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A Proposed Paper Templatefor improving the Quality ofPractitioner Written Papers

at Conferences and Symposia

Joseph E. Kasser DSc, CEng, CMSystems Engineering and Evaluation Centre

University of South AustraliaJoseph.kasser@unisa.edu.au

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Topics Why we need one Process for writing the paper The Template Filling in the template Where to find an example Summary Conclusion Questions and discussion

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Why we need one Students use these papers for research and

education The academic quality of the published papers

is less than desired Papers repeat discoveries instead of

reinforcing theory It is difficult to find information in the papers There are few references to the literature We are not building a Framework of Ideas

Critical to the development of a discipline

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Case studies and personalexperience papers

Gather data about the case Organise the data to highlight the

focus of the study Develop the narrative Validate the narrative Compare the study with appropriate

others to identify areas ofimprovement

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Requirements for Papers

Shall be organized to facilitate thewriting of information

Shall be organized to facilitate theretrieval of information

Shall indicate how the lesson(s) learnedfrom the story may also apply in othersituations

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Templates

UMUC experience Leveraged research into development of

predictive metrics for project failure

MIL-STDs MIL-STD-490 for requirements documents

RFPs

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Process for producing thepaper

1. Decide on the point(s) to be made in the paper2. Determine what data needs to be collected to

reinforce the point(s) to be made3. Collect the data4. Research the literature to determine if the

points have been made before5. Write up the story6. Analyse the story and document the analysis.7. Write up the lessons learned8. Summarise the Case Study9. Develop and document the conclusions

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Template1. Overview2. Background3. The Story4. Analysis Lessons learned Summary Conclusion References Glossary of acronyms and corporate terms Questions and comments

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1. Overview

A one or two slide abstract of thepresentation that tells the viewer whythey should watch the presentation

Think of this as the newspaper headlinethat entices the reader to read thesection

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2. Background

This is where you describe thebackground to the story you are aboutto tell

This should be one or two slides Use colour to stress or highlight points

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3. The Story

This is where you tell the story withoutany comments, analyses, or referencesto the literature

Use as many slides as you feel arenecessary Remember the presentation does have a

time limit This is the part that most practitioner

case study papers tend to do well

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4. Analysis Why what you did worked. Where you link the story to that knowledge (in the

form of the literature) and show that a (seeexamples later) Section of the story is supported by or found

similar to a reference Section of the story is refuted found different

from a reference Use as many slides as you feel are necessary Standards, corporate handbooks, the INCOSE

systems engineering handbook, the proceedings ofpast conferences, journals, web sites, and text booksthat you may have on the shelves in your office

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5. Lessons Learned

This is where you itemise and brieflydiscuss the lessons learned

You may also reference them to theliterature if appropriate

In the paper/presentation use indentedtext for the discussion see example in paper

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6. Summary

Summarise the presentation here This could be as simple as a copy of the

Topics slide you’ll just talk it from a different

perspective

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7. Conclusion

State the conclusion here

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8. References

If there is no accompanying paper List the references in the same format as

for papers

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9. Glossary/Acronyms

If there is no accompanying paper List all the acronyms in alphabetical order Use as many slides as necessary Show the slide during the presentation but

don’t read them all!

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10. Questions and discussion

This is the last slide of the presentation Put an interesting graphic here

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Prototyping @ SETE 2004 Non-refereed practitioner

presentation category Template and example

supplied to authors MCSS Case Study

Papers that used thetemplate seemed betterthan those that didn’t Anecdotal evidence General delegate impression

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Examples

2005 MCSSUpgrade CaseStudy

2006 PacorUpgrade CaseStudy – in paper

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Summary Why we need one Process for writing the paper The Template Filling in the template Where to find an example Summary Conclusion Questions and discussion

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Conclusion

Recommend to the ConferenceCommittee that the template be mademandatory for case study and personalexperience papers.

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Questions and Discussion