AI Magazine Volume 3 Number 2 (1982) (© AAAI)

AI Techniques
and Methodology
Jaime Carbonell Derek Sleeman
Computer Sczence Department Department of Computer Studies
Carnegae-Mellon University 1;Tnzversity of Leeds
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 152125 Leeds LS2 9JT
United Ktngdom

Two CLOSELY RELATED ASPECTS of Artificial Intel- The prefered form for a contribution is a short paper or
ligence t,hat have received comparatively little attention technical note addressing issues of interest to a substantial
in the recent literature are research methodology and the segment of the AI community. Of course, longer scholarly
analysis of computational techniques that span multiple ap- papers on techniques or met,hodology would be highly wel-
plication areas. We believe both issues to be increasingly comed, as would commentary or elaboration on previous
significant, as Artificial Intelligence matures into a science- contributions. The criteria for evaluating contributions are
and spins off major application efforts. It is imperative to simple: clarity of writing, and perceived benefit to the AI
analyze the repertoire of AI methods with respect to past community. Contributions should be mailed to either:
experience, utility in new domains, extensibility, and func-
tional equivalence with other techniques, if N is to become Jaime Carhonell
more effective in building upon prior results rather than con- Computer Science Department
tinually reinverking the proverbial wheel. Similarly, aware- Carnegie-Mellon University
ness of research methodology issues can help plan future Pittsburgh, PA 15213
research by learning from past successes and failures. We (ARPANET: CARBONELLQCMU~ZOC)

view the study of research methodology to be similar to the Derek Sleeman

analysis of operational AI techniques, but at a met,a-level; Department of Computer Studies
that is, research methodology analyzes the techniques and University of Leeds
methods used by the researchers themselves, rather than Leeds LS2 9JT
their programs, to resolve issues of selecting interesting and United Kingdom
tract,able problems to investigate, and of deciding how to (ARPANET: SLEEMANQCMU-IOA)

proceed with t,heir investigations. A public articulation of

methodological issues that typically remain implicit in the The first article in the series compares and contrasts
literature may provide some helpful orientation for new re- several efforts in machine learning and argues retrospectively
searchers and broaden the perspective of many AI prac- that they share a common technique applicable to a wider
titioners. range of problems than had previously been considered. A
sampling of topics that provides a flavor of the type of articles
Whereas the journal Artificzal Intelligence serves as a we envision for this column includes:
vehicle to disseminate findings from major research efforts,
and the SIGART Newsletter serves as a general communica- Does AI and, in particular, cognitive modeling, have a
tion medium for the AI community, there seems to be no coherent research paradigm? Should it have one?
natural forum for discussing either research methodology or
A retrospective analysis of past and present AI efforts
experience gained from using and extending AI techniques. from a research methodology perspective, relating AI to
Therefore, we are initiating this column on AI techniques and other sciences in their nascent stages.
methodology t,o fill the perceived need. Of course, response
from t,he AI community will determine whether this experi- Computational techniques developed outside of AI that
ment continues as a regular feature of The AI Magazzne. bear relevance to AI problems.
The types of explicit response we would find most helpful
What are the common, recurrent themes that underlie
are either direct (positive or negative) comments about the the apparent, diversity of knowledge representation
ut,ility of this forum, or, better yet, submission of material schemes in AI?
to be included in the column.

THE AI MAGAZINE Spring 1982 47