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Writing for computer science (3rd ed.)
Zobel J., Springer Publishing Company, Incorporated, New York, NY, 2015. 284 pp. Type: Book (978-1-447166-38-2)
Date Reviewed: Jul 21 2015

This is a comprehensive guide on research methods and how to produce a scientific publication detailing one’s research in computer science (CS) and related fields. The author has drawn from his vast experience as adviser, researcher, and referee, and has produced a classic book on the various aspects of scientific research from research methods to writing style to ethics. The book is full of practical advice that can be readily used, checklists and guidelines that will help readers improve their research and writing, and examples that will help readers navigate the right path and avoid common pitfalls.

The first five chapters deal with doing the research. The chapters cover a variety of research-related tasks, including research methods, the development of research ideas, the transformation of ideas into research questions, research planning, reading and reviewing related literature, writing the literature review, developing hypotheses, questions and evidence, and, finally, writing the research paper. The author also gives the format and organization of a research paper and explains how to write clearly, concisely, and correctly.

Chapters 6 and 7 deal with usage and style and their importance in writing. Chapter 8 explains punctuation and how to effectively use it. These three chapters, through checklists, guidelines, and examples, give the reader a comprehensive tutorial in producing writing that is unambiguous, error free, and of high quality.

Chapter 9 explains how to handle the use, presentation, and writing of mathematical proofs and theorems; how to reproduce the mathematical notations, equations, and formulae correctly; and how to deal with special circumstances encountered while incorporating mathematical proofs and explanations into the research paper. Chapter 10 explains how to present algorithms, the different formalisms, the optimum level of detail, the use of figures, and the correct use of notations. Chapter 11 provides clear and concise instructions on how to include graphs, figures, flowcharts, and tables in a way that will enhance the quality of writing by making it more organized, presentable, and readable. How to create graphs, figures, flowcharts, and tables is explained with the help of examples--both good and bad--so that readers can embrace the good and avoid the bad.

Chapter 12 deals with other kinds of professional writing like technical reports, grant applications, and nontechnical writing. This chapter illustrates how to produce writing that helps in achieving the objectives of professional writing--recording, informing, persuading, and convincing. Chapter 13 explains editing, which according to the author is the process of making the document ready for publication or examination. This chapter deals with all aspects of editing, including consistency, style, proofreading, and choice of word processor.

Chapter 14 covers experimentation--the use of experiments to verify hypotheses. This chapter explains the principles underlying good experimentation and the various steps involved, like identifying benchmarks and establishing baselines, data collection, interpretation of results, ensuring robustness of the experiments, performance of algorithms, coding, and describing experiments. Chapter 15 explains the various statistical principles and methods used in scientific research and how to interpret and present the results.

Chapter 16 deals with presentations and talking about research in front of an audience. It covers the content and organization of the presentation, how to prepare and deliver the presentation, the various parts of the presentation, how to manage question time, how to effectively prepare and use slides and posters, and so on. Chapter 17 covers the ethical aspects of research. Issues like copyright, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, misinterpretation, authorship, confidentiality, and conflict of interest are explained and illustrated. The book also contains a set of exercises that will help readers put into practice what they’ve learned.

This is a must-read for those doing research in CS and related fields. It will greatly benefit anyone who is involved in any kind of scientific research, as the examples are only from the CS field. Students, researchers, scientists, and other academicians involved in scientific research will improve both their research methods and writing by reading this book.

Reviewer:  Alexis Leon Review #: CR143632 (1510-0880)
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