IEEE - CS Research Discussion

I am a second-year Computer Science Undergrad at BITS Pilani. Recently, I published a paper in SemEval 2020. IEEE hosted a discussion on research in computer science. I will present my work and discuss research in Machine Learning and Computer Science in general, followed by a QnA Section. The extended discussion for this talk will be set up by IEEE for students from BITS.

Update: The Talk has been uploaded by IEEE on YouTube

This talk is divided into three segments, this part gives an introduction to undergraduates who wish to pursue research. The other two parts are the guide to publishing a paper and the presentation of my work, which are given in separate blogs as given below.

Part 2: Guide to publish a paper Part 3: BPGC at SemEval-2020 Task 11

Disclaimer

There is no shortcut / perfect path to get involved in research or to publish a paper. Also, there will be many times when I may advise you to follow a particular pattern, do something, and avoid the other, yet there will be counter-examples everywhere. But I would make this talk flavored with my experiences and opinions. (Feedback is as welcome !)

First steps

Look into your interests and explore the fields you like before deciding to venture into a particular area in research. Before I got interested in Machine Learning, I looked a bit into Data Structures and Algorithms and some Web development. Read the recent advancements of the fields, find what genuinely attracts you. Complete some online courses and open source projects. I took part in some classes on our campus, Machine Learning being one of them, and worked on many many personal and team projects as time passed before trying out my first research project.

Experience, Activity, and communication are essential factors in this field. For your first few research projects/papers, you will need knowledgeable and like-minded authors, mentors, and a group of people you can share ideas with to move ahead.

• Don’t be shy or afraid to approach your seniors, alumni, and faculties even if you feel they are out of your league. They will be the most knowledgeable mentors in your proximity. It is crucial to find a good mentor and communicate with them because it is highly unlikely for someone to pursue independent research without prior experience. Apart from this look for research related work experiences, the more people, dynamics, and diverse projects you deal with, the better your understanding of research will be.
• You should build a good network and actively communicate, teach, criticize, and review each other’s work. Do not let your grades, major, or lack of lustrous profile hold you back from interacting with your professors or seniors. Being a part of societies with common goals is extremely important for your development as a researcher, so try to open up and be an active member.
• The most common reason for lagging or unsuccessful research is inactivity. Fields like Machine Learning are growing every day, so you need to put effort continuously, and the best way to do so is by reading research papers, making notes, and implementing them. I recommend this practice to everyone willing to join or continue in this field.

Patience, Research projects demand a lot of patience, typically between three months and a year after completing your project. For our publication, we finished our project in December and received the authorship notification in the last week of June. Therefore you must focus and work for several months.

Next we discuss on how to publish a paper Guide to publish a paper and presentation of our paper.