Ten Useful Research Tips

1. Ten Useful Research Tips • How to do research http://www.ifs.tuwien.ac.at/~silvia/research-tips/ • How to write and speak http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~mleone/how-to.html • How to read scientific paper http://hampshire.edu/~apmNS/design/RESOURCES/HOW_READ.html • Just Google whatever you want

2. Tip 1: Understand the History • Read: Educate yourself about the history of your science. Work hard to ground yourself in the historical and current context of your scientific question(s). • Example: where does wavelet come from? what is the difference between first-generation and second-generation wavelets? how to go beyond wavelet?

3. Tip 2: Learn to Reason • Your sense of reason is actually your greatest scientific tool, far moreuseful than any other instrument in your laboratory. Use it. • Example:

4. Tip 3: Grab New Tools • Adopt an issues-directed, rather than a method-directed approach toscience. If the fastest way to make progress is to apply a new method, don’t be cowed by your methodological ignorance. Learn it, or find a collaborator to help. • Example: image interpolation – issue-directed (e.g., edge orientation) vs. method-directed (e.g., wavelet-based)

5. Tip 4: Make a Plan • Develop an organized plan for your own personal training and development. There is a lot for you to know and understand, and multiple methodologies that you must master, if you are going to operate in science at the highest level. It is crucial that you systematically prepare yourself for yourfuture great good works. • Example: math vs. engineering, statistics vs. CS

6. Tip 5: Importance of Logic • Work on the creation of a logical superstructure that extends widelyacross your scientific arena. Don’t forget to water and fertilize your logical garden. Measure progress by how far, how fast, and how securely you can advance that logical frame. • Example: statistical modeling of natural images – MRF, wavelet-based, PDE-based, patch-based

7. Tip 6: Importance of Data • Take the carefully collected data of other scientists seriously. Work to sharpen your ability to distinguish between their observations, and theirarguments. Respect the former; the latter are just arguments. Remember that carefully collected data (yours or others’) that do not fit your logicalframe can be more valuable than data that do. • Example: since image X does not work on my algorithm, I had better not to report it in my paper.

8. Tip 7: Importance of Team • Most modern science is team science. Work on the development of your leadership and mentorship abilities, because they will critically enable – or limit – your ‘personal’ achievements. • Example: Apollo project

9. Tip 8: Reality Check • Actively seek extensions of your science out into the ‘real world’. Ifyou discover one, see that you (or someone else with the requisite abilityand energy) exploit(s) it. • Example: David Donoho on “how to increase the impact of your work”

10. Tip 9: Importance of Understanding • Science is not just a career. It is an honored profession. Your value asa scientist is not measured by job security or external acclaim. What counts: Studies that make a difference. Studies that advance our understanding.Studies that last. • Example: D Geman on "Ten Reasons Why Conference Papers Should Be Abolished"

11. Tip 10: Citizen-scientist • Be a good citizen-scientist. Accept your responsibility for playing anactive role in educating the wider public about the importance and societalvalue of real science. • Example: study on nuclear weapons, notorious Nobel prizes, consequence of singularity (AI)