Sometimes, introspection is the key to figuring out how to absorb new information. Some people find it helpful to adopt study habits unique to their chosen subject to focus their efforts. Students in the field of computer science typically have a wide variety of applicable talents at their disposal; honing and expanding these abilities can help them excel academically and develop into well-rounded individuals. This article provides study recommendations for writing a high-quality research paper in computer science.

Learn What You Need to Know About the Task

The first step in producing a research paper is to ensure you fully grasp the instructions your professor or teacher provided. Many students need to do this and afterward wonder why they got a bad score on an essay they had high hopes for. It usually is due to their failure to read and follow the guidelines provided.

Take some time to review the task. Go over all the materials your teacher has given you. Read the writing prompts, assignment guidelines, and grading rubric thoroughly. Using highlighting and note-taking tools on the assignment could prove helpful. Take your time with writing until you have a firm grasp of the assignment’s specifics and how it’s evaluated. And when in doubt, just ask! Before deciding on a subject, make sure you understand the requirements by consulting your teacher. Then you’ll know for sure that you’re making progress.

• Select a Subject

To begin writing a research paper, you must first determine the topic. This may seem intimidating, but try not to stress yourself too much. Writing about something you care about can be beneficial, but only stress yourself if you can come up with a flawless topic. When you must practice your ability to objectively explain different perspectives and defend your own if the project requires it, a contentious subject is often the best choice.

Pick a topic for your paper using your teacher’s instructions. If you need help to make your chosen topic fit inside the parameters, it may be best to look elsewhere for inspiration. Selecting a topic that directly relates to the prompt will save you time and effort in the long run. Even if you don’t have an inexplicable obsession with the subject of your work, it’s still necessary to show some interest in it. Another positive aspect of a research paper is that it can serve as a learning experience. You don’t need to be an expert on the subject right now, but by the conclusion of this procedure, you will be.

• Research

We finally get to the part where you can do some actual research! The method you use to gather information for your article is primarily up to you at this stage. But you have to keep your mind on the task at hand and move quite fast. You still have the research paper to write.

A few helpful hints to keep in mind while researching are: 1) skim, 2) identify credible sites, and 3) don’t overlook material.

The entirety of every word written on your topic is not required reading. It’s doubtful that you can. Practice scanning text fast. Figure out what the author wants you to focus on without reading every word.

Next, locate trustworthy materials. However, contrary to what you may have been led to believe, Wikipedia can be used to help you complete your research report. However, that should not serve as your exclusive reference. Wikipedia is a great all-purpose resource for learning the basics of a subject, discovering new keywords to utilize in your study, and swiftly grasping extensive volumes of data. In any case, you’ll need to track down credible sources to cite in your paper.

Extend your research beyond what you’ve found in a quick Google search or a Wikipedia article. Verify the article’s claims by looking at its footnotes, conducting a keyword search of an academic database, or consulting an authority to see whether what you read is accurate and, if so, where you can locate another reputable source that says the same thing. Therefore, to ensure everything is clear: Wikipedia is acceptable to utilize as a jumping-off point for your research rather than as a primary source.

Plus, don’t dismiss data. Any desired interpretation of any topic can be found in print. Has it lately been discovered that octopus DNA contains extraterrestrial DNA? Can the spires be removed from Disney World’s Cinderella Castle in the event of a hurricane? Did someone try to kill George Washington by poisoning his tomatoes? Some articles attest to the truth of all three assertions mentioned above; however, closer inspection reveals that they are all false. When conducting research, don’t assume that a claim made in a single article represents the field as a whole.

Put in the effort to learn about the many theoretical approaches to your topic. This can be done by reading a wide range of articles on the subject, reading a book or article that provides an overview of the topic while incorporating many perspectives, or consulting an expert.

• Get Your Notes Together

What should you do with this wealth of knowledge? In the fourth phase, you’ll focus on establishing a routine. People have varied tastes in this area, just as they do in research. The assignment itself may also play a role. Keeping track of the books, papers, and other resources you consulted is easier with a bibliography (literally, “book writing,” this is a list of the books, articles, and other resources you have used in your research).

If you need to submit a bibliography with your research paper, you should do so (see step 1; you should be familiar with the assignment now!)

Make sure your bibliography is formatted according to the paper’s guidelines. Consider how you would set up your study materials if you create one for personal use. Create a digital bibliography or bookmarks in your web browser to easily access and reference the materials you’ve found. You can choose to use a printed list of your materials or to organize your research paper on a table or the floor by writing down everything you’ve learned that pertains to your topic on notecards or sticky notes.

• Formulate a Thesis

You can now provide your argument, claim, or viewpoint because you have grasped the requirements of the task at hand, selected a topic that is appropriate for the assignment, and conducted and structured the necessary research. A thesis is necessary even if you aren’t advocating for or against anything in your work. A thesis statement is a condensed explanation or assertion made to the paper’s readers by the researcher/author.

To get started on your thesis, try coming up with a one-sentence explanation of the paper’s topic. Here are a few possibilities that come to mind for an answer:

• My research paper delves into the history of man’s best friend.
• Specifically, it concerns freshmen housing regulations at the university.
• I discussed Pride and Prejudice’s take on marriage.
• Look, I told you it wouldn’t be rocket science. But keep in mind that this is merely the groundwork. 
• Many students give up at this point, perplexed as to why they received a low mark for their thesis statements in class. 
• A thesis needs to be conclusive and not about the writer. The explanations mentioned above could be revised to read as follows.

Dogs are man’s best friend, but they’ve also benefited from the interactions with humans that have shaped modern dog behavior and anatomy.

First-year students are often required to live on campus during their first year of college. This helps students stay out of trouble, concentrate more on their studies, and ultimately succeed academically and graduate.

Marriage is seen as a means of upward social mobility, a disastrous life choice, and a mutually beneficial partnership in Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.

How about the second set of sentences? Can you spot the differences between them and the thesis statements? Eliminating “I think” and “my paper is about” from your writing may take some practice.

Additionally, you must avoid ambiguity. If you have something to say, say it loud and proud. Looking at the above examples, each makes a specific point about the topic. Another key to crafting a solid thesis statement is ensuring that your thesis is arguable. That doesn’t mean it’s controversial or particularly opinionated, but it does mean that someone could disagree.

For example, someone might argue that humans haven’t influenced dogs all that much, that requiring first-year students to live on campus isn’t a good thing, or that marriage in Austen’s Pride and Prejudice is all about romance. (Another way to check whether or not your statement is arguable: Are Pride and Prejudice a book? Yes. So the statement, “Pride and Prejudice is a book by Jane Austen,” doesn’t work as a thesis because no one could disagree. There is no point in writing an entire essay about that obvious fact.) Checking whether or not someone could argue with your thesis statement is an excellent way to ensure you have written a potent and specific thesis statement that will guide you as you write your paper and earn a good grade for your efforts.

After you have worked to create a specific, arguable, definitive thesis statement, this is another place to check in with your professor, a writing center tutor, or another trusted educator or mentor. Show them your thesis statement and ask them if they think it is a powerful thesis that will guide you as you build your essay.

How to Write a Computer Science Paper

The Internet provides a wealth of information on scientific paper writing. My main page with writing tips includes links to several excellent examples of such guides. The main points of that debate are outlined on this page. Master’s and doctoral dissertations face the same challenges. However, the contribution requirements and page limits can vary widely depending on the publishing type (usually about 100 pages for a thesis and only about 8–10 pages for a full research paper).

• Contribution

Before anything else, you need to zero in on what your article adds to the current state of the art. Do your best to zero in on your most significant contribution if you have multiple possible ones. While it’s possible that you could include one or two contributions as side topics, it’s best to zero in on the most significant one so that your work remains on track. You should invest in researching the state of the art and related work in depth if you have considerable contributions for a single paper.

As soon as you’ve figured out what you’re adding to the discussion, come up with a catchy title and a straight argumentation line (red line) from the problem to the solution and on to the proof. The abstract and the manuscript will benefit from this exercise in narrowing the scope.

• Title

Create a snappy, descriptive title that sums up your paper in a few words. As the title is what readers will remember most about your paper, giving it careful consideration is time well spent (in case it gets published).

• Abstract

The abstract of a document is a crucial component. The reader’s attention span is less than a few seconds. A poorly written abstract can tip the reviewer’s balance in favor of rejection.

Your abstract should provide background information, explain why your study is essential, outline the challenge you set out to solve, and summarize your findings. Keep your abstract short by using only one (short) sentence for each of the above-stated topic components. An overall summary of your paper’s contents, including the results, should fit here. The most critical points of your work should be conveyed in only a few well-chosen sentences. Choose the most significant finding and include it in the abstract; for instance, “Results reveal that our algorithm enhances performance by 12% compared to the state-of-the-art.” Think of the abstract for each paper as an opportunity to push yourself.

Putting together the abstract first can help narrow the scope of your paper. It’s important to reread the abstract once you’ve completed the paper. After that, you usually modify it to make changes and fixes.

Structure of the Paper

In general, papers are organized as follows:

Introduction: provides context for the paper and explains why your work is essential.

State of the art: describes the current state of the art in the field of your paper, which frequently leads to problem motivation.

Problem motivation: refers explicitly to the issue addressed in the paper. This section is sometimes included in the introduction.

Proof / Evaluation / Discussion: You must demonstrate that your approach solves the problem. This will look different depending on the paper. Theoretical papers often include formal/mathematical proof, whereas empirical publications typically present an examination (quantitative and qualitative) of a prototype implementation. However, you should be the most knowledgeable about demonstrating your work.

Techniques for Writing Computer Science Research Paper

Set aside time in Outlook to write

Unless you have a strict writing schedule, the most challenging aspect of writing a paper is getting started, regardless of how many you’ve written or if it’s your first time. We all know how challenging it is to put pen to paper. This procedure requires a lot of hard work and introspection on the user’s part. “It is a creative activity requiring motivation, and it is an intellectual activity involving cognitive processes and memory,” Hayes writes in his theoretical framework for the study of writing.

Formulate a plan before you begin writing

Now that you have set aside time to write, you must determine how you will begin. Formulating an outline is the ideal place to begin. This will not be an outline in the traditional sense, with sections numbered in Roman numerals, theme sentences, and supporting evidence neatly listed in parallel. Your paper can be modeled after this outline.

At first, the outline will serve as a framework for your article, assisting in developing thesis statements and supporting arguments. “… start with a blank piece of paper, and write down, in any sequence, all important ideas that occur to you concerning the paper,” advises George M. Whitesides. Remember to list your findings and provide accompanying graphics (figures, tables, formulas, equations, and algorithms). They will be the foundation of your outline, which you may build upon and make more detailed later.

Drafting

Actual writing starts after you’ve collected enough comments and selected a journal to send them to. Recreate your outline in a new document and flesh out each section by including supporting evidence and further explanation. You must resist the need to edit your work while you compose the initial draft. Keep trying to figure out how to improve your sentence structure or pick out more precise words. If you’re short on time, just get your thoughts down on paper and worry about editing afterward. Revising while you write is “like drinking decaf coffee in the morning; noble idea, inappropriate time,” as Paul Silvia puts it.

A common excuse given for students’ lack of writing output is the dreaded “writer’s block.” It’s frustrating to stare at a blank screen, yet it’s not blank. There is already an outline for your article, so you just have to fill in the details.

Bottom Line

In shorter articles, the beginning will serve as both a summary of the literature and a justification for further study of the topic. A reviewer for a conference or publication, however, will be looking for the elements mentioned above, so ensure they are included in your paper.

It is up to the authors of each publication to decide whether the section on relevant work comes after or alongside state-of-the-art. It may work better at the beginning or the conclusion of the sentence.