General Project Outline
For this Project, you will write an original in-depth analysis regarding your answer to the following question:
"Given an object and a fluid, how may you successfully predict the behavior of the object when placed in the fluid?"
Your analysis should involve such things as operational definitions, how you used the experiments in class to justify your conclusions, summaries of experimental results, and conclusions drawn from experiment. There is no minimum length requirement; however, students in past classes usually had Projects whose lengths were ten pages (or more). A simple statement of the conclusions drawn from your analysis is not sufficient for this Project. Your analysis should address (but is not limited to) such things as:
What is a sinker? What is a floater?
What are the experiments allowing your conclusions to be drawn, what are the experimental results for those tests, and how are the results interpreted?
How do we determine influencing factors as compared to predictive factors?
Does the fluid have any effect on the behavior of the system?
All conclusions drawn must come from your own data: data from outside sources is not acceptable. The scope of this Project encompasses PoM material through §12, so be sure to plan your progress accordingly.
Rough Draft One rough draft of your Project will be required. The rough draft will not be graded. Rough drafts must be comprised of at least 50% of the final paper content coverage, not including the attached operational definitions. Rough drafts will be submitted by the beginning of class Friday, 19 April 2002. Failure to submit a rough draft will result in a grade of zero for your overall Semester Project score.
You are encouraged to seek help from the instructor regarding ways to improve your Project - this may include scheduling an appointment with him during the week prior to submitting the Final Draft.
Final Draft Two final draft copies of your Project will be collected Friday, 26 April 2002 (Friday before Dead Week) at the beginning of class. Please keep in mind that, since this is a project of extended length, it will be collected as advertised here and in the syllabus, without exception.
Due to abyssmal spelling and grammar usage (and lack of elementary proofreading) in past semesters, each final draft MUST be proofread for spelling, usage, and grammatical errors by either an English department member or someone working in the English composition/writing labs. Proofreaders may not have had any prior personal connection with the student whose Project is to be proofread. On the cover page of the final draft, the proofreader must legibly print his name and provide a work phone number for verification purposes. Failure to have the Project adequately proofread by an independent proofreader will result in a score of zero for the Semester Project.
Grading Criteria
Your Project will be assigned a letter grade on each of the following 10 equally-weighted criteria:
English / Grammar Usage
Paper Structure / Proofreading
Operational Definitions
Variable usage and identification
Tests - Influence
Tests - Prediction
Control of Variables Issues
Uncertainty Issues
Liquids other than water
Conclusions Drawn From Investigation
The overall Project score will be determined by the "GPA" method detailed in the syllabus, and will count for 20% of the student's final course grade.
IMPORTANT NOTES:
1. Although students are encouraged to work together, it is required that students submit their own work. This is not a group Project, so please insure that it is clear that your paper represents your own understanding of the material. One final copy of every student's Project will be kept on file to insure that all work presented is original.
2. If a quotation or reference is used, it must be cited correctly. Use of the MLA standards is encouraged. If a bibliography page is needed, please include it at the end of the Project.
3. All OSU academic dishonesty and plagiarism policies will be followed, so please cite any reference materials and insure that all the presented work is your own.