Section B.1. Research Projects

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B.1. Research Projects

An effective way of reinforcing basic concepts from the course and for teaching students research skills is to assign a research project. Such a project could involve a literature search as well as an Internet search of vendor products, research lab activities, and standardization efforts. Projects could be assigned to teams or, for smaller projects, to individuals. In any case, it is best to require some sort of project proposal early in the term, giving the instructor time to evaluate the proposal for appropriate topic and appropriate level of effort. Student handouts for research projects should include

• A format for the proposal

• A format for the final report

• A schedule with intermediate and final deadlines

• A list of possible project topics

The students can select one of the listed topics or devise their own comparable project. The instructor's supplement includes a suggested format for the proposal and final report as well as a list of fifteen possible research topics.