Assignments & Deliverables
Survey Paper Checkpoints
Format: Three milestone checkpoints
Purpose: Progressive development and validation of your survey paper research
Timeline: Aligned with course phases and survey paper development
Checkpoint Structure
- Checkpoint 1 (Due: October 3, Friday): Literature survey - Comprehensive review of relevant papers in your section
- Checkpoint 2 (Due: October 31, Thursday): Data-driven exercise - Gathering results, creating plots/tables, assembling raw data
- Checkpoint 3 (Due: November 21, Thursday): First draft of your section - Complete draft of your survey section
- Final Paper (Due: December 12, Thursday): Complete integrated survey paper
Each checkpoint focuses on systematic research development, building toward a publication-quality survey paper through structured milestones.
⚠️ Important: You should contact the TA and instructor at least two weeks before each checkpoint deadline to ensure you are heading down the right path. This proactive communication is essential for successful completion of each milestone.
📋 Checkpoint 1: Literature Survey (Due: October 3, Friday)
Deliverable: Comprehensive review of relevant papers in your section (4-5 pages)
Requirements:
- 20-25 key papers identified with data extraction plan
- Cross-cutting themes and quantitative analysis opportunities identified
- Detailed plan for tables/figures to be generated from existing data
- Methodology for data collection and analysis documented
📅 Timeline Guidance: Contact the TA and instructor by September 19th (two weeks before the deadline) to discuss your literature review approach and ensure you’re on the right track.
📊 Checkpoint 2: Data-Driven Exercise (Due: October 31, Thursday)
Deliverable: Technical results with generated tables and figures (10-12 pages)
Requirements:
- Completed data analysis with generated tables and figures
- Comparative analysis revealing new insights from existing literature
- Draft survey sections with quantitative findings integrated
- Cross-references and data connections to other sections identified
📅 Timeline Guidance: Contact the TA and instructor by October 10th (two weeks before the deadline) to review your data analysis progress and validate your approach.
📖 Checkpoint 3: First Draft (Due: November 21, Thursday)
Deliverable: Complete draft of your survey section (12-15 pages)
Requirements:
- Comprehensive cross-stack analysis with data-driven insights
- Quantitative analysis seamlessly integrated into narrative
- Cross-cutting themes supported by comparative data and visualizations
- Future research directions based on identified gaps and trends
📅 Timeline Guidance: Contact the TA and instructor by November 7th (two weeks before the deadline) to review your draft structure and get feedback on your analysis.
Final Paper Integration (Due: December 12, Thursday)
Format: Collaborative review and finalization of the complete survey paper
Purpose: Ensure coherent, publication-quality final paper through group coordination
Timeline: Final weeks of the semester
📅 Timeline Guidance: Contact the TA and instructor by November 28th (two weeks before the deadline) to review your final paper integration progress and ensure all sections are properly coordinated.
Integration Process
- Cross-section coordination: Ensuring consistency and flow between sections
- Final review and editing: Collaborative refinement of the complete paper
- Quality assurance: Meeting publication standards for target venues
Paper Presentations
Format: Present and lead discussion for assigned papers (individually or in pairs)
Structure: 20-minute presentation + 20-minute facilitated discussion per paper
Sign-up: By Week 3
Presentation Structure
20-Minute Presentation:
- Paper summary and key contributions (5-7 minutes)
- Critical analysis: strengths, limitations, methodology issues (8-10 minutes)
- Connections to course themes and other papers (3-5 minutes)
20-Minute Discussion:
- Facilitate Q&A and critical discussion
- Prepare 3-4 provocative discussion questions
- Guide synthesis and connections to broader themes
Responsibilities
- Preparation: Meet with instructor 1 week before, prepare slides and discussion questions
- Flexibility: Timing may adjust based on guest speaker availability and class dynamics
- Follow-up: Brief reflection on presentation effectiveness and discussion insights