Instructions for Writing Good Paper Reviews

Introduction

Writing good paper reviews is an important skill for researchers and practitioners in the field of computer systems. In this webpage, we provide instructions on how to write good paper reviews for system papers in the OSDI and ASPLOS conferences.

Understanding the Paper

The first step in writing a good paper review is to thoroughly understand the paper. This involves reading the paper carefully and critically, and taking notes on its strengths and weaknesses. For system papers, there are some unique aspects that you should consider, including:

• What is the hardware context that the paper targets, and how does it relate to existing hardware platforms?
• What are the key assumptions that the paper makes about the workloads that the system will run, and how realistic are these assumptions?
• How does the paper compare to existing systems in terms of performance, scalability, and other key metrics?
• What are the implications of the paper's approach for future hardware and workload trends in the field of computer systems?
• What are the limitations or assumptions of the paper's approach?

Structuring the Review

Once you have a good understanding of the paper, you should structure your review in a clear and organized manner. One common structure for paper reviews is:

1. Introduction: Briefly summarize the paper and its contributions.
2. Strengths: Discuss the strengths of the paper, such as its novelty, technical soundness, or practical significance. Some specific points to consider include:
• Originality and novelty of the work
• Technical soundness and correctness of the approach and results
• Effectiveness and scalability of the approach in practical settings
• Relevance and impact of the contributions to the field of computer systems
3. Weaknesses: Identify the weaknesses of the paper, such as limitations in the experimental methodology, lack of clarity in presentation or analysis, or insufficient evaluation. Some specific points to consider include:
• Flaws or limitations in the experimental design or methodology
• Weaknesses in the evaluation or analysis of the results
• Lack of clarity in the presentation or organization of the paper
• Missing or insufficient comparison to related work
• Unrealistic or overly optimistic assumptions or claims
4. Possible Enhancements: Discuss potential enhancements or future work that could be done to improve the paper. Some specific points to consider include:
• Additional experiments or evaluations to better support the paper's claims
• Further exploration of related or alternative approaches to the problem
• Additional analysis or discussion of the paper's results or implications
• Extensions or modifications to the paper's approach or methodology
• Identification of areas where further research is needed in order to advance the state of the art
5. Hardware and Workload Context: Discuss the hardware and workload context of the paper, including the assumptions and implications of the paper's approach for future trends in the field. Some specific points to consider include:
• The hardware platforms or architectures that the paper targets, and how they relate to existing systems
• The workloads that the paper assumes or targets, and how realistic these assumptions are
• The implications of the paper's approach for future trends in hardware and workload design and optimization
• The limitations or assumptions of the paper's approach in light of these hardware and workload trends
6. Summary: Summarize your overall impression of the paper and provide constructive feedback for the authors.

Tips for Writing Good Paper Reviews

Here are some tips for writing good paper reviews:

• Be constructive: Provide specific and actionable feedback that the authors can use to improve their work.
• Be fair: Acknowledge the strengths of the paper as well as its weaknesses.
• Be clear: Use clear and concise language, and provide specific examples to support your points.
• Be timely: Submit your review on time, and provide thoughtful comments that the authors can use to improve their work before the conference deadline.
• Be respectful: Avoid personal attacks or derogatory language when discussing the paper, and focus on the technical merits and limitations of the work.
• Be thorough: Consider the paper from multiple angles, and take the time to carefully evaluate and critique each aspect of the work.

Conclusion

Writing good paper reviews for system papers in OSDI and ASPLOS requires a combination of technical knowledge, critical thinking, and effective communication skills. By following these instructions and tips, you can provide constructive and helpful feedback to authors of system papers, and contribute to the advancement of the field of computer systems.