Project preparation and how to read a paper

Followers will know I think reading and writing are rather important.

Project students at all levels, postgrads and interns all need to work on this, not to mention post docs and academics.

Here are some pointers to materials which can be used as foundational tools for those wishing to update their skills, or just think and reflect.

Practically the FutureLearn MOOC on Developing Your Research Project is helpful. Although, I do take exception to the supporting material which talks about learning styles, but that is the theme for another post.

https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/research-project

A team of academics developed an online course on research methods which is well worth a skim read with some drilling down to explore issues (just like you might use a text book).

http://www.erm.ecs.soton.ac.uk

Moving on to the practicalities of reading academic papers, I can point to two useful resources,

1. A short practical piece by Michael Mitzenmacher of Harvard

http://www.eecs.harvard.edu/~michaelm/postscripts/ReadPaper.pdf

 

2. A paper presented at a CS conference titled "How to read a paper" by Srinivasan Kerchav from Waterloo in Canada.

http://ccr.sigcomm.org/online/files/p83-keshavA.pdf

 

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Gendered narratives: reading between the lines

Recently I have been tasked to take a lead on enhancing the participation, recognition and support of women in STEM: particularly electronics and computer science. I may not be making much impact on the approaches and attitudes if my colleagues, but my own radar has been notched up to fine tuned!

My observations:

• I hear stories of everyday realities in education, learning, teaching and subject disciplines frequently presented as heroic narratives with male heroes.
  
• I attend seminars when slides are illustrated by images of male authors, occasional female authors referred to by initials with no images - thus becoming invisible.
  
• In presentations, references to female students encountering difficulties.
  
• Female academic 'actors' referred to in passing, male 'actors' portrayed as the ground breakers and pathfinders.
  
• Faculty discussions to ameliorate the position of female academics and postgrads are characterised by a model of deficits, the women are broken, help them mend themselves.
  
• Discussions focussed on increasing the percentage of female participants focuses on undergraduates and outreach rather than implementing structural changes across the board.
  

The result?

I find myself

• increasingly frustrated recognising the 'broken record' effect of this portrayal and discussion.
  
• wondering about how to make change happen. This stuff is too important to be left to a few (mostly female) evangelists.
• Seeking to identify and champion structural methods af making change happen
• Seeking patronage for change
• Being willing to hand over the kudos for making change happen to anyone else ;-)

 

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Magical modelling

It's a good few years since I was formally reminded of the value of modelling.

I am not talking about embarking on a career as a paid, or otherwise, clothes horse; I don't have the height, age profile or stereotypical 'correct shape, never mind the political sensibilities!

Nor am I talking about mathematical simulation and hypothesis testing.

However, perhaps there is a trace of both of these ideas, in the sort of modelling which is truly magical.

Such modelling often begins with admiration, of behaviours or achievements or created artefacts. It is sometimes evoked serendipitously, sometimes identified through everyday experience, sometimes through purposeful searching and discovery.

The high achieving scholar, whose diligence is evident through their research publications or the highly successful potential rôle model are the most obvious seeds for models, and modelling can be initiated by a single questions.... "how do they do that?".

There is another seed, that I believe is truly valuable to researchers and students, of all levels - the informative and reflective blog site or post.

Sites of value, to my mind, reveal the thinkings of the author through their content. Research methods and approaches are to some extent embodied in the posts. They also reveal a commitment to sharing, openness, transparency and active reflection - all of which are valuable principles for the student and researcher.

I actively encourage my students to blog like this, but also accept that for many the prospect it too intimidating or perceived as too onerous.

There are many possible reasons

• claiming time;
• creating an additional apparently conflicting priority;
• demanding work out of the comfort zone;
• exposing undeveloped skills
  
• Attracting unwonted comment

But it is possible to adopt another perspective. Such blogs can work as thinking tools

• be part of the discipline of the researchers logbook or diary;
• Provide space for practicing turning thoughts into words
• Act as a living notebook creating an archeological trace which can be searched and indexed
• Provide personal feedback for ground covered and progress achieved
• Establish the foundations of a reputation
• Help identify the key questions you want to ask
• Help fellow students and identify your community of scholars

 

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Better projects, dissertations and writing...

At this time of year, the whole cycle of student research, projects and writing and dissertations come into sharp focus.
I am always on the look out for good tools and models of good practice to help students understand and engage with the whole process in both a constructive and holistic manner.
Today's example was a slide explaining the contribution of some research into the teaching of derivatives to students of Economics.

Since I am often teaching engineers (of one sort or another) I often use the metaphor of engineering the document.
The image above comes from a presentation by A L Alzira Jimenez presented at the IMA International Conference on Barriers and Enablers to Learning Maths: Enhancing Learning and Teaching for All Learners, 10 – 12 June 2015, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland (programme details)
The example uses a table, which removes some of the pressure to write prose and at the same time, clearly states the contributions of the work and links back to sources discussed in the literature review.
IIt demonstrates (to a small degree) visual literacy - a favourite theme of mine, and hopefully removes some of the stress of writing.
The use of tables in this way is not confined to the contributions, however this is an area often neglected by students in their write ups maybe because conclusions and future work are stuff written at the end if the activity.
Perhaps most importantly, it can function as a thinking tool, helping author review and enhance the quality of their work - engineering a clearer explanation.
Anything which makes this process more enjoyable AND improves final product has to be a good thing.

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Digital sociology: The politics of data science

Interesting call for papers

Mark Carrigan is well worth following. An academic at Warwick, he has an active twitter feed and blog.

This call for papers especially caught my eye last week

http://markcarrigan.net/2015/04/01/cfp-the-politics-of-data-science/

The Politics of Data (Science)

This special issue of Discover Society will explore the political implications of ‘big data’ and the systems of expertise emerging around it, including though not limited to Data Science. In doing so it will aim to bridge the gap between the methodological discourse surrounding data science and the political discourse beginning to emerge around ‘big data’. Here are some of the questions the issue will address:

– How is ‘big data’ understood and acted upon? How should we understand its cultural power?

– How is ‘big data’ reconfiguring the social sciences? Do we risk all science becoming data science?

– How and why has the ‘data scientist’ come to be seen as the ‘sexiest job of the 21st century’?

– Is the ‘data scientist’ just a ’Statistician who lives in Shoreditch?’ Or is this a genuinely new intellectual role?

– Can ‘big data’ address ‘big questions’? If not, is this a problem?

– What are the precursors of ‘data science’ within the academy and/or within corporations?

– What implications does corporate data science have for the relationship between corporations & consumers?

– What implications does national security data science have for the relationship between the state & citizens?

– Can the use of digital data lead to efficiency savings in public services? How does this relate to the politics of austerity?

– How could predictive privacy harms emerging from data analytics be addressed politically?

– Can the opacity of algorithmic processes be challenged? Or are we heading inexorably for a ‘black-box society’?

– How are new forms of digital data reconfiguring activity in particular social environments?

However these are just suggestions and ideas beyond the scope of this list are very welcome.

The deadline for contributions is June 15th. Contact mark@markcarrigan.net to discuss a potential contribution.

The article will constitute the July issue of Discover Society. Most articles will be 1500 words however there are a number of special sections in the online magazine.

Front line – 1500 words

View point – 1500 words

Policy briefing – 1500-2000 words

If you would be interested in writing one of these thematic sections, please get in touch asap.

The issue will follow the usual formatting guidelines of Discover Society. Please consult the notes for contributors.

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Workplace tools: a quick update

I've been quite fond of talking about workplace tools but it hasn't been happening very much recently so here's a quick summary of some new additions.
I'm particularly interested in this at the moment, so there are a few things which you can do automatically on the iPad which are rather cool.
IFTTT
Use this to set up automatic triggers for example

• create an automatic posting with title and link to Facebook or Twitter triggered by
• creating a new blog post
• getting to a timed calendar entry

WORKFLOW
Adds itself to your share option in many iPad apps.

• Use it to perform routine actions in a standard manner.
• You can choose from a gallery of prepared workflows or...
• Create your own workflow through a contextualised menu
• This is great for personal workflow like appending note items to an existing Evernote
• It can also be used to automate ad hoc activities which occur more than once - tweeting about a web page *and* adding it to a calendar

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Waves hello

Stuff that goes in here is meant to be about my work passions and life in general. Life work balance is an important consideration. You migh also get pointers to other stuff I have published elsewhere, especially when I have finally mastered IFTTT - which will of course get a post in its own right. 

Here also you can expect info generally valuable to post grads and project students about writing, research methods, workflow and productivity. 

Other stuff you can exoect on here is likely to relate to equality, feminism and the workplace. 

You can put them all under the umbrella of personal growth and cultural change ... It's probably going to be eclectic :-) 

Springboard

It's not just my blog which has been pretty intermittent. It's been awhile since I've really had a chance to do anything positive about my own professional development. Somehow or other the grind of the day job has put anything developmental onto the back burner.

This is ironic because as a one-time educational developer and they and a frequent advocate of developmental activities, Iseems to have been subjecting myself to what is effectively, personal neglect.

Enough of the ringing of hands and gnashing of teeth. The University has finally got its act together and resumed its development program for women using the fabulous resources produced by the springboard consultancy.

My immediate reaction on experiencing the first session, was great great anger directed at the university itself thinking… So great thank you very much only 10 to 15 years too late!

In gallipots my academic career because the project I was involved with if I was able to take advantage of many many different developmental opportunities. The daily grind of being a grant Academic is actually about doing teaching and getting the papers published. It is possible to argue that you learn onThe job and course for many years in my annual review I have done just that .

However when it comes to investment, the universities long ago realised that it needed to invest in its profs and senior managers is just as anybody else had to get on and do things as best they could.

So well done to the university for finally getting its act together, and note to self look after your own development whenever you feel the need

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