• Expectation for PhD candidates: At least 10 papers
• For a PhD that takes 3 years beyond a MS this is
  • 3 new conference papers submitted per year (at least 2 accepted)
  • Each paper extended according to journal requirements
  • Extra slack to account for Comprehensive Exam and failed submissions
• Consider that during a term we spend 50 percent time on research (100 in summer)
  • Generally I do not recommend many other summer activities (summer classes / jobs)
• Be ready with one new paper for respective conference deadline (60% of your research effort)
  • KDD Feb
  • ICDM July
  • SIAM SDM Sept/Oct
• Plan in time for
  • extended journal paper
  • possibly revised resubmissions (40% of your research)
  • camera-ready copies and presentations
• Possible structure for paper writing process:
  1. First Week - read
  2. 1 Day draft 1-2 paragraphs of introduction
  3. 2 Months - implement, test, and read more
  4. 1/2 Day rethink 1-2 paragraphs of introduction
  5. 1 Week - produce plots (respectable graphs)
  6. 1/2 Day rethink 1-2 paragraphs of introduction
  7. 1 Week - produce math (respectable equations)
  8. 1/2 Day rethink 1-2 paragraphs of introduction
  9. 1/2 Week - summarize literature
  10. 1/2 Day rethink 1-2 paragraphs of introduction
  11. 2 Weeks- write rest of paper

Notice that if an new idea appears in the process, finish original and then come back to the new idea in the next iteration.

• Do not use phrasings that can be shot down!!!
  • “This is due to the fact that …”: “…” is probably not a fact
• Do not compare apples and oranges
  • “Our algorithm is better than their paper”: An algorithm is not a paper
• For EVERY SINGLE paragraph know what is the idea that you want to get across
• For every colloquial sentence go back and rephrase it in proper language
  • For example: “Every paragraph should clearly state and explain one idea”
• Keep your writing simple
  • Plain “subject predicate object” sentences may seem boring but tend to be much clearer than alternatives
• Expect to spend A LOT OF TIME on writing
• Never think “I need a sentence on ABC, so I write a sentence on ABC”
  • Isolate the concept of the relationship between “ABC” and your work (“What does ABC have to do with what I'm writing?”)