Unit III

• Effective technical writing

• How to write report
• Paper developing a research proposal
• Format of research proposal
• Presentation and assessment by a review
committee

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 Research : To Publish;
How to Write and Present a
Good Research Paper

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 Effective technical writing

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 Why do we Write and
Present Papers
• To impress others
• To earn name and fame
• To infect the mind of your reader/ audience
with your idea
• Good Research Papers are immortal
• The greatest ideas are worthless if you keep
them to yourself

Mar 25, 2024 UVCE 4

 What is a Paper
• It is an art
• It is a process
• It is a learned skill
• It is not a summary or a report or data
extracted from several books
• It could be a survey, a case study or an
observation

Mar 25, 2024 UVCE 5

 Planning to Write a Paper

A Eight week schedule for writing a paper

– Find a topic (one week)

– Focus on the topic (two weeks)
– Notes and preliminary writing (two weeks)
– Drafting the paper (two weeks)
– Revision (one week)
– Preparing the final draft (eigth week)

Mar 25, 2024 UVCE 6

 Writing Papers - Model

Idea Write Paper Research

• You need not have a fantastic / great idea before you can
write a paper
• Write a paper and present about any idea, no matter
how insignificant it may be.
• It usually turns out to be more interesting and
challenging.
• The purpose of writing a paper is to convey your idea to
your readers head
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 Finding an Idea
• Select a topic that interests you
• Use brainstorming strategies
– Listing, Locating databases on the web, TV, Magazines, Journals,
Books
• Enough information should be available on the topic
• Avoid very recent topics
• Avoid controversial topics
• Avoid too narrow or too broad topic
• Define topic to organize your thoughts, to avoid
frustration and to utilize time effectively

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 Conveying the Idea
• Write an essay containing your ideas
• Identify specific points that need to be
supported

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 Structure of a Research Paper

• Title of the Paper  Model

• Authors, organization,  Problem definition
address and email
 Algorithm
 Implementation
• Abstract  Performance Analysis
• Key words  Conclusions
• Introduction  Acknowledgment
• Contributions  Bibliography
• Related Work  Appendix

Mar 25, 2024 UVCE 10

 Language
• It should be direct and simple
• Avoid passive voice, passive voice is vague
Eg. The data sets were lost . . . 
• Use active voice, active voice is strong and clear
Eg. We lost the data sets . . . 
• Present tense is stronger than future tense
Eg. WEAK : In this paper we will show . . . 
STRONG : In this paper we show that . . . 
• Present tense is better than past tense
Eg. BAD : In this work we wanted to . . . 
GOOD : The goals of our work are to . . . 
• Do not change the tense
• Every term must be defined at its first use

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 Contd.. Language
• Sentences should be checked for :
(i) content
(ii) meaning
(iii) structure
(iv) style
(v) consistent
(vi) symmetric
(vii) correct

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 Contd.. Language

(i) Content
• It should be clear.
• It should be precise (terse)

(ii) Meaning
• It should simple to understand
• It should be semantically correct

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 Contd.. Language
(iii) Structure
• Semicolon
• Connects two sentences that are closely related
to each other
GOOD : This machine is difficult to use ; for example,
it crashes whenever you turn it on.
• Commas
Commas provide guidance to the reader about how
to parse the sentence.
Place them whenever a speaker should pause
GOOD : For example, it crashes whenever you turn
it on.
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 Contd.. Language

• Colon
Colon signifies that what follows it is an explanation
of what precedes it.
Use at the end of the sentence, followed by a list
A em dash will also work

Eg. This talk does not assume that you know the
basics: how to form a sentence, how to use words
and how to laugh at your mistakes

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 Contd.. Language

(iv) Style
– Avoid fuzzy words
Eg. Very, easily, actually, truly, in fact, some, thing
etc
BAD : In comparing our algorithm with the algorithm
described in reference 17, we see that ours is very
fast.

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 Contd.. Language
(v) Consistent
Eg. Remote proxy vs proxy
Data structure vs structure

(vi) Symmetric
Eg. We describe both a stack and a queue : a
queue is a FIFO structure and a stack is a LIFO
structure

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 Contd.. Language
(vii) Correct (Which vs that)
that identifies the object about which your are speaking
which provides further information about the object
GOOD : The car that is speeding down the road is about
to crash into a pole
GOOD : The car, which is speeding down the road, is
about to crash into a pole

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 Abstract
• Write abstract at the end
• Abstract should contain
– Importance of research
– Problem
– Solution to the problem
– Comparison with the other solution

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 Key words
• Five important key words related to the topic

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 Introduction
• About the area and relevance
• About the potential applications
• Set the scenario and motivation
• High level view of what others have done and
inadequacy
• in this paper . . .
• About the sections to follow
• One - two pages

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 Contributions
• State the contributions clearly
• The contribution may be one or two
paragraphs

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 Related work
• Background vs Related work
– Background is a review of information the reader
will need to understand your paper.
– Related work is what other researchers have done
– Ten to fifteen references
– Ordered references
– Advantages and Disadvantages
– How the present paper is different from the
earlier paper
– Acknowledge sources
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 Model
• Definitions
• Architecture
• Description of the architecture
• Mathematical model
• Analysis of the mathematical model

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 Problem Definition
• Statement of the problem
• Objectives
• Assumptions

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 Algorithm
• Clear and precise
• Example
• Analysis
• Time complexity and space complexity

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 Implementation
• Data structures used
• Simulation
• Environment for the simulation

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 Performance Analysis
• Comparison
• Graphs
• Charts

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 Conclusion(s)
• Two paragraphs
• First paragraph : Goals achieved, performance
• Every claim must be explained and
substantiated
• Disadvantages
• Future work

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 Acknowledgement
• Thank the reviewers
• Thank your people who helped you

Mar 25, 2024 UVCE 30

 Bibliography
• IEEE style
• Example
• Authors, title of the paper, name of the journal, volume,
page number, year.

• Apha, Beeta, Gama and Delta, “Research Methodology,”

IEEE Transactions on Research Methodology, vol. 6, no.
10, pp. 145 – 152, February 2005.

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 After writing a paper
• Write the paper as explained
• Prepare the draft of the paper
– Evaluate and organize ideas
– Select relevant note
– Give enough time
– Avoid destruction
• Proof read the paper
– Slowly read your paper aloud
– Spelling, punctuation, sentence structure
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 Contd ..
• Revise the paper
– Ideas clearly communicated
– Ideas clearly organized
– Paragraph structure
– Strong introduction and conclusion
• Prepare the final manual script
• Get a reader to read your paper
• Avoid plagiarism (quote exactly)
• Writing a well written paper is a lot of work

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 Technical Paper
Section I : Introduction
• Open up the subject
• Survey past work relevant to the paper
• Describe the assumptions in general terms and state the
results obtained
• Overview the contents of the paper

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Section II : Formulation of the Problem
• Define the problem
• Define the terminology and notation used, defined along
with the problem itself
• Develop the equations on which the results will be based
and / or describe any experimental systems

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 Section III : Results
• If the paper is theoretical, probably show curves with the
measurement obtained from equations

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 Section IV : Conclusion
• Step 1: Start by writing a complete first draft of the
paper, except Introduction and Conclusion

– Always present the big picture

– If you get stuck and cannot figure out how to
explain something, just put down the words as
you would say them to your friend

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 Contd ..
• Step 2: The ideas in the paper should be in the right
order
• Step 3: Work on the transitions between ideas
• Step 4: Check each paragraph for unity
• Step 5: Work on the sentences to reduce the fog index

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 Contd ..
• Fog Index: Defined as F = 0.4(L + P)
L = Average number of words per sentence
P = Average number of polysyllables per 100 words of
text.
(A polysyllables is a word with three or more syllables)
Example :
Fog Index = 11: “It is easy to transpose digits and make
typing errors when entering project numbers.

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 Contd ..
The Division Planning Office set up a file of time cards
showing all authorized project numbers.
All charges should be checked each day before sending
time sheets to the Accounting Department
(3 Sentences, 48 words, 5 polysyllables)

• To reduce Fog Index

– Reduce the length of your sentences
– Get rid of as many complicated words as possible

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 Contd ..
• Step 6: Get rid of as many passive verbs as possible
• Step 7: Use verbs more than nouns
Example: “The annual report produced a disappointed
reaction form the sponsor”
Revision: “The annual report disappointed the sponsor.”
Example: “It is our expectation that we will see radiation
pattern improvement when the antenna is elevated”
Revision: “We expect to improve the radiation pattern by
elevating the antenna.”.

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 Contd ..
• Step 8:Get rid of as many abstract words as possible
• Step 9: Check for consistent use of verb tense
• Step 10: Do not use “this” as a pronoun
• Step 11: Check the entire document for subtle
grammatical mistakes

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 Contd ..
• Step 12: Polish and polish: Check for sentence rhythm
and timing are pleasing, and the ideas flow clearly and
simply
• Step 13: Write the conclusion (Conclusion should simply
summarize for the reader what has been present in the
paper)
• Step 14: Write the Introduction (Introduction should
address each of the items mentioned in the outline)

Mar 25, 2024 UVCE 43

 References
• G. O. Young, “Synthetic structure of industrial plastics
(Book style with paper title and editor),” in plastics, 2 nd
ed. Vol. 3, J. Peters, Ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1964,
pp. 15-64.
• W-k. Chen, Linear Networks and Systems (Book style).
Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, 1993, pp. 123-135.
• H. poor, An Introduction to Signal Detection and
Estimation. New York: Springer-Verlag, 1985, ch. 4.
• B.Smith, “An approach to graphs of linear forms
(Unpublished work style),” unpublished.

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 Contd ..
• E H Miller, “ A note on reflector arrays (Periodical style-
Accepted for publication),” IEEE Trans. Antennas
Propagat., to be published
• C J Kaufman, Rocky Mountain Research Lab., Boulder,
Co, private communication, May 1995
• Y Yorozu, M Hirano, K Oka, and Y Tagawa, “Electron
spectroscopy studies on magneto-optical media and
plastic substrate interfaces (Translation Journals style),”
IEEE Transl. J. Magn.Jpn., vol. 2, Aug. 1987, pp. 740-741
[Dig. 9th Annu. Conf. Magnetic Japan, 1982, p 301]
• M. Young, The Technical Writers Handbook. Mill Valley,
CA: University Science, 1989

Mar 25, 2024 UVCE 45

 Contd ..
• J U Duncombe, “Infrared navigation – Part I: An
assessment of feasibility (Periodic style),” IEEE Trans
Electron devices, vol. ED-11, pp. 34-39, Jan. 1959
• S Chen, B Mulgrew, and P M Grant, “A clustering
technique for digital communications channel
equalization using radial basis function networks,” IEEE
Trans. Neural Networks, vol. 4, pp. 570-578, July 1993
• R W Lucky, “Automatic equalization for digital
communication,” Bell Syst. Tech. J, vol. 44, no. 4, pp.
547-588, Apr 1965

Mar 25, 2024 UVCE 46

 Contd ..
• S P Bingulac, “On the compatibility of adaptive
controllers (Published Conference Proceedings style),” in
Proc. 4th Annu. Allerton Conf. Circuits and Systems
Theory, New York, 1994, pp.8-19
• J Williams, “Narrow-band analyzer (Thesis or Dissertation
style),” Ph.D. dissertation, Dept. Elect. Eng., Harvard
Univ., Cambridge, MA, 1993
• J P Wilkinson, “Nonlinear resonant circuit devices (Patent
style),” U.S. Patent 3 624 12, July 16, 1990
• IEEE Criteria for Class IE Electric Systems (Standard style),
IEEE standard 308, 1969
• (Handbook style) Transmission Systems for
Communications, 3rd ed., Western Electric Co., Winston-
Salem, NC, 1985, pp. 44-60

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 Contd ..
• (Basic Book/Monograph Online Sources) J K Author
(year, month, day). Title (edition) [Type of medium].
Volume (issue). Available : http://www.(URL)
• (Journal Online Sources style) K Author (month, day).
Title Journal [Type of medium]. Volume (issue), paging if
given. Available : http://www.(URL)

Mar 25, 2024 UVCE 48