Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!usc!cs.utexas.edu!almstrum
From: almstrum@cs.utexas.edu (Vicki L. Almstrum)
Newsgroups: comp.edu
Subject: Re: How to read the literature
Keywords: writing, refereeing, authoring
Message-ID: <20274@cs.utexas.edu>
Date: 29 May 91 15:04:35 GMT
References: <6113@eastapps.East.Sun.COM> <20169@cs.utexas.edu> <1991May28.193033.5630@m.cs.uiuc.edu>
Organization: U Texas Dept of Computer Sciences, Austin TX
Lines: 41

In article <1991May28.193033.5630@m.cs.uiuc.edu> gillies@m.cs.uiuc.edu (Don Gillies) writes:

... a response which I am assuming was motivated, at least in part, by my
posting.  (I cannot be sure since he does not provide specific reference.)

He says:

>One of the last things we need is more noise in the scientific
>journals from class projects.  

I agree.  However, good quality papers can be filtered by the instructor in
an assignment such as the one I've suggested.  The majority of papers will not
be of sufficient quality for submission.  However, the students will at least
have gotten a sense of what writing such a submission entails.

>I was always told that you write a 
>scientific paper, and then, once it is completed, only THEN do you
>consider an appropriate conference or journal for publication.  This
>idea about "let's write something to go to conference x or journal y"
>has become all too pervasive.

Yes and no.  It is certainly the case that the material to be published should
exist and be well thought out before the article is produced.  The design of
the research should be complete, the results at least partial, and any
meaningful conclusions apparent before the article is launched.

On the other hand, the idea here was to provide students with meaningful
exercises to allow them to develop as professionals.  In my experience,
attempting to write a scholarly article or review can provide a student
with a better idea of the process.  Also, since different conferences and
journals have different audiences and goals, there *is* a need for tailoring
an article.  Having students target specific journals can allow them a 
concrete basis for their assignment.

-- Vicki

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* Vicki L. Almstrum                 INTERNET:  almstrum@cs.utexas.edu *
*  Department of Computer Sciences & Mathematics Education Department *
*  University of Texas at Austin, TAY 2.124, Austin, TX  78756        *
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