Project Proposal and Calendar

Designing a Research Project

Sunday, October 23, 11

The “standard model:”

Ignore the paper until it’s almost due.

Panic.

Spend 5 to 6 hours writing it the night before.

Turn it in and heave a sigh of relief.


On Procrastination:

Fear of the unknown and the unclear

Not laziness, but lack of understanding

Keeps us passive until adrenaline shakes us into action


Defeating Procrastination:

Figure out what you don’t know

Answer your biggest questions

Set step-by-step goals

Always do the next possible step, even if you don’t know what comes next

Don’t try to accomplish a big project in one chunk.


The “Project Proposal:”

1. Read the Research Project Assignment closely and carefully.

2. Answer these questions:

1. What possible topic are you thinking of exploring for the research paper? (Note: at this stage, these topics may be as developed or undeveloped as you prefer).

2. How do these topics seem to connect to the ideas present in Berger, Barthes, and/or Sontag?

3. How much, if anything, do you already know about your project? (Note: It’s OK if you know little or nothing about your topic!)

4. What kind of evidence do you think you will have to collect?

3. Plan out a Calendar of goals and work times to get you up to the first draft.


The “Project Calendar”:

Week by week, plan out these things:

General goals: what do you have to accomplish this week?

Specific tasks: what exactly will you spend your time doing?

Work times: when will you do it?


A Sample Calendar:

Week 7: 31 Oct to 4 Nov

—Goals: Final topic choice. Majority of research completed.—By Friday the 4th (or Sunday the 6th):——Decide on a narrow, specific topic.——Come up with a list of 3 or 4 questions I have about that topic, to help motivate my research.——Find at least 15 good sources I can use for my topic.—Work Times: ——Tuesday 12:00 - 4:00——Wedensday 3:00 - 6:00——Saturday 2:00 - 5:00


A Sample Calendar:

Week 8: 7 Nov to 11 Nov

—Goals: Reading, outlining, and brainstorming. Working outline completed.—By Friday the 11th (or Sunday the 13th):——Read all sources completely. Save at least 1 to 2 quotes from each source in a working outline. ——Decide on a working argument based on what I have read so far.——Make sure I have sources from Berger/Barthes/Sontag that help to prove my argument.——Make sure I meet with a librarian and chat over email with Ian about my topic and my evidence.——Turn in a working outline by the 8th, or (if that’s too ambitious) by the 11th—Work Times: ——Tuesday 12:00 - 4:00——Wedensday 3:00 - 6:00——Saturday 2:00 - 5:00


A Sample Calendar:

Week 9: 14 Nov to 18 Nov

——Goals: Complete the first draft of the paper. Let my friend / teacher / group member see it before I turn it in. Find more sources as needed.—By Friday the 18th:——Turn all quotes in the outline into quote sandwiches.——Rearrange the quote sandwiches and add transitions.——Write an intro and a conclusion.——Give paper to [X] for more feedback.——Do extra research (if needed) to add more proof.——Turn in to my Dropbox folders before midnight.—Work Times: ——Tuesday 12:00 - 4:00——Wedensday 3:00 - 6:00——Friday 6:00 - 11:00


Notice:

Nothing here is very polished or formal.

The format is very flexible.

The main purpose is to help you plan your next few weeks.


Project Proposal and Calendar

Education

Transcript of Project Proposal and Calendar