EE 5323Nonlinear Systems, Spring 2012
Instructor: Dr. Dan Popa, Electrical Engineering
Guidelines for writing of your Course Project Paper/Report
The goal of your course paper is to allow you to research and describe a topic of interest in the Nonlinear Systems and Controls area. You will be required to write a 8-10 page double-column, 10pt font paper, in which you will be presenting your topic. While it is not the aim of this course to teach you how to write a scientific or technical paper, but rather to introduce you to some basic aspects of it, this document details somesuggested guidelines for what your research paper should contain, and how you could go about collecting, documenting, and presenting information for your paper. Please note that all the material included in your paper must be either written by you, or appropriately cited with references if it originates from other sources.
Step 1: Choose a topic.
Select a topic of interest to your research, or a topic that you would like to study in more detail. Stop by my office during the weeks of Feb 1 and Feb 8 to discuss your topic with me. Here are some examples of possible research topics are listed below:
1)Iterative maps and chaotic behavior in nonlinear systems with emphasis on generation of fractal images.
2)Stability analysis of nonlinear controllers and systems.
3)Input-output or feedback linearization of nonlinear systems with applications in robotics.
4)Modeling and simulation of nonlinear actuators such as: Piezoelectric, MEMS, Shape-Memory Alloys, Conductive Polymers.
5)Motion planning for nonholonomic systems.
6)Comparison of performance of nonlinear controllers.
7)Discussion of unsolved problems in nonlinear systems and nonlinear controls.
8)Nonlinear behavior of rigid bodies in space (planets, asteroids, spacecraft).
Step 2: Collecting information
During this phase, you are expected to collect necessary documentation about your topic of interest. You should consider information from two different sources:
1)Journal and Conference Papers. Use for instance the Robotics & Automation society (RAS) website, and the IEEE Explorer.
2)Research websites from Control Labs around the world involved in research & development, or from user websites.
You should collect and read a minimum of 10journal or conference papers.
Step 3: Paper Organization
Divide the paper into 6 parts and use a standard professional societypaper template to write your paper. Use for instance the IEEE 2 column templates found at
Your paper should be divided as follows: Abstract, Introduction, Literature Review, Detailed Examples and Discussion, Conclusion, and References. Below is a description on what type of information should go into each of the sections.
Step 4: Writing the Abstract, Introduction and Conclusion
Your paper should appropriately explain the motivation behind your endeavor. In this section, you should include a summary of what you will cover in the paper, including a list of what you include, but also the “point” of the paper. The point of the paper could be for instance, that stabilizing certain nonlinear systems is very tough, due to a variety of specific factors that you will name, e.g. challenges that need to be overcome. The introduction should also contain information about applications of the advanced nonlinear controls or systems you will describe in your paper.The abstract is a paragraph that succinctly describes what you are trying to argue about in your paper. The conclusion reinforces the “point” of the paper and summarizes your findings. Note that you could write or refine the abstract, introduction and the conclusion of the paper after you have written the rest of the paper.
Step 5: Writing the Literature Review Section
In this section you prove to the reader or to a reviewer that you have done “your homework”, e.g. that you have collected most relevant documentation. Based on your own interpretation of this material, you must now start supporting the “point” of the paper. In this section you must use standard professional societycitations (like IEEE standard citation format), your own words, or appropriately quoted materials from other sources. Any pictures and diagrams you include, unless created by you, should have a reference.
Step 6: Writing the Detailed Examples & Discussion
This section is the “meat” of your paper. Here is where you detail a few examples to support your argument. Here I expect you to include a few equations, diagrams, pictures, and other material showing that you understand some of the basic challenges related to the particular topic you chose. Simulations results that you have carried out and experiments (if any) can be included here.
Step 7: References and the format of your paper
This section will include a list of your citations. The citations and the format of your paper must follow the guidelines of a professional society. Please check with me about which format to choose.Finally, you can chose to entitle your sections differently, as long as your paper contains the same information, is easy to read, and can support your “point” equally well. The detailed examples & discussion section can be further divided into subsections of your own choosing.