Your final report
Your final written report is due by the date shown on the schedule, usually the first day of final exams. This report is not intended to be a laboratory report; rather, it is a reflective work in which you summarize your research experience and examine its effect on your education. Five well-written pages should be sufficient. In your narrative, you should address each of the following:
- Describe what you did, and how it fit into the overall research project your team was engaged in.
- Discuss your findings, and compare your findings to your expectations.
- What experiments would you suggest to continue your work, and why?
- Did your experience change your views on scientific research?
- Did it change your educational/career goals?
- What skills have you gained? (laboratory, problem solving, interpersonal, organizational...)
- How has this course contributed to your understanding of scientific discovery?
- How would you improve this course?
This report should be an example of your best writing. Do not simply submit a list of answers to the above questions! If you were allowed a five page essay as part of your application to your favorite graduate school, how would you describe your research experience?
Your report should be submitted electronically; see the guidelines for electronic submission.