Project Log Expectations, Format, and Samples
The Project Log is possibly the most important aspect of your project. Why?
- It serves as an account of the process.
- It documents your learning, your progress, your research.
- It will help you think deeply about your project, possibly adjusting and reshaping as you go.
- It serves as a “rough draft” for your reflection paper/s: keeping good logs will make writing effective and meaningful reflection papers much easier.
- It serves as a means of communication between you, your mentor, and your coordinator.
Every time you work on your project, even if briefly, take notes and document what you do. You will able to use this information in the Project Log, in the Reflection Papers, and for your Annotated Bibliography!
Requirements for the Project Log
WHEN: Roughly every two cycles you are required to submit a substantive Project Log entry (or entries).
This document should be typed and submitted to your SCP teacher, either as a print out or via email. Keep copies of log entries for yourself, too, whether on the BHS server or in another safe place!
WHAT: Format/Contents of Entries
Your log will tell the story of your project: your activities, your research, your ideas, and your learning. Entries will be evaluated according to four criteria:
- clarity
- level of detail
- depth of reflection
- relevance/focus
The format of your entries is up to you. Here is a suggested method. You might structure your entries in two parts. The first part would be more of a narrative report, relating fairly straightforward information. In this section of an entry, you might answer questions such as these:
What were my goals for this part of the project?
What did I do?
Where did I go? (physically and electronically)
What did I learn?
How will I use new information?
How will this new information help me reach my goal?
What logistical problems need solving? Do I have any ideas as to how these problems can be solved?
What do I do next?
In a second part (set off by a few spaces), you might write more reflectively in response to questions such as:
“Ah-ha” moments.
What confused me? What was frustrating? What was good? Bad?
What questions do I have? (for outside expert, for coordinator, for mentor, etc)
Do I need to revise my work habits/schedule?
What do I need help with now? Who can help me?
How am I working with my mentor?
How am I managing my time?
Assess the quality of your work so far. Are you happy with it?
Write about ideas for your presentation.
Note that your log should include your research notes! Rather than simply write in your log that you skimmed portions of some books or did some other form of research, include the notes themselves so that both you, later on, and your teacher will be able to look at your log as a compendium of what you’re learning along the way. Include bibliographical data in your logs so that you don’t have to go back to hunt for it later!
Important note:
For the first log entry of the year (first assignment of Quarter II), all the above directions and suggestions apply and are relevant. However, please also address the following prompt:
Consider and discuss how your/our exploration of one (or more) themes may help you to develop your own project. Since you have already discussed some possible connections between themes and your project in Q1 homework assignments, you don't want simply to repeat what you've already written. Get more specific, and go into more details (and/or explore additional possible directions). One useful approach to this is to find a source you feel will be directly helpful to your own project, but that also sheds light on one of our themes, and to explain (in your log entry) this dual relevance/helpfulness of the source.
Due date of first log entry: 11/19/10 (next Friday)
Suggested length:
Majors: minimum page and a half (1.5 spacing)
Minors: minimum three quarters of a page (1.5 spacing)
Please plan on typing your log entry so that you'll be able to submit it via Moodle. I'll go over the directions for posting to the site in our next class meeting.