Who should take this seminar?
You should take this seminar if…
- you are not interested to write a MS thesis but still want to publish a paper;
- you have an idea for a research project or an ongoing research project;
- you are willing to invest significant time (> 10h/week) and effort into your research & publication project over several terms;
- you are willing to take this seminar for several terms; and
- you are a proficient English writer.
You should NOT take this seminar if…
- you only want to take it for one term (nobody publishes a paper in one term);
- you are not a proficient English writer (this is NOT a writing class);
- you don’t have at least an idea for a project; and
- you don’t have at least 10h/week to dedicate to your project.
Course description:
Writing a scientific paper can significantly enhance your resume, showcasing a variety of essential skills and experiences that are highly sought after by employers: problem-solving, research, analytical, writing, visualization, and communication skills, initiative, self-discipline, attention to detail, and specialized knowledge. In this workshop, students will pick an existing or design their own research project, do a literature search, perform research, and write a scientific paper with the ultimate goal to publish it in a conference or journal. Students should expect to take this workshop over several terms to reach this goal.
Course organization:
The is a workshop. We will only meet in-person for ad-hoc lectures.
Learning outcomes:
- Capable of completing the Heilmeier questions.
- Capable of using research tools.
- Capable of performing a literature search.
- Capable of completing a research project.
- Capable of organizing and writing a research paper.
- Capable of producing high-quality visualizations.
- Capable of editing and revising texts.
Prerequisites:
You must be proficient in written and spoken English before taking this course.
Credits:
- 1
- While this is only a 1-credit seminar on paper, you should expect to put in a lot more time and effort (>10h/week).
Assignments:
- There are no specific assignments in this course.
- To measure progress towards writing and publishing a journal, students must keep an electronic progress journal.
- Progress must be logged at least once per week.
FAQs:
- Q: Who should take this course? A: The course is geared for students who do not want to write a MS thesis, but are still interested to work on a project and to publish a paper.
- Q: Who should not take this course? A: Students who are looking for an east 1-credit gig. Please look for something else if that is you.
- Q: I just need a one credit course. Should I take this course? A: No.
- Q: How many times should I expect to take this course? A: Publishing a paper is a lengthy process. It can easily take a year and it will depend whether you have a research project and how much progress you will make. You should be ready to take this course over several terms if you want to publish a conference or journal paper.
- Q: How much progress will I need to make every well? A: If you ever want to publish a paper and to stand out with a publication on your resume, you need to invest significant time and effort into that endeavor. There are no shortcuts and no magic recipes. The more time and effort you invest, the quicker you’ll have a publication.
- Q: Does this course guarantee a publication? A: Absolutely not.