Like I have said a million times now, coming here made me realize how important my country was to me. Be it the success at the world cup or the political attempts, the happenings in my country affect my mood and in a big way. Tendulkar and Hazare, the two most talked about people in India past fortnight. And aptly so, a constant persevering effort to contribute to a positive growth of such a beautiful and omnipotent country, sure deserves a salute.
Let's talk about cricket first, ever since I was a little girl (I know, sounds like a cheap rehearsed line you use in company interviews, but for a change, this one is actually true ;) ), I followed cricket, I saw every ball Kumble bowled, cheered to every shot of Kambli and Tendulkar, and none of it seems that distant, it’s all etched in there somewhere. Then came the era of IPL's, it felt like someone commercialized my religion. I lost interest in some aspects of cricket, though ODI's were still quite dear to me. After the devastating world cup 2007, and all hope was lost. Following cricket turned into an on and off activity as a result. But even then, something urged me to follow this World cup ... maybe it was that dormant dream of watching my team perform awesomely or a certain faith in Indian cricket. And lo and behold, we won against Australia and then Pakistan. Winning against them is a matter of pride (at least for me). We were in the finals ... Man oh Man .... It was like, well ...pure bliss. The important part of reaching the finals was that reached there, and we crushed paks and aussies on the way. It was so picture perfect. Just the way I had always imagined it would be. The final match... I dint care much for the outcome, I knew the team was in good shape and wouldn't let us down ... (turns out they dint ;) ). Flash forward to Sachin's untimely return to the dressing room in this crucial match. Tension. Grief. And then, the strong Indian batting order truly displayed its complete power! And now, flash forward to the epic match winning last sixer and the priceless expression on Dhoni's face. This is how heroes are made. This is why they are cherished. This is what makes them different from you and me. The magic of 10. Eighteen years of fanboyism boiled down to this one moment in history. Man, it felt good to be alive !!! And man, it felt good to be Indian.
Just when we thought we couldn't have a bigger better issue. The debate. A Political one. Pros and cons of it. Trying to figure out where the democracy was heading. On one hand there was this notion of all the corrupt politicians, on the other hand the basic funda of what the junta wants. Some argue that passing of the bill is actually 'against' democratic principles. If we have so much faith in the Bureaucrats, why not let them lead India to glory? Why the pretence of an entire election just to prove they are corrupt later on? All this while the more optimistic ones saw a ray of hope for India, it was deemed as a signal that India was ready to face at least one of its many demons. Nevertheless, for better or for worse, India is changing, growing and shining. It is basking under the glory and power of ten.( or more )
Monday, April 11, 2011
How to read a research paper - in style
Almost during ever assignment now, I have a new idea for a blog ! Because these are the times when you start looking at your life seriously, you start feeling like you have some knowledge that could really help the next generation ( alas ! the next generation doesn't want to read your advice ) Nevertheless , I'll do my part ...
One of the most important part of completing a Master's degree is reading tons of research papers day in and day out ! Literally hundreds per semester ( believe me ) Initially they'll be the most intimidating part of your life.But once you get the hang of it, you end up mentally provoking them by the proverbial ' Hit me with your best, I can take you down' attitude.
Now first, like any other sincere student, count the number of pages in the document, mentally preparing yourself to devote a (2*n/60) hours of continuous time slot to it. Where n is the total number of pages. Once this calculation is done, move on to the next important thing, subtract the number of pages containg diagrams and references and mentally smirk about the amount of work done in the first 15 secs. This should be motivation enough to continue. Next, start reading the abstract, and get a feel of what the topic of today's ordeal is ;). This part should be done most carefully, if this is your 2,3,4...nth paper on the topic then try and guess what the method in the paper may be.(This part is important because in case your guess is right, you get to pat yourself on the back and move onto to the next paper, otherwise you get to reason with yourself why one of your or his method is better or perhaps give you an idea for your very own shiny new research paper). Next, read the conclusion section. See if they actually achieved things they promised earlier. For the next step, I kind of like to look at the results, in case a tabular accuracy is given, to see what kind of results the paper achieved. In case they seem like they could use an improvement, I try to look at their method more critically. Next look at the previous works section. Look at (or mentally make a note of some paper that seems interesting) the various papers mentioned, use blah blah instead of the names( again, trust me... it gives you a kick :P). Phew, so now you are done with almost 40-60% of the paper. The most important 2 sections remain .... Actual method and Results. While reading the method, see if you can point out the Input data used, replace the method with a black box and look at the output.Then look at the accuracy. Then look at what the limitations of each step in the black box is. See if they have been properly addressed.If they are not, mock the researcher (after rechecking your initial stand and conforming it with someone else though).
Then reward yourself with a few episodes of big bang theory,eat some maggi and move onto the next 'promising' research paper.
One of the most important part of completing a Master's degree is reading tons of research papers day in and day out ! Literally hundreds per semester ( believe me ) Initially they'll be the most intimidating part of your life.But once you get the hang of it, you end up mentally provoking them by the proverbial ' Hit me with your best, I can take you down' attitude.
Now first, like any other sincere student, count the number of pages in the document, mentally preparing yourself to devote a (2*n/60) hours of continuous time slot to it. Where n is the total number of pages. Once this calculation is done, move on to the next important thing, subtract the number of pages containg diagrams and references and mentally smirk about the amount of work done in the first 15 secs. This should be motivation enough to continue. Next, start reading the abstract, and get a feel of what the topic of today's ordeal is ;). This part should be done most carefully, if this is your 2,3,4...nth paper on the topic then try and guess what the method in the paper may be.(This part is important because in case your guess is right, you get to pat yourself on the back and move onto to the next paper, otherwise you get to reason with yourself why one of your or his method is better or perhaps give you an idea for your very own shiny new research paper). Next, read the conclusion section. See if they actually achieved things they promised earlier. For the next step, I kind of like to look at the results, in case a tabular accuracy is given, to see what kind of results the paper achieved. In case they seem like they could use an improvement, I try to look at their method more critically. Next look at the previous works section. Look at (or mentally make a note of some paper that seems interesting) the various papers mentioned, use blah blah instead of the names( again, trust me... it gives you a kick :P). Phew, so now you are done with almost 40-60% of the paper. The most important 2 sections remain .... Actual method and Results. While reading the method, see if you can point out the Input data used, replace the method with a black box and look at the output.Then look at the accuracy. Then look at what the limitations of each step in the black box is. See if they have been properly addressed.If they are not, mock the researcher (after rechecking your initial stand and conforming it with someone else though).
Then reward yourself with a few episodes of big bang theory,eat some maggi and move onto the next 'promising' research paper.
On the right Course -Top 10
Choosing a course, though seemingly menial a task ... could turn into the most confusing decision you ever have to make( especially for perennially confused people like me.These are the parameters I use in my equation :
1)Like/ Dislike towards the course topic
2)Popularity of the Prof. (taking into account your first impression - I tend to like the infamous ones better)
3)Distance of the building in which class is held from home
4)Time of class - Never enroll in classes that start before 10:30 AM
5)Compatibility of one class with the other
6)Number of Midterms/ Finals ( US schools)
7)Number of assignments
8)Type and scope of course project
9)Dates of finals and midterms in each
10)Prof's style (read leniency in grading)
1)Like/ Dislike towards the course topic
2)Popularity of the Prof. (taking into account your first impression - I tend to like the infamous ones better)
3)Distance of the building in which class is held from home
4)Time of class - Never enroll in classes that start before 10:30 AM
5)Compatibility of one class with the other
6)Number of Midterms/ Finals ( US schools)
7)Number of assignments
8)Type and scope of course project
9)Dates of finals and midterms in each
10)Prof's style (read leniency in grading)
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