Wednesday, March 08, 2006

How to Do Research in the MIT AI Lab

Now that I finally found this link to How to Do Research in the MIT AI Lab, I'm putting it here so I won't lose it again.

It's where I got the idea of reading How to get control of your life and your time by Alan Lakein - which made a big difference - and where I first learned about the Secret Paper Passing Network. This also made an impression: that over his or her first couple of years an AI student at MIT should expect to write their own version of:

"a truth maintenance system, a means-ends planner, a unification rule system, a few interpreters of various flavors, an optimizing compiler with flow analysis, a frame system with inheritance, several search methods, and an explanation-based learner"

Also some very good tips on how to give talks that have stuck with me:

You can only present one ``idea'' or ``theme'' in a talk. In a 20 minute or shorter talk the idea must be crystal clear and cannot have complicated associated baggage. In a 30 or 45 minute talk the idea can require some buildup or background. In an hour talk the idea can be presented in context, and some of the uglies can be revealed. Talks should almost never go on for more than an hour (though they often do).

The people in the audience want to be there; they want to learn what you have to say. They aren't just waiting for an excuse to attack you, and will feel more comfortable if you are relaxed.

1 comment:

Jim Davies said...

"The people in the audience want to be there; they want to learn what you have to say. They aren't just waiting for an excuse to attack you..."
Not true in philosophy.. See "Philosophy as Blood Sport" by Norman Swartz at
http://www.sfu.ca/philosophy/swartz/blood_sport.htm