Lost Packets

Research Proposal Part 7: Timeline

The following table outlines a 12-week timeline for developing a research proposal in computer systems, with two weeks for identifying the research gap and two weeks for developing the methods section. The timeline assumes 3 hours of work per week, totaling 36 hours, and includes generic tasks and deliverables to produce a comprehensive proposal addressing a research gap in the field.

This timeline is for CMSC 190/200 students. The proposal presentation is usually during Week 14 and Week 15 of the semester. The 3 hours of work per week is just the minimum to accommodate other workload of the students.

Weekly Timeline
Week Tasks (3 Hours) Deliverables
1
  • Search academic databases (e.g., IEEE Xplore, ACM Digital Library) for 3-5 key papers in the chosen subfield.
  • Analyze limitations and future work sections to identify a potential research gap.
  • Take notes on open challenges.
  • Notes summarizing 3-5 papers (1-2 pages).
  • Initial gap statement (1 paragraph).
2
  • Validate the research gap by searching arXiv and recent conference proceedings (e.g., OSDI, NSDI) for related work.
  • Refine the gap based on findings.
  • Draft an initial problem statement articulating the gap’s significance.
  • Refined gap statement (1 paragraph).
  • Draft problem statement (1-2 sentences).
  • Validation notes (1 paragraph).
3
  • Finalize the problem statement.
  • Begin literature review: Identify 2-3 themes (e.g., system architectures, algorithms) and summarize 2-3 papers.
  • Final problem statement (1-2 sentences).
  • Literature review outline (2-3 themes).
  • Summaries of 2-3 papers (1 page).
4
  • Continue literature review: Summarize 2-3 additional papers, focusing on gaps.
  • Draft the first subsection of the related work section (1 theme).
  • Draft of first related work subsection (1-2 paragraphs).
  • Summaries of 2-3 papers (1 page).
5
  • Draft the second subsection and synthesis paragraph for related work, linking to the research gap.
  • Validate the literature review by ensuring coverage of 6-8 papers.
  • Complete draft of related work section (2-3 pages).
6
  • Draft the aim, focusing on addressing the research gap.
  • Outline 3-4 objectives (e.g., design, implementation, evaluation).
  • Draft 2-3 potential titles using domain-specific keywords.
  • Draft aim statement (1-2 sentences).
  • Draft objectives (3-4 bullet points).
  • 2-3 draft titles.
7
  • Finalize the aim and objectives.
  • Select the final title, ensuring clarity and alignment with systems research conventions.
  • Final aim statement (1-2 sentences).
  • Final objectives (3-4 bullet points).
  • Final title.
8
  • Begin drafting the methods section: Outline the approach to designing and implementing the proposed system.
  • Explore tools, frameworks, or platforms relevant to the system design.
  • Draft methods outline (1 page, covering design and implementation).
9
  • Complete the methods section: Detail the testing approach and experimental setup.
  • Begin designing a simplified evaluation plan, focusing on key metrics (e.g., throughput, latency).
  • Complete draft methods section (2-3 pages).
  • Simplified evaluation plan outline (1 page).
10
  • Complete the evaluation plan, including macro benchmarks (e.g., system performance) and brief micro benchmarks (e.g., component efficiency).
  • Specify baselines and metrics.
  • Draft evaluation plan (1-2 pages, including micro/macro benchmarks).
11
  • Compile all sections (title, problem statement, related work, aim, objectives, methods, evaluation) into a draft proposal.
  • Revise for clarity and coherence.
  • Create a sample visualization (e.g., bar chart) for evaluation results.
  • Draft research proposal (5-8 pages).
  • Sample visualization code (1 page).
  • Revision notes (1 page).
12
  • Finalize the proposal: Polish writing, ensure consistent formatting (e.g., IEEE style), and verify citations.
  • Proofread for submission.
  • Prepare a submission checklist (e.g., page length, target venue requirements).
  • Final research proposal (5-8 pages).
  • Submission checklist (1 page).

Notes

  • Time Management: Each week’s tasks are designed to fit within 3 hours, with activities like literature summarization (~1-1.5 hours) and drafting (~1-1.5 hours) balanced for efficiency.
  • Gap Identification: Weeks 1-2 (6 hours) ensure a robust gap analysis through literature review and validation with preprints.
  • Methods Development: Weeks 8-9 (6 hours) allow detailed planning of system design, implementation, and testing, critical for systems research.
  • Streamlined Tasks: The literature review (Weeks 3-5) is limited to 6-8 papers, and the evaluation plan (Week 10) is simplified to fit the reduced timeframe.
  • Tools: Use Google Scholar, IEEE Xplore, ACM Digital Library, and arXiv for research, Zotero for citations, and LaTeX/Word with IEEE/ACM templates for drafting.
  • Deliverable Scope: The final proposal (5-8 pages) is suitable for CMSC 190/200, with a well-defined gap and detailed methods.
  • Validation: The extended gap and methods phases ensure depth, with tasks building progressively.

Acknowledgement

This article was made with the help of Grok (accessed 2025-07-26)