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How to start research

V. Jayalakshmi

Why do we research?

To solve a problem

To satisfy an itch To gain more market share/ Develop and improve

It is part of the Job


To make more money

To get a Ph.D Degree

What are the types of Academic Research Works?


A totally new innovation or frame work Any analysis/ approach/ new algorithm / procedure with at least some deviation from existing methods so as to have contribution which can reduce cost/time/ and or increase in performance

How to proceed?

DECIDING ON A TOPIC
What am I most interested in? Do I want to know a lot about a little or a
little about a lot?

Narrower papers are easier, broader ones more difficult

AREA OF INTEREST
Pick a Direction or area of interest Based on our background/ knowledge/ Exposure (Subjects handled, Courses taken, readings Conferences attended seminars etc.)

Example - Networking
This is an area only. It could be Multicasting in Networks Could be further refined to 'Congestion control for Reliable multicast Further, 'Congestion control through Admission Control

Do not say, Wireless Networks (too general) it can be Wireless with infrastructure / Ad-hoc

Networks / Wireless Sensor Networks


Narrow down further, Systematic Testing of Wireless MAC layer/ Efficient hand off for IP mobility / Security by modifying the protocol in any of the above networks

Do not just say Network Security


but, Security through
Protocol

Encryption/ decryption algorithms Key management

Hardware deployment

Do not say as Quality of Service in

networks, but as, Quality of Service


in IP Networks through Congestion Control
In unicast In Multicast

KEY WORDS
Compile a set of Key Words on the chosen topics Start searching for the key words from
IEEE library on line ACM library on line

Google (selectively)
Citeseer.com

Searching for papers in General area of Computer Networks, look for


IEEE/ACM Transactions on Networking IEEE Journal on Selected Areas of communications Computer Network Journal (Elsevier) And many others

On Wireless Networks ..
ACM Mobicom ACM MobiHoc ACM MANET Journal AdHoc Networks Journal (Elsevier) IEEE / ACM IPSN

IEEE WCNC
And many more Journals and conferences

SELECT PAPERS
From the topics of papers we have collected, Select papers that we think most related to what we have in our mind Do not read all the papers now Check the title, abstract, authors and affiliations, Journal or Conference

Refine Key words ..


Now try to refine our key words and perform multiple searches for quality works

If a specific paper is liked, look at the list of references this will give a good indication to follow

Consolidate
With these additions narrow down to 15- 20 papers

of most related, we think, for the selected area of work

Gather Information
Now start reading ONLY THE ABSTRACT, INTRODUCTION and CONCLUSION Skim the rest of the paper for general idea Identify the emphasis of each paper

Pick the best


Based on our reading and understanding pick 4-6 papers that We think that address our research interests and challenges in the field most appropriately Read these 4-6 papers thoroughly from the beginning to the end

Analyze
Main approaches Methods of Analysis Metrics

Evaluation tools
Analysis and interpretation of results Simulation or Measured data Conclusions

Some questions on these ideas..


Did all/some papers use similar approaches? Have they used same evaluation criteria? Same method of analysis?

If not,
What are the strengths / weaknesses of each method?

Keep a list of ideas we want to explore This will create another list of readings

Keep a list of

What do we think the authors may have missed

The gaps and Limitations that could


be improved upon

Any idea of how to accomplish these improvements

Proposal
Write two pages of proposal defining as clearly as possible, the following:
Motivation Research Challenges Overview of the existing work Limitations of the existing work Potential directions and ideas for improvement

Expected results and impact in the field

Ask the trust-worthy friends to read and comment on these two pages about If it is not clear, go back and rewrite If we think we have missed some other work, go back to the 15-20 list and pick another 3-5 good papers to read and rewrite the proposal

Focus on an idea
Be selective in readings Try to focus, not get confused

Write these two pages


The next step is to write a 10 page proposal elaborating on the 2 pages

Publish
Send paper to Journal/Conference
Do not mind if not accepted
This will give good comments by referees Improve upon the paper utilizing the comments It will get accepted and published

Thesis and Synopsis


If 2 Journal papers and 2 conference papers published, think of consolidating the work Left out works, links that may be needed have to be

completed
Write the draft Thesis Write the Synopsis

Thank You!

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