Arguably, computers and faster communication systems have changed the world more than any other technology. Yet there have been many scientific failures along the way, some prominent, many minor, and a widening gap between aspirations and reality. This article discusses the problem of pseudoscience in computer science. I discuss Richard Feynman's coined term "cargo cult science," as he said: "Everywhere I see computer scientists that look like they are working on the right thing, but the thing actually doesn't work." I offer guidance on how to stay away of this dangerous practice, from a scientific standpoint.
The "last paper myth" emerges once academic supervisors realize that a student is about to earn their PhD and leave. It's one last stronghold for supervisors to capitalize on the time and effort they have invested in their students' scientific training. This relentless push not only detracts from the true purpose of academic research but also imposes significant personal and mental strain on the most successful students. This article explores the expectations versus reality at the end of the PhD journey and provides actionable insights for students on how to identify, address, and navigate this particular pressure.
In this blog post, I share my experiences and personal approach when peer-reviewing research papers in the field of software engineering. My focus is on delivering good peer reviews, fast and effectively. I give my template and provide generalizable examples of good and bad reviews. After reading this post, as a reviewer, you will gain first-hand insight on how to give constructive feedback to paper's authors so that they could improve the quality of their research papers.
At the end of my PhD journey, I was lucky enough to be surrounded by professional software artists. Together, we created a comic to make the ideas of my PhD thesis more accessible and engaging to the non-tech audience. In this article, I share the comic and the story behind it.
As a researcher, I have learned that the process of creating figures is a journey of discovery, a process of refinement, and a crucible of critique. This article provides insights into the transformations that a particular figure undergo throughout the research process (before publication).
It's a common practice in academic journals to ask authors to write a short cover letter to the editor. In this post, I share my experience writing cover letters for academic journals, along with useful tricks and tips that I've found along the way.
I recently attended the 29th edition of ESEC/FSE 2022 in Singapore. This was my first time participating in a big academic conference (in real-life). In this blog post, I share my experiences, with a focus on what I think is the actual value of attending these kinds of events.
The Parkinson's Law explains how we spend disproportionate amounts of time discussing trivialities instead of focusing on solving core problems. In the research context, this behavior is considered unproductive because it drains the researchers' energy on matters of little or null impact. This behavior can also be considered a form of procrastination in which the challenging tasks are postponed. In this post, I share my experience after many years of dealing with this issue.
Doing a PhD is sometimes a very stressful journey. I believe this stress is unnecessary, as it primarily results from students taking science too seriously. They genuinely believe that others are continuously evaluating the quality of their research. But this is very far from being true. In practice, no one actually cares about a particular research paper that doesn't have her name on it. And I argue that this is a comfortable truth.
Dealing with a major revision is a challenging process in the life of doctoral students. In this post, I share my personal system and some useful resources that may help you to navigate the academic revision process with panache.
For those who decided to stay in academia, achieving a position as a tenured professor is not easy, to say the least. There are several evaluation layers to pass before reaching this position, so it is better to be prepared. Research profiles are be carefully evaluated before being accepted or rejected, so it is better for you to prepare well for what is coming.
My conference paper was rejected. Is it worth writing a rebuttal? This post answers this question and presents practical guidelines to write an excellent rebuttal.
Academic research is a demanding activity in constant change and evolution. Consequently, tracking the progress of a research project is challenging. This post describes my methodology to address this particular problem.
Writing a research paper can be a tremendous challenge, even for experienced researchers. I've faced the so-called writer's block many times, especially when starting the writing process. Fortunately, with time I've developed personal systems that allow me to deal with this particular issue.
Philip Guo's "The PhD Grind" offers a candid, unfiltered account of his PhD journey in Computer Science. The book provides invaluable insights into the challenges, failures, and personal growth that come with pursuing a doctorate. This review highlights my reflections after reading it. I paid special attention to the emotional highs and lows, the struggle for research success, and the importance of resilience. Whether you're considering a PhD or are already in the grind, this book is a must-read for understanding the reality behind the academic pursuit.
Presenting research work to industrial engineers is essential for the sustainability of the whole research business. In this post, I emphasize the need for researchers to engage more actively with the local industry by sharing their findings, fostering collaborations, and addressing industry-relevant challenges. By doing so, researchers can demonstrate the practical value of their work, encourage investment, and create a symbiotic relationship that benefits both academia and industry.
Empirical software engineering (SE) research seemed straightforward to me a few years ago, but I discovered that it presents unique challenges that make it far more difficult than expected. In this post, I explain why tasks like formulating hypotheses, collecting data, and analyzing results in SE are more complex than similar processes in fields like machine learning (ML). By walking through each step of a typical empirical SE study, I highlight the difficulties researchers face and show how this area of research requires careful thought, persistence, and a tolerance for ambiguity.
