how to do effective research - bibalex.org planning...12/16/2015 1 mohamed a. el-sharkawi 1 mohamed...

12/16/2015

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Mohamed A. El-Sharkawi 1Mohamed A. El-Sharkawi

How to do Effective Research

Mohamed A. El-Sharkawi

Smart Energy Lab (SEL)Department of Electrical Engineering

University of WashingtonSeattle, WA 98195-2500

e-mail: [email protected]: http://SmartEnergyLab.com

Mohamed A. El-Sharkawi 3Mohamed A. El-SharkawiMohamed A. El-Sharkawi

Worldwide Facts: Research and Economy

• Just 10 countries account for 84% of global research and development expenditures

• These 10 countries account for 95% of US patents

• The countries with most investment in research are the ones who achieved the strongest economy

United Nations Human Development Report (UNHDR), 1999


Worldwide Facts: Research and Economy

• “Without research there is no innovation and without innovation there is no economic development.”

• “Research and innovation performance will be boosted and will lead to more growth, jobs and competitiveness for Europe.”

European Commission on European Smart Grid Technology Platform, EUR 22040, 2006


What is Research?

• Research is

– A pursuit for an answer driven by a specific question or idea

• It requires a clear goal

• It follows a specific course of action

• It is realistic in its assumptions

• It is performed by qualified personal

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What is not Research?

• Research is not just information gathering.

– A person reading information on a given subject is not research.

• Research is not rearranging of facts.

– A person writing a report on a known subject is not research.

• Research is not a sales pitch.

– Research is misused word to describe new improved products.


• “If we knew what it was we were doing, it would not be called research, would it?”

Albert Einstein

Research is not rearrangement of known knowledge


• “If at first, the idea is not absurd, then there is no hope for it”

Albert Einstein

Research Seeks Out of ordinary ideas


• “To an uninspired scientist with a hammer, everything looks like a nail”

Albert Einstein

Research Seeks Out of ordinary solutions

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Imagination and Logic!

• Imagination is more important than knowledge. – For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand,

– while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand

• Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere

Albert Einstein


Research is driven by scientific intution

• “The only real valuable thing is intuition”

Albert Einstein


General Classifications of Research

• Abstract or Basic research

• Applied research

• Development


Abstract and Basic Research

• Highly theoretical

• High risk with potentials for high yield

• Long term vision

• The luxury of the rich

• No immediate payback, but could have enormous economic and engineering impacts

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Applied Research

• Directly related to existing industrial/societal problem

• Technologically transferable Research

• Industry/Society motivated

• Economic building blocks for developing nations


Development

• Implementation of existing technology

• Improvements on existing systems


Models of Research for Developing Nations

• Weak model– Self invention

– Reinvention

– Augmentation

• Strong Model– Mission Research

– Industry motivated

– Technologically transferable


Research Quest

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Why do Research?

• Enjoyable

• Creative

• Inventive

• Transfer discoveries to benefit society

• Enhance the economic viability of nations


Motivation

• Internal drive

– Research interest (sense of achievement, curiosity, etc)

– Strong ambition (self-expectation)

• External drive

– Degree and diploma

– Parents, teachers, friends

– Peer pressure (sense of honor and responsibility)


Beginning with the End in Mind

Plan for a research career not a research project!


Key Steps

Select a Research Topic:–An interesting research direction–Matters to society

Form Hypotheses:–Hypotheses that can be scientifically evaluated – Learn how to perform the evaluation of existing

work

Conduct Research:

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Key Steps

Evaluate your Work:–Honestly

Report your Work:– To the world

Transfer your Technology:–Commercialize your results–Mentor others to continue in the same direction


Select a Research Topic


Persevere—You 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 3-volume Principia Mathematica

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


Choosing a Research Area

Criteria Exciting and interesting to you Address important problem Research type is suitable to you

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Choosing a Research Area

Ways to identify a research area Take courses, attend seminars and colloquia Talk to researchers, industry and government Consider both applied and theoretical areas Read widely Learn about yourself, what you like, etc. Solve some preliminary research problems


The Right Problem and the Right Way to Ask Problem

Asking the problem right can lead to asking the right problem

• Can we predict stability?

• Can we predict stability with frequency measurement?

• Can we predict stability with power flow?


Research Problem Selection

• Good research largely depends on the selected problem

– 50% of a research job is done when you find a good problem.

• How to evaluate the research problem?

– Is it an old problem or a new problem?

• Usually, new problems have more opportunities

– Is it a significant problem?

• Practically important yet technically challenging

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Standard Pitfalls for Graduate Students

Solving the World

– do not try to solve all problems in the world

– set yourself a high but well focused goal

Computer Bum

– do not rush to simulate the problem or solution

– think first about what you want to achieve

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• Ivory Tower

– do not shut yourself in an ivory tower to do your research

– talk to people, with colleagues, professors, people with similar interests

– Talk to people who know nothing about your research



• Misunderstood Genius

–do not think that what you want to achieve or what you have done cannot be understood by anybody

– you should be able to explain to any person

• what you are working on

• what it is good for

• what your contribution is



• Ambition Paralysis

– do not wait to have the "great" idea

– start from small ideas

– pick an example and try to solve it

– try to apply the solution to some other examples.

– Sooner or later the "big" idea will come.


Good versus Bad Research Problems

• Good research problem– After the research, more people will be doing it – you opened

the door

– After the research, nobody can improve it – you closed the door

• Bad research problem– Nobody will follow the research

– Nobody really cares about the research

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Ambition

• Aim high

–Do not patch a small hole left by leading researchers

– Find a more fundamental problem which may have a long impact


Identifying a Research Problem

Read papers• Keep an annotated bibliography of papers

• Main contribution• Open questions • How it relates to your interests, work• Reading tree; use papers’ references to get to original papers

Talk to experts

• Visit universities, factory and research centers• At conferences and workshops

Question previous works’ assumptions


Good versus Bad Research Problems

Research subject hotspot index HI for a large sample:

𝐻𝐼 =𝑓

𝐹f: No. of top papers

F: No. of total papers


Identifying a Research Problem

Consider topics carefully

Thoroughly understand the problem

Break problem into manageable pieces

Develop methods that work for you

• Set aside blocks of time to focus on research• Work deeply and broadly• Work consistently on the problem

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Research Models

• Solution looking for a problem

• Problem looking for a solution

• New solution to old problems (classical problems)

• New problems

• New areas

38 Mohamed A. El-Sharkawi 39Mohamed A. El-SharkawiMohamed A. El-Sharkawi

Model 1: Industrial Project

• Industrial needs

– Global problem (worldwide needs)

– Local problem (Country needs)

• Warnings:

– Require interaction with industry

– Some may not be a topic worthy of a PhD thesis


Model 2: Apprentice

• Your advisor has a list of topics

• Can save you a lot of time/anxiety

Warnings:

You may work on something you find boring, badly-motivated,…

Several students may be working on the same/related problem


Model 3: 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

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Model 4: Projects

• You take a project course that gives you a new perspective

• Combines your research project with the course project

Warnings:

This may be too incremental


Model 5: n-paper = Thesis

• You work on a number of small topics that turn into a series of papers

Warnings:

May be hard to tie into a thesis

May not have enough impact


Model 6: Innovations are on Borders

• Other disciplines may have problem that can be solved by your ideas

• Apply your insight to the new filed

Warnings:

You need to read a lot in different field to find a connection


Research Environment

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Groups

• A group can be a blessing– More interactions (now) and networking (future)

• Senior students can be very helpful to junior students– Experience sharing & encouragements

– More tolerant to mistakes

– More accessible

• Each colleague is a teacher

• Each group has its own culture


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.

While working 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


Advisor

• Role of Advisor– Joint decision on problem selection

– Set up the research standard

– Help when students get stuck• Find out why

• Re-directing

• Feedback on research results– Positive and negative feedback

• Help in oral presentation and written reports


How to Select Advisor?

• 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?

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Try out Advisor

• Take one of their courses

• Work with them on an independent study


Read, Read and Read


Levels of Reading

Outer Circle

Middle

Circle InnerCircle


Outer Circle

Articles about the surrounding problem

• read the introductory material

• read surveys on the subject

• read some papers to become familiar with the topic

– read the abstract

– read the intro

– conclusions

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Middle Circle

Articles about the particular type of problem you have in mind

– read as for Outer Circle

– mark candidates for Inner circle

– collect further readings from references


Inner Circle

Articles about the specific approach you consider

• read the entire article, then read it again

• select key articles for your work and read them again (a 3rd time)

• search applications based on the approach (you should do this for the middle circle also)


Guide to reading

For every article you have read (regardless of the circle) do:

• Reference data: authors, journal, pages, etc., so as to be able to refer it afterwards

• Make notes about the content of every article – will help you to remember and to understand the paper

• length of notes should depend on the circle level


Research Process

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Main Components of Research Process

• Focus

• Find and filer

• Work with information

• Reflect

• Communicate


• What is my research purpose?

• What are my research challenges?

• What are the critical questions?

• Who is my audience?

• What do I know?

• What do I need to know?

• What could be my product?

• How will I plan my time?

Focus


Find and Filter

Consider the resources that are available to you.

• Locate different types of resources.

• Decide which resources might be suitable.

• Revise research questions if necessary.


Find and Filter

Evaluate the resource for

• Authority

• accuracy

Make

• notes and summaries

• organize information

• record your opinion

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Work with Information

• Read, view, listen.

• Interpret, record, and organize.

• Look for patterns, make connections.

• Check for understanding.

• Review, revise, reorganize, edit.


Work with Information

• Instead of copying it out, interpret the data

• Synthesize and analyze the ideas you find

• Ask more questions

• Look for deeper understanding

• Organize, reorganize, and reshape the ideas to make sure that the meaning is well captured.


Communicate

• Prepare final results

• Share ideas, knowledge, product.

• Begin to put all the research together

• Effectively communicate what you have found in order to demonstrate how much you have done and learned


Writing

• Critical to the sale of your ideas/results

• Paper organization

– Proper arrangement of texts, figures and tables

• Multi-pass writing style

– 1st pass: Detailed outline

– 2nd pass: Rapid writing

– 3rd pass: Fine Fine-tuning

– 4th pass: cross cross-reading

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Reflection completes the research process

• What did I learn about the topic?

• What worked well?

• What will I do differently next time?

• What did I learn about the research ?

Consider

• whether your task was successful

• whether the process was effective

• changes that would improve future tasks.

Reflect

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