Research

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Research
K.C. Ting, Ph.D., P.E. Professor and Chair Food,
Agricultural and Biological Engineering
Department The Ohio State University
Columbus,
Ohio USA
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Research References

• Beveridge, W.I.B. 1957. The Art of Scientific
  Investigation. Vintage Books, A Division of
  Random House, New York, NY.
• Alessandra T. and P. Hunsaker. 1993.
  Communicating at Work. Simon Schuster, Inc.,
  New York. 270 p.

K.C. Ting, 030303
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Research Contents

• Why
• Attributes Required for Research
• Formulating a Research Problem
• Research Methods - Experimental and Analytical
• Research Proposal
• Project Management
• Disseminating Research Results Writing,
  Presenting, (and Implementing)
• Multi-disciplinary Research
• Research Ethics

K.C. Ting, 030303
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Academic Responsibilities

• Teaching
• (Credit-Generating Instruction
  Outreach/Extension Education)
• Research
• (Discovery Synthesis, Integration
  Implementation)
• Service
• (Academic Administrative Professional Public
  Community)

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Research Why

• Satisfying curiosity
• Finding pleasure in solving problems
• Enjoying the joy of discovery
• Creating new knowledge
• Contributing to the society by accomplishing
  something good for the mankind
• Getting recognition
• Achieving promotion (and tenure)
• Obtaining economic return

K.C. Ting, 030303
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Research Attributes Required for Research

• Pioneer like
• Love for science
• Insatiable curiosity
• Internal drive
• Willingness to work hard
• Tenacity of purpose
• Indomitable perseverance
• Good intelligence
• Imagination
• Mental independence
• Powers of observation

K.C. Ting, 030303
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Research Formulating A Research problem

• Determine subjects of interest
• Evaluate expertise in the subjects
• Conduct literature review and consult with
  experienced researchers
• Identify gaps in information
• Define the problem in the form of good
  questions
• Set challenging yet achievable objectives

K.C. Ting, 030303
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Research Research Methods

• Experimental
• Establishing experimental environment
• Designing and conducting experiments
• Analyzing data
• Analytical
• Performing theoretical derivation
• Constructing computational models
• Simulating using models

K.C. Ting, 030303
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Research Research Proposal-Essential
Parts (source NASA Research Announcement)

• Title
• Statement of project relevance and significance
  
• Project description
• Management approach
• Personnel/biographical sketches
• Other support
• Facilities and equipment
• Budget and justification

K.C. Ting, 030303
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Research Research Proposal-Review
Criteria (source NASA Research Announcement)

• Innovation concepts approaches methods
  aims
• Significance problem addressed knowledge and
  technology advanced effects created on current
  practice
• Approach methods adequately developed
  potential for achieving the objectives
  timeline
• Investigator appropriate qualifications and
  experience evidence of productivity
• Environment sound scientific environment
  useful collaborative arrangements evidence of
  institutional support

K.C. Ting, 030303
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Research Project Management

• Assemble and manage resources (human, financial,
  physical, time, informational, etc)
• Develop and execute time table (tasks, schedule,
  road map, milestones, etc)
• Establish communication infrastructure
• Distribute responsibilities and integrate
  outcome
• Monitor progress and modify project plan
• Prepare progress and final reports
• Attend investigators meetings
• Publish research results in journals and/or on
  the internet
• Present research results in conferences
• Deal with matters related to intellectual
  properties

K.C. Ting, 030303
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Research Disseminating Research Results Writing
about science and engineering

• How to develop a manuscript (Courtesy of Dr.
  Peter Ling)
• Introduction importance of the problem
• Literature Review to establish the significance
  of the research
• Methodologies may be adopted for the research
• opportunities of improvement
• Objectives steps to accomplish the goal
• Material and Methodology
• to provide relevant information for others to
  repeat the reported experiments
• to describe the premise of the research
• Results and Discussion
• present quantitative results and extracted
  information from raw data
• discuss the relevance of the results to the
  information presented in Literature Review and
  Introduction sections
• Conclusions
• short, powerful statements (supported by the
  information presented above)

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Research Disseminating Research Results Writing
about science and engineering (ASAE Paper Awards
Committee Criteria and Scoring Sheet)

• Advancement of Knowledge, Literature and
  Profession (40)
• Are findings usable by other engineers
• Will work stimulate others
• Will work have long-term value
• Will findings directly or indirectly benefit
  society in general and the related sectors
  specifically

K.C. Ting, 030303
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Research Disseminating Research Results Writing
about science and engineering (ASAE Paper Awards
Committee Criteria and Scoring Sheet)

• 2. Methodology and Approach (25)
• Objectives well stated
• References (where applicable) present germane and
  complete
• Use of scientific approach apparent
• Latest techniques used
• Conclusion answer objectives and warranted

K.C. Ting, 030303
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Research Disseminating Research Results Writing
about science and engineering (ASAE Paper Awards
Committee Criteria and Scoring Sheet)

• Communication (25)
• Clarity of expression
• Completeness of presentation
• Continuity
• Conciseness (elimination of irrelevant aspects)
• Stimulating to reader

K.C. Ting, 030303
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Research Disseminating Research Results Writing
about science and engineering (ASAE Paper Awards
Committee Criteria and Scoring Sheet)

• 4. Originality (select one that is applicable)
  (10)
• Is subject matter original with author
• Is the approach original with author
• Is viewpoint fresh and original with author

K.C. Ting, 030303
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Div. Ed.
Send Manuscripts
Consult Regarding As. Ed. Selection
Inform Regarding As. Ed. Selection
Send Manuscripts
Author
ASAE
Div. Ed.
ASAE
As. Ed.
Acknowledge Receipt of Manuscripts
Send Manuscripts
Author
Send Manuscripts with Comments
Send Manuscripts with Reviewers Comments
Reason
Acknowledge Receipt of Manuscripts
Publish (with minor Revision)
(2) No
Reviewers
As. Ed.
Div. Ed.
(1) Yes
ASAE
Send Manuscripts with Reviewers Comments
Reason (not to Publish) or (to Resubmit)
Send Manuscripts with Comments
Return Revised Manuscripts and Relevant Materials
As. Ed.
Author
Author
Return Revised Manuscripts, Relevant
Materials, Reviewers Comments
Yes
Recommend Publication with a Complete Package
Send a Copy of the Cover Letter and a Blind Copy
Acceptable
Div. Ed.
ASAE
No
As. Ed.
Send a Copy of the Cover Letter
Author
ASAE
Div. Ed.
Repeat (1) within Time Limit Otherwise Go To (2)
Acknowledge Receipt of Package
Send a Copy of the Cover Letter
As. Ed.
Author
Flow Chart of ASAE/IET Division Manuscript Review
Process
July 1996-KCT
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Research Disseminating Research Results Effective
Presentation

• Overcoming Stage Fright
• Know your material well
• Practice your presentation
• Get the audience to participate
• Establish rapport by using names and eye contact
• Always check the facilities and audio-visual
  equipment in advance
• Research your audience
• Relax, breath deeply. Visualize a successful
  presentation
• Dress comfortably and appropriately
• Use your own style
• Use audio-visual aids to prompt you and make a
  visual impact on the audience

K.C. Ting, 030303
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Research Disseminating Research Results Effective
Presentation

• Characteristics of effective public speakers
• Understand the needs of his/her audience
• Attempts to meet those needs as effectively as
  possible
• Is the expert on his/her subject and his/her
  breadth of knowledge in other areas
• Constantly grows and improves in his/her
  understanding of his/her areas of expertise and
  his/her ability to present his/her material
  effectively
• Is enthusiastic about his/her subject and sincere
  about conveying his/her message to the audience
• Has a pleasing voice and appearance
• Uses examples, illustrations, analogies, and
  stories to make information more interesting and
  exciting

K.C. Ting, 030303
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Research Disseminating Research Results Effective
Presentation

• Characteristics of effective public speakers
  (contd)
• Paces the program to keep it lively and
  interesting
• Uses an appropriate level of humor and drama
• Encourages group involvement and participation
• Makes information as practical as possible,
  telling people how to use the information
• Uses depth and breadth of knowledge to answer a
  broad range of questions thoroughly
• Helps listeners understand and retain the
  information through the use of attention-getting
  verbal and visual devices such as repetition,
  graphics, and audience participation
• When appropriate, asks the audience for a
  commitment to change

K.C. Ting, 030303
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Research Disseminating Research Results Effective
Presentation

• 3. Planning a Presentation
• Why am I giving this presentation?
• (sales explanatory instructional oral report)
  
• What do I want the audience to know or do at the
  end of the presentation?
• (Remember the purpose of your presentation is
  not to present all you know about a subject it
  is to present what your audience needs to know in
  a way that meets your personal objectives as well
  as theirs)
• How do I want to deliver it?
• (practice and visualize success visual aids
  refrain from putting too much information on one
  image, each visual aid should focus on one idea,
  and do not read the information from the visual
  aid)

K.C. Ting, 030303
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Research Multi-Disciplinary Research

• Is necessary in solving complex, issue-oriented
  (as opposed to discipline-oriented) problems
• Provides a platform for synergetic interactions
  among participants from different disciplines
  that traditionally do not have strong interfaces
• Offers a potential for bringing experts from
  various disciplines to create new and
  value-added knowledge
• Requires an effective real-time communication
  method for gathering, processing, integrating,
  and disseminating information (i.e. the concept
  of Concurrent Science)
• Needs an equitable mechanism to recognize unique
  insight contributed by each individual
  participant

K.C. Ting, 030303
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Research Research Ethics

• Ethics is that branch of philosophy which deals
  with moral principals, which doesnt close the
  question about right or wrong, but which gives
  the tools to decide for ourselves (Wright, 1992)
• Ethical conduct is often defined as that
  behavior desired by society which is above and
  beyond the minimum standards established by law
  (Onsrud, 1987)
• Human values that play a role in our ethics
• Honesty (what you say about what you have done)
• Integrity (what you do about what you said)
• Equity (being just, impartial, and fair)
• Trust (firm reliance on character of a person or
  thing)
• Honor (feeling and expression of esteem,
  respect, reverence, reputation)

K.C. Ting, 030303
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Data Information Knowledge
Wisdom
Words of Wisdom
Knowledge is Energy, Wisdom is effective use of
Knowledge Knowledge and Wisdom produce kW that
is Power. --- K.C. Ting, 1994 ---
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Questions/Answers and Discussion
? / ! ...
...Thank you!