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How do I use it?

The document is divided roughly in halves. The first several sections talk about the concrete skills you need: reading, writing, programming, and so on. The later sections talk about the process of research: what it's like, how to go at it, how to choose an advisor and topic, and how to handle it emotionally. Most readers have reported that these later sections are in the long run more useful and interesting than the earlier ones.

Section is about getting grounded in AI by reading. It points at the most important journals and has some tips on how to read.

is about becoming a member of the AI community: getting connected to a network of people who will keep you up to date on what's happening and what you need to read.

is about learning about fields related to AI. You'll want to have a basic understanding of several of these and probably in-depth understanding of one or two.

is about keeping a research notebook.

is about writing papers and theses; about writing and using comments on drafts; and about getting published.

is about giving research talks.

is about programming. AI programming may be different from the sorts you're used to.

is about the most important choice of your graduate career, that of your advisor. Different advisors have different styles; this section gives some heuristics for finding one who will suit you. An advisor is a resource you need to know how to use; this section tells you how.

is about theses. Your thesis, or theses, will occupy most of your time during most of your graduate student career. The section gives advice on choosing a topic and avoiding wasting time.

is on research methodology. This section mostly hasn't been written yet.

is perhaps the most important section: it's about emotional factors in the process of research. It tells how to deal with failure, how to set goals, how to get unstuck, how to avoid insecurity, maintain self-esteem, and have fun in the process.

This document is still in a state of development; we welcome contributions and comments. Some sections are very incomplete. Annotations in brackets and italics indicate some of the major incompletions. We appreciate contributions; send your ideas and comments to Zvona@sail.stanford.edu.