This document provides guidance on writing and presenting a paper for a BPM conference. It discusses finding a good topic by ensuring it addresses an interesting problem and makes an original contribution. It also covers positioning the work by using an "AIDA" structure in the introduction to grab attention, induce desire, provoke intention, and define action. The document advises evaluating the paper's contribution based on standards from literature in software engineering and information systems. Finally, it offers tips for clearly writing and structuring the paper according to the conference template to maximize readers and citations.
5. Agenda
1. How to find a good topic? by Hajo
2. How to position the work? by Jan
3. How to evaluate the contribution? by Jan
4. How to present and write? by Hajo
10. Sorting out paper ideas
ï§ âRoundâ story
ï§ Fresh approach to
identified problem
ï§ A fresh problem with a
not-so-bad solution
ï§ A structured literature
review
ï§ The theory of everything
ï§ A (purely) conceptual
story
ï§ A marginal improvement
More promising Less promising
12. A check-list for your topic
ï§ Does it match an interesting problem?
ï§ Do you know the related work?
ï§ Do you have a contribution?
ï§ Can you show for it?
ï§ Can you explain all this in 16 pages, LNCS-style?
30. Discussion on State of the Field
Formalisms
Design
Behaviour
mathematical formulae,
algorithms,
lemmata,
logical proofs
31. Discussion on State of the Field
Formalisms
Design
Behaviour
socio-technical
phenomena
grounded in social,
psychological or
cognitive theory.
Hypotheses deducted and
tested using forms of
empirical inquiry.
33. Findings on State of the Field
Behaviour
1. Experiment Standards from
Empirical Software
Engineering (ESE)
2. Survey Standards from
Information Systems (IS)
3. Case Study Standards from
IS and ESE
4. Standards on Systematic
Literature Reviews from
Software Engineering
Recker, Mendling 2015
34. Discussion on State of the Field
Formalisms
Design
Behaviour
New ways of solving socio-technical
problems,
formulating means-ends relationship,
application demonstrated in order to
support that certain end is achieved
in a better way.
37. How to write?
The primary goals of a scientific paper are:
ï§ To maximize the number of readers
ï§ To minimize the time to read it
ï§ To maximize the fraction of satisfied readers
ï§ To maximize the number of citations the paper will get
Therefore:
ï§ Make life easy and pleasant for your reader
Lagendijk: Survival Guide for Scientists. Amsterdam University Press, 2008.
37Lagendijk 2008
39. General Doâs and Donâts
ï§ Paragraphs:
A paragraph containing more than 10 sentences is too
long, 2 sentences too short
ï§ Spaghetti:
Do not continuously refer to earlier pages
ï§ Structure:
Do not surprise reader with original structure
ï§ Length of Sentences:
Try to keep sentences short. Replace dependent
clause (which, that) with sentence.
39Lagendijk 2008
40. General Doâs and Donâts II
ï§ Abstract:
Write the abstract last
ï§ Introduction:
Use the intro to describe the field, your specific
question and the outline
ï§ Conclusion:
A conclusion is not a summary. Sum up what you have
found, not what you have done.
ï§ References:
Citing papers that are not English is futile
40Lagendijk 2008
41. General Doâs and Donâts III
ï§ Implications:
Do not use âthis meansâ, rather âthis observation
impliesâ
ï§ That and which:
If you can put a comma before that, it must be which
ï§ Absolute statements:
Always relate to units
ï§ Highlighting:
no exclamation mark, use italic
ï§ Abbreviations:
Do not introduce new abbreviations
41Lagendijk 2008
42. Stick strickly to the template
ï§ LNCS Templates and Instructions:
http://www.springer.com/computer/lncs?SGWID=0-164-7-72376-0
ï§ Templates for
ï§ Word
ï§ Latex
ï§ FrameMaker
ï§ Ignore at your peril:
ï§ Convey that you do not really care
ï§ Convey that you are a lousy planner
ï§ Convey that the paper is sent out
everywhere
43. On writing
âAlmost without exception,
good writers read widely
and frequently.
By osmosis, they learn from
the reading an incalcuble
amount about vocabulary,
spelling, punctuation, style,
rhythm, tone, and other
crucial writing matters.â
44. Final words
ï§ Keep on sending in your good work
ï§ There is an element of randomness
ï§ Nonetheless, you can improve your chances:
ï§ Select a good topic
ï§ Position your work well
ï§ Evaluate, evaluate, evaluate (substantiate your claims)
ï§ Write clearly
45. References
ï§ Bala, S., Cabanillas, C., Mendling, J., Rogge-Solti, A., Polleres, A. (2015): Mining
Project-Oriented Business Processes. BPM 2015: pp.425-440.
ï§ Dumas, M., La Rosa, M., Mendling, J., Reijers, H.A. (2013): Fundamentals of
Business Process Management. Springer-Verlag.
ï§ Gauch, H.G. (2002): The Scientific Method in Practice. Cambridge University Press.
ï§ Gregor, S., Hevner, A. (2013): Positioning and Presenting Design Science Research
for Maximum Impact, MIS Quarterly 37(2), pp.337-355.
ï§ Lagendijk, A. (2008): Survival Guide for Scientists: Writing-Presentation-E-mail.
Amsterdam University Press.
ï§ Recker, J., Mendling, J. (2015): The State-of-the-Art of Business Process
Management Research as Published in the BPM conference: Recommendations for
Progressing the Field. Business & Information Systems Engineering, accepted for
publication.
ï§ Sanders, P. (2009): Algorithm engineeringâan attempt at a definition. Efficient
Algorithms. Springer-Verlag. pp.321-340.
ï§ Wikipedia (2015): AIDA (Marketing).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AIDA_%28marketing%29.
ï§ Yagoda, B. (2013): How to Not Write Bad: The Most Common Writing Problems
and the Best Ways to Avoid Them. Riverhead Books.