B39RB3 Research Methods Citation and Collaboration

1. B39RB3 Research MethodsCitation and Collaboration Greg Michaelson Computer Science School of Mathematical & Computer Sciences

2. Overview • you are assessed solely on your own work • but: • your work is in the context of the work of other people • e.g. previous research or results; existing designs or software or hardware • in developing your own work, you work with other people • e.g. your supervisor; other staff; other students.

3. Overview • how can you make sure that, in your submission: • your own work is clearly identified; • other people’s work is clearly distinguished? • how can you include or mention other people’s work in your submission without plagiarism?

4. Plagiarism 1 • plagiarism is the presentation of other people’s work as your own work • plagiarism is: • dishonest; • unprofessional; • cheating; • theft. • plagiarism does not need to be intentional • “I didn’t know/understand” is no excuse

5. Plagiarism 2 • at the start of your submission you must sign a statement that the work is your own • it is your responsibility to make sure that any work that is not your own is clearly identified in the submission

6. Plagiarism 3 • plagiarism is easily detected • markers read many submissions at same time so can spot patterns and similarities • e.g if several students submit same work • markers can spot changes in written styles of English and program code • e.g. if student has copied or cut and pasted material • better style may not be own work; • put text into search engine • put submission into plagiarism detection software

7. Plagiarism 4 • plagiarism is strongly punished • plagiarisers might: • lose all marks for submission; • lose all marks for module; • repeat year; • leave University without qualification; • see University regulations & School handbooks

8. But... • ...why can’t I include other people’s material in my submission if it’s relevant? • you can, but don’t pretend it’s your own work • ... the expert presents it better than I can? • we want to see how you present it, to make sure you understand it • ...everyone knows this information or technique already? • so tell us how you know it

9. How to... • ... build on other’s people’s work without plagiarism? • ... make use of source material without simply copying it? • ... work with other people without claiming joint work as your own?

10. Citation and Reference • must enable readers to find original material that you use • when referring to the work of others, must include: • citation • full publication details • in text, footnote or bibliography • reference • unique identifying link in text • to full citation in footnote or bibliography

11. Introducing the work of others • X says [reference] ... • According to Y [reference] ... • Z argues that [reference] ... • A notes that [reference] ... • etc. • where X, Y Z, A are the names of the people whose work is referred to • usual to include a date if not in reference

12. Using the work of others • quoting • direct inclusion of text • precis • shortened version • in your own words • summary • listing main points • in your own words

13. Quoting • must explicitly distinguish quoted material • put short quotations in main text • in quotation marks • include substantial quotations as separate paragraph • indent • could use italics for both • must accompany quote with reference • usual to also include page number after quote

14. Precis • continuous text summary of original • should not contain phrases from original unless quoted • must include reference

15. Summary • list of main points • numbered/bullet points • often phrases rather than continuous text • should not contain material from original unless quoted • must include reference

16. Example: original The idea of a digital computer is an old one.Charles Babbage, Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge from 1828 to 1839, planned such a machine, called the Analytical Engine, but it was never completed. Although Babbage had all the essential ideas, his machine was not at that time such a very attractive prospect. The speed which would have been available would be definitely faster than a human computer but something like 100 times slower than the Manchester machine, itself one of the slower of the modern machines. The storage was to be purely mechanical, using wheels and cards. The fact that Babbage's Analytical Engine was to be entirely mechanical will help us to rid ourselves of a superstition. Importance is often attached to the fact that modern digital computers are electrical, and that the nervous system also is electrical. Since Babbage's machine was not electrical, and since all digital computers are in a sense equivalent, we see that this use of electricity cannot be of theoretical importance. Alan Turing, Computing Machinery and Intelligence, Mind, Vol LIX, No 236, October 1950, in E. Feigenbaum & J. Feldman, Computers & Thought, McGraw-Hill, 1963, page 16.

17. Example: quoting • In considering whether electricity is important for relating human brains to digital computers, Turing [Turing,1950] argues that: “The idea of a digital computer is an old one.Charles Babbage, Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge from 1828 to 1839, planned such a machine, called the Analytical Engine, but it was never completed. Although Babbage had all the essential ideas, his machine was not at that time such a very attractive prospect. The speed which would have been available would be definitely faster than a human computer but something like 100 times slower than the Manchester machine, itself one of the slower of the modern machines. The storage was to be purely mechanical, using wheels and cards. The fact that Babbage's Analytical Engine was to be entirely mechanical will help us to rid ourselves of a superstition. Importance is often attached to the fact that modern digital computers are electrical, and that the nervous system also is electrical. Since Babbage's machine was not electrical, and since all digital computers are in a sense equivalent, we see that this use of electricity cannot be of theoretical importance.” (page 16) • with a Bibliography including the citation: [Turing,1950] Alan Turing, Computing Machinery and Intelligence, Mind, Vol LIX, No 236, October 1950, in E. Feigenbaum & J. Feldman, Computers & Thought, McGraw-Hill, 1963, pp 9-35.

18. Example: precis • Turing[Turing,1950] argues that as Babbage’s Analytic Engine was a purely mechanical digital computer, and because all digital computers are equivalent, then the dependence of both human brains and modern computers on electricity is not relevant when comparing their properties.

19. Example: summary • Turing[Turing,1950] argues that: • Babbage’s Analytic Engine was a digital computer; • the Analytic Engine was mechanical; • all digital computers are equivalent; • so electricity is irrelevant when comparing brains and digital computers.

20. Quoting quotes • may need to include a quote from someone who also quotes a third party • include references for both • X [reference X] discussing Y [reference Y] says: “...”

21. Quoting quotes example: original • Again from: Alan Turing, Computing Machinery and Intelligence, Mind, Vol LIX, No 236, October 1950, in E. Feigenbaum & J. Feldman, Computers & Thought, McGraw-Hill, 1963, pp 9-35. • Our most detailed information of Babbage's Analytical Engine comes from a memoir by Lady Lovelace. In it she states, "The Analytical Engine has no pretensions to originate anything. It can do whatever we know how to order it to perform" (her italics). • with original bibliography entry: • Countess of Lovelace, Translator's notes to an article on Babbage's Analytical Engine Scientific Memoir(ed. by R. Taylor), vol. 3 (1842), 691-731.

22. Quoting quotes example: quote • Turing [Turing,1950], in discussing Lady Lovelace’s objection to machine intelligence [Lovelace,1842], says that: “Our most detailed information of Babbage's Analytical Engine comes from a memoir by Lady Lovelace. In it she states, "The Analytical Engine has no pretensions to originate anything. It can do whatever we know how to order it to perform" (her italics).”(page 26). • with Bibliography including: [Lovelace, 1842], Ada Lovelace, Translator's notes to an article on Babbage's Analytical EngineScientific Memoir(ed. by R. Taylor), Vol. 3,1842, pp 691-731. [Turing,1950] Alan Turing, Computing Machinery and Intelligence, Mind, Vol LIX, No 236, October 1950, in E. Feigenbaum & J. Feldman, Computers & Thought, McGraw-Hill, 1963, pp 9-35.

23. Using other people’s code • in program listing, indicate clearly where code is not your own • identify source with reference/citation • if code has an original statement of ownership, then leave it in place; • in main text, state explicitly that you have used code that is not your own • identify source with reference/citation

24. Collaboration 1 • must acknowledge people that helped you • supervisor • other lecturers • other students • in Acknowledgements section at start of submission • say how they helped you

25. Collaboration 2 • must identify clearly any joint work • in joint work must identify clearly which is yours and which is that of others • where you were part of a team • identify other team members • clarify what they did • identify what you did

26. Collaboration 3 • where your work builds directly on someone else’s work • identify clearly what they did already • clarify how what you did depended on what they did • how did you change what they did? • how did you extend what they did?

27. Conclusion 1 • all research depends on that which preceded it • to carry out your own work, you must build on the work of others • you must appropriately identify, cite, reference and acknowledge the work of others

28. Conclusion 2 • Isaac Newton said: If I have seen further [than certain other men] it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants. • from: The Columbia World of Quotations.  1996.   NUMBER:41418 ATTRIBUTION: Isaac Newton (1642–1727), British physicist, mathematician, universal genius. Letter to Robert Hooke, February 5, 1675. With reference to his dependency on Galileo’s and Kepler’s work in physics and astronomy http://www.bartleby.com/66/18/41418.html • consulted 2/4/6