Groups

Victor Mokanasingham, PiriyaCirstea, MariaLeon, AdelenaCarter, Dakota

WhiskeyDukic, JozefinaMartin, AleksAruldevarajan, ThayaliniElijah, Deng SimonWong, Samson

X ray Yip, CollinLitke, JuliaChern, KearnyMorariu, OanaKroeker, Vanessa

Yankee

Zulu

Beltran, DanielNg, Pebble MacLean, TrevorChristie, ElizaLau, David

Samuel, DafYu, Amy Pham, DorisMitchell, Ryan

Section 2 - How to Discover Things

1. Get some understanding of the issue(s)• develop a “feel” for what’s going on

1. Generate some possibilities• possible questions (reformulations)• possible answers

1. Evaluate these possibilities - determine the best• logical consistency• good definition of terms• good evidence• etc, etc

Section 2 - Goals

A. Develop generative skills.(Increase likelihood of creating something cool.)

1. Effective observational skills2. How to develop effective explanations (hypotheses)3. Using imagination / visualization effectively

4. Using intuition effectively5. Making effective decisions

A. Develop (further) skills in communication.

1. Writing2. Verbal presentation

Critical thinking

Verbal presentationDebates,Target Articles

Critical thinking

Generative skills

Writing

Essays,Analyses

Critical thinking

Scientific skills

Writing

Critique

Critique (see COGS303-critiques.pdf)

Pick a research area of Cog Systems• AI, HCI (Computer Science)• Speech, Language (Linguistics)• Perception, Cognition (Psychology)

Find two papers in that area (each ≥ 5 years old)• one very influential (> 50 citations on Google Scholar)• one not so influential (< 10 citations on Google Scholar)

Explain why each is good / bad in regards to• structure of the argument(s)• ability to explain the phenomenon• connections to other issues, etc…

Finding an Explanation

Observationand Mindset

Archaeopteryx

Interstellar radio waves

“It is no exaggeration to say that well developed habits of observation are more important in research than large accumulations of academic learning.”

—W.I.B. Beveridge

On the sheet, please list: name of group, title of essay

Please analyze:

1. Quality of the Content: [0-6] 50% of analysis mark • start with 0 marks

+2 for each good reason (up to 6 marks) 0 for each absent / unconvincing reason- 1 for each bad reason / error in reasoning (up to 3 marks)

2. Quality of Style: [0-6] 25% of analysis mark • start with 6 marks

-1 for each problem with conciseness (up to 4)-1 for any other problem (up to 4)

3. Meta-analysis: 25% of analysis mark • list 2 unstated assumptions

• if can’t find, list unsupported assumption(s)

• suggest 2 improvements in style• if can’t find, point out something you really like

What are 3 particular examples of how mindset could potentially influence the way a researcher observes something?.

NoteNote: Tougher marking criteria

Observing The World (1)

Imagine that you are about to check coins to determine if they are counterfeit, and need to prepare a checklist.

List all the observable attributes of a Canadian penny.- attributes must be viewable & measurable (e.g., diameter, colour)

- no meaningless combinations of simpler properties.

Which group can find the most?

Observing The World (2)

Imagine that you are designing a robot to observe as much about the world as possible, and respond to it.

List all the observable attributes of a door.- attributes must be viewable & measurable (e.g., height, colour)

- no meaningless combinations of simpler properties.

Which group can find the most?

Give three particular examples of explanation based on the use of analogy in research.

For each example, explain what is interesting about it—i.e., how it helps with understanding.

Essay 3-AThursday:

Scope: Any research study (must be in a paper / textbook). Any area in the Arts or Sciences.