IT博客-cyberfan's blog-文章分类-englishhttp://www.cnitblog.com/cyberfan/category/564.html正其谊不谋其利，明其道不计其功zh-cnThu, 29 Sep 2011 21:47:33 GMTThu, 29 Sep 2011 21:47:33 GMT60罗素-爱因斯坦宣言(1955)http://www.cnitblog.com/cyberfan/articles/1726.htmlcyberfancyberfanFri, 12 Aug 2005 09:28:00 GMThttp://www.cnitblog.com/cyberfan/articles/1726.htmlhttp://www.cnitblog.com/cyberfan/comments/1726.htmlhttp://www.cnitblog.com/cyberfan/articles/1726.html#Feedback1http://www.cnitblog.com/cyberfan/comments/commentRss/1726.htmlhttp://www.cnitblog.com/cyberfan/services/trackbacks/1726.html
Issued in London, 9 July 1955

Bertrand Russell and Albert Einstein

IN the tragic situation which confronts humanity, we feel that scientists should assemble in conference to appraise the perils that have arisen as a result of the development of weapons of mass destruction, and to discuss a resolution in the spirit of the appended draft.

We are speaking on this occasion, not as members of this or that nation, continent, or creed, but as human beings, members of the species Man, whose continued existence is in doubt. The world is full of conflicts; and, overshadowing all minor conflicts, the titanic struggle between Communism and anti-Communism.

Almost everybody who is politically conscious has strong feelings about one or more of these issues; but we want you, if you can, to set aside such feelings and consider yourselves only as members of a biological species which has had a remarkable history, and whose disappearance none of us can desire.

We shall try to say no single word which should appeal to one group rather than to another. All, equally, are in peril, and, if the peril is understood, there is hope that they may collectively avert it.

We have to learn to think in a new way. We have to learn to ask ourselves, not what steps can be taken to give military victory to whatever group we prefer, for there no longer are such steps; the question we have to ask ourselves is: what steps can be taken to prevent a military contest of which the issue must be disastrous to all parties?

The general public, and even many men in positions of authority, have not realized what would be involved in a war with nuclear bombs. The general public still thinks in terms of the obliteration of cities. It is understood that the new bombs are more powerful than the old, and that, while one A-bomb could obliterate Hiroshima, one H-bomb could obliterate the largest cities, such as London, New York, and Moscow.

No doubt in an H-bomb war great cities would be obliterated. But this is one of the minor disasters that would have to be faced. If everybody in London, New York, and Moscow were exterminated, the world might, in the course of a few centuries, recover from the blow. But we now know, especially since the Bikini test, that nuclear bombs can gradually spread destruction over a very much wider area than had been supposed.

It is stated on very good authority that a bomb can now be manufactured which will be 2,500 times as powerful as that which destroyed Hiroshima. Such a bomb, if exploded near the ground or under water, sends radio-active particles into the upper air. They sink gradually and reach the surface of the earth in the form of a deadly dust or rain. It was this dust which infected the Japanese fishermen and their catch of fish. No one knows how widely such lethal radio-active particles might be diffused, but the best authorities are unanimous in saying that a war with H-bombs might possibly put an end to the human race. It is feared that if many H-bombs are used there will be universal death, sudden only for a minority, but for the majority a slow torture of disease and disintegration.

Many warnings have been uttered by eminent men of science and by authorities in military strategy. None of them will say that the worst results are certain. What they do say is that these results are possible, and no one can be sure that they will not be realized. We have not yet found that the views of experts on this question depend in any degree upon their politics or prejudices. They depend only, so far as our researches have revealed, upon the extent of the particular expert's knowledge. We have found that the men who know most are the most gloomy.

Here, then, is the problem which we present to you, stark and dreadful and inescapable: Shall we put an end to the human race; or shall mankind renounce war? People will not face this alternative because it is so difficult to abolish war.

The abolition of war will demand distasteful limitations of national sovereignty. But what perhaps impedes understanding of the situation more than anything else is that the term "mankind" feels vague and abstract. People scarcely realize in imagination that the danger is to themselves and their children and their grandchildren, and not only to a dimly apprehended humanity. They can scarcely bring themselves to grasp that they, individually, and those whom they love are in imminent danger of perishing agonizingly. And so they hope that perhaps war may be allowed to continue provided modern weapons are prohibited.

This hope is illusory. Whatever agreements not to use H-bombs had been reached in time of peace, they would no longer be considered binding in time of war, and both sides would set to work to manufacture H-bombs as soon as war broke out, for, if one side manufactured the bombs and the other did not, the side that manufactured them would inevitably be victorious.

Although an agreement to renounce nuclear weapons as part of a general reduction of armaments would not afford an ultimate solution, it would serve certain important purposes. First, any agreement between East and West is to the good in so far as it tends to diminish tension. Second, the abolition of thermo-nuclear weapons, if each side believed that the other had carried it out sincerely, would lessen the fear of a sudden attack in the style of Pearl Harbour, which at present keeps both sides in a state of nervous apprehension. We should, therefore, welcome such an agreement though only as a first step.

Most of us are not neutral in feeling, but, as human beings, we have to remember that, if the issues between East and West are to be decided in any manner that can give any possible satisfaction to anybody, whether Communist or anti-Communist, whether Asian or European or American, whether White or Black, then these issues must not be decided by war. We should wish this to be understood, both in the East and in the West.

There lies before us, if we choose, continual progress in happiness, knowledge, and wisdom. Shall we, instead, choose death, because we cannot forget our quarrels? We appeal as human beings to human beings: Remember your humanity, and forget the rest. If you can do so, the way lies open to a new Paradise; ifyou cannot, there lies before you the risk of universal death.

Resolution:

WE invite this Congress, and through it the scientists of the world and the general public, to subscribe to the following resolution:

"In view of the fact that in any future world war nuclear weapons will certainly be employed, and that such weapons threaten the continued existence of mankind, we urge the governments of the world to realize, and to acknowledge publicly, that their purpose cannot be furthered by a world war, and we urge them, consequently, to find peaceful means for the settlement of all matters of dispute between them."

Max Born
Perry W. Bridgman
Albert Einstein
Leopold Infeld
Frederic Joliot-Curie
Herman J. Muller
Linus Pauling
Cecil F. Powell
Joseph Rotblat
Bertrand Russell
Hideki Yukawa

cyberfan 2005-08-12 17:28 发表评论
]]>人心真的散了？——当今中国企业主普遍的困惑http://www.cnitblog.com/cyberfan/articles/1664.htmlcyberfancyberfanFri, 12 Aug 2005 08:55:00 GMThttp://www.cnitblog.com/cyberfan/articles/1664.htmlhttp://www.cnitblog.com/cyberfan/comments/1664.htmlhttp://www.cnitblog.com/cyberfan/articles/1664.html#Feedback0http://www.cnitblog.com/cyberfan/comments/commentRss/1664.htmlhttp://www.cnitblog.com/cyberfan/services/trackbacks/1664.html
　　 当今最出色的企业主也正在为类似的人事问题困扰着：“昨天还在与团队一起，激情研究下半年的销售策略，今天突然提出辞呈，太缺乏责任感了！”这是许多老总对职能高管的离职方式发出的愤怒谴责！似乎离职者在拿到新单位的offer 之后立即表现得恩断义决。而此前的一切准备都是在地下进行，胆寒间这再次让人想起古训：“人心难测”。忠义古风荡然无存。

　　 “只能表扬不能批评！我对他只是提个醒，也没怎么指责，今天就不来了。现在的年轻人承受压力的素质也太差了！”老总们普遍认为现在的年轻员工只能走顺风船，缺乏忍辱负重、坚忍以行的斗志，大势堪忧。

　　 “政府高官贪污、企业高管徇私、社会万民趋利，浮躁短视已成当今大势。给点利益就会走人，什么企业文化、思想教育、使命远景，都没用。”许多老总认为讲企业文化有脱离现实的理想主义之嫌，金钱崇拜已经彻底战胜道德。无论政府、传媒，他们的行为都正在不遗余力地引导这样的观念：有钱就有一切。

　　 一位业绩出色的工贸集团老总作如此表：“六十年代到八十年代出生的人，经历了文革、改革开放（否定了旧的，新的又没跟上），理想消失了，信仰没了，只剩下了利益。没了信仰和敬畏，自我中心意识就膨胀了。新东西眼花缭乱，追逐中迷失了自我，人的精神也相应变得狭隘、自私、易怒、应激性主导，少了沉思和责任意识。”“身边不断出现的创富神话，加之周遭对富豪不加分析的崇拜，使人们头脑充满投机、快钱意识、抓住机遇捞一把的念头。”“社会文化的大势，企业文化能抗拒得了？”

（二）时代特征与困惑行为的动机

　　 如果这些行为是伴随时代而至，那么我们必须考察究竟时代和社会发展带来了那些改变，从这些改变中去发现人类行为转变的动力。这项严肃的研究应当在广阔的范围内取样分析，但此文只是基于感悟的交流，故我只是把目光集中于最为突出的要素上面。

　　 这二十年，社会发生的变迁给年轻人（六十到八十年代出生的）造成的影响，使之生活在不同于他们父辈的社会环境当中：

　　 1. 生活的动荡不安：现代人感受到的生活压力比贫穷的父辈反而更甚。社会发展速度更快、知识更新更快、个人前景更加不确定或更加依赖于竞争和不懈努力、身边下岗案例、各项费用的增加加重了不确定性（身体疾病等）对未来生活的威胁、周围抱怨声对不安情绪的加剧、传统生活责任观念（履行各项义务的成本加重）的负担加重……

　　 2. 生活诱惑与工作选择的多样化：商业社会的价值总是与制造和满足诱惑连在一起的，人们似乎已经被投入到一个漩涡，取代平静的是他们不得不在精力分配（事业、爱好与人生历险等）上作出越来越难的选择，同时可以提供个人发展、实现抱负、金钱机会的职业选择越来越丰富，人们自然会形成全新的对待雇佣与被雇佣态度；在节奏压力与更多诱惑下，人们的行为转变首先就是表现肤浅。举个例子：这种差异就好比年长我十岁的哥哥四十年苦练太极剑术，我儿子三个月成了电子游戏高手。太极的技击哲学是，以柔克刚、后发制人，艺无止境、终生以求；电子游戏却是：反应要快，速度胜于思考，另外“下一版游戏什么时候推出？”

　　 3. 生活理想与价值观确实已发生巨大改变。父辈们秉持的高尚情操和信仰是建立在对某种“永恒”、“精神”的价值之上的。在这样的意义上可以讲，今天的年轻人是没有理想的。但如果我们让思考深入下去，你会发现事实也不尽然。年轻一辈只是更加看重现实，更加勇敢、更加注重平等的人文精神。父辈们认为，一生中如果不在某一领域做出个模样那是“游手好闲”的，而要有成就就必须踏下心在一点上投入毕生的爱和精力；年轻一辈可能更多考虑：这一生不能白过，我要在快速成就与享乐之间做出很好平衡，享乐与沉迷并不违反道德。

以上三点构成了当前社会与父辈时代的差异。这有助于我们理解年轻一代的行为模式背后的动机结构：生活压力，机会（诱惑）吸引，及时行乐与快速制胜。

　　 摆脱压力或者寻求不切实际的一了百了的“毕其功于一役”心态自然是可以理解的，投机热情不意味着道德缺失。压力之下最热衷买彩票的总是最贫困和压力感最重的人！

　　 有一次我演讲之后，有一位听众等了很久，待答疑的人都走净，他怯生生对我说：“张老师，我有一件心事….”他对我讲了自己曾经作了对不住朋友的一件往事，他一再强调，当时他作如此决定绝对是基于两个前提：一. 对朋友无大害，对自己有大益；二. 他确信可以成功，成功后一定再好好报答补偿朋友。可后来他没有成功，他于是失去了补偿的机会，他永远失去了朋友。这些年他一直生活于痛苦之中，使他痛苦的不是良心的责备而是来自朋友对他的鄙视。

　　 更多同样案例的启示：时代动摇的不是忠诚与信任的价值。事实上忠诚与信任在这个浮躁动荡的社会下变得更重要了（从矛盾双方表现都可得出这个结论），然而要见识到这一点你必须理解：压力下的人们在艰难地作出怎样的平衡。你需要体谅的智慧！

　　 忠诚在一个复杂利益交叉的环境过程中，已经不再是对简单具体行为的承诺。今天忠诚存在于个体对一个多变量过程采取应对行动时，他对复杂后果所作的权衡背后的价值观。只要你有足够的耐心和宽容，并始终用信心对朋友和同事报以信任，你得到的一定更多是忠诚与信任的回馈。

　　 然而更多的生活悲剧却是：过于急躁的（类似膝跳反应）指责激起了情绪报复，导致我们这个时代心态的不平现象十分普遍，本初的顾虑在情绪的互动下化为现实的以恶报恶。甚至有些年轻人，无法应对压力，加之对获得他人的理解没有耐心与信心，于是感情开始脱离社会，变得暴躁、甚至丧心病狂。

　　 我们感受到的当今世界的模样与我们自己所采取的处世态度和行为有关，抓住这一点对我们获取智慧至关要紧。

　　 安全的忧虑没有解除之前，更高的需求（马斯洛）只是高尚个体内心的隐忧，被误解的急功近利加重了他的暴躁或者自暴自弃。另外，“金钱崇拜”被不恰当地总结为时代风气后，浮云遮眼，整个社会显现的是一幅贫穷心态的大画面，“共识”在社会体系中经常可以替代真实，这又加重了人们的不安。

　　 这似乎是一群逃生者的争先恐后。但我们永远要记住的是：从泰坦尼克生还下来的人们最怀念和敬仰的仍然是紧急中舍生忘死的英雄。

　　 在任何个体身上总会集中两种属性：生命属性、社会属性；生命属性是前提，社会属性提供意义！理想的本质就是突破现实以高贵的精神通过意义延伸有限的生命，在这个基础上看，人类理想的本质并没有发生改变也不会发生改变。只是凭个体力量去应付变化、压力，并不放过享乐诱惑时，精神追求总体上变得隐性、复杂和深刻了，同时也必造就一大批迷失者。但这决非是时代的必然悲观结果，人类主流终将回归，道义不灭。

　　 （三）企业管理的几个挑战

　　 时代的变迁的确给企业管理带来挑战，前述的老总们的困惑正说明了这一点。这些挑战总括起来有四个方面：

　　 1. 社会共享文化的压力：人类总有一些弱点，这些弱点有时表现为急于（思考之前）寻求社群共识以缓解内心压力，或通过率先指出他人的不义以换取自己后行不义的理由。这极其容易在社群中蔓延逻辑混乱的、无原则的、非正确的思想。人类许多情况下对“多数原则”的崇拜，同时导致纠正集体错误十分具有挑战性。

　　 我已经深切感受到过一些企业中存在的思想毒素，组织中毒极深。一家外贸企业，几乎所有员工认为做具体业务才是正事，从事支持职能是无能的表现。并且有潜台词，拥有了业务经验和客户关系将来到哪里都可以吃饭。于是大家对业务谈判、出差、组织货源兴致很高，对组织变革、素质训练相对明显兴趣低落。这里人们觉得拥有资源在手比拥有更专业的职能技术更安全和可靠，因为前者可以自立，后者仍然依赖他人。这在商业相对发达的上海显然不攻自破，因为创业风险与靠积累专业能力谋职并不一定优越。

　　 事实上在其他地区，这些思想也是不牢靠的。关键是领导者如何理解思潮背后的需求层次驱动，并采取坚定有力的行动加以指引。领导者绝对不能低估了他本人言行一致的理念坚持所产生的力量。领导者力量缺乏的主因来自：理念不够坚定、言行明显不一致。

　　 还要提醒的是：有些领导者采取了承诺员工更安全的计划，但是做事的态度却让人感受到了相矛盾的动机，于是效果相反。引领文化的领导者必须对自己的行为理念抱有真实的信仰。

　　 2. 贪欲：有许多企业老总抱怨“人心不足蛇吞象”。老总用了数额可观的奖励、报酬、待遇仍然无法换取员工的忠诚，甚至热情。人心懒散、愤世嫉俗、玩世不恭，创业到了关键年头却失去了精神的动力。

　　 当对希望的追求与憧憬降温之后，不安和压力就浮到表层。如果此时没有能够提供真正可信赖的友谊、尊严、境界发展的通路，团队精力很容易转向与组织外的世界的对比，这种精力分配的调整某种意义上就是忠诚和爱的衰退。大家都有经验，在对比中以外部对象来定义成功时，人类将失去意志，并且永难满意。在追求更高层次需求通路断裂后，人类自然寻求直接利益以求补偿，但这种补偿只会加重对利益的更大贪欲，同时也加重对更高需求破灭后的玩世不恭。

　　 领导者此时最大挑战是自我的超越，他要超越自己在创业期的不当承诺，要超越对远景描述的改变，要超越自己的境界，以唤起团队对更高远景的信心，打通更高追求的道路。领导者必须有能力贩卖理想和激情。

　　 3. “代沟”：组织中的创业团队、职业经理人、年轻人，他们之间的思维与行为方式的差异比能够想象的还要大些。这些差异带来的最大挑战集中在两个方面：第一. 他们各自对原来系统持有完全不同的态度和看法；第二. 看法的差异经常纠集起情感的冲突。职业经理人是以市场价格引进的，创业团队的待遇是靠打拼出来的。因此创业团队成员对引进的职业经理人的待遇与业绩的关系经常抱以神经质的挂钩，而全然不考虑职业经理人的市场价格以及加入团队的机会成本，这足以激起职业经理人的情绪反抗。这种对抗有时表现为老员工对新高管业绩不够耐心、过分指责、挑剔，或者在一些无关紧要的事情上制造分歧。年轻员工无法撼动公司的体制，他们也不太容易进入决策圈，他们做出的极端表现就是：乐看组织出现派系，在派系中作为砝码他们乘势变得重要起来。年轻人经常通过公开表达对老员工的蔑视来发泄不被重视的不满并寻求来自职业经理人的认同。

　　 创业十年以上的组织大多积累了大量的问题，比如管理层表现无能、公司文化消极、派系出现。这进一步加重了领导者整合前进中的团队文化的挑战。

　　 但终究这些问题都与最高执行官的领导力有关。他没有能够及时转换思维，引领文化变革，没能为组织指出一个能够激起斗志的远景。被公认的远景目标是化解矛盾的最有力武器，清楚地指出能够被接受的目标并把它转为大家公认的远景是领导者的首要任务。

　　 4. 管理实务与领导艺术：面对时代变化，管理方式的滞后也是问题源泉之一。创业之初，效率至上，抓住机会乘势而起。那时被沿袭下来的管理信念就是：指令——执行——控制——汇报——执行。而接下来就不同了，组织已经足够大，面临的局面足够复杂，需要及时做出的决策足够快、足够多，企业要想成功需要更多的人为他的运转承担责任，这些人需要有很好的沟通效率，操作层面的人要获得足够的授权，同时这需要彼此高度的默契和相互信任。比管理方式的改变更基础的是背后观念的变化，如果观念没有能够实现转变，实施领导的人在态度上必将有所显露。离开了理念，方法不能成立。任何方法必须与一定的态度结合才能产生效果。以原则为基础的领导力意味着老板的突破！

　　 以上这些挑战是许多老总正在遭受的困扰。这些基本的困扰在时代变化的三大特征的背景下，经常使局面变得更加难以对付。员工的行为变得难以捉摸。

　　 （四）忠告、建议

　　 面对如此浮躁（短视）的世态，如此“混乱”（动机交错的行为）的局面，如此暴躁易怒（焦虑与自闭）的人群，领导者该如何应对呢？这需要哪些能力呢？

　　 1. 坚定：坚定对人类美德的信仰！越是周遭浮躁，领导者就越是需要沉稳，要像穿越浮生的定海神针，你要勇敢地代表正直的信念，优秀的领导者是组织道德的楷模。人类历史表明即使在人类最堕落的时期，人类最堕落的表现也不过是为堕落寻求道德的合理性证明，但终究没有谁敢于公然叫嚣对抗道德。我讲此点并非是要老总们去投入精力作卫道士，我只是强调：领导者必须身体力行表达对正直理念的信仰。压力之下瞬时迷失的人们，黑暗中一定需要组织这颗道义的航灯。以原则为中心，违义行为为半径的圆圈，始终存在向心的拉力，那些错误的行为终究会得到矫正。忠诚、诚信、正直的价值永远不会在人类社会消失或贬值，对这些价值的坚定的信仰是组织的需要，是组织中的人们的需要，代表他们是领导者的责任。领导者永远不能陷入情绪化而作为对手一方去以恶报恶，你必须超越，站得更高。领导没有资格抱怨、没有资格表达失望、自暴自弃。有了对正确理念的信仰你才可能打通大家对更高层次需求的追求路径，组织才会拥有奔向更高理想的希望。

　　 2. 简单：正如上文所讲今天在压力和诱惑面前人们表达忠诚、道义的方式相对更加隐含、复杂，那么领导者该如何应对呢？这里面最大的风险是采取复杂的手段去处理复杂的局面。权术、诱导、谋略等等思维模式尽管对你解决某一个案会有帮助，但对整个组织绝对是极大损失！组织将会由领导者的老谋深算行为而产生猜测习惯，在组织关系中摧毁信任的价值，人们相处从此不再坦诚，甚或发展为彼此以邻为壑。

　　 真正威胁勇敢和直率的是需要隐瞒的私利动机和欺骗，正直的领导者则是无畏的。既然如此，领导者的简单法则就是：信任同事；交流中不去猜测背后动机，就事论事；直来直去，有一说一；知错必改；处事坚持原则，不假设对方心怀鬼胎而有所顾忌。

　　 这里我有一个信念：由于你的简单，事情会变得：“似乎事情本来就简单！”事情之所以复杂，往往是由于我们采取了复杂的方法。

　　 3. 自我突破：作为组织一分子的领导者随组织一起成长，他的局限性是难免的。他的经验、他的言行、他曾经的承诺、他的人情关系，支持着他同时也束缚着他。企业毕竟到了新的阶段，企业就其本质来讲是由外部决定的，外部的需求、竞争、行业处境决定了企业创造价值的有效方式，企业内部的所有努力其实就是寻找这个规律并用企业的行为表达这个规律。企业为适应性形势要做出改变这似乎是天经地义的，但作为企业主的老板此时已被那么多东西捆绑的严严实实，这决不容易。两大挑战是明摆着的：一. 企业的创造价值模式改变。这需要重建核心能力！人员、结构、技术与资本、过程等；二. 老板要重塑自我。这伴随的是一系列理念的变化、行为模式的转变。

　　 这一切都不容易，但无论是外部决定论的压力，还是内部适应外部需求的必要性，你都必须如此！成败攸关。

　　 4. 体制适应：既要发挥人员的效能又要面对人员流动的大势，体制建设势在速行。成熟企业的重要标志是组织能力的发展，与这相对的是组织对个体资源与能力的依赖。成熟企业它的成功一定是建立在组织协作基础上的，这可能来自持续学习得来的高效流程，内部沟通的默契无碍（优秀的企业文化），牢固的技术积累。战略领导者必须能够及时公有化在运营中不断产生出来的知识资本，有效避免它们在少数优秀员工个人身上的集结。任何与个人直接能力相脱离的知识或资源（具有资本性质）都可构成个体对组织的谈判力量，把本来的功臣推向离心离德的边缘。人员规划也是一项至关紧要的战略部署，这决非是防范下属的行为，而是因为当你可以有能力不依赖他时，他结果就不走了！这是哲学趣题。

　　 5. 战略清晰：大局明确是稳定之基！“国难思良将”的另一个解法是：人才在需要的时候总是难找。领导者掌握大局的信心与魄力，局面的乐观远景是组织稳定的重要因素。除了在任何情况下领导者都要保持冷静以外，一直把握正确的战略与执行是相当重要的。离开了经营的愿景，凝聚力是空虚的。

　　 上帝不惩罚人也不奖励任何人，否则那是人格化的上帝观！地狱、天堂究其本质都是你自己造就的！或者讲：无论地狱也好，天堂也好，那就是你自己。

　　 人心没散，是领导者自己乱了！

cyberfan 2005-08-12 16:55 发表评论
]]>What is Research in Computing Sciencehttp://www.cnitblog.com/cyberfan/articles/1662.htmlcyberfancyberfanFri, 12 Aug 2005 08:54:00 GMThttp://www.cnitblog.com/cyberfan/articles/1662.htmlhttp://www.cnitblog.com/cyberfan/comments/1662.htmlhttp://www.cnitblog.com/cyberfan/articles/1662.html#Feedback0http://www.cnitblog.com/cyberfan/comments/commentRss/1662.htmlhttp://www.cnitblog.com/cyberfan/services/trackbacks/1662.htmlGlasgow Interactive Systems Group (GIST),
Department of Computer Science, Glasgow University,
Glasgow, G12 8QQ.
Tel: +44 141 330 6053
Fax: +44 141 330 4913
EMail:johnson@dcs.gla.ac.uk

This paper argues that the expanding scope of `computing science' makes it difficult to sustain traditional scientific and engineering models of research. In particular, recent work in formal methods has abandoned the traditional empirical methods. Similarly, research in requirements engineering and human computer interaction has challenged the proponents of formal methods. These tensions stem from the fact that `Computing Science' is a misnoma. Topics that are currently considered part of the discipline of computing science are technology rather than theory driven. This creates problems if academic departments are to impose scientific criteria during the assessment of PhDs. It is, therefore, important that people ask themselves `What is Research in Computing Science' before starting on a higher degree.

This paper is intended as a high level introduction for first year research students or students on an advanced MSc course. It should be read in conjunction with Basic Research Skills in Computing Science

Keywords: research skills, computing science.

1. Introduction
Good research practice suggests that we should begin by defining our terms. The Oxford Concise dictionary defines research as:

research. 1.a. the systematic investigation into and study of materials, sources, etc, in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions. b. an endeavour to discover new or collate old facts etc by the scientific study of a subject or by a course of critical investigation.
This definition is useful because it immediately focuses upon the systematic nature of research. In other words, the very meaning of the term implies a research method. These methods or systems essentially provide a model or structure for logical argument.
1.1 The Dialectic of Research
The highest level of logical argument can be seen in the structure of debate within a particular field. Each contribution to that debate falls into one of three categories:
thesis
This presents the original statement of an idea. However, very few research contributions can claim total originality. Most borrow ideas from previous work, even if that research has been conducted in another discipline.

antithesis
This presents an argument to challenge a previous thesis. Typically, this argument may draw upon new sources of evidence and is typically of progress within a field.

synthesis
This seeks to form a new argument from existing sources. Typically, a synthesis might resolve the apparent contradiction between a thesis and an antithesis.
A good example of this form of dialetic is provided by the debate over prototyping. For example, some authors have argued that prototypes provide a useful means of generating and evaluating new designs early in the development process (thesis), (Fuchs, 1992). Others have presented evidence against this hypothesis by suggesting that clients often choose features of the prototyping environment without considering possible alternatives (antithesis) (Hayes and Jones, 1989). A third group of researchers have, therefore, developed techniques that are intended to reduce bias towards features of prototyping environments (synthesis) (Gravell and Henderson, 1996). Research in a field progresses through the application of methods to prove, refute and reassess arguments in this manner.
2. Models of Argument
A more detailed level of logical argument can be seen in the structures of discourse that are used to support individual works of thesis, antithesis or synthesis.
2.1 Proof by Demonstration?
Perhaps the most intuitively pursuasive model for research is to build something and then let that artefact stand as an example for a more general class of solutions. There are numerous examples of this approach being taken within the field of computer science. It is possible to argue that the problems of implementing multi-user operating systems were solved more through the implementation and growth of UNIX than through a more measured process of scientific enquiry.
However, there are many reasons why this approach is an unsatisfactory model for research. The main objection is that it carries high risks. For example, the artefact may fail long before we learn anything about the conclusion that we are seeking to support. Indeed, it is often the case that this approach ignores the formation of any clear hypothesis or conclusion until after the artefact is built. This may lead the artefact to become more important to the researcher than the ideas that it is intended to establish.

The lack of a clear hypothesis need not be the barrier that it might seem. The proof by demonstration approach has much in common with current engineering practice. Iterative refinement can be used to move an implementation gradually towards some desired solution. The evidence elicited during previous failed attempts can be used to better define the goal of the research as the work progresses. The key problem here is that the iterative development of an artefact, in turn, requires a method or structure. Engineers need to carefully plan ways in which the faults found in one iteration can be fed back into subsequent development. This is, typically, done through testing techniques that are based upon other models of scientific argument. This close relationship between engineering and scientific method should not be surprising:

engineering n. an application of science to the design, building and use of machines, construction etc. (The Oxford Concise Dictionary).
2.2 Empiricism
The Western empirical tradition can be seen as an attempt to avoid the undirected interpretation of artefacts. It has produced the most dominant research model since the seventeenth century. It can be summarised by the following stages:
Hypothesis generation
This explicitly identifies the ideas that are to be tested by the research.

Method identification
This explicitly identifies the techniques that will be used in order to establish the hypothesis. This is critical because it must be possible for one's peers to review and criticise the appropriateness of the methods that you have chosen. The ability to repeat an experiment is a key feature of strong empirical research.

Result compilation
This presents and compiles the results that have been gathered from following the method. An important concept here is that of statistical significance; whether or not the observed results could be due to chance rather than an observable effect.

Conclusion
Finally, the conclusions are stated either as supporting the hypothesis or rejecting it. In the case that results do not support a hypothesis, it is important always to remember that this may be due to a weakness in the method. Conversely, successful results might be based upon incorrect assumptions. Hence, it is vital that all details of a method are made available to peer review.
This approach has been used to support many different aspects of research within Computing Science. For example, Boehm, Gray and Seewaldt (1984) used it to compare the effectiveness of specification and prototyping techniques for software engineering. Others have used it to compare the efficiency of searching and sorting algorithms. Researchers in Information Retrieval have even developed standard methods which include well known test sets to establish performance gains from new search engines.
There are many problems with the standard approach to scientific empiricism when applied to computing science. The principle objection is that many aspects of computing defy the use of probabilistic measures when analysing the results of empirical tests. For example, many statistical measures rely upon independence between each test of a hypothesis. Such techniques clearly cannot be used when attempting to measure the performance of any system that attempts to optimise its performance over time; this rules out load balancing algorithms etc. Secondly, it can be difficult to impose standard experimental conditions upon the products of computer science. For example, if a program behaves in one way under one set of operating conditions then there is no guarantee that it will behave in the same way under another set of conditions. These conditions might go down to the level of alpha particles hitting memory chips. Thirdly, it can be difficult to generalise the results of tightly controlled empirical experiments. For example, just because a user finds a system easy to use in a lab-based evaluation, there is no guarantee that another user will be able to use that product amidst the distractions of their everyday working environment. Finally, it is difficult to determine when a sufficient number of trials have been conducted to support many hypotheses. For example, any attempt to prove that a program always satisfies some property will be almost certainly doomed to failure using standard experimental techniques, The number of potential execution paths through even simple code makes it impossible to test properties against every possible execution path.

2.3 Mathematical Proof
The dissatisfaction with empirical testing techniques has led many in the computing science research community to investigate other means of structuring arguments in support of particular conclusions. In the United Kingdom, much of this work has focussed upon argumentation techniques that were originally developed to model human discourse and thought within the field of philosophy. For example, Burrows, Abadi and Needham (1990) adopted this approach to reason about the correctness of network authentication protocols. The central idea in this work is that mathematics can be used to set up a system of rules about valid and invalid inferences. These rules can then be applied to work out whether or not a conclusion is a valid inference given some initial statements about a program or some hardware.
The field of mathematical reasoning is a research area in its own right. It is, however, possible to identify two different approaches to the use of formal proof as a research technique in computing science:

the argument of verification.
This attempts to establish that some good property will hold in a given system. The classical approach is to allow a human to interactively guide a theorem proving system towards some sequence of proof steps that support the conclusion. The problem here is that if the human cannot construct a proof, this does not imply that the conclusion is invalid. Simply that they have failed to prove it. Another person might be capable of constructing the necessary mathematical argument.

the argument of refutation.
Rather than attempting to prove the correctness of an argument, this approach attempts to refute it. Typically, this is done by setting up a description of the intended system behaviour. Model checking tools then automatically explore the state space of the proposed application in an attempt to find a situation in which the desired conclusion does not hold.
The attractions of mathematical proof techniques are very strong. They provide a coherent framework for analysing research questions in computing science. They also explicitly state the criteria for valid inferences, as well as the environmental conditions, that restrict the scope and applicability of the reasoning process. There are, however, many problems that limit the utility of this approach as a general research tool.
The first is that incredible care needs to be made over the interpretation of results from mathematical proof. Formal methods are nothing more than a system of argumentation and mistakes are to be expected. Problems arise because mistakes can be very difficult to detect given the complex nature of the mathematics that are often used. Recall that a central feature of the empirical approach was that open peer review should be used to check that your method is correct.

The second problem with formal reasoning is that their scope is limited. Interactive and time critical systems pose specially challenges for the application of mathematics. These issues are being addressed but many problems remain.

The third problem relates to the cost of applying formal techniques. It takes a long time to acquire the necessary skills. Similarly, it can take several months to conduct relatively simple proofs for medium to large scale applications.

Finally, it can be argued that there is inadequate discussion about the failures of formal methods. Again, it is important to recall that a failure to prove a hypothesis was a valuable result for empirical techniques. Exaggerated claims have been made for formal reasoning, typically not by the researchers themselves, and many of these claims have been falsified. As a result errors in the application of mathematical reasoning can be seen as a source of shame rather than a learning opportunity for one's colleagues and peers.

2.4 Hermeneutics
Formal proof techniques rely upon the development of a mathematical model of the artifact that is being created. This raises important questions about the relationship between that model and the reality which it is intended to represent. For eexample, if a model omits some critical aspect of a program's environment then it may be proven to be safe but may well fail when implemented. The distance between mathemctaical models and reality is, popularly, know as the formality gap. Hermeneutics provide an alternative that addresses this problem. Hermeneutic research methods have been pioneered within the field of sociology. The term itself means:
`adj. concerning interpretation, esp. of Scripture or literary texts'. (The Oxford Concise Dictionary).
In practice, these approaches force researchers to observe the operation and use of an artifact within its intended working environment. The basic premise is that abstract models provide no substitute for real application. Similarly, the results of controlled experiments fail to provide generic results that can be accurately used to assess performance outside of those controlled settings. In particular, the Hawthorne effect suggests that people and, indeed systems, will perform very differently when they are placed within an empirical setting. Repair and maintencnace activies are very different for equipment that is provided in a laboratory setting. Individuals react differently when they know that they are being observed. Hermeneutic research, therefore, relies upon the interpretation of signs and observations in the working context rather than on explicity asking people about the performance of their systems. Hermeneutics techniques urge researchers to enter into the workplace. Taken to an extreme, the performance of an algorithm could only be assessed in field trials with real sets of data on existing architectures with `real' levels of loading from other applications. This stress upon the analysis of a final implementation closely resembles proof by demonstration. The major difference, however, is that the researcher approaches the context of work with an open mind and without any set hypothesis to prove or disprove (Suchman, 1987). This raises problems for the conduct of directed research because users may not use programs in the manner that was intended. For example, it can be difficult to demonstrate that one search engine is faster than another if users continually abandon their requests after one or two items are returned or if they only use those search engines once or twice in their working day.
Conclusions and a Way Forward...
Computing science is an immature discipline. Vast resources have also been poured into the subject in a relatively short period of time. This has brought startling advances in both hardware and software engineering. Unfortunately the development of computing technology has not been matched by a similar development in academic research techniques. In the pursuit of technological goals, researchers have borrowed models of argument and discourse from disciplines as varied as philosophy, sociology and the natural sciences. This lack of any agreed research framework reflects the strength and vitality of computing science. An optimist might argue that we have learnt greatly from the introduction of hermenuetics into the field of requirements analysis. Similarly, we have profited from the introduction of mathematical models of argument to specify and verify of complex systems. A key aim of this paper is, however, to encourage people to think about the costs that have also been incurrend by the heterogenous nature of research in our discipline:
\item err>
I do not argue that we must develop a single research model for Computing Science. I do, however, argue that researchers must actively think about the strengths and weaknesses of the research tradition that they adopt. Too often, MSc and PhD theses slavishly follow empirical or formal proof techniques without questioning the suitability of those approaches. For example, the hermeneutic tradition has delivered results that ignore the constraints of time and money on commerical system development. Formal methods research has produced results that abstract so far away from the problem domain that they cannot be applied or validated. The tragedy is that unless we begin to recognise these failures then we will continue to borrow flawed research methods from other disciplines.
References
B.W. Boehm, T.E. Gray and T. Seewaldt, Prototyping Vs. Specification: A Multi-Project Experiment, IEEE - Seventh Conference On Software Engineering, 473-484, Computer Society Press, Washington, United States of America, May, 1984.

M. Burrows, M. Abadi and R. Needham, A Logic of Authentication. ACM Transcations on Computer Systems, 8(1):18-36, 1990.

N.E. Fuchs, Specifications Are (Preferably) Executable, Software Engineering Journal, 323-334, September 1992.

A. M. Gravell and P. Henderson, Executing Formal Specifications need not be Harmful, Software Engineering Journal, 104-110, March 1996.

I.J. Hayes and C.B. Jones (1989), Specifications are not (necessarily) executable, Software Engineering Journal, 1989, 4, (6), pp. 330-338

C.W. Johnson, Literate Specification, Software Engineering Journal, 225-237, September, 1996.

L. Suchman, Plans And Situated Actions: The Problem of Human Machine Communication, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom, 1987.

cyberfan 2005-08-12 16:54 发表评论
]]>《美国人的读书态度》[美] 梁厚甫http://www.cnitblog.com/cyberfan/articles/1663.htmlcyberfancyberfanFri, 12 Aug 2005 08:54:00 GMThttp://www.cnitblog.com/cyberfan/articles/1663.htmlhttp://www.cnitblog.com/cyberfan/comments/1663.htmlhttp://www.cnitblog.com/cyberfan/articles/1663.html#Feedback1http://www.cnitblog.com/cyberfan/comments/commentRss/1663.htmlhttp://www.cnitblog.com/cyberfan/services/trackbacks/1663.html
　　其中有一幅画，写一个书生正在读书，其旁站着一个女人，替他加上炉香。不用问：画题必然是“红袖添香夜读书”了。

　　这幅画，在我看来，没有多大的了不起，但了不起的事情，却是这一个美国朋友不断的追问，这一幅画的意境是什么。

　　要把画的意境向朋友说明，那就是大件事了。

　　为什么是大件事呢？这因为：中国人与美国人对读书的态度，有所不同。

　　不能否认，中国人对于读书的观念，太过隆重；而美国人对于读书，视为一件平常已极的事情。其平常，有如搔头和抓耳朵一般。

　　我曾见过一个美国青年人，倚在大球场的铁丝网上，金鸡独立的仅是一脚到地，读一本书，读上两个钟头，没有变换姿势，直到他把书读完后才走开。

　　中国人能这样读书的，我似乎还未见过。中国有一点钱的人家，都有一间专为读书而设的书房。较次的，也会在自己的睡室里面设一张书桌。这一种豪华的设置，一般美国人是没有的。美国人家中有书桌的，百中无一；美国人要读书，都在吃饭的桌子上边。美国人不见得家家都有饭厅，没有饭厅的人，吃饭的桌子，就在厨房内，因此，厨房就是美国人的书房。

　　书籍放在什么地方呢？书籍放在车房壁上的架上边。把新书买回来，放到车房去。

　　美国人没有书房，美国人却随时随地读书。美国人读书，不必找宁静的环境。在闹市中，经常有一块小草地，草地上有一两张椅子，椅子上坐着的，就是美国的读书人。

　　在香港坐电车，由上环坐到筲箕湾，其实是很好的读书机会，但是，依我的观察，在电车上看报纸的人有，看书的人，却不多见。

　　在美国，随时随地都看见人读书。这不是说，美国人勤力，而是说，中外对读书态度，有所不同。

　　历史上，中国的读书人是一种特殊的人物。《幼学诗》说：“万般皆下品，惟有读书高。”又描写读书人十年窗下，一朝得志，曰：“有人在平地，看我上云梯。”由于读书人是一种特殊的人物，因此，读书也变成为一种神秘的事情。神秘之极，便变成为“红袖添香夜读书”。平心论事，红袖添香未尝不好；如果必要红袖添香才能读书的，那就不免太过隆重其事了。

　　由于读书要隆重其事，因而，便有人“借头借路”（找借口来吵架——编者注），不肯读书，并为自己不肯读书来解脱。记得20多年前，看到了一本好书，介绍朋友去看。朋友吝啬不肯买书，我就把我的本子借给他，讲明一个月以后看完归还。一个月以后，朋友把书还给我，但说：完全没有看过。我大以为奇。朋友皱眉道：“白天我要上班，晚上回到家中，太太晚晚都设麻雀局，叫我怎有机会看书？”

　　如果家里有人打麻将自己就不能看书，这样的借口，实在太过牵强了。一个真正的肯读书的人，不要说旁边有人打麻将，可以看书，甚而旁边有人打架也可以看书。

　　毛病在于：中国人把读书看得太隆重，其实，读书之平凡，有如搔痒；不见得有人在旁，就不可以搔痒的。

　　先要把读书看得平凡，才可以读书。如何令到自己心理上对读书看得平凡，先要忘记了读书人是一种特殊人物，而读书并不是一件了不起的大事情。

　　其次，对读书的结果，不要期望过高。中国有一句老话，叫做“书中有美颜如玉”，这是骗人的。

　　除了看《花花公子》杂志以外，书中不会有美颜如玉的。

　　正确的读书态度是：有空便要读书。不读书，浪费光阴未免可惜。

　　至于读书是否有收获呢？仍应该相信古人的话：“正其谊不谋其利，明其道不计其功。”

　　美国人读书态度之所以可取，就是美国人把读书视为生活的一部分。读完书以后，不会用学问来骄人。

　　游戏人间的哲学。

　　不可不知，今天的美国人，有一种“游戏人间的哲学”。

　　“游戏人间的哲学”，本来是一个生活无忧的人，或者是一个生活无忧的社会的产品。我们看到了有钱人的子弟，觉得他们有一种“不在乎”的神气，其实，这一种神气，就是“游戏人间哲学”的表现。

　　 一个遇事认真的人，一个小心眼的人，一望而知，这一个人正在向上爬，到他成功以后，他就不会那样紧张了。

　　大概在二三十年前，美国回来的留学生经常说，美国人认为时间就是金钱，美国人忙到不可开交，在街上，人碰人，连道歉都没有一句。

　　我在20年前去美国，去到之后，我第一个印象就是，美国回来的留学生吹牛，美国人不见得忙到不可开交。在我初到美国的时候，美国人认为时间就是金钱的例子，还是有的，那就是叫一个姐儿回来陪你的时候，四小时与全晚，取价不同。到今天，情形两样了，“友谊赛”的事情，时时可以碰到，这就说明，美国人并不太忙了，时间就是金钱的观念，已经减弱了。

　　替代“时间就是金钱”的观念的，是“游戏人间的哲学”。

　　什么叫做“游戏人间的哲学”？用一个例子就可以说明。昨天我去见一个美国医生，他本来是我的朋友，他替我诊完之后，我便告辞。他问我去什么地方，我说：“去喝一杯咖啡。反正我不像你，我不是忙人。”我说完之后，这个医生道：“我也去，我陪陪你。”我说：“候诊室坐满了人，你能去吗？”他说：“妈的，让他们等好了，反正他们有病，不能不看我。多等一两个钟头，问题不大。我们走横门。”去到咖啡室之后，我们聊天，聊了一个钟头，医生才懒洋洋地回事务所去。

　　依我的研究，这样的医生，在30年前的美国，是不会有的。这样的医生，是近年美国的产品。

　　问题是：何以近年美国，会产生这样的医生？

　　是不是美国的社会由盛而衰的表现？

cyberfan 2005-08-12 16:54 发表评论
]]>Basic Research Skills in Computing Sciencehttp://www.cnitblog.com/cyberfan/articles/1661.htmlcyberfancyberfanFri, 12 Aug 2005 08:53:00 GMThttp://www.cnitblog.com/cyberfan/articles/1661.htmlhttp://www.cnitblog.com/cyberfan/comments/1661.htmlhttp://www.cnitblog.com/cyberfan/articles/1661.html#Feedback0http://www.cnitblog.com/cyberfan/comments/commentRss/1661.htmlhttp://www.cnitblog.com/cyberfan/services/trackbacks/1661.htmlGlasgow Interactive Systems Group (GIST),
Department of Computer Science, Glasgow University,
Glasgow, G12 8QQ.

Tel: +44 141 330 6053
Fax: +44 141 330 4913
EMail:johnson@dcs.gla.ac.uk

This paper provides a basic introduction to the research skills that are necessary to complete an advanced masters or PhD in Computing Science. It starts by identifying criteria for good research practice. It then goes on to propose guidelines for the written presentation. Finally, we provide criteria for oral presentation.

This material should be read in conjunction with What is Research in Computing Science. There is also a collection of papers and advice on research and writing at CMU.

Keywords: research skills, computing science.

1. Introduction
This paper provides an introduction to 'research skills'. It presents a series of guidelines and criteria that can be used to structure your enquiries and improve the presentation of your findings. Research is, however, a skilled activity. Like any skill, it must be practiced. The best way to improve your research method is, therefore, to continually assess your research practice against these objectives and guidelines.

2. Research Methods
There are a bewildering diversity of research methods being used within the field of Computing Science. These include but are not limited to:

implementation driven research.
This approach progresses by iteratively building better and better systems. It has two main failings. The first is that if the system fails then you may have gained few insights into the basic research question. The failure may be more due to the limitations of the implementation than to the idea itself. The second major problem is that it can be difficult to generalise from a specific system to generic principles.

mathematical proof techniques.
This approach uses formal proofs to reason about the validity of a hypothesis given some evidence. For example, mathematical reasoning can be used to demonstrate that an algorithm can cover all possible input cases. The limitations with this approach is that the mathematical abstractions used in a proof can be too abstract or generic so that they completely ignore critical issues that must be considered during the implementation of a particular system.

empiricism.
This approach follows a clearly laid out sequence of steps: hypothesis; methods; results and conclusion. Statistical measures are often use to determine whether an experiment actually supports a hypothesis. The problem with this approach is that the environment must be carefully controlled if the results of an evaluation are to be trusted. For example, comparisons between two information retrieval engines must be made by issuing predetermined queries over predetermined document sets. This does not accurately reflect the ad hoc way that users form queries `in the wild'.

observational studies.
This approach removes many of the constraints associated with empiricism by analysing the utility of a system in its eventual context of use. For example, the success or failure of a new programming language can only be assessed in this view if real programmers are trained to use the system on a real project. This is the only way to assess the impact of working pressures, deadlines and financial constraints. The limitations with this approach is that can be extremely undirected. There is no way of forcing the users to recreate particular error conditions if researchers want to observe the performance of their system in those conditions. Observational studies also depend crucially upon the analysts personal ability to read and interpret the events in the working environment. For example, many users may react differently if they know that they are being observed.
The strengths and weaknesses of these approaches are discussed in What is Research in Computing Science. The key point here is that you must determine which research paradigm is best suited to the problem in-hand. Good research often borrows methods from a number of these traditions.
A number of factors affect the success or failure of research, irrespective of the method that is being used:

clear problem definition.
If you don't understand the problem clearly then it is unlikely that you will arrive at a reasonable solution. This is an obvious remark. However, many research projects do little more than re-express a problem in a form that can then be addressed by subsequent research.

well defined research context.
There is a danger that you will `re-invent the wheel' if you do not have a good grasp of previous work in an area. Today we are well provided with web-based search engines, the University library is well equipped and staffed, the Department has many researchers who would be very willing to help you with advice and encouragement. It is critical that you spend some time consulting these sources BEFORE you embark on any research project. Otherwise you will find yourself repeating work that others have done before you. However, many research projects actively seek to replicate the results of previous investigations. This must be an explicit objective of your research and not an unfortunate product of poor planning.

good documentation.
It is critical that you spend some time documenting your daily activities when engaged on a research project. For example, it is common to find a vital URL or book reference and then lose it by not making a careful note or bookmark. Given that most research is conducted under time pressure, you only have three years for most PhDs and under a year for an MSc, you cannot afford to waste time looking for such lost resources. A good rule of thumb is that it must be possible for someone else to follow your steps from your notes alone.

effective time management.
Research is labour intensive. It takes time to find books. It can take days to complete a proof. It can take weeks to complete a program or run a set of experiments. It can take many months to write up a thesis or dissertation. You will run out of time if you do not carefully plan your allocation of time to each of these components. It is also important that you plan for failure. Vital pieces of your research infrastructure can and do fail. For instance, printing resources are often stretched to breaking point in the hours before a deadline.
3. Presentation
It is impossible to do good research without good communications skills. Research is, after all, an argument between yourself and your peers to convince them of the validity of your hypothesis. If you cannot communicate effectively then you are unlikely to win the argument and you may fail to convince anyone. This section, therefore, provides guidelines to improve both written and oral presentations.

This introduction should be supported by a more complete course on communication skills.

3.1. Written Presentation
The key to successfully writing up research material is to find an appropriate level for the target audience. For example, formal methods researchers can assume a familiarity with the foundations of discrete mathematics. Software engineers can, typically, assume that their readers will have some familiarity with the concepts of iteration, selection and recursion. However, problems arise because researchers are often so familiar with their subject that they fail to explain new concepts which they consider to be `obvious'. It is, therefore, vital that you get somebody else to read your dissertation or thesis before it is submitted. This raises practical problems where the work is being examined. Giving your assessed work to another student on a taught MSc might well be viewed as encouraging plagiarism. At the very least, you must allow time for your supervisor to read your final draft before submission.

Even if you successfully establish the correct level of discussion for your audience, you must still determine which material is necessary for the reader's understanding of your argument. For example, in formal theses you must decide how far to go in the presentation of supporting lemmas and proofs. Some of this material can be included in the running text, some of it can be dropped to an appendix, some of it can simply be cited in other work. Similarly, in an implementation driven project it is seldom necessary to include the entire listing in the body of the dissertation. Key concepts can be illustrated by appropriate procedures and functions but most of the code can be relegated to an appendix.

It is possible to identify a number of further guidelines:

follow grammatical rules.
If you are unsure about what constitutes good grammar then you should spend some time reading a recognised reference work.

follow conventions on font selection.
Fonts are designed for a purpose, that purpose is often indicate by their name. For example, New Century Schoolbook was designed for school text books. The Times family of fonts were developed for the Times newspaper. It, therefore, follows that you should select a font that is appropriate for the purpose that you have in mind. Fonts can be divided into two categories: serif and sans serif. Serif fonts, such as Times or Bookman, have small additions to the ends of each letter that help to lead your eye along the line. In contrast, sans serif fonts such as Helvetica or Geneva lack these additional visual cues. They appear to be simpler and because your eye is not led along the line, each word will stand out as a discrete unit rather than part of a line. The easiest way to see this effect is to compare two copies of a document; one in Times Roman and the other in Helvetica. The practical outcome from all of this is that headings should, typically, be presented in a sans serif font. You want the heading to stand out as a discrete unit, distinct from the rest of the text. Running text should be in a serif font because you want to help the reader's eyes to move along the line. Do not use large numbers of fonts without a carefully considered reason. Do not use bizarre and obscure fonts that may not easily be printed on other people's machines

use a recognised reference format
Every citation in the body of the thesis must be supported by a corresponding reference. The reference must provide enough information so that another researcher would be able to find the paper or book with minimal effort. For an article you must include the author's name, the article title, the journal name, the volume and edition, the page numbers and the year of publication. For a book you must include the author's name, the book title, the publishers name and town of publication, and the year of publication. For a chapter you must include the author's name, the chapter's title, the editors' names and the book's title, the page numbers of the chapter, the publishers name and town of publication, and the year of publication. There are examples in my publication's list. Most examiners will search your references looking for the important works in the field. They will also look for their own publications. Make sure these are listed.

use a spell checker and proof read your thesis.
Remember, it is not your examiners job to identify typos and spelling mistakes. If they spend too much time doing this then your marks will almost certainly be affected. If your thesis is in a more formal area of Computer Science, remember whenever possible to use a type checker.

follow HTML guidelines
Ultimately, many research works are now being published on the web. As this becomes an increasingly common means of communication, it is worth making the effort to transform your thesis into html format. This does not simply involve a straight transformation from the printed document to its web counterpart. You will end up with a huge file that The Sun Microsystems web style guide is a good reference source.
3.2 Oral Presentation
The guidelines for oral presentations are similar to those for written work. As before, the two critical concepts are level and relevance.

It is critical that researchers present their material at a level of detail that their audience can follow. The same level of detail is NOT appropriate for both written and oral presentations. A common mistake is simply to increase the point size of your dissertation and then attempt to use this as lecture material. This does not work because you will, typically, only have 20-30 minutes to present your findings. This means that you have to condense written material that may take several hours to read, into a format that can be effectively presented in a matter of minutes. You must apply Occam's razor: only present material that is essential to make your case. Do not attempt to increase the amount of material you can cover by talking fast or by glossing over more basic material that the audience will need to understand your findings. It is better to be convincing in a small subset of your work that to be glib and superficial about a larger body of work.

Relevance is also important in spoken presentations. It is good practice to prepare slides on background material and actually ask the audience whether or not they would need this introduction in order to place your work in context. For instance, in a presentation about graphical user interface design you might, typically assume that the audience understood the term `direct manipulation'. However, you should be prepared to offer a definition and an example if asked to do so. Similarly, it is good practice to pause after every key point and ask the audience whether they are have any questions about the concepts that you are introducing.

The following guidelines and check list are derived from the Committee of Vice Chancellor's and Principles' Guidance on Effective Learning and Teaching in Higher Education.

Opening

Does your opening gain the group's attention?
Does it establish rapport with the group?
Does it indicate what you intend to explain?
The Key Points

Are your key points clearly expressed?
Are your examples apt and interesting?
Are your qualifications of the key points clearly expressed?
Is each key point summarised?
Are the summaries clear?
Are the beginnings and ends of the key points clearly indicated?
The Summary

Does the summary bring together the main points?
Are your conclusions clearly stated?
Do you come to an effective stop?
Presentation

Can the group hear and see you?
Do you use eye contact to involve but not threaten?
Do you use audio/visual techniques effectively?
Are you fluent verbally?
Is your vocabulary appropriate for the group?
Do you make use of pauses and silences?
Do you vary your intonation?
Is the organisation of your material clear?
Do you avoid vagueness and ambiguities?
Is the presentation as interesting as you can make it?
4. Conclusion
This paper has provided a basic introduction to the research skills that are necessary to complete an advanced masters or PhD in Computing Science. Pointers have been given to related resources on the web. Ultimately, however, research skills can only be gained through practice in the application of the guidelines that are presented in this paper.

cyberfan 2005-08-12 16:53 发表评论
]]>Follow Your Dreamhttp://www.cnitblog.com/cyberfan/articles/1639.htmlcyberfancyberfanFri, 12 Aug 2005 08:39:00 GMThttp://www.cnitblog.com/cyberfan/articles/1639.htmlhttp://www.cnitblog.com/cyberfan/comments/1639.htmlhttp://www.cnitblog.com/cyberfan/articles/1639.html#Feedback0http://www.cnitblog.com/cyberfan/comments/commentRss/1639.htmlhttp://www.cnitblog.com/cyberfan/services/trackbacks/1639.html
　　I have a friend named Monty Roberts who owns a horse ranch in San Ysidro. He has let me use his house to put on fund-raising events to raise money for youth at risk programs.

　　The last time I was there he introduced me by saying, "I want to tell you why I let Jack use my house. It all goes back to a story about a young man who was the son of an itinerant horse trainer who would go from stable to stable, race track to race track, farm to farm and ranch to ranch, training horses. As a result, the boy's high school career was continually interrupted. When he was a senior, he was asked to write a paper about what he wanted to be and do when he grew up.

　　"That night he wrote a seven-page paper describing his goal of someday owning a horse ranch. He wrote about his dream in great detail and he even drew a diagram of a 200-acre ranch, showing the location of all the buildings, the stables and the track. Then he drew a detailed floor plan for a 4,000-square-foot house that would sit on a 200-acre dream ranch.

　　"He put a great deal of his heart into the project and the next day he handed it in to his teacher. Two days later he received his paper back. On the front page was a large red F with a note that read, `See me after class.'

　　"The boy with the dream went to see the teacher after class and asked, `Why did I receive an F?'

追随梦想--1
　　我有个朋友叫蒙提·罗伯兹，他在圣思多罗（San Ysidro）有座牧马场。我常借用他宽敞的住宅举办募款活动，以便为帮助青少年的计划筹备基金。

　　上次活动时，他在致辞中提到："我让杰克借用住宅是有原因的。这故事跟一个小男孩有关，他的父亲是位马术师，他从小就必须跟着父亲东奔西波，男孩的求学过程并不顺利。初中时，有次老师叫全班同学写报告，题目是长大后的志愿。

　　"那晚他洋洋洒洒写了7张纸，描述他的伟大志愿，那就是想拥有一座属于自己的牧马农场，并且仔细画了一张200亩农场的设计图，上面标有马厩、跑道等的位置，然后在这一大片农场中央，还要建造一栋占地4000平方英尺的巨宅。

　　"他花了好大心血把报告完成，第二天交给了老师。两天后他拿回了报告，第一页上打了一个又红又大的F，旁边还写了一行字：下课后来见我。

　　"脑中充满幻想的他下课后带着报告去找老师：'为什么给我不及格？'
Follow Your Dream--2
　　"The teacher said, `This is an unrealistic dream for a young boy like you. You have no money. You come from an itinerant family. You have no resources. Owning a horse ranch requires a lot of money. You have to buy the land. You have to pay for the original breeding stock and later you'll have to pay large stud fees. There's no way you could ever do it.’ Then the teacher added, `If you will rewrite this paper with a more realistic goal, I will reconsider your grade.’

　　"The boy went home and thought about it long and hard. He asked his father what he should do. His father said, `Look, son, you have to make up your own mind on this. However, I think it is a very important decision for you.’

　　"Finally, after sitting with it for a week, the boy turned in the same paper, making no changes at all. He stated, `You can keep the F and I'll keep my dream.'"

　　Monty then turned to the assembled group and said, "I tell you this story because you are sitting in my 4,000-square-foot house in the middle of my 200-acre horse ranch. I still have that school paper framed over the fireplace." He added, "The best part of the story is that two summers ago that same schoolteacher brought 30 kids to camp out on my ranch for a week." When the teacher was leaving, he said, `Look, Monty, I can tell you this now. When I was your teacher, I was something of a dream stealer. During those years I stole a lot of kids’ dreams. Fortunately you had enough gumption not to give up on yours.’"

　　Don't let anyone steal your dreams. Follow your heart, no matter what.

By Jack Canfield From Chicken Soup for the Soul

追随梦想--2
　　"老师回答道：'你年纪轻轻，不要老做白日梦。你没钱，没家庭背景，什么都没有。盖座农场可是个花钱的大工程；你要花钱买地、花钱买纯种马匹、花钱照顾它们。你别太好高骛远了。'他接着又说：'如果你肯重写一个比较不离谱的志愿，我会重打你的分数。'"

　　"这男孩回家后反复思量了好几次，然后征询父亲的意见。父亲只是告诉他：'儿子，这是非常重要的决定，你必须自己拿定主意。'

　　"再三考虑好几天后，他决定原稿交回，一个字都不改。他告诉老师：'即使拿个大红字，我也不愿放弃梦想。'"

　　蒙提此时向众人表示："我提起这故事，是因为各位现在就坐在200亩农场内，占地4000平方英尺的豪华住宅。那份初中时写的报告我至今还留着。"他顿了一下又说："有意思的是，两年前的夏天，那位老师带了30个学生来我的农场露营一星期。离开之前，他对我说：'蒙提，说来有些惭愧。你读初中时，我曾泼过你冷水。这些年来，我也对不少学生说过相同的话。幸亏你有这个毅力坚持自己的梦想。'"

　　不论做什么事，相信你自己，别让别人的一句话将你击倒。

cyberfan 2005-08-12 16:39 发表评论
]]>英语学习方法总论http://www.cnitblog.com/cyberfan/articles/1637.htmlcyberfancyberfanFri, 12 Aug 2005 08:38:00 GMThttp://www.cnitblog.com/cyberfan/articles/1637.htmlhttp://www.cnitblog.com/cyberfan/comments/1637.htmlhttp://www.cnitblog.com/cyberfan/articles/1637.html#Feedback0http://www.cnitblog.com/cyberfan/comments/commentRss/1637.htmlhttp://www.cnitblog.com/cyberfan/services/trackbacks/1637.html
　　第1部分 整体建议

　　1. We'd better develop our interest in English at the beginning of our study. To develop interest in English study is not very hard. We may have the feeling of satisfaction and achievement from our English study when we are able to say something simple in English, talk with others or foreigners in English and act as others' interpreters.

　　在英语学习之初,我们应该注重培养对英语学习的兴趣.培养对英语的兴趣并不难.当我们可以说点儿简单的英语,用英语与别人或与老外交谈,或作别人的翻译时,我们就可以从英语学习中得到满足感和成就感,这样,兴趣就培养起来了.请注意,这种满足感和成就感很重要!

　　2. Plans are always very essential, so we must make some elaborate and workable plans before study. And we should certainly carry out these plans to the letter.

　　制定英语学习计划太重要了,所以我们必须在学习前制定精细的和可操作的计划. 并且我们一定要严格执行这些计划.请注意:千万不要干没有计划的傻事,那等于在浪费生命.

　　3. Notes should be made whenever we study any book. We may follow this advice: Don't read book without making notes. As we know that notes are the summarization, the core content, our understanding and the abbreviations of the books. Our notes are much thinner than the books so that we can learn them by heart easier and can often review and read them. We may also record our notes on tapes so as to often listen to them easier, to deepen our impression and to lighten our burden of memory. Sometimes it is needful to draw some tables and illustrations that are very impressive, visual and concise.

　　无论学习什么,我们都要作笔记.我们可以参照下面的忠告:不作笔记就不要读书.如您所知,笔记是我们对所学课本的总结,中心内容,我们的理解和课本的缩略.笔记要比课本薄的多,我们可以较容易的记忆和经常复习他们.更胜一畴的做法是把笔记录成音,这样我们可以经常听一听来加深印象和减轻记忆负担.

　　4. Watching English movies, English TV programs, listening to English songs and learn English on some special occasions are also excellent and vivid English learning ways as we may combine English with some certain scenes to deepen our memory.

　　看英文电影,收看英语电视节目,听英文歌曲和在某些特定场景学习英语也是很棒和很生动的英语学习方式,因为这样我们可以把所学英语与某些特定的场景联系起来以加深记忆.

　　5. Never just memorize single English words. Learn by heart the whole sentences and the phrases that contain the new words so we may know how to use the words.

　　请不要孤立地背英语单词.请背记包含生词的句子或词组,这样我们才真正能运用这些词汇,而且印象更深.

　　6. If time permits, we may read Mini Chinese-English dictionary carefully from cover to cover, which may help us widen our sight and master knowledge in all aspects.

　　如果时间允许,通读小小汉英字典对于英语学习也帮助很大.他能帮助我们扩大视野并全方位地掌握所学知识.

　　7. Excellent personality is one of the decisive factors in English study. Persistence, patience, self-confidence and determination are badly needed.

　　优秀的性格也是英语学习的关键因素之一,坚持,忍耐,自信和坚定都是很重要的.当然如果兴趣培养得好, 可适当削弱这方面的要求.

　
　　Part 2 Detailed methods(第2部分 具体方法)

　　1. Oral English口语学习)

　 A. We study spoken English so as to make oral communications, so this order of importance of oral English study should be followed: Fluency, Accuracy, and Appropriateness. That is to say, we have to pay more attention to practical communicating ability instead of only laying emphasis on the grammatical correctness.

　　我们学习口语目的是为了与别人进行交流,所以英语口语中的几个要素的重要次序应为:流利-准确-恰当. 　

　　B. Try to find some partners practicing oral English together and English corner is a good place as where we may exchange English study experience, widen our sight and improve interest in English.

　　努力寻找学伴一起练习口语.英语角是个不错的地方,在那我们不但可以练习口语,还可以交流英语学习经验,开拓视野,提高英语学习兴趣. 　

　C. If English partners are not easy to get, then we have to create an English environment ourselves by speaking English to ourselves.

　　如果找不到学伴或参加英语角的机会很少,那么就需要通过自己对自己将英语来创造英语环境.比如对自己描述所看到的景物,英语口述自己正在作的事情.

　　D. This method is very effective and easy to insist on--interpreting Chinese-English novels or books. First we read the Chinese parts and then try to interpret them into English and then compare our interpretation with the original versions in the novels or books so that we can find out the mistakes, shortcomings and progresses in our interpretation.

　　这种方法非常有效且很容易坚持---口译汉英对照(或英汉对照)的小说或其它读物.首先我们先读汉语部分,然后逐句直接口译成英文,完成一小段后,去看书上的对应英文部分并与我们的口译进行比较,我们马上可以发现我们口译的错误,缺点和进步.

　　请注意:开始要选择较简单的读物.

　　这样作的好处:

　　1. 自己就可以练习口语,想练多久,就练多久.

　　2. 始终有一位高级教师指出您的不足和错误---英文原文.

　　3. 题材范围极广,可以突破我们自己的思维禁锢,比如我们总是喜欢谈论我们自己熟悉的话题,所以我们总是在练习相同的语言,进步当然就缓慢了.

　　4. 选择小说,幽默故事或好的短文阅读,使我们有足够的兴趣坚持下去.

　　5. 有一些我们在直接学习英语课文时被我们熟视无睹的地道的英语用法会被此法发掘出来.

　　6. 对所学知识和所犯错误印象深刻.这等于我们一直在作汉译英练习,很多英文译文是我们费尽心思憋出来的,所以印象相当深刻.比直接学习英文课文印象要深的多.

　　E. Interpreting what you hear---Changing Roles: Three people make a group: one speaks Chinese, one speaks English acting as the foreigner, one acts as interpreter. Then change roles. This is a good interpreting training method and is good for studying from one another. In addition, it may improve the responding ability and speed of students. The advanced stage of this method is simultaneous interpretation.

　　听译法-角色互换:三人一组,模拟翻译实战.一人将汉语,一人将英语,扮演老外,一人作翻译.练习一段时间后互换角色.这是一种非常好的翻译训练方法,也是很好的相互学习,取长补短的方法.而且可大大提高反应速度和能力.此法的高级阶段为同声传译,我们可以在听广播或看电视或开会时,把所听内容口译英文.

　　F. Oral composition and 3-minute training method: This method is suitable for intense training. Making an oral composition about a certain topic for one minute the first time and record the composition on tape at the same time. Then listen to the composition and find out the room for improvement. Then make the same composition for two minutes for the second time and also record it. And at last repeat the above-mentioned for three minutes.

　　口语作文和3分钟训练法:此法适用于强化训练.找好一个题目作一分钟的口语作文,同时将其录音.听录音,找出不足和错误,就此题目再作两分钟的的口语作文,同样录音,再听并找出不足与进步,继续作三分钟口语作文.这是高级口语训练,效果不俗.

　　G. Retelling exercise: Retell some articles or English stories in our own words.

　　复述练习:用自己的话口语复述我们所听的英语故事或文章.

　　H. If possible, we may read some English tongue twisters loudly and quickly with one or two cakes of candy in our mouth (just as the Chinese cross-talk actors do.) to train our oral cavity muscle and tongues suitable for English pronunciation.

　　如果可能我们也可以大声且快速朗读英文绕口令(就象相声演员练嘴),还可以同时口中含块糖以加大强化训练的力度.这样来强我们的口腔肌肉迅速适应英文发音,使我们的口语相当流利,清晰,而且还有自信.例如:

A big black bug bit the back of a big black bear. The big black bear bit back the big black bug.

This fish has a thin fin; That fish has a fat fin;

This fish is a fish that has a thinner fin than that fish.

IPaying more attention to phrases and small words as one major shortcoming of Chinese English (especially Chinese oral English) is that Chinese students tend to use big words in their oral language, but the idiomatic oral English is abundant with short, active and vivid phrases. And most of such phrases are made of small words.

　　特别注意短语(词组)和小词的运用,中国式的英语尤其是口语一个很大的缺点就是中国学生喜欢用大词,而真正地道的英语口语确是充满着短小,活泼,生动的短语,富有生气.而这些短语大部分有小词构成.

　　J. Oral English has its own features, but it is closely combined with other aspects of English, for example, writing may make oral English precise and accurate.

口语随自有特色,但与英语的其它方面紧密相连.比如,经常练习写作,可是口语精密,准确.

2. Listening comprehension听力)

A. We may improve our aural ability by speaking English in the native and idiomatic way. The pronunciation, intonation and sentence structure should not be in Chinese style.

可以通过讲地道的口语来提高听力.发音,语调和句子结构请不要中国化.既然能说出来,当然能听懂.当然这样作有点难.

B. Keeping a relaxed, natural and steady mood when listening to some materials. Namely, to establish self-confidence and to develop excellent psychological quality are essential in the improvement of aural ability.

在作听力练习时,力求保持放松,自然和稳定的心态.即建立自信心和培养良好的心理素质在听力提高中致关重要.

C. We may make some simple notes while listening, for examples, the names of people and places, time, age, distance, occupation, figures and so on to get a better understanding of the content.

在作听力练习时,我们可以作些简单的笔记,例如人名,地名,时间,年龄,职业,数字等以便更好地理解材料.当然还要以听为主.

D. Catching the drift of the content instead of understanding every word and never waste too much time on single words.

作听力练习要重材料大意, 而不要力求听懂每个词,不要在单个词上浪费太多时间.

E. Pay close attention to CONCESSION and TRANSITION so as to correctly understand the attitudes of the speakers. The following words are most important: even though, even so, in spite of, unless, although, no matter, however, whatever, no, nor, neither…nor, but….

　　密切注意听力材料中的让步与转折以便正确把握说话人的态度.特别关注这些词: even though, even so, in spite of, unless, although, no matter, however, whatever, no, nor, neither…nor, but….

F. If we may learn by heart new words by listening some word tapes, the results must be satisfactory.

　　在背记生词时,如果能听词汇磁带,那么对听力提高也很有好处.

　　3.Reading skills阅读)

　　a. Intensive Reading: When we read the intensive articles, we should make notes of the new words and phrases and good sentences. After reading them, we may ask ourselves some questions about them by using such words: Who, What, Why, When and Where. Then try to answer them in our own words.

　　精读:在精读课文时,我们要把生词,词组,句型做成笔记.读后要试着用这些疑问词提问自己:谁,什么,何时,何地且努力用自己的话来回答.

　　b. Extensive reading: We must train our ability to scan, skip and read fast. Namely, the ability to catch the key words, the topic sentences and the drift of the articles.

　　泛读:要培养浏览,跳读和快读的能力.即抓住关键词,主题句和中心大意的能力.

　　c. Reading speed: Three ways to improve our reading speed: 1) Reading the articles from the beginning to the end without intervals so to catch the rough idea of the articles on the whole. Never waste too much time on some new words and single sentences. 2）We may keep time when reading articles.3) When reading articles, we can point at the words with our finger or pen point and our eyes move with the finger quickly so that we are able to read very fast.

　　阅读速度:三种方法提高我们的阅读速度:1.先从头至尾不间断地通读课文以抓住课文大意.不要在单个词或单句上浪费太多时间.2. 阅读时计时.3.阅读时用手指或笔尖指向文章字句并快速移动来迫使我们的眼睛快速随手指或笔尖移动来强化我们的阅读速度.

　　d. Newspaper as good reading materials can widen our sight and richen our knowledge.

　　多读报,多受益:开阔视野,丰富知识,学习流行词语和英语最新发展.

　　4.Writing skills.( 写作)

　　a. We have to accumulate abundant materials before we write something, say, learning by heart crowds of articles.

　　写作需要有很多素材,积累素材很重要.要多背课文.

　　b. Try to express one meaning in various ways.

　　努力用多种方式表达一种意思.

　　c. Keeping English diary if possible.

　　写英语日记.

　　a) Prepare some new words, expressions and good sentences to be used before writing something.

　　在写作前准备一些要用的好词汇,好句子.

　　b) We may also make some English pen pals to establish English communication relationship through some media like newspaper and magazines.

　　结交英语笔友,写英文信.这种方法容易坚持,还很有意思.不仿一试,好处多多.

cyberfan 2005-08-12 16:38 发表评论
]]>我有一个梦 I HAVE A DREAMhttp://www.cnitblog.com/cyberfan/articles/1638.htmlcyberfancyberfanFri, 12 Aug 2005 08:38:00 GMThttp://www.cnitblog.com/cyberfan/articles/1638.htmlhttp://www.cnitblog.com/cyberfan/comments/1638.htmlhttp://www.cnitblog.com/cyberfan/articles/1638.html#Feedback0http://www.cnitblog.com/cyberfan/comments/commentRss/1638.htmlhttp://www.cnitblog.com/cyberfan/services/trackbacks/1638.html
　　马丁.路德.金

　　...... I say to you, my friends, so even though we must face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

　　……今天，我对你们说，我的朋友们，尽管此时困难与挫折重重，我们仍然有个梦，这是深深扎根于美国梦中的梦。

　　I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed - we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.

　　我有一个梦：有一天，这个国家将站起来，并实现它的信条的真正含义：“我们认为这些真理是不言而喻的，即所有的人都生来平等。”

　　I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, sons of former slaves and sons of former slave-owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

　　我有一个梦：有一天，在乔治亚州的红色山丘上，从前奴隶的子孙们和从前奴隶主的子孙们将能像兄弟般地坐在同一桌旁。

　　I have a dream that one day, even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

　　我有一个梦：有一天，甚至密西西比州，一个有着不公正和压迫的热浪袭人的荒漠之州，将改造成自由和公正的绿洲。

　　I have a dream my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

　　我有一个梦：我的4个小孩将有一天生活在一个国度里，在那里，人们不是从他们的肤色，而是从他们的品格来评价他们。

　　I have a dream today!

　　今天我有一个梦想！

　　I have a dream that one day down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification, one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

　　我有一个梦：有一天，阿拉巴马州将变成这样一个地方，那里黑人小男孩、小女孩可以和白人小男孩、小女孩，像兄弟姐妹一样手牵手并肩而行。

　　I have a dream today.

　　今天我有一个梦想。

　　I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places shall be made plain, and the crooked places shall be made straight and the glory of the Lord will be revealed and all flesh shall see it together.

　　我有一个梦：有一天，每一个峡谷将升高，每一座山丘和高峰被削低，崎岖粗糙的地方改造成平原，弯弯曲曲的地方变得笔直，上帝的荣耀得以展露，全人类都将举目共睹。

　　This is our hope. This is the faith that I go back to the South with.

　　这是我们的希望，这是信念，带着这个信念我回到南方。

　　With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope.

　　怀着这个信念我们将能从绝望之山中开采出一块希望之石。

　　With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood.

　　怀着这个信念，我们将能把我们国家的刺耳的不和音，转变成一曲优美动听的兄弟情谊交响曲。

　　With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to go to jail together, knowing that we will be free one day.

　　怀着这个信念，我们将能工作在一起，祈祷在一起，奋斗在一起，一起赴监狱，一起为自由而挺住。因为我们知道，有一天我们将获自由。

　　This will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with new meaning-"my country 'tis of thee; sweet land of liberty; of thee I sing; land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim's pride; from every mountain side, let freedom ring"-and if America is to be a great nation, this must become true.

　　将会有一天，那时，所有上帝的孩子们将能以新的含义高唱：我的祖国，你是自由的乐土。我为你歌唱：　　我的先辈的安葬之地，朝圣者心中的圣地，让自由的声音，响彻每一道山岗。如果说美国是一个伟大的国家，这必须要成真。

　　So let freedom ring -- from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire, let freedom ring; from the mighty mountains of New York.Let freedom ring -- from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania.

　　因此，让自由的声音从新罕布什尔州巨大的山巅响起吧。让自由的声音从纽约州巍巍群山响起吧，让自由的声音从宾夕法尼亚州阿拉根尼高原响起吧！

　　Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado.

　　让自由的声音从科罗拉多州冰雪覆盖的落基山脉响起吧！

　　Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California.

　　让自由的声音从加利福尼亚婀娜多姿的山峰上响起吧！

　　But not only that.Let freedom ring from the Stone Mountain of Georgia.

　　但不仅如此，还让自由之声从乔治亚州的石峰上响起吧！

　　Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee.

　　让自由之声从田纳西州的观景峰响起吧！

　　Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi, from every mountainside, let freedom ring.

　　让自由之声从密西西比州的每一道山丘响起吧！在每一道山坡上，让自由之声响起吧！

　　When we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and hamlet, from every state and city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children - black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Catholics and Protestants - will be able to join hands and to sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, "Free at last, free at last; thank God Almighty, we are free at last."

　　当我们让自由之声响彻之时，当我们让它从每一座村庄，从每一个州和每一座城市响起时，我们将能加速这一天的到来，那时，所有上帝的孩子们，黑人和白人，犹太人和异教徒们，基督徒和天主教徒们，将能手挽手，以那古老的黑人圣歌的歌词高唱：“终于自由了！终于自由了！感谢全能的上帝，我们终于自由了！”

cyberfan 2005-08-12 16:38 发表评论
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