Research Project Guide

Eng. Hector M Lugo-Cordero, MS

CIS 4361 Secure OS
Administration
Resources
Dr Kenneth Stanley CAP 6616 lecture
slides
Dr Cliff Zou CAP 6135 lecture slides
Joseph M. Williams, Gregory G. Colomb ,
Style: Lessons in Clarity and Grace, 10th
Edition)

Research Process
Choose a topic
Read Papers
Technical Writing
Oral Presentation
Research Process
Choose a topic
Read Papers
Technical Writing
Oral Presentation
Potential Topics
Secure Service-Oriented Architecture
iPhone Security
Android Security
Keyloggers
Security Policies
Artificial Intelligence on Network Security
Rootkits Defense
A mixture of one of the previous
Any other consult with the instructor
Research Process
Choose a topic
Read Papers
Technical Writing
Oral Presentation
Good Paper Sources
Conferences
IEEE, ACM, USENIX
Journals
ACM Transactions on Information and System Security
IEEE Transactions on Dependable and Secure Computing
IEEE Transactions on Information Forensics and Security
Ways of Reading a Paper
Related work can help finding more references
Speed Reading
Read by layer to if it is interesting
Abstract: what is it about
Introduction: why is it important, if it is
Conclusion: is the approach good
Body: read the rest if it is worth it
Peek Reading
Read the first sentences of every paragraph to get an
idea of the paper
Read the whole paper if it is worth it
Questions?
What is the problem?
What is being done?
How well does it perform?
What are bad aspects of the approach?
How could you make it better?
Research Process
Choose a topic
Read Papers
Technical Writing
Oral Presentation
Technical Writing
An art form different from creative writing
Most characterized by discipline
Say as little as possible
As simple as possible
Easy words when possible
Understandable to as many as possible
Technical writing is about the scientific
subject matter, not about the writers
Therefore, we is not the subject
Technical Writing Requirements
Cohesion
The presence of keywords that keep flow from
one sentence to the other
Try to match end words with first words
Coherence
One topic
First sentence emphasizes at the end the
themes of the topic
More on Coherence
Shared Context Problem Solution
(motivating coherence)
Cause a small surprise, cause reader to feel it
knows everything but show not
Historical Background
An Event
Belief

Defining a problem
But/However, if shared in context is
deceiving
Has to have a condition, situation, or
recurring event
Has to have a cost, or intolerable
consequence
Types of Problems
Practical: happens in real world scenario
What should we do?
Conceptual: happens in academia, relates to
how we think
What should we think?
Condition: something we dont know or understand
Cost: dissatisfaction to the unknown (can be
expressed as a larger question)
So what?

Type of Ordering
Chronological
Cause: first, then, finally
Effect: as a result, because of that, so on
Coordinate
Pillars of a whole, e.g. there are three reasons
why: 1
st
, 2
nd
, etc.
Logical
Example and generalization (vice versa)
Premise and conclusion: for example, on the other
hand, it follows that
Abbreviations
Use acronyms after the word has been
defined
HWMN
Heterogeneous Wireless Mesh Network
(HWMN)
For example (e.g.)
That is (i.e.)
Technical Writing Structure
Subjects
Familiar to the audience
Characters of the story, which make an action
Many verbs may exist, the main verb (action) is tied to
the character
short
Sentence
First the known then the unknown
Paragraph
Meet all requirements of the sentences
Each sentence should explain more what the
previous one ended
Technical Writing by Section
Abstract: Provides an idea of what the
paper is about
Introduction: Motivates the reader to read
further
Answers the question:
what is the problem?
why is it a problem?
what is the solution?

Technical Writing by Section II
Conclusion and future work: Reverse process of
introduction
Answers:
What was the problem?
What is the solution?
What now?
Avoid future work if you dont want others to work on
your future work
Background: gives credibility to your work
Should relate to your work
Can be cited across the paper, or in a separate
section
Technical Writing by Section III
Methodology: presents your work
Should be clear
Experiments: describe your experiments in detail
such that others can replicate your work
Results and Discussion: enumerate your results
and discuss upon them
Provide details on performance
Comparisons
If they are good the reader should get the message
without you having to explicitly write it
Technical Writing Tips
Avoid we
We is also a crutch to avoid thinking about
sentence structure
Never say this alone
Technical writing is hard enough to read
without having to figure out what this refers
to
Avoid the verb to use
It is a crutch like we to avoid thinking about
the main verb
It distorts sentence structure
Technical Writing Tips 2
Avoid unnecessary emphasis
The results are good is better than The
results are very good
Avoid fancy words
Words should only add information; cut
those that do not
Avoid advertising; results should speak for
themselves
Keep language objective
Technical Writing Tips 3
Avoid actual and actually
Does not add information
Avoid seems that and essentially
Wordy and controversial
No colloquialisms
That vs. which : which is parenthetical
Learn about semicolons
Learn about i.e. and e.g.
Technical Writing Tips 4
Reduce expressions with of
The results of the experiment -> The
experimental results
Verbs should be descriptive
Avoid inventing new terms
Learn the customary terminology
Summary Tables
Order Introduction Conclusion
1 Prelude (optional) Main Claim (solution)
2 Shared Context (but,
however)
Its significant (answer
so what)
3 Problem [Condition +
Cost]
Further questions
(answer now what)
4 Solution / Main Point End with a postulate
Fixed Topic (focus) Stress (emphasis)
Variable Simple, short, familiar Complex, long, new
Fized Subject | Verb
Variable Character | Action
Research Process
Choose a topic
Read Papers
Technical Writing
Oral Presentation
Slide preparation
When presenting
Presentation Tips
Use figures and animations
a picture is worth 1000 words
Readable pictures
Do not overload slides with text
Be focused
No time to explain the whole paper
Better transmit one simple idea that none
Presentation Tips II
Readable text: big font, clear color
Background should make contrast with
text
Use the wheel color



A projector usually has smaller resolution
and fewer colors than a computer screen
Presentation Tips III
Text should be concrete
Some people prefer to read the slides, rather
than listen
It should however, provide only key points for
presenter
Acknowledge other peoples work
Research Process
Choose a topic
Read Papers
Technical Writing
Oral Presentation
Slide preparation
When presenting
Speaking Tips
Speak loud but do not scream
Talk slower on very important aspects of
the work
Do not read slides
They should provide a guide for you
Speaking Tips II
Practice makes perfect
Prepares your vocabulary
Helps with memorization of the presentation
order
Shows confidence when being questioned
Explain the figures