SCM: Essay

The essay assignment will involve reading a computational cognitive modelling paper and then writing a detailed analysis of it.  By default, the paper will be the same one that you will use for your Semester 2 presentation.  (If you wish to do your essay and presentation on different papers, please consult the course instructors.)

Paper selection

Partway through Semester 1, you will be asked to select a computational cognitive modelling paper of your own choice.  The type of model (e.g., Bayesian model, neural network model, cognitive architecture, etc.) and cognitive phenomenon being modelled (e.g., language, memory, analogy, emotion, etc.) is entirely up to you.

The paper should contain 1) a description of a computational model of some aspect of cognition; 2) empirical experiments using that model; 3) sufficient depth/length.  In some cases, two shorter papers (e.g., two conference papers) may be used instead of a single longer paper.

Instructors will approve paper selections or give you feedback to help find another paper, if the initial choice isn't a good fit.

Essay content

Essays are not intended to merely summarize the paper.  Instead, your essay should critically evaluate the work, which includes (for example): identifying why this work is important; what scientific mystery it aims to solve; how it relates to other theories/findings/models; strengths and weaknesses of the experimental design; ethical implications; etc.

Essays should also include material that you get from “reading around” the topic, i.e., looking at some of the references in your chosen paper, as well as using Google Scholar or similar to look at more recent papers that have cited your chosen paper.

Essay format

A detailed essay template will be provided that specifies essay sections, section lengths, and requirements for figures.  The template will be shared via Overleaf, a user-friendly online LaTeX editor.

Essays will required to be written in Overleaf, but prior experience with Overleaf or LaTeX is not required.  Detailed instructions for using the essay template, as well as pointers to tutorials, will be provided as part of the essay assignment.  Overleaf and LaTeX are very widely used in the scientific community, and so learning these systems is a very useful skill.

Marking

Each section of the essay will be marked according to how well it covers the requirements for that section.  For example, how well does the introduction present the general topic, justify why the topic is interesting and important, and identify the specific phenomena and hypotheses under consideration?

Each section will also be evaluated on organization and interest.  For example, is the introduction at least somewhat interesting/creative, and does it make an attempt to draw the reader in with stories or examples?

Essays will not be marked on low-level grammar and spelling.  This is a deliberate choice to help de-incentivize the use of ChatGPT or other LLMs in the preparation of your essay.  (We will discuss ChatGPT, and especially its potential impacts on cognition and student learning, throughout the course.)