projet Rodin INRIA. Some Hints
INRIA.
to Improve Writing of Technical Papers. France
Papers.
1994.
1994.
Ron Dusterhoft, Halliburton, and Jim Giddens. How
Giddens.
To Write Technical Papers and Journal Articles.
Articles.
Valley Forge Technical Information Services.Services.
Houston, USA.
USA.
Georgios Varsamopoulos. How to Write a Technical
Varsamopoulos.
Paper:
Paper: Structure and Style of the Epitome of your
Research.
Research. Department of Computer Science and
Engineering, Arizona State University, Arizona, USA 50
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51. Thanks a lot for your
attention
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