©Ian Sommerville 2006 MSc module: Advanced Software Engineering Slide 1

Summarising and critiquing research papers

©Ian Sommerville 2006 MSc module: Advanced Software Engineering Slide 2

Creating a summary

There is no simple method for summarising a paper - you need to use your judgement to define the key issues.

You are trying to discover the key points that the author is making in the paper?

Read the paper at least twice Make sure that you understand what the

author is trying to say

©Ian Sommerville 2006 MSc module: Advanced Software Engineering Slide 3

Creating a summary

Look at the introduction• A good introduction should set out what will be discussed

Look at the conclusion• The conclusion should state what the main point of the paper

is. For each section in the paper

• Write one or two sentences that define the main points that the author is making

• If you can’t do this, it may be because the paper is badly written and the author has nothing to say

Look for bulleted or numbered lists• These often highlight important points that the author is

trying to make

©Ian Sommerville 2006 MSc module: Advanced Software Engineering Slide 4

Critiquing a paper

To critique a paper, you are trying to discover the weaknesses in the argument that the author is making

Look for:• Claims - what the author is claiming to be true• Evidence - information that backs up claims e.g.

references to other papers, statistical data,etc. Think about

• Rebuttals - arguments why the claim might not be true• Counter-evidence - evidence that contradicts the claim

©Ian Sommerville 2006 MSc module: Advanced Software Engineering Slide 5

Claims

St Andrews is the best university in Scotland• Evidence

• Rated highest in Guardian University Guide• Highest average qualifications of undergraduate

applicants• Oldest university in Scotland

• Counter-evidence• Edinburgh is larger• Edinburgh offers a wider range of subjects• Edinburgh is rated more highly in the Times University

Guide

©Ian Sommerville 2006 MSc module: Advanced Software Engineering Slide 6

Frequent problems

Claims without evidence• Sometimes made by people with good reputations

• If an expert makes a statement, it is not necessarily true

Selective evidence• Evidence that backs up a claim is quoted

• Counter-evidence is ignored

©Ian Sommerville 2006 MSc module: Advanced Software Engineering Slide 7

Other problems with papers

Unclear use of language - the paper is hard to understand

Failure to separate concerns - the author mixes up several points in the same paragraph or section

Use of unnecessary jargon or acronyms Unsupported generalisation -saying something

is generally true because it is true for one example.