Term Project Guide Line:
- The
term project should be done by a team of at most three students. If
you wish to have more three members, you need to get the permission from
the instructor. Teams should be formed as early as possible.
- Data:
It is understandable that often the collected data are not perfect,
especially in such a short period of time. Be sure to justify the reason
behind the data collection and explain possible bias. If your data
collection involved animals or human subjects, be sure to obtain proper
approval such as the approval from IRB in your organization or the
university. Existing data from your current research or from public
accessible database is also allowed for the project as long as the project
is based on your own work. Do not simply duplicate existing reports. It is strongly recommended that you use your own data
or download from a website run by a well known organization (a list of web
sites is provided below). If you really can not find the data, you can try
one of the four the “Provided Data sets” listed below.
v Data Set 1: Youth Risk Behavior Data
v Data Set 2: Public Opinion on TV Programs
v
Data Set 3:
Can people walk straight?
v
Data Set 4:
What affects the birth weight?
- The
term project will be graded by the following criteria:
- Appropriateness,
Thoroughness and accuracy of analysis 60%.
- Effectiveness
of communication: Organization 20%, Presentation, Professionalism &
Style 20%. (Use the paper writing format of a professional journal in
your major field of study is strongly recommended.)
- Term
project paper: Each team needs to write a summary report for your term
project. The written report and data due Monday of the final exam week
through WebCT Assignment Dropbox.
Each team should turn in your SPSS data file and the summary report file
for your term project. Name your data file as S3717***.sav and name the summary report file as S3717***.doc
(must be a MSWORD file), where *** will be the last name of one of your team members. (If WebCT is not available, either e-mail me or turn in a
disk.) Additional information: Statistical
Study & Preparing
Report.
- Presentation: Each team needs to present your analysis
during the last week of the semester. Each team member should present a
part of your study. The presentation time should not be longer than 15
minutes. You can use PowerPoint or MS-WORD for your presentation. Actual
presentation time will be arranged.
- Deadline:
- A list of your team
members and your project proposal (brief description, no more than one
page) due on the due day of Exam
III. Submit them through WebCT
Discussion Section on Term Project Topic.
- The project paper due
on Monday of the Final Exam week.
- Your
project paper may be posted on the web as an example for future students.
If you don’t wish your project to be posted, please inform your
instructor.
- Examples:
Example 1,
Example
2, Example
3, Example
4. The four examples listed are just for providing you project ideas
and they are not necessarily reporting correct analysis or following a
good paper writing format.
Suggestions for team project:
- Select a team leader.
- The leader of the team should
prepare agenda in advance of each meeting.
- Each team member must make a
commitment, without reservation, to the team process.
- The first task is to define
the nature and scope of the project, including responsibilities of individual
members.
- Brainstorming techniques are
often useful, especially in the early stages when the project is being
defined.
- Brainstorming and other team
discussion can be facilitated by designating one member as scribe to
summarize all discussion by summary statements on a flip chart.
- All discussion should be
aimed at clarification and suggestions before attempting persuasion.
Disagreements should be resolved by appeal to data rather than be debated
and appeals to authority. Team members must be good listeners.
Understanding points of view must precede discussion of their merits.
If
you have questions concerning the project, please feel free to contact your
instructor.