How were you able to write research papers as an undergraduate? | Hacker News Reader

How were you able to write research papers as an undergraduate?

Good day guys .. I'm an undergraduate studying computer science ,still in my first year but I'd like to know if it's a normal thing for an undergraduate to be writing research papers and how can I become technically proficient enough to write one

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I suspect you could easily find a summer position in a research lab if you ask some professors and show enthusiasm! In fact, I did this my freshman and sophomore summers, while most of my classmates went back to their hometowns. (It is only not "normal" because so few students ask.)

If you are a US citizen, I also recommend looking at summer internship postings at US national labs. My impression is that not many people know about them and hence don't apply. (Not to mention they must compete with more lucrative industry internships.)

Also note that as a freshman, you will likely not be writing papers much but moreso learning good research techniques. However, it is common at the end of the summer to present a poster or technical report. (Make sure you discuss this with the professor upfront if that is your goal.) Good luck!

The core principle of a research paper is to extend knowledge in a very specific field. Basically a paper reviews what has been done, is known to date; then a description of your contribution; and a comparison / evaluation wrt to what is already accepted knowledge / practice.

Research papers published in peer-reviewed journals are rarely written by one individual. There generally are collaborators, principal investigators. i.e. co-authors. However, unpublished research papers might be written as part of some course requirement, especially as part of a capstone project. From your question it is unclear as to what level you are contemplating.

I received university funding for research on the use of autonomous drones in wildfire mitigation here in Colorado. I initially reached out to a professor I knew to explain the idea then submitted an official proposal to the university. They reviewed it, sent me some forms to fill out and submit, then released funds.

Your university likely has an undergraduate research department. Do a quick search and it'll lead you to contact information where you can inquire into the process.

Are you asking about how to go about the actual task of writing an academic paper?

My wife was part of the honors college at Penn State and they're required to write an honors thesis. Ask your school what you can do to "level-up".

Was she encouraged to publish her thesis?

Lately I've been thinking about undergrad thesii and similar, and how tragic it is that so much research has been done but not published! Even just thorough surveys could be invaluable.

Most undergrad thesis don't get published but hers was pretty novel and is now cited by a lot of other papers. So I'd say the key to being published is to treat it as an opportunity for publishing and to do research on and write about something of import.

(Eek! I meant “publish” as in: to make available via any means.)

contact a professor. cold email or better yet, show up at their office. bonus if it’s a professor you took a class with.

Most professors want students to work with them because it’s a mutual relationship: the professor basically gets free labor, and in turn you get your name on papers and future opportunities.

Summer internship in a research lab with a supervisor that prioritizes having interns write papers

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