1. 1 Personal Opinion for Good Research William Jen NCTU of Taiwan, Feb. 2011

2. 2 Outline 1. Good Research 2. Good Research Process 3. Good Dissertation (Thesis) 4. Conclusion

3. 3 1. Good Research 1.0 Graduate vs. undergraduate 1.1 Original thought 1.2 Contribution to knowledge 1.3 Sound methodology 1.4 Others

4. 4 1.0 Graduate vs. undergraduate Researcher, re-search Problem formulation and solution, researchable (narrow down) problem (system) Research (scientific) methods, research methodology, philosophy of science. Thomas Kuhn, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, 1962, paradigm shiftThe Structure of Scientific Revolutions Karl R. Popper, Conjectures and Refutations, 1963,Conjectures and Refutations Science as Falsification

5. 5 脫困 困而學之 學術 vs. 非學術研究 (research vs. study) 實證 vs. 探索研究 量化 vs. 質化研究方法 方法盲 vs. 問題盲 EFA, CFA, Exploratory or Confirmatory Factor Analysis

6. 6 1.1 Original thought Contemporary hot, Interesting (to others and self). Thinking: 1. Logic, 2. critical, 3. creative, 4. political, 5. positive thinking

7. 7 1.2 Contribution to knowledge Integration of research stream, Go beyond synthesis, Well focused. So what? What’s new?

8. 8 1.3 Sound methodology Creative, unique, doable. 1.Method: mathematical model, statistical tools, abstract reasoning, empirical test. 2.Data: representative, variation, quality, ex. Economics: monthly established data set. Marketing: primary data survey. 3.Robust results: applicability / generalizable Management implications: policy, industry, business Parsimony vs. over fit model

9. 9 Research Reasoning Deduction Deduction is a form of inference that purports to be conclusive (i.e., the conclusion must necessarily follow from the reasons given). Induction To induce is to draw a conclusion from one or more particular facts or pieces of evidence.

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12. 12 1.4 Others Format, Achievable in reasonable time, Matches student capabilities, Area for professional development, Attractive for funding.

13. 13 2. Good Research Process 2.1 Idea generating, 2.2 Planning a research, 2.3 Conducting a research, 2.4 Professional Communicating.

14. 14 2.1 Idea generating Every day life observation, Journal and conference paper SSCI, SCI, EI, TSSCI, ISI, TRB Annual Meeting “current literature in traffic and transportation”, transportation library, Northwestern Uni. problem oriented, to be curious, make a difference.

15. 15 Do a review of your own Read widely and deeply on your topic and its background, read review papers in your field Helps to give structure and organization Identifies trends and gaps and can support the significance of your research Synthesizes the literature

16. 16 2.2 Planning a research Have an intense desire to know, State the research objectives clearly, Search the literature, Formulate operational hypothesis, Select a study strategy.

17. 17 Proposal 一個有趣且重要的問題，而非枝微末節 有助於科學現象的了解，不只是陳述而已 此計畫可行

18. 18 Experimental simulations Field experiments Field studies Computer simulations Formal theory Surveys Judgment tasks Laboratory experiments Obtrusive research operations Unobtrusive research operations Universal behavioral systems Particular behavioral systems No one Method is Better or Worse A B C

19. 19 Designs Thoughtfully All research is flawed –Researchers very often examine only narrowly defined problems. –Researchers use less-than-perfect methods of observation –Researchers usually use less-than-perfect samples Plays to the strength of the method Pilots Seeks criticism

20. 20 2.3 Conducting a research Project organization and management, Measurement, Data collection.

21. 21 2.4 Professional communicating * IMRAD Introduction Methods Results Discussion

22. 22 Select Your Journals, 我發表，故我在 Have the researchers selected an important problem? Were the researchers reflective? Are any major methodological flaws unavoidable or forgivable? Is the report cohesive? Does the report extend the boundaries of our knowledge on a topic? Is the research likely to inspire additional research?

23. 23 SSCI, “Transportation” 領域之期刊 RankAbbreviated Journal TitleImpact Factor 1TRANSPORT RES B-METH1.948 2ACCIDENT ANAL PREV1.586 3TRANSPORT SCI1.427 4TRANSPORT RES A-POL1.352 5TRANSPORT RES D-TR E1.319 6TRANSPORTATION1.242 7TRANSPORT RES F-TRAF1.078 8TRANSPORT RES E-LOG1.000 9TRANSPORTMETRICA0.960 10TRANSPORT POLICY0.883

24. 24 SSCI, “Transportation” 領域之期刊 ( 續 ) RankAbbreviated Journal TitleImpact Factor 11J SAFETY RES0.835 12J TRANSP ECON POLICY0.780 13TRANSPORT REV0.747 14J AIR TRANSP MANAG0.453 15INT J TRANSP ECON0.194 16TRANSPORT J0.129

25. 25 SCI, “Transportation Science & Technology” 領域之期刊 (Accessed at 2007.05.28) RankAbbreviated Journal TitleImpact Factor 1TRANSPORT RES B-METH1.948 2IEEE T INTELL TRANSP1.689 3TRANSPORT SCI1.427 4TRANSPORT RES A-POL1.352 5TRANSPORT RES D-TR E1.319 6TRANSPORTATION1.242 7IEEE T VEH TECHNOL1.191 8TRANSPORT RES E-LOG1.000 9TRANSPORTMETRICA0.960 10TRANSPORT RES C-EMER0.875 11J ADV TRANSPORT0.562

26. 26 SCI, “Transportation Science & Technology” 領域之期刊 ( 續 ) (Accessed at 2007.05.28) RankAbbreviated Journal TitleImpact Factor 12NETW SPAT ECON0.514 13J TRANSP ENG-ASCE0.498 14INT J AUTOMOT TECHN0.476 15P I MECH ENG D-J AUT0.280 16P I MECH ENG F-J RAI0.218 17INT J VEHICLE DES0.183 18P I CIVIL ENG-TRANSP0.109 19TRANSPORT PLAN TECHN0.106 20ITE J0.054 21INT J HEAVY VEH SYST0.051 22HEAVY VEH SYST0.000

27. 27 Practicing – students and new researchers Testing out ideas and getting feedback Laying a claim to an idea Raising profile / networking Might score a special-issue journal paper Try Conferences and Minor Journals

28. 28 3. Good Dissertation (Thesis) 1.You really want to be an expert in this area, 3 essays. 2.Possible continuation. 3.Prepare: Lab. management, Project funding, Teaching, Peer review…… * “Recent doctoral dissertations”, Transportation Research, Part A.

29. 29 Other Suggestions Transportation research mostly empirical, needs to be relevant first, but then conducted and presented rigorously. Work with others. Have multiple research areas but focus on becoming a true leader in one area. Start early… takes a long time to publish, keep up a pipeline of work. Stay visible … give talks, be a reviewer, write papers, be on program committees.

30. 30 4. Conclusion 看似平常最奇絕，成如容易卻艱難 ～王安石 問君那得清如許，謂有源頭活水來 ～朱熹 王國維，人間詞話 – 昨夜西風凋碧樹，獨上西樓，望盡天涯路 ～ 晏殊 – 衣帶漸寬終不悔，為伊消得人憔悴 ～ 歐陽永叔 – 眾裡尋他千百度，驀然迴首 ，那人卻在燈火欄 珊處 ～ 辛幼安 –( 流水落花春去也，天上人間 ～李煜 )

31. 31 Reference 1. 《撰寫博碩士論文實戰手冊》 http://www.sinica.edu.tw/~cida 2. Graduate School Survival Guide http://smi.stanford.edu/people/pratt/smi/advice.html 3. How to Succeed in Graduate School: A Guide for Students and Advisors http://info.acm.org/crossroads/xrds1-2/advice1.html 4. 研究所新生完全求生手冊 http://ppsc.pme.nthu.edu.tw/http://ppsc.pme.nthu.edu.tw/ 5. Wei, K. K., Publishing Papers in IS Journal, 2008/4/24

32. 32 Reading Guidelines 1. Understand the key theme 2. Articulate author’s conceptual framework - Typology - Underlying rationale and assumptions 3. Identify strengths and weakness - New insights - Conflicts (internal and external) - Contributions - Other comments 4. Develop your own framework

33. 33 Presentation Guidelines 1. Assume everyone in the class has already read the assigned material. 2. The 1st one: outline the reading material, comment and questions. 3. The 2nd one: comments and questions. 4. Questions and answer session. 5. Conclusion *All the sit-in students are cordially invited to participate the class discussion.

34. 34 Class Performance 1. Is the participant a good listener? 2. Are the points that are made relevant to the discussion? Are they linked to the comments of others? 3. Do comments show evidence of applying the concepts from the readings to the analysis of the case? 4. Is there a willingness to test new ideas, or are all comments “safe”? (e.g., repetition of case facts without analysis and conclusion) 5. Do comments clarify or build upon the important aspects of earlier comments and lead to a clearer statement of the concepts being covered and the problems being addressed?

35. 35 Q & A wljen@mail.nctu.edu.tw http://140.113.119.160