2024S Technical Writing (+ Research Methodology)

Course Description:

This course has three goals. (1) Develop & practice effective technical writing skills (English) for publishing high-quality academic research papers in Computer Science (or CS-related fields), so that your papers have a high chance of gaining acceptance to top CS conferences (e.g., ACM SIGs). (2) Learn how to evaluate/critique strength and weakness of research papers. (3) Revise/rewrite/write your own research papers (and/or master/PhD theses).  

This course covers two essential aspects of strong writing: paper structure (論文結構) and research content (研究內容). On paper structure, this course explains how to breakdown a paper's structure, and how to extract paper structure (e.g., from an award-winning paper) that can be replicated in writing your own papers. On research content, this course explains what are basic research steps/components necessary to provide content in writing a research paper, and/or how to extract content from your existing research work to filling into different sections/paragraphs outlined by your paper structure.  You will learn that paper/thesis writing (and research method) is mechanical. By following steps, anyone can learn to be competent in writing quality research papers. 

This course is NOT about teaching general English writing (e.g., vocabulary, spelling, grammar, etc.) Students are expected to have basic competence in English writing and reading. 

This course has two parts: regular lectures and (one-on-one) writing studio. For studio sessions, you are expected to bring your own research projects/ideas to write (i.e., thesis, conference, journal, etc.). This course is best suited for: (1) You want to revise and re-submit a rejected paper. You have completed most of research work, from which you have completed almost all content to writing in a paper. (2) You want to write a new paper. You have decided on a research problem with your advisor, and have done enough research (e.g., with a partial build and evaluation) from which you can extract most (e.g., over 50%) content to writing a paper.  (3) You want to write a new research proposal/plan. You have identified a research problem with your advisor, you may have some proof-of-concept feasibility study, and you want to work backward, i.e., writing a research plan first and see whether this idea could lead to a good enough paper?

Prerequisite:

• Basic English skill (readings are in English)

Teaching Staff: 

• Instructor: 朱浩華 (Hao)

• email: haochu@ntu.edu.tw

Class Schedule:

2/20/2024. Classroom: 資 310

Lecture: Introduction

2/27/2024.  Classroom: 資 310

Lecture: How to structure a research paper?

Papers:

•  Ho-lin Chang, Jr-ben Tian, Tsung-Te Lai, Hao-Hua Chu, Polly Huang, Spinning Beacons for Precise Indoor Localization, ACM SenSys 2008, November 2008. [acceptance rate 16%] (pdf)

• Chuang-Wen You, Kuo-Cheng Wang, Ming-Chyi Huang, Yen-Chang Chen, Cheng-Lin Lin, Po-Shiun Ho, Hao-Chuan Wang, Polly Huang, Hao-Hua Chu, SoberDiary: A Phone-based Support System for Assisting Recovery from Alcohol Dependence, ACM CHI 2015, April 2015.  [acceptance rate 23%] Awarded Best Paper Honorable Mention (pdf)

3/5/2024.  Classroom:  No class

3/12/2024. Online Class/Google meet: https://meet.google.com/awj-hqvj-pwz

Lecture: What is typical (ACM) paper review process? 

Lecture: Continue How to structure a research paper?

• Jon Froehlich, Eric Larson, Tim Campbell, Conor Haggerty, James Fogarty, Shwetak Patel. HydroSense: infrastructure-mediated single-point sensing of whole-home water activity, ACM UbiComp 2009. (pdf)

Assignment 1 Out

3/19/2024. Online Class/Google meet link: https://meet.google.com/rob-ahnm-gzd 

Lecture: Finish previous lectures

Assignment 1 Due

Assignment 2 Out

3/26/2024. One-on-One meetings

Assignment 2 Due

4/2/2024. One-on-One meetings

4/9/2024. Online Class/Google meet: https://meet.google.com/awj-hqvj-pwz

Lecture: How to develop paragraphs?

Lecture: How to review papers?

Assignment 3 Out

4/16/2024. Online Class/Google meet: https://meet.google.com/cnx-dqxy-jvv

Lecture: How to review papers?

4/23/2024.  One-on-One meetings

Assignment 3 Due

4/30/2024. One-on-One meetings

5/7/2024.  Online Class/Google meet: https://meet.google.com/awj-hqvj-pwz

Lecture: How to choose evaluation/experimental methods?

5/14/2024. Online Class/Google meet: https://meet.google.com/awj-hqvj-pwz

Lecture: Study Abroad 

5/21/2024 One-on-one meetings.

5/28/2024. Online Class/Google meet: https://meet.google.com/awj-hqvj-pwz

Lecture: Last one 

Project:

• Assignment #1: Select your best/most favorite paper (also shares similar type of research with your work) for dissection.

• Assignment #2: Dissect and extract your best paper's structure. 

• Assignment #3: Write a review for your best paper. 

• Assignment #4: Create your paper's outline by replicating the best paper's structure. 

• Assignment #5: Write your paper by filling in content from your paper outline.