Research Methodologies in SWE

questions

result

validation

What kinds of questions are "interesting"?

What kinds of results help to answer these questions, and what research methods can produce these results?

What kinds of evidence can demonstrate the validity of a result, and how are good results distinguished from bad ones?

Research elements are organized to create a workable research strategy

technical reports (includig arXiv)

present additional details (simulation results, proofs, implementation details)

workshops

two kinds

topic-focused

no specific topic

smaller, more focused than conferences

conferences

reviews

blind: author doesn't know reviewer but reviewer knows author identity

double-blind: only the chair knows the author identities

magazines

journals

every PhD thesis should result in at least one journal publication

archival

long review cycle

selectivity varies greatly

often, given second chance – “resubmit with major changes”

quality

cost

feasibility

characterization

method/means

generalization

discrimination

qualitative & descriptive models

techniques

system

empirical models

analytic models

persuasion

implementation

evaluation

analysis

formal model

empirical model

experience

qualitative model

decision criteria

empirical model