Project Logs

Three types of information in Log: 1. Factual Information: Recording information e.g. the website you choose to evaluate. 2. Development of ideas, plans and designs. E.g. at time of beginning of team-based project, what roles, what tasks, .etc. 3. Reflection on experience: How well do you think you have done? E.g. in TMA 1 could team have done better?

Starting Project Log

1. Recording the important Keep record of information found, information sources, observations, data, results, plans, ideas, and reflections to easy recall things when you have written, recall the details. Hohman (1997) useful description of how to use project log: a. b. c. d. e. f. g. Keep you notebook with you all time. Use you project log Write legibly, preferably in ink Review your notebook regularly Deep accurate dates, entries can be daily, weekly, Keep it safe Use abbreviation if you wish

2. What to include Include observations, descriptions, drawings, impressions, thoughts, source of information, opinions, ideas to ensure that your entries are complete, you should consider to journalist's five Ws: - Who is involved? - What happen? - When did it happen? - Where did it happen? - Why (or how) When recording information that you have read, you should write no more than 150200 words summarizing important points,..

3. What not to include Project log should NOT: a. Act as appointment book or general diary b. Written on loose scraps (sheets) of paper c. Include everything that happens during day, week,.. d. Wander from the subject that it was set up to record e. Polished piece of writing Keeping Project Log It is matter of your choice. Basic ways in which you keep a project log: 1. On paper 2. Electronically 3. Laboratory notebooks 4. Blogs 5. My Stuff On Paper Description Use loose-leaf folder. Notebook. Advantages 1. Durability. 2. Convenience . 3. Ease of writing. Electronically Use a word processor, diary program or keep it online. 1. Easy to copy and paste information. 2. Search and backup very easily. 3. Correct entries, errors. 4. Check spelling. 5. Not have to worry about writing legibly. Disadvantages 1. Difficulty to find information again. 2. Difficulty to making backup copies. 3. Log papers may be fallen. 4. Difficulty to add new papers when needed. 1. Availability. 2. Permanence of the data.

3. Laboratory notebooks: The most common form of project log. These are used to: a. Record details of experiments carried out in the laboratory. b. Observations. c. Results. They are keep in hardback, bound notebooks so that pages can't fall out. The laboratory notebooks can be accepted as legal proof of the data of invention, entry is considered as witness. Co-workers spent time each week countersigning each other's notebooks. 4. Blogs Blog (or weblog) is a personal website on which individual makes regular entries that records their opinions, web links and interests. Advantages: a. Entries are time-and date-stamped b. We can tagged with keywords. c. Search easily. Disadvantages: a. Entries can edited after they have been posted. b. Anyone and everyone can read it. 5. My Stuff My Stuff is online personal storage area provided for us (student of Open University) by the Open University that we can use to store files or to record notes. My Stuff is private for us so only have access to it.

We can use the project log to: 1. Reflect upon you experience. 2. Make notes, sketch design and explore ideas. 3. Practice writing description.