Here are my notes about the ENGR 100 Project Descriptions
1/28/2002

General comments about format:
Most projects are written in a similar format with students as the intended
audience.  The sections in the description include:
- Background Info
- Project Definition
- Procedures
- Materials 
- Goals
- Schedule and Deliverables

The ordering of these sections differs somewhat.
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Bridge Design

Format:  

- background intro to stresses, forces, strength of structures, analysis
  procedures

- description of problem with bridge spanning size

- description of steps for students to follow
  (students should restate problem in own words, plan for materials, 
   brainstorm design ideas, evaluate proposed designs and select best
   approach)

- schedule of project dates and deliverables

Notes:

The project description is thorough in background material that students
need to understand and evaluate their bridge designs.  The project description
itself is written for the students (much like a lab procedure for a science
class).  

New Bridge Design Project

Format:

- problem description comes first

- list of project goals

- more detailed project notes about spanning size, evaluation criteria,
  and scoring criteria

- description of steps for students to follow

- smaller background section about engineering, trusses, stresses, etc. at
  the end

Notes:

I liked the format of the original project description better since the
background info is covered first, giving the background material more
emphasis.  A more thorough background section also gives students the
impression that they were not expected to know the material before taking
ENGR 100.

Engine Dissection Project

Format:

- short intro to project

- deliverables -- working engine and report from each team member

- schedule

- thorough listing of procedures for disassembling and assembling
  - note background info on engines weaves throughout procedure list
  - each step has questions that students should answer at that point in
    the project

Notes:

I liked the interleaving of questions and concepts in the procedures section.
This project is not open-ended like the bridge design so all students complete
the same steps.  

Lego Robots

Format:

- short project definition and goals

- description of obstacle course

- ground rules (dimensions of robot, materials that can be uses, scoring
  criteria in the competition, etc.)

- schedule and deliverables (types of deliverables include programs, reports,
  perfomance tests on robot, plus there's extra credit options)

- more detailed procedures to follow when programming and building robot
  (programming problems as small exercises, brainstorm ideas for robot
   design, prototypes, tests, competition)

- detailed description of physical components for robots (sensors, 
  calibrations, etc.)

Notes:  No formal description about programming environment or programming
concepts in the project description.  In our report for the mazes projects,
we'll probably want to provide a small reference section about programming
concepts and how to write the syntax in whatever environment that we
choose.  I like the Educational Goals section at the beginning of the
project description.  Did you know that the winners of the competition get
$100!!