2.

ThA Advisor Meeting Agenda

Identify a thesis topic, motivation, & specific problem &/or deliverable.

Identify a tentative time line with milestones & deliverables.
Identify bottlenecks (resources or events) and a Plan B for each bottleneck.
Identify literature that is relevant to your work.
Budget ($)?
Units of credit?
Fill out a thesis intent form
Identify specific deliverables for the next two weeks. Let your advisor know the
2.ThA IAP schedule. Next meeting?
Suggest that your advisor attend your oral presentation the final week of IAP.
Does your advisor have any requests of the 2.ThA class? Does your advisor know
of any other thesis projects that for projectless 2.ThA students?
Determine how your advisor prefers to be addressed.

2.ThA fill in the blank thesis proposal outline exercise

due Thursday, Jan 11

Title (include specific focus & specific action to be performed by the author):

Authors name:

Summary:
In order to _______________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________,

I will ___________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________.

Doing so will benefit the world because/by ______________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

fill in the blank proposal outline

page 1 of 4
2.ThA
IAP 2007

Introduction paragraph 1:
Specific focus stress line:

Context of work:

Importance of specific focus:

Introduction body paragraphs/sections:

(adjust the number of subheadings/topics to represent your structure and logic)

subheading, topic, & connection:

subheading, topic, & connection:

subheading, topic, & connection:

Introduction final paragraph:

Synthesis/summary of introduction body paragraphs, defining what must be done:

Overview of solution methods: In order to accomplish this

Hint at accomplishment that might be achieved should all pan out:

fill in the blank proposal outline

page 2 of 4
2.ThA
IAP 2007

Background paragraph 1:
Overview of background structure; not needed if this structure is clear from the introduction:
Background body sections/paragraphs:
(adjust the number of subheadings/topics to represent your structure and logic)

subheading, topic, connection

subheading, topic, connection

subheading, topic, connection

Background conclusion paragraph:

Synthesis of body paragraphs + lead to methods:

Methods paragraph 1:
If needed, provide an overview of methods structure; it is best if this structure is clear from
that of the introduction and background.
Methods sections:
(adjust the number of subheadings/topics to represent your structure and logic)

subheading, topic, connection

subheading, topic, connection

subheading, topic, connection

Methods conclusion paragraph:

Perhaps best to leave this blank.
fill in the blank proposal outline

page 3 of 4
2.ThA
IAP 2007

Time Line (include bottlenecks & plan Bs):

Preliminary references listing:

Appendices?:

fill in the blank proposal outline

page 4 of 4
2.ThA
IAP 2007

2A UNDERGRADUATE THESIS PROPOSAL COVERSHEET

Student Name: ________________________________________Date: ________________________

Term Address: Living Group/Room: _____________________________________________________

Street Address: __________________________________________________________

City: _______________________________ State: _____ ZIP: ____________________

Phone: _________________________ Email: ____________________________________________

Tentative Thesis Title: _______________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________
Thesis Advisor's Name: ____________________________________________________________________
(Must either be a member of the MIT faculty or have an appointment such as lecturer, research associate, or visiting faculty.)
Thesis Advisor's Department (if non-M.E.): ________________________ Title: ______________________
Thesis Advisor's Office: ______________ Phone: ______________ Email: __________________________
Please indicate the distribution of your thesis work over the following terms. The total number of
units may not exceed 15.
Fall 2006

number of units: _______

IAP 2007

number of units: _______ (maximum 6)

Spring 2007

number of units: _______

Summer 2007

number of units: _______

Thesis Advisor's Agreement:

I have assisted in the definition of this thesis topic proposal, and believe it to be an appropriate topic
for the number of credits listed above. I hereby agree to supervise the progress of the thesis and to
evaluate the work once the thesis is completed. Faculty Thesis Supervisor
Signature:______________________________ Date: _______________
Design Requirement (not needed if you take/have taken 2.009):
I have reviewed this thesis proposal and believe it satisfies the 2A design requirement. 2A
Coordinator
Signature:______________________________ Date: _______________
Permission for MIT to archive this thesis proposal on the web:
I hereby grant MIT permission to archive this thesis proposal on the web for reference and
educational purposes. Proposal Author
Signature:______________________________ Date: _______________
Please attach your 2A thesis proposal (about 8 +/- 5 pages).

2.ThA class 3
1 draft assessment form
st

Purpose: This form provides an opportunity to reflect on the status of your thesis proposal
and to compare your impressions of this status to the impressions of your peers.

Part 1, Completeness
Estimate the percentage of the document that qualifies as:

____% camera ready; needs no further work

____% pretty good, requisite detail exists, needs polish but otherwise sound
rough draft, the information is (mostly) in paragraph form but needs

____% (possibly) significant work to make it presentable to the reader.

____% existent in outline form
____% as yet non-existent

As of class 3, a proposal is about on target if 100% exists in rough draft form

or 50% as pretty good draft, or 33% for each of pretty good, rough draft, and
non-existent.

Part 2, Structure
Rate these aspects of structural integrity
(=needs work, ok=ok, +=excellent, NA=not applicable):
ok + NA
ok + NA
ok + NA

structure of the proposal as a whole, title page, introduction, background,

methods
structure of the individual sections, discernable via subheadings or clearly
connected topic sentences
paragraph structure, demonstrates control of issues addressed by The
Science of Scientific Writing
As of class 3, a proposal is on target if the document is divided into sections,
including at least introduction & methods sections (the background may be
combined with the introduction; the title page, bibliography, & other end
matter should be easy to add at the end). The structure of the individual
sections should be clear from subheadings or paragraph topic sentences.
Paragraphs may still need work in terms of stress position, information order,
& story line.

2.ThA 1st draft assessment form

pg 1 of 2

Part 3, Arguments
How convincing were the following:
(=needs work, ok=ok, +=excellent, NA=not applicable):
ok + NA

the argument for the relevance of the problem.

ok + NA

the argument for the appropriateness of the methods

ok + NA

the use of references to support arguments

ok + NA

the use of graphics to support arguments

As of class 3, the existence, logic, and approximate positioning of arguments
should be clear. Details can be worked out in future drafts.

Part 4, What you need to know/what else needs to happen

If you are the author: What do you need to know about your draft that a reader could tell
you?
If you are a reader: What do you need from this document to understand the specific
problem, be convinced of the utility of the project, and feel confident that the author will
succeed.

2.ThA 1st draft assessment form

pg 2 of 2

Topic Category:
Example thesis titles

Consumer Product design:

A flexible crampon design
or
Automatic acoustic guitar tuner
Research project:
A study of plasma etching for use on active metals
or
Biomechanical properties of engineered collagen
scaffolds
Comparative Analysis:
A comparison of high temperature fuel cells and gas
turbines for expansion of the MIT Cogeneration
Plant
Service project (i.e. bagasse for Haiti)
A comparative analysis of emissions from bagasse
charcoal and wood charcoal
Environmental impact analysis:
An environmental impact analysis of grinding
Manufacturing process design:
An application of lean principles within a
semiconductor manufacturing environment
Improvements in logistics:
Building operational excellence in a multi-node
supply chain
Creating a new class:
An interdisciplinary MIT course : designing robots
that interact with the physical world
Installation of public art:
Construction and installation of public comfort art :
"Art as sanctuary"

Some Possible Information Types

Bringing the reader up to date.
What motivates your approach?

Market data, parts information, patent design information, standards, parts

specifications, popular literature, commercial web sites, handbooks, interviews

Research articles (conference, journal, review), textbooks, handbooks, technical reports,

theses

Research articles about fuel cells and gas turbines, data gathered from operating
processes, technical reports about how the cogeneration plant was designed, trade news
in power generation, energy statistics, benchmark information from other institutions.
Database about appropriate technologies, information about Haiti (government,
statistics), handbooks, theses
Government information, standards, data, statistics, handbooks, research articles,
technical reports
Handbooks, environmental standards, industry information about semiconductor
manufacturing.
Logistics research articles, trade news, company information

Stats about MIT classes, educational research articles, textbooks, etc.

Handbooks, safety standards for outdoor art installation

2.ThA information types

courtesy of Tracy Gabridge

2.ThA mechanical engineering information types

Type
Scholarly articles in mechanical
engineering

Review articles in mechanical

engineering

Why?
Get in depth research as reported by
the scientists and engineers who are
doing the work. Can see how
research is done, get a sense for
different methodologies, and of
course, see results. References at the
end of research articles can lead you
to more high-quality information.
Many scholarly articles are reviewed
by a group of peers before publishing,
and so are often seen as very
authoritative.
This is a special class of research
article where the author summarizes
and comments on all the significant
research on a topic. Review articles
are great for getting a sense of a
topic, or getting up to speed on the
research environment for specific
subjects

Where to find?
Article databases like Compendex , Web of Science, Google Scholar (http://scholar.google.com ).
.
More article databases for Mechanical Engineering can be found in MIT library.
While article databases dont usually have full text within them, they usually have a link
to online full text, if its available.

You can easily limit to review articles with a database like Compendex.
So me journals and databases specialize in review article publishing. For
instance, the Synthesis Digital Library (find in MIT library) and Foundations and Trends
journals are examples.

TAG - 1/8/2007

Type
Conference articles in
mechanical engineering

Design specifications/ parts

information

Patents

Why?
Similar to scholarly articles,
conference articles provide access to
in depth research. Often researchers
can publish/present results in a
conference before a journal article
appears due to the lead time
necessary to put out a journal. In
Mechanical Engineering conference
articles are often not peer-reviewed.
Instrumental in design of systems to
get data about parts to be used

Its estimated that 85% of the

information contained in patents is
not published anywhere else. Great
source of diagrams and descriptions
of how things work. The downside is
that searching for useful patents is
sometimes a difficult process

Where to find?
Article databases like Compendex, and Google Scholar (http://scholar.google.com).
More article databases for Mechanical Engineering can be found in Vera:
http://libraries.mit.edu/vera. While article databases dont usually have full text within them, they
usually have a link to online full text, if its available.

Global Spec: http://www.globalspec.com/

Thomas Register: http://www.thomasnet.com/index.html
Free Trade Zone:
Web sites of specific parts manufacturers
http://libraries.mit.edu/guides/types/patents/

TAG - 1/8/2007

Type
Standards

Market research

Manufacturing process/logistics
design

Why?
Do you need to make a product work
safely? Do you need to know how to
test some aspect of your design?
What if your design needs to work
with other products is the interface
built properly for interaction?
Industry standards provide detailed
specifications for how products need
to work with each other, or how to
be safe.
To size a market for a product, to
choose a target market, pricing/costs,
etc. You might be trying to show
that your product fills an unmet need
in the market which could justify
investment in it.
What are the best practices in
manufacturing design? What costs
are involved in the process? This
category covers a myriad of questions
related to business aspects of getting
stuff manufactured and delivered to
appropriate places

Where to find?
http://libraries.mit.edu/guides/types/standards/

Use the Dewey Library Business Database Advisor to find the right database for your product area:
http://libraries.mit.edu/guides/subjects/business-databases/index.html

Research articles by manufacturing design and logistics researchers can often be found in business
article databases such as:
ABI/Inform
Business Source Premie r
Compendex and Web of Science can also be good sources here.
There are also many books and handbooks about manufacturing processes and logistics. Dont forget
to check the MIT Catalog, Barton (http://libraries.mit.edu/barton) and our suite of online handbooks
in knovel and Books24x7.

TAG - 1/8/2007

Type
Technical reports

Government information

Why?
Technical reports are often written
by research organizations to satisfy
the requirements of a funding agency
or to document progress on a
research project. Sometimes they
have more in-depth information than
the average journal article because
space limitations arent as strict.
Governments produce an enormous
amount of information. Its possible
to get highly reliable data about any
number of topics from the
government, such as data about
countries around the world (CIA
factbook), statistics on social and
economic phenomena, etc. If you are
designing a better exhaust system for
a car, you might need to know about
particulate emissions standards. If
you are doing an environmental
impact analysis of a manufacturing
process, you will want to know about
hazardous materials handling
procedures.

Where to find?
Database for finding information about technical reports: NTIS.
Also, information for finding online technical reports:
http://libraries.mit.edu/guides/types/techreports/

http://libraries.mit.edu/guides/subjects/govdocs/index.html

TAG - 1/8/2007

Type
Statistics

Data biological, sociological,

technical, geographical etc.

Why?
When youd like to make a case for
pursuing the solution you propose to
a problem, well-considered statistics
can be very convincing.

Use data when you need researchgenerated information. Data sets

tend to be the direct, unanalyzed,
raw information created by an
experiment or
research study. Using data frequently
means going straight to the source.

Where to find?
Trade Statistics guide: http://libraries.mit.edu/guides/subjects/data/access/subject/trade/index.html
Database of statistics:
Lexis-Nexis Statistical Universe:
More databases:
Look in Vera (http://libraries.mit.edu/vera) under the Statistics subject for many more resources.
Its impossible to provide a comprehensive set of resources here. Here are a few leads:
Biological Sequencing sources: http://libraries.mit.edu/guides/subjects/biology/sequence.html
Social Science Data:
http://libraries.mit.edu/guides/subjects/data/
Some technical data in handbooks:
Knovel:

Theses

Other students may have worked on

a topic similar to your. Sometimes
its useful to see thesis written by
students who were previously
supervised by your advisor.

Geographical (GIS) data:

http://libraries.mit.edu/gis/index.html
All MIT theses are listed within the MIT Libraries catalog, Barton: http://libraries.mit.edu/barton. In
the thesis search screen, you can search for your advisors name find theses previously supervised by
him/her. Many MIT theses are available online at: https://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

TAG - 1/8/2007

Type
News, trade news

Why?
News articles can provide
justification for your course of action,
or can provide up-to-the-minute
information about whats happening
in your area of interest.

Popular literature

Sometimes having a reference to the

latest article in Popular Mechanics is
just what you need to make a point.

Handbooks/technical
encyclopedias

Handbooks often summarize vast

amounts of useful information within
a topical area. Technical
encyclopedias can give a great
jumping off point for learning about
a topic. For questions like what
battery to use in a design, to what is
the strength of a particular
composite, handbooks are a great
resource.

Commercial web sites

Where to find?
Big databases:
Factiva:
Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe:
Proquest Research Library:
Look in Vera (http://libraries.mit.edu/vera) under the News subject for many more resources.
Good databases for accessing the popular literature:
Applied Science Index:
Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe:
Proquest Research Library:
Readers Guide Abstracts:
Engineering Handbooks:
Knovel:
ASM Handbooks Online:
Books24x7:
CINDAS:
Technical Encyclopedias:
Access Science @ McGraw Hill: The Online Encyclopedia of Science and Technology:

Your favorite web search engine

TAG - 1/8/2007

2A Thesis Intent Form, IAP/Spring 2007

Your Name:______________________________ Todays Date_____________

Your E-mail Address: ______________________________________________
Your Thesis Advisor:_______________________________________________
Your Thesis Advisors E-Mail Address:________________________________
Your Thesis Advisors Interdepartmental Mail Address:___________________
Tentative Thesis Title:______________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
Have you/will you take 2.009? YES NO
Students who do not take 2.009 must satisfy the design requirement with the thesis and
will need the signature of the 2A coordinator, Prof. Sang Kim, or the Course 2
Undergraduate Officer, Prof. John Lienhard, on the thesis proposal cover sheet.
Please indicate the tentative distribution of your thesis work over the following terms.
The total number of units may not exceed 15.

IAP 2007

Number of units ________(maximum 12)

Spring 2007

Number of units ________

Fall 2007

Number of units ________

IAP 2008

Number of units ________

Please indicate when you expect to attend the CI-M component of 2.ThA:
IAP 2007

Fall 2007

Please return this form to the Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate Office,

by registration day, February 5, 2007.

Proposal
To Estimate the Load Rate Imparted to a Climbing
Anchor During Fall Arrest
Dave Custer
Specific topic
info is available
in stress
positions, both
in the title and
at the start of
the introduction

.The word to (or in order

to) lets the reader know
what problem is being
solved.

Summary: Because the strength of ice anchors is, in part, a function of the load rate, increasing the load rate of the
decelerating climber reduces anchor strength in brittle ice. To provide a rule of thumb estimate of the load rate imparted to a
climbing anchor during fall arrest, a simple, algebraic formula for load rate will be derived by modeling the rope as a spring.
Further refinements of the model will take other energy losses into account, including the damping of the rope, friction losses
at the top carabiner, and lifting of the belayer. The model will be compared to data taken from the literature. The resulting
estimate of load rate will allow ice climbers to better evaluate which equipment to use and how to arrange anchoring
systems.
1 Introduction

This paragraph
tells the story
of load rate.
The noun
occupies many
subject
positions. The
alternate strain
rate is
probably just
confusing.

An estimate of load rate, the time derivative of force, is important in ice climbing because high load
rates reduce the strength of anchors in brittle ice. Load rate is rarely addressed in non ice climbing
situations because the components of the safety system are not affected by changes in load rate over the
range of values that can occur during fall arrest. For example, metal equipment is expected to be slightly
stronger at higher loading rates (Newby, 1985). Further, the strength of granite, a rock favored by
climbers, also exhibits little change over several orders of magnitude changes in strain rate, and some
rock types increase in strength with increased strain rate (Lockner, 1995). In contrast, the strength of ice
anchors decreases with increasing load rate. While the metal ice screw itself is unaffected, a two order
of magnitude increase in strain rate roughly halves the ice strength (Gold, 1977). Tests on ice anchors
show a similar halving of strength with a two order of magnitude increase in loading rate (Blair, 2004).
This phenomenon is complicated by the fact that ductile ice exhibits an increase in strength with
increased strain rates. Further complications are the paucity of data and conflict in existing data that
pinpoints the brittle/ductile transition at temperatures above -40C, temperatures at which most ice
climbing occurs. Nonetheless, the documented decrease in ice and ice anchor strength at higher load
rates suggests that climbers need to understand and control the loading rate of ice anchors. To this end, a
(very) simple model of a climbing fall is used to derive an algebraic formula to estimate the load rate
imparted to a climbing anchor during fall arrest, and this simple model is compared to more realistic
models and to existing experimental data.

In general, transitions between

sentences are OK. The further
and nonetheless transition
words are vague.

A little sketchy
telling the
reader what is
in fact not
important. The
usually no one
cares, so no
one has
checked this
out logic is
decidedly
unclear.
Further, in the
digression, Ive
strayed from

The end of
the
introduction
provides an
overview of
the solution.

2.ThA Short Oral Presentation Feedback

Presenter & Topic: ______________________________

Respondent: __________________________________

What was the best aspect of the presentation?

Were you satisfied with the images? Why?

What aspects should be adjusted for the longer presentation?

2.ThA Oral Presentation Checklist

Presentor and topic:
Evaluator:
Starting Tactics:
Introduction
Pace of Presentation
Apologized

needs work, A-OK, super

Slow, A-OK, Fast
yes no

Power Point Slides:

Too Few/Too Many

too few, A-OK, too many

Clear

yes no

Checked Projection

yes no

Full Sentence Headings

yes no

Look

sloppy, A-OK,
professional

Ran Overtime

no yes wayyes

Time:
Body Stuff:
Waved Hands

yes no

Fidgeted

yes no

Stood Stock Still

yes no

Oration:
Volume
Pace

too quiet, A-OK, nice &

loud
slow, A-OK, fast

Much Ah/Umming

yes no

Read Verbatim

yes no

Question/Answer Technique
Repeated Questions

yes no

Got Bogged Down/Heckled

yes no

Was Prepared for Questions

yes no

Prepared

yes no

Craft:
Structured

needs more, A-OK, super

Clear Purpose

needs more, A-OK, super

Development

needs more, A-OK, super

Briefly, what information was conveyed?

|
|
|
Art:
Humor & Enthusiasm
Briefly, what did you discover?
|
|
|

yes no

Oral Presentations
An oral presentation is not just salad dressing; it is not just the press conference where
you announce your brilliant discovery to the rest of the world. Rather, you will have to
communicate orally with others (talk to your sponsors (boss)) at regular intervals
throughout your project and convince them of the utility, economy, and timeliness of
your work. Even if the convincing is done informally, many facets of the formal oral
presentation will serve you well in the informal situations. Oral communication skills will
shape the course of any project.
The same principles that guide documents, paragraphs, and graphics guide oral
presentations: structure, detail, beginning/middle/end, unity, transition, and development.
As with the other topics covered in these notes, the two important issues are structure and
delivery. These issue are addressed at three levels:

the mechanics of giving a good presentation: using the tools

what makes a good presentation: craft
what makes an excellent presentation: art

20 DOS AND DON'TS -- MECHANICS

Never apologize
Speak at a sane rate. Don't say, " We have alot of material to cover, so I'm going
to have to talk fast..."
Overheads:
o Check your projection
o Shun a cluttered overhead
o Check your projection
o Don't stand in front of your overhead
o 10/12 views for a 10=>15 minute presentation
o Embellish and fill in your overheads
o Don't cover up parts of the overhead
o Bring key equations forward on several graphs
o If you use an overhead twice, have two of them
Time:
o Don't run overtime
o Focus on just one result
o Don't run overtime
o Don't derive unless the derivation is important
o Don't run overtime
o Detail can kill you
o Don't run overtime
body stuff:
o Control your hands -- use them to focus attention on the screen
o Don't be a stone/don't be a fidget

Speaking:
o Talk so you can be heard
o Don't talk to the wall
o Don't read from notes -- if you must, start with something else.
questions:
o Repeat questions
o Don't get bogged down in them

As George Orwell suggests, "Break any of these rules rather than say anything outright
barbarous."

WHAT MAKES A GOOD TALK? CRAFT

A good talk conveys information efficiently. The same expository issues that work for
text and graphics work for oral presentations:

Audience
Problem and purpose
Focus
Structure
Unity
Transition
Development

Delivery:

Use stage fright

Practice
Know who you are and make the best of it

Graphics in oral presentations:

Legible
Decipherable
Comprehensible

WHAT MAKES AN EXCELLENT TALK? ART

Discovery
Metaphor
Something for everyone, always
Personality -- humor and enthusiasm

PRACTICE :: TEACH
21w783 Presentation Expectations

Deliver an oral presentation based on your written work.

You need only attend the session in which you present.
Your audience is ten 21w783 students.
Plan on 8 minutes for the presentation; shorter is OK, longer is not. 2 minutes
Q&A.
I encourage power point (get the file to me early if you expect to use my laptop)
or overhead slides. Extensive use of the blackboard is too time consuming.
Sign up for a tim
e slot.
Let me know via e-mail when you would like to present.

Proposal Author & Title:

Reader:

Part 1, Overall Evaluation:

Draft Status:

o
o
o

a complete draft, acceptable as a final draft

significant work, but not complete but deserves minor revisions
multiple problems obscure content and inhibit suggestions for
improvement

Impact:

SOLD: the motivation, problem, context, methods, & success criteria are
clear. I'm convinced of the worthiness of the venture and the author's
imminent success in this endeavor.
o Maybe if you told me more... : topic is identified, but other elements are
vague or omitted.
o Frightened: I don't understand enough to comment further.
o

Section Structure:

each section well structured, with an overview &/or connection to the

project as appropriate. the structure emphasizes what's important.
information appears in the appropriate sections. appropriate use of tables
and figures.
o overall structure is discernable, but deserves improvement
o unclear structure in more than one section of the report or repeated
organizational problems that interfere with the proposal's coherence.
o

Paragraph Structure:

each paragraph is unified around a single topic. topic sentences are apt.
information order and connectivity succeed. not too long, not too short.
o paragraphs are understandable, but occasional problems with structure and
connectivity persist
o repeated problems at the paragraph level interfere with my understanding
of this proposal.
o

Sentence Structure & Word Choice:

o
o
o

grammar, word choice, verb tense, pronouns all flawless

some re-occurring problems that do not interfere
sentence and word level problems interfere with my understanding of this
proposal.

Part 2, Proposal-specific Information:

Is the general problem clear?

Is the specific problem clear?
Is the motivation clear? Is the specific problem important?
Is the context clear? Is the relationship between the literature and the proposed
project clear?
Does the solution constitute a well thought out plan?
Has the author demonstrated sufficient mastery of the subject matter to inspire
confidence in his/her ability to complete this project?

Part 3, What needs the most work:

What parts of the draft that deserve further revision. What sort of revision is
needed?

What needs are not met by the text. As the reader, what else do you need to know
to understand and evaluate this thesis project?

Dave's 2.ThA End of Term Questions, Fall 2005, Part 1 (Turn page for Part 2.)
The communication intensive component of 2.ThA was designed to improve informal communication skills (e.g. networking, keeping current in
the field, learning from your peers), formal communication skills (written & oral), and project organization skills. To what degree did the
following aspects of 2.ThA help you succeed at each of these three objectives? (NA = not applicable, 0 = not at all ==> 4 = quite a lot)

2.ThA Component

Informal Professional
Communication Skills

Formal Professional
Communication Skills

Project Organization
Skills

Class 1: Big Picture & Getting Started

NA 0

4 NA 0

4 NA 0

Class 2: About Writing

NA 0

4 NA 0

4 NA 0

Homework assignment: Get a thesis, notebook, & plan

NA 0

4 NA 0

4 NA 0

Homework assignment: Read a thesis proposal

NA 0

4 NA 0

4 NA 0

Homework assignment: Write your project statement

NA 0

4 NA 0

4 NA 0

Homework assignment: Write your proposal background & methods

NA 0

4 NA 0

4 NA 0

Preparing and delivering your short oral presentation:

NA 0

4 NA 0

4 NA 0

Preparing and delivering your long oral presentation:

NA 0

4 NA 0

4 NA 0

Reviewing the video of your presentation:

NA 0

4 NA 0

4 NA 0

Watching other students' presentations:

NA 0

4 NA 0

4 NA 0

In class proposal workshop:

NA 0

4 NA 0

4 NA 0

Final revisions of the proposal:

NA 0

4 NA 0

4 NA 0

Feedback on oral presentations from the instructor:

NA 0

4 NA 0

4 NA 0

Feedback on oral presentations from other students:

NA 0

4 NA 0

4 NA 0

Feedback on written work from the instructor:

NA 0

4 NA 0

4 NA 0

Feedback on written work from other students:

NA 0

4 NA 0

4 NA 0

12/1/2005 7:18 PM

Dave's 2.ThA End of Term Questions, Fall 2005, Part 2 (Turn page for Part 1.)
What additional topics, activities, or assignments should be added to 2.ThA?

What other changes should be made to 2.ThA for next year/semester?

How much 2.ThA CI-M classwork had no bearing on your thesis?

How difficult was it to find a thesis advisor & project? If finding a thesis advisor was difficult, why was the
task difficult? How could 2.ThA and/or the MechE department better help students find thesis advisors?

How has 2.ThA affected your confidence in your ability to successfully complete your thesis? How do you
measure/discern this effect?

To what degree did 2.ThA cover material you had already covered at MIT? Which courses provided the
redundant content?

12/1/2005 7:16 PM

2.ThA
research assignment
due for class 2, Jan 11
(courtesy of Tracy Gabridge)

Part 1
Watch these online tutorials about how to find information in Mechanical Engineering (45
minutes). If you were in 2.75 this past semester, you can skip the first set of tutorials since you
probably heard the live presentation.
a. Finding articles (parts 1 and 2), Web of Science, Help Yourself at:
http://libraries.mit.edu/guides/courses/fall2006/2.75/
b. Database Search Tips, Evaluating information at:
http://libraries.mit.edu/tutorials/classes/3.091/index.html

Part 2
Using resources youve learned about from the online tutorials and/or the handout from
class, use the resources suggested to find three documents that support your thesis proposal.
Take note of the process you used to locate the three documents and the complete citations
for the documents. Bring all of this to Class 2.

Part 3
Go to www.refworks.com to create an account. Click on Login and use the sign up for an
individual account. The MIT Libraries provide free access to this service for the MIT
Community. Bring your login information to Class 2.

Proposal Author & Title:

Reader:

Part 1, Cursory checklist:

Draft Status:

o
o
o

a complete draft, acceptable as a final draft

significant work, but not complete or deserves minor revisions
multiple problems obscure content and inhibit suggestions for
improvement

Impact:

SOLD: the motivation, problem, context, methods, & success criteria are
clear. I'm convinced of the worthiness of the venture and the author's
imminent success in this endeavor.
o Maybe if you told me more... : topic is identified, but other elements are
vague or omitted.
o Not sold: Im convinced the project should not progress beyond the
proposal stage, or the text does not provide enough information for me to
comment further.
o

Section Structure:

each section well structured, with an overview &/or connection to the

project as appropriate. the structure emphasizes important elements.
information appears in the appropriate sections. appropriate use of tables
and figures.
o overall structure is discernable, but deserves improvement
o unclear structure in more than one section of the report or repeated
organizational problems that interfere with the proposal's coherence.
o

Paragraph Structure:

each paragraph is unified around a single topic. topic sentences are apt.
information order and connectivity succeed. not too long, not too short.
o paragraphs are understandable, but occasional problems with structure and
connectivity persist
o repeated problems at the paragraph level interfere with my understanding
of this proposal.
o

Sentence Structure & Word Choice:

o
o
o

grammar, word choice, verb tense, pronouns all flawless

some re-occurring problems that do not interfere
sentence and word level problems interfere with my understanding of this
proposal.

Conflict of interest:

There IS a financial or other conflict of interest between your work and

that of the author?
o There IS NO financial or other conflict of interest between your work and
that of the author?
o

Part 2, Proposal-specific Information:

Do what degree is the general problem clear & well argued?

To what degree is the specific problem clear & well argued?
Is the motivation clear? How important is the specific problem?
Is the context clear? What is the relationship between the literature and the
proposed project?
Does the solution constitute a well thought out plan?
Has the author demonstrated sufficient mastery of the subject matter to inspire
confidence in his/her ability to complete this project?

Part 3, What needs the most work:

What are the strengths of the proposal?

What are the weaknesses of the proposal that need to be addressed by the author
within the next 10 days? As the reader, what else do you need to know to
understand and evaluate this thesis project? What parts of the draft deserve further
revision. What sort of revision is needed?

2A Thesis Proposal
This Document is a Template for a 2A Thesis
Proposal. Replace this paragraph with a Focused
Thesis Proposal Title, e.g. not A Study of Jerk,
instead A Simple Algebraic Model of Load Rate
during Arrest of a Falling Climber. Be sure to
include a specific, verb-like word to indicate
exactly what you are doing, for example: measure,
design, construction, model, prototype, optimization.
Your big name in lights,
and maybe even your e-mail address.
(E.g. Dave Custer, )
Your thesis advisors name
and contact info
(email, MIT inter-departmental mail address)

Summary: Include a one paragraph summary of your project. Include problem,

motivation, and methods information. Avoid context/background information; stick such
info in the introduction. Near the end of the summary, hint at the utility of your proposed
work. E.g. Because the strength of ice anchors is, in part, a function of the strain rate of
the applied load, the jerk of the decelerating climber affects anchor strength; higher jerks
reduce the anchor strength. To provide a rule of thumb estimate of the jerk imparted to a
climbing anchor during fall arrest, this thesis develops a simple, algebraic formula for
jerk that is based on energy conservation of the potential energy of the falling climber
before the fall and the spring energy that has been imparted to the rope at the end of the
fall. The resulting formula will be couched as the jerk factor, which in combination
with the fall factor can provide ice climbers with an indication of the severity of a fall.
The research requires a bazillion dollar expense account in the Cayman Islands and will
be completed by either May 2007 or a few months after my suntan is fully developed.

2A Thesis Proposal

Short Title

Introduction:
Start your introduction with a phrase that precisely identifies the problem you are solving
or the tidbit of information you are setting out to find. Doing so puts your work in the
most significant stress position of the document. Use your pithy problem statement to
lead direction to context information at the level of your work. If you are inventing a
medical device to keep artificial heart valves clean, develop the importance of clean heart
valves first and bury the worldwide incidence of cardiovascular disease in a position of
low stress.
Instead of:
Heart disease is the leading killer of people worldwide [1]. => A medical device that
would keep artificial heart valves clean would be a good thing.
focus the thesis on the thesis topic rather than the context:
Blood clot formation is the most significant limitation to the use of artificial heart
valves. => Artificial heart valves are a leading cause of heart disease, the leading
killer of people worldwide [1]. => Back to your (general) problemkeeping artificial
heart valves free of blot clots.
Develop your problem.; details might include context, motivation, general problem,
specific problem. At the end of the introduction, hint at your solution.
Change your header and footer info from MSWord View>Header & Footer
Background:
Your background is an overview of other work that has succeeded, especially similar
problems, similar solutions, and models of how things should be.Use subheadings to
introduce your structure here (you might also want to do so in the introduction).
Subheadings:
Pick a structure that permeates your thesis and indicate the structure with subheadings. If
you think italics are a geeky way to indicate a subheading, feel free to delineate
subheadings via font size change (Heading => Subheading) or a numbering scheme (1
Heading => 1.1 Subheading). Some folks find the colon at the end of the
heading/subheading to be redundant; I happen to like the colon but realize this penchant
is a personal foible.
Some stray thoughts on font:
Im using Times New Roman here because it is boring. I discourage the use of any
exciting font for your thesis proposal. If you are picky about fonts, pick one that is easy
to read. American readers like serif fonts. (European readers are a little more tolerant of
sans-serif, though the small letters here are too tall for anyone to read very far in this
font.) Pick a font that is a little bit stuffy; after all, the thesis proposal is a formal

My Name

Page 2 of 8

1/7/2007

2A Thesis Proposal

Short Title

document. 12 points is about the right size for a wide page; I dont recommend breaking
your page into columns as many journals do to reduce the font size and crank up the
information density. Google (scholar) HOW TO USE FIVE LETTERFORMS TO GAUGE
A TYPEFACE'S PERSONALITY: A RESEARCH-DRIVEN METHOD by Jo Mackiewicz
for a short overview of font choice criteria. Dont lose sleep over font choice.
How I like to do figures and tables:
I encourage you to include graphics to support your arguments.
Below are some examples of how I like to do tables and figures (Table 1 and Figures
1 & 2). I like keeping the figure/table caption/heading together as part of a table. To do
so, I get rid of the lines on the cell that contains the heading/caption. Mouse on Table,
Table Properties, Borders and Shading, Borders, point and click a few times until you get
the hang of it.
I keep the figure/table from splitting across page boundaries by selecting the table,
Format>Paragraph>Line & Page Breaks> Keep with Next.
Oh, and be sure to cite your figure source if you are not the source of the figure. This
citation is particularly important because one cannot put quotation marks around figures
to indicate the difference between precise quotation and paraphrasing. If you are
quoting a figure, say from reference X; if you are paraphrasing a figure, say
adapted from reference X or based on reference X.

My Name

Page 3 of 8

1/7/2007

2A Thesis Proposal

Short Title

Table 1 Equipment Strength Bands Based on Situation (used by permission of me)

Strength Rating (Fmax)
For Belay Anchor
For Running Anchor
If Used Correctly (IUC),
IUC, will hold.
Fmax 20 kN
e.g. Bolts and Carabiners
will hold.
Closed Gate/Long Axis
IUC, will hold.
IUC, will hold, presuming a
20 kN > Fmax 12 kN
e.g. Most Cams and Nuts
dynamic belay.
Sketchy, even IUC.
IUC, usually holds,
12 kN > Fmax 7 kN
e.g. Smaller Cams, Nuts,
Requires additional,
presuming a dynamic belay.
and Open Gate Carabiners
equalized gear
Will NOT hold severe falls.
Not suitable.
Even IUC, cannot be relied
7 kN > Fmax 3 kN
e.g. Twinkie Cams and
on. May hold benign falls.
Small Nuts
Best to backup and/or
equalize.
Extremely most not
Surely will NOT hold a fall.
3 kN > Fmax
e.g. Ice Ax Picks and Thin
suitable.
For upward progress (aid)
Aluminum Rappel Rings
onlyor maybe rappelling.

Figure 1 Video clip frame of a carabiner

gate rubbing against a crack edge during a
simulated fall. (stolen by my permission
from an article that I wrote for the
American Alpine Club)

My Name

Figure 2 Carabiner gate notch caught on

gear. (again, this figure is already mine, so I
dont have to say that it is shamelessly
stolen from myself.)

Page 4 of 8

1/7/2007

2A Thesis Proposal

Short Title

How I like my equations:

Different specialties have different expectations of equations. As a first pass, recognize
how equations are used by the folks in your field. As a second pass, realize that readers
switch from text mode to equation mode with great difficulty. Most readers skip the
equations embedded in text unless the equations are very common or easy to see. For
example, everyone can handle the fact that F = ma without too much trouble. And
Newtons law (Equation 1) would be pretty easy to understand.
F = ma
(1)
But many folks would have heavily glazed eyes looking at Equations 2 through 6, even if
I had an argument that the reader could follow, and even though this equation layout is
the norm for many publications.
2
2
2 ( + h ) + h 2( + h ) ( + h ) + h

l 2 =
(2)
2
4

M
1

z = (mc g (h + s ) (mb gsr + s p Fbd )) , y = 2 +

8

sh

1
mgh + mgh = k (h) 2
2
1
mg + m 2 g 2 + 4 kmgh
mg + m 2 g 2 + 2kmgh
2
h =
=
1
k
2 k
2
a = 0
v = v max = v02 +

m g2
m g2
mc g 2 L
= v02 + c
= 2 gh + c
k
k
M

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

When writing for less mathematically inclined folks, consider thinking about your
equations as if they are figures. Doing so forces you to develop an argument in the text
and may keep some readers from getting lost switching between text and math modes.
For example:

My Name

Page 5 of 8

1/7/2007

2A Thesis Proposal
The stiff rope model of EAS
performance compares the energy of
EAS deployment to the additional
potential energy (PEclmber) gained by
the climber as the EAS deploys; the
algebra is developed in Figure 3.
The EAS energy absorption comes
in two forms: opening of the EAS
(UEAS) and friction heat (U) due to
the rope being pulled over the
carabiner. The difference (U)
between the EAS deployment
energy and the climbers additional
potential energy represents the net
energy absorbed by EAS
deployment, and this energy can be
expressed in terms of a fall height
whose energy can be absorbed by
EAS deployment.

My Name

Short Title

PE clmber

Energy Components
= 4mc gl EAS

U EAS = 2 FEAS l EAS

( 1)
U = 2
F l
( + 1) EAS EAS

Net Energy Absorbed by EAS Deployment

U = (U EAS + U ) PE clmber

U = 2 GWc l EAS + 2

(
(

1)
1)

GWc l EAS 4Wc l EAS

( 1)
2
U = 2Wc l EAS G 1 +

( + 1)
( 1)
2
h = 2l EAS G 1 +
( + 1)

Definition of the Break-even Point
( 1)

2 = G 1 +
( + 1)

Figure 3: Algebraic development of stiff rope

energy absorption model

Page 6 of 8

1/7/2007

2A Thesis Proposal

Short Title

Citations & source usage:

MITs librarian Tracy Gabridge has a checklist of guidelines for strong information use
in academic theses, thesis proposals, reports and journal articles (Table 2).
Table 2 Tracys checklist of guidelines for information use in academic writing
Expectation
Implication for thesis proposal
When appropriate, include a predominance of In general, a bibliography of URL references
peer-reviewed references
does not suffice.
Citations contain complete information in
Keep copies of web pages that you cite in case
order that others can find the sources again
the web pages disappear.
(also, web pages include the date the site as
viewed)
The thesis does not rely heavily on web sites
A bibliography of URL references does not
in citations. Web sites are only included
suffice.
when nothing else will do. Alternatively,
URLs may be used as place holders for more
robust sources.
Citations come from reputable sources
Elvis sightings should not guide your thesis
(credible authors, solid publications,
work.
verifiable sources)
Citations are based on current information
Some useful information was discovered a long
(not out-of-date or obsolete information)
time ago, so some citations may predate the
internet.
Citations are referenced appropriately within
Support contentions, especially in the
the text and every claim in paper is properly
introduction and background via citation.
credited.
Appropriate sources of information are used
for the purpose of the claim (e.g. handbook
versus research article for basic background
information, never using a wikipedia citation
as a credible source)
In the aggregate, citations show a balanced
use of information. Are some claims
supported by many sources, while other
claims aren't supported at all?
Citations are used effectively within the text
(information from the
citation truly supports the claims made).
References to citations in the text accurately
use the information cited. Information that is
cited isn't used in ways that are inappropriate
to the original author's intention.

My Name

Page 7 of 8

1/7/2007

2A Thesis Proposal

Short Title

Useful characters:
No break space:
I approve of separating units from numbers with a space to prevent the units from (e.g. 3
kN) breaking across a line; connect the number and the units with a no-break space:
3 kN.
As a minor exception, on my account, you may omit the space with temperatures, for
example 31C, though some publications include the space even though it looks strange
without expert typesetting, e.g. 31 C.
N-dash:
The n-dash is longer than a hyphen, shorter than a m-dash, and vertically spaced
differently than a minus sign. Best to use the minus sign or the n-dash to indicate
negative numbers or ranges of numbers. For example: a grade of A, 2 km/s, 35 pages
(rather than A-, -2 km, 3-5 pages.) [hyphen -][minus sign ][n-dash ][m-dash ]
Methods:

Your methods go here. I encourage you to structure your methods according to the master
plan as outlined by subheadings in the background section. Avoid writing an outright
recipe or narrative structure; if you develop such a detailed procedure, it is probably best
hidden in an appendix. Develop your methods according to the important underlying
ideas rather than the order of occurrence in time.
Time line, deliverables, budget, & resources:

Include this info at the end.

References:

There are a number of common ways to use citations. Pick one and run with it. More can
be found in the Mayfield Handbook of Technical Writing, available wherever MIT
certificates are accepted .

My Name

Page 8 of 8

1/7/2007

2.ThA
Thesis Proposal and Thesis Structure Notes
Class 1, IAP 2007

Table 1 Thesis Proposal Structure

Section
Contents
Summary
Everything important

Comments
The proposal is an odd document because it has
no end. Most readers get no further than the
summary, so the summary must embody the
entire enterprise. Consider avoiding the first
person more than usual. Avoid citations in the
summary. Make your context and motivation
clear, but avoid emphasizing the context (via
stress position or text length).
Present tense (?) Start with wording from your
title. Start with your specific problem; move to
context at the level of your research. Focus/spin
info on your problem. Try to make the structure
of the whole clear, perhaps by explicit sectioning
of the text or grouping of ideas.
Consider using the present tense; you may talk
about peer reviewed/published results as if they
are platonically true over all time, even though
the research was in fact conducted in the past.
Lots of citations here. Follow structure set up in
the introduction.

Introduction Defines a problem. Perhaps

defines a tidbit of information
that should be known.
Defining a topic does not
suffice. Most proposals fail
here.
Background What the reader needs to
know to feel confident of your
solution. Heavy on literature
and/or model development.
Sometimes run together with
the introduction, especially in
shorter proposals.
Methods
Your solution.
Officially, you should use the future tense, but the
The gold standard is for
future is clunky in English. Perhaps try the present
someone else to repeat the
tense. Avoid the subjunctive mood.
experiment. The utility
standard is to have a recipe for
yourself and a contract both
you and your advisor can live
with. The minimum standard
is what your advisor will sign.
Other Stuff
Time line, deliverables, resum,
budget

pg 1 of 2

2.ThA
Thesis Proposal and Thesis Structure Notes
Class 1, IAP 2007
If your proposal is well written and if your research goes as you expect, your proposal should
appear word for word in your report.
Table 2 Thesis Structure
Section
Contents
Abstract
Theses have abstracts. Abstracts have
4 pieces of information: problem,
solution, results, conclusion. If you
must, include half a sentence of
context information, especially if your
audience is varied or your work
interdisciplinary.
Introduction Defines a problem. A topic does not
suffice.
Background

Methods

What the reader needs to know to

feel confident of your solution. Heavy
on literature and/or model
development
Your solution.The gold standard is for
someone else to repeat the
experiment. While this section is the
story of your research, consider
other structures that are more
important to your ideas than the
ordering of your research in time.
Avoid dwelling on thing you did that
did not work.

Results

What happened when you did what

you did.

Discussion

I abhor the word discuss. Think

analysis.

Conclusion

The big synthesis.

Comments
Often the sentences are long and difficult
to parse. Avoid citations in the abstract as
many readers will not have access to your
bibliography.

Possible word for word inclusion from

proposal. Try to set up a structure from
the start.
Possible word for word inclusion from
proposal. Keep the reader aware of the
structure via sections & headings
(throughout the thesis).
Officially, probably use the past tense for
your work, which is not yet peer reviewed
and may not be found true over all time.
Possible word for word tense changes.
Perhaps try the present tense. Avoid
overusing multiple verbs tenses to express
different eras of your research. Data had been
derived from estimators before the onset of singularities
occurred. Then unusual circumstances were being driven by
strange attractors while our lunch was delivered. Any
conclusions will have been drawn from a hat.
Past tense, like your methods. The results
section may be very low on text for folks
with quantitative or graphical results.
Sometimes the results and discussion
sections are combined. Sometimes
discussion and conclusion are combined.
Sometimes all three are lumped into one
section, especially in shorter reports.
Consider starting with a sentence that
restates your problem, along the lines of
We set out to solve problem X.

I have omitted many parts: cover page, table of contents, lists of stuff, bibliography.

pg 2 of 2

2.ThA
Deliverables Timeline
IAP 2007
Class 3
you are here, ~ 1/3 finished

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

info
gathering
and outline

further info gathering and

first draft preparation

revision

graphics preparation &

presentation preparation

prepare
shorter, less
formal
presentation

homework 1

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

4
2nd

5
3rd

revision

4th revision

prepare longer, more

formal presentation

peer
review

m
5

final
revision

Due Today:

1) A proposal draft for peer review in class

2) Graphics images &/or ppt slides for in-class show & tell + turn in a copy to Dave Custer.

Homework:

1) Based on the feedback in class, revise your proposal draft; turn the draft in before Sunday , via e-mail, to Dave Custer.
2) Prepare to deliver a 5 minute (or shorter) oral presentation that provides an overview of your thesis project. Emphasize
problem, motivation, context, & structure. Let the audience know what it is that they are supposed to get out of the talk.
Be prepared psychologically to be video taped.

Final, Signed Proposal Due

14

OP

13

OP

12

PR

11

February
f
s s

OP

10

slides due

January
r
f
s s

progress
report

HW 1

classes
proposal
drafts
R=draft due
for review
oral
presentation
preparation
OP=present
ation date
other
homework

introduce yourself
and your project

date

2.ThA
Deliverables Timeline
IAP 2007
Class 4
you are here, ~ two more weeks left

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

info
gathering
and outline

further info gathering and

first draft preparation

revision

graphics preparation &

presentation preparation

prepare
shorter, less
formal
presentation

homework 1

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

4
2nd

5
3rd

revision

4th revision

prepare longer, more

formal presentation

peer
review

m
5

final
revision

Due Today:

1) Oral presentation

Homework:

1) Based on the feedback, revise your proposal draft yet again; bring 4 copies to class on Thursday for preliminary review. Email a copy to Dave Custer for formal peer review.
2) Prepare images/slides for a longer, 12 minute (or shorter) oral presentation that provides an overview of your thesis
project. Continue to emphasize problem, motivation, context, & structure.

Final, Signed Proposal Due

14

OP

13

OP

12

PR

11

February
f
s s

OP

10

slides due

progress
report

HW 1

classes
proposal
drafts
R=draft due
for review
oral
presentation
preparation
OP=present
ation date
other
homework

introduce yourself
and your project

date

January
r
f
s s

2.ThA
Deliverables Timeline
IAP 2007
Class 5
you are here, ~ 11 days left

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

January
f
s s
19

20

21

info
gathering
and outline

further info gathering and

first draft preparation

revision

graphics preparation &

presentation preparation

prepare
shorter, less
formal
presentation

homework 1

February
f
s s

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

4
2nd

5
3rd

revision

4th revision

prepare longer, more

formal presentation

peer
review

final
revision

Due Today:

1) Significant proposal draft, 3 or 4 copies for in-class work and e-copy to Dave.
2) Images/slides for a longer, 12 minute (or shorter) oral presentation; best to get this to Dave via e-mail.

Homework:

1) Detailed peer review: You will receive a pair of drafts for review via e-mail and a form to guide your response. Read the
draft once without a pencil in your hand. Read the draft a second time, pencil in hand or annotations mode/track
changes mode on. Mark up the text; indicate what things you find difficult to understand. Address all levels, from
document structure to proof reading. Write up a summary of your response to the draft. Expect to spend an hour or
two on each draft. By late Saturday evening (Jan 27), return both the summary and the markup to Dave who will
forward on the results (sans reviewers name) to the author.
2) Prepare a 12 minute (or shorter) oral presentation for delivery in class on Jan 29/Feb 1. Continue to emphasize problem,
motivation, context, & structure.

Final, Signed Proposal Due

OP

OP

PR

OP

slides due

progress
report

HW 1

classes
proposal
drafts
R=draft due
for review
oral
presentation
preparation
OP=present
ation date
other
homework

introduce yourself
and your project

date

2.ThA
Deliverables Timeline
IAP 2007
t

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

info
gathering
and outline

further info gathering and

first draft preparation

revision

graphics preparation &

presentation preparation

prepare
shorter, less
formal
presentation

homework 1

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

4
2nd

5
3rd

revision

4th revision

prepare longer, more

formal presentation

peer
review

m
5

final
revision

Final, Signed Proposal Due

14

OP

13

OP

12

PR

11

February
f
s s

OP

10

slides due

January
r
f
s s

progress
report

HW 1

classes
proposal
drafts
R=draft due
for review
oral
presentation
preparation
OP=present
ation date
other
homework

introduce yourself
and your project

date