Reminder: Progress Reports Due 2/7/07
For those of you who didn't make it to today's meeting, here are some important reminders:
1. 2-3 page written progress reports are due 2/7/07. Copies are due to me, your Advisor(s), your Mentor and the other faculty member assigned as your grader [as per your proposals from December].
2. Draft versions are due in next week's group meeting [LeBow 348, 10 am-Noon].
- We will review these as a group...likely by circulating them around the room, an informal "peer review" so that everyone sees what the others have prepared and can comment on and learn from that.
3. Progress Report Format:
Your progress reports should be organized as follows:
- Make sure to include your name, course #, Advisor (s) and Mentor's names, project title and date.
- Use "bullets" rather than paragraphs of text to report your accomplishments...bullets are shorter, more direct, and easier to comprehend in reports.
- Briefly recap the problem your project is addressing [an opportunity to revisit your problem statement if your written report or oral presentation in December was criticized in this area 
]
- Briefly recap your approach.
- Give major emphasis to your progress to date:
- Tasks completed.
- Results to date...experiments in progress, data gathered, analysis of results, status of design tasks, materials selection etc.
- Highlight any major problems you've encountered [e.g. in obtaining materials, with equipment access, with your planned approach not working or turning out not to be feasible].
- Highlight any significant changes in your scope or approach, and briefly explain, together with a brief indication of your "Plan B".
- Update your project timeline, indicating which tasks have been completed and showing which tasks, if any, have slipped in timing, and by how much.
4. Other:
- Remember to meet regularly with your Advisor(s) and Mentor.
- If possible, participate in your Advisor's "group" meetings...request a 5-10 minute slot if necessary...get yourselves on the agenda!