книги / How to Write a Research Paper in English

4.3. Decision making and solution assessment

The simulation algorithm generates decision-making situations; see Fig. 3 (the left side of the application window). The user of the application is being asked, if he or she wants to:

•Create a new location and assign particular construction elements to the location

•Begin concrete casting in location (or locations) indicated by the simulator Re-

move formwork (partially or completely) in locations indicated by the simulator Modify the number of resources available – rent new or return yet rented formwork.

Decisions made by the planner affect construction costs, formwork utilization efficiency and finally – the schedule quality. This is why they should be rationally made and evaluated using an appropriate measure.

As every formwork item generates rental costs, the best way to assess how efficiently the rented items are being utilized, is to determine a cost of formwork under-utilization. Such cost is virtual

– it is generated when formwork is available on the construction site but remains unused or when it should be removed but remains unstruck from the construction. The decision-maker is being informed about this cost during the whole simulation. The accumulated and daily cost of underutilization is displayed in the application window, see Fig. 3. If it is too high, the decision can be withdrawn.

Obviously the under-utilization cost grows in time, same as total construction cost, but the lower it is compared to the total cost, the better the solution is. Figure 4 presents an excerpt of an application window with two different results of simulations run for the same concrete structure.

Fig. 4. Comparison of two different simulation’s results – under-utilization and total rental cost growth in time – an excerpt of an application window view.

For both simulations, the ratio of loss cost to total cost remains at the same level (c.a. 52%), however the values of both costs

are lower in the second simulation. Moreover, works are completed earlier (within 177 days). Therefore, this solution should be considered as a better one, where formwork is being utilized more rationally.

5. Conclusion

Nowadays, not only the knowledge about singular building processes but also scientifically developed methods are being applied in order to solve organizational decision-making problems and

82

plan building works effectively and reliably. This in particular refers to monolithic construction works, where rented formwork items are used, as they make a significant cost component of the overall cost of construction works.

The problem of formwork utilization efficiency should be then considered comprehensively – from formwork selection and design to concrete works planning and schedule's quality assessment. In the proposed approach straightforward methods (i.e. Topsis or SAW) are recommended, as they are accessible for site managers and planners without scientific experience. In turn, a developed interactive planning simulator is suggested to be applied to schedule concrete works, as it enables the planner to analyze formwork efficiency. The presented simulation algorithm does not provide the planner with an optimal solution, as the idea of interactive planning does not allow for it. However, the simulator itself, as there is no such tool available on the market, is hoped to be useful in aiding construction site engineers in efficient planning and formwork utilization analysis.

The developed method and proposed wide-ranging approach should help the planner to manage resources rationally in order to reduce total construction costs.

Acknowledgements

7th International Conference on Engineering, Project, and Production Management (EPPM2016) was financed in the framework of the contract no. 712/P-DUN/2016 by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education from the funds earmarked for the public understanding of science initiatives.

7th International Conference on Engineering, Project, and Production Management (EPPM2016) finansowana w ramach umowy 712/P- DUN/2016 ze środków Ministra Nauki i Szkolnictwa Wyższego przeznaczonych na działalność upowszechniającą naukę.

7th International Conference on Engineering, Project, and Production Management (EPPM2016) was co-organised by the Agency for Restructuring and Modernisation of Agriculture (Poland).

References

[1]Peurifoy RL, Oberlender GD. Formwork for concrete structures. New York: McGrawHill; 2011.

[2]Krawczyńska-Piechna A. Interaktywna metoda planowania robót betonowych z analiząwykorzystania deskowańsystemowych [An interactive method for concrete works planning with formwork utilization’s efficiency analysis]. PhD Thesis. Warsaw University of Technology; 2016.

[3]Krawczyńska-Piechna A. Application of TOPSIS method in formwork selection problem. Applied Mechanics and Materials 2015;797:101–107.

[4]Kapliński O, editor. Metody i modele badań w inżynierii przedsięwzięć budowlanych

[Research methods and models in project engineering]. Warszawa: Komitet Inżynierii Lądowej i Wodnej, Polska Akademia Nauk; 2003.

[5]Marcinkowski R, Krawczyńska A. Wybór systemu i planowanie wykorzystania deskowańw wykonawstwie monolitycznych konstrukcji betonowych [Formwork selection and

83

formwork utilization planning in monolithic concrete works performance]. Przegląd Budowalny 2009;3:53–59.

[6]Biruk S, Jaśkowski P. Dobór elementów deskowania ścian z uwzględnieniem kryteriów ekonomicznych [Economic criteria for the selection of wall formwork]. Budownictwo i Architektura 2013;12(1):7–14.

[7]Hanna AS, Willenbrock JH, Sanvido VE. Knowledge acquisition and development for formwork selection system. J Construction Engineering and Management 1992;118(1):179– 198.

[8]Kamarthi SV, Sanvido VE, Kumara SR. Neuroform – neural network system for vertical formwork selection. Computing in Civil Engineering 1992;6(2):178–193.

[9]Proverbs DG, Holt GD, Olomolaiye PO. Construction resource/method factors influencing productivity for high rise concrete construction. Construction Management and Economics 1999;17:577–587.

[10]Elbeltagi E, et al. Selection of slab formwork system using fuzzy logic. Construction Management and Economics 2011;29:659–670.

[11]Shin Y, et al. Application of Ada Boost to the retaining wall method selection in construction. J Computing in Civil Engineering 2009;23:188– 192.

84

Appendix 2

7 STEPS IN WRITING A RESEARCH PAPER

Are you staring at the blank page on your screen and have no idea how to approach your challenging research paper? Research papers are complex and time-con- suming assignments and what is really important they make up a large part of student’s grade in all classes. It’s not a secret that academic writing is hard but written communication skills are essential for your success in college, graduate school, and in your future career. That’s why you should work hard to master the art of paper writing.

If you are not sure where to start, read this article to learn about effective strategies that make this process as painless as possible.

We’ll break down the writing process into easy steps to help you understand how to write a research paper fast no matter how long it must be.

Step 1. Choose a Topic

Sometimes college students are assigned with their research paper topics, but if you are fortunate enough to have such an option, choose your topic wisely. First of all, think about choosing a challenging topic you are interested in. Then, you won’t be bored when doing the research because you are sure to discover something new and you’ll enjoy the writing process. Don’t select subjects that are too technical or general.

If your topic is too broad, your research paper is unlikely to be successful because it will look like a general overview. You should narrow your topic down to a certain

85

aspect, concept or idea and make it specific and manageable. For example, if your topic is “Global Warming”, you should narrow it to “Causes of Global Warming”, “Impact of Global Warming on Human Health” or something like that.

Step 2. Write a Working Thesis Statement

Prepare a working thesis before you actually organize your research because it will guide your investigation and will help you stay focused on your subject. Your thesis statement should be concise and reflect the type of paper you are writing. All research papers can be divided into 3 categories:

argumentative or persuasive if you are arguing the conclusion;

expository when you explain information;

analytical when you present your analysis of certain information.

You have to devote enough of your precious time to creating a good strong thesis statement so that your project has a clear purpose. Your thesis should be debatable and narrow because your claims should be supported by evidence. If your claim is broad, you will need more evidence to convince your readers that you are right. Here is an example of a debatable thesis statement:

Climate change is the most pressing challenge facing the world today.

86

Step 3. Do Research on Your Topic

You should find enough secondary and primary credible sources on the subject of your paper, carefully read all of them, and find relevant evidence to support your thesis. At this stage, you should evaluate your sources, take notes, and start documenting your sources according to a citation style specified by your instructor (APA, MLA, Chicago, Harvard, etc.)

Make sure you use the latest edition of a specific style guide. You will use your notes about references later when writing your paper and building your bibliography. It’s crucial to cite all sources that you used for quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing to avoid plagiarism.

Step 4. Make a Good Outline

Your research has given you tons of great ideas. Now you have to organize them for your impressive presentation. Don’t skip this vital step because without it, your project will lack focus and you will need more time for revising your draft trying to make sense of your jumbled thoughts. That’s why you need an outline. You have to finalize your thesis and create a working outline that you plan to cover and that will serve you as a roadmap and keep you focused.

Think about key points that you’ll need to develop to support your thesis statement. You can use them as subheadings for the body of your paper. Look through your notes and organize the information under each sub-heading. Make sure you include only relevant information that fits under your sub-headings and directly supports your thesis.

You should resist the temptation to include any information that doesn’t fit into your outline no matter how interesting it is.

When writing an outline, you should keep in mind a typical research paper structure that commonly includes:

a title page;

an abstract;

87

an introduction;

a methodology section;

findings/results;

discussion;

conclusion.

But if your research paper is not long, its format may include an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. In any case, you should follow specific guidelines provided by your instructor.

Step 5. Create the First Draft

This is the middle of the process. You have a clear direction and it’s time to create the first draft with a title, in-text citations, and a reference page.

The title is very important if you want to make a good impression on your readers because it’s the first thing that they see. It forms their view on what exactly they should expect in your paper. You should list the keywords that present the topic of your paper, methods you used, and results that you achieved. Now create a sentence that includes all the keywords that you have listed and delete the unnecessary words. After that, you need to link the remaining ones. Finally, you have to delete non-essential info and

88

organize the remaining words in the logical order. You can also include the subtitle. Make sure that your title is concise.

Afterwards, you need to write an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. These are the main parts of your paper so let us provide you with some details on how to do it right.

How to Write an Introduction for a Research Paper

Start writing an intro. The introductory paragraph should begin with an attention grabber that may be:

a provocative question; statistics;

an anecdote; unusual facts, etc.

You are writing an academic paper but that doesn’t mean you have to be boring. Next, you need to provide the background information, explain your goals, and how you plan to approach your research paper topic. You should finish your introduction with your thesis statement or research question. This section of your paper is not long so you are sure to finish it fast.

How to Write Body Paragraphs

Your outline will help you to complete this part of your paper. But you shouldn’t think that you must strictly follow it. It may evolve and you are free to revise it and make changes. The key thing is to stay on your track and focus on your thesis. You should provide your points and support your main idea.

Start each body paragraph with a topic sentence and provide arguments and relevant evidence to support it. You should write as many body paragraphs as you have the key points.

How to Write a Conclusion for a Research Paper

Most research papers end with restarting their thesis statements. You can also do it but you shouldn’t repeat it word for word. Paraphrase it or summarize the key points

89

of your paper. You may emphasize the significance of your findings as well. A good idea is to provide some recommendations based on the results of your investigation or suggest some directions for further research.

Your rough draft is ready. Wondering what to do next? Go on reading to find some tips on how to revise your research paper.

How to Make Your Paper Perfect

No one can write their first draft perfectly. So, if you want to make a good impression on your professor and earn a high grade, you should revise your draft to make sure that your project is on point. Be ready that you may need to revise your project more than once because it is really worth doing.

Step 6. Revise, Edit and Proofread

You have to make large-scale changes and check the logic, flow, transitions, make changes in the structure and order of your paragraphs. You should make sure that all your ideas are fully developed and all the claims are supported by credible evidence. You may need to add some section headings.

The next stage is editing. You have to check and eliminate filler words and phrases, improve word choice, and correct mistakes in punctuation and grammar if you find any. You should look for:

incomplete sentences;

dangling modifiers;

easily confused words (such as to, too, and two);

spelling mistakes;

apostrophes for possessives and plurals;

quotation rules obeyed;

comma use;

eliminate contractions.

90