Progressing your project
• a. Describe how your project has evolved since TMA 01
Please begin by restating your project title and objectives. If these have changed since TMA 01, can you say where and what prompted the changes.
- You should, by this stage, have progressed to a detailed specification which should form a part of your description. This could take the form of a work breakdown structure or task list.
- In addition, it is important that you add detail to your schedule by, for example, identifying critical points or milestones.
- You should also explain why you have made the choices and decisions you have.
- It is expected that you will discuss the technical aspects of the work you have already undertaken.
Please report in sufficient detail so that your tutor can make a judgement on the progress of your work, its scope and schedule.
• b. What are the main areas of concern relating to your project?
- You should address at least one of the following questions:
- What has arisen that is unexpected and how has this affected what you are doing?
- What areas of potential concern do you foresee and how do you intend to address them?
• c. What changes have you made to your project proposal in the light of your progress so far and your tutor's feedback from TMA 01?
• d.What work do you intend to carry out in the near future?
Study note
You should produce of the order of 1000 words overall for Part 1. This is a rough guide to indicate the depth required and you will not be penalised directly for failing to follow it.
Part 2
What you have learned about doing projects in an academic context
• a. Project proposal
The journey to your final project proposal should have brought you a better understanding of the methods you used to develop a project. You need to consider them here. For example, why did you define your aims as you did? How did you evaluate them? Why were some activities better than others?
In particular, you need to discuss how you incorporated the different academic expectations of the module into your proposal.
Study note
You will obtain a low score if you simply list things you would or would not do differently. For a good mark you must show an understanding of your working practices, analyse how you responded to both set-backs and successes.
• b. Literature review
By now, you will have reviewed a lot of relevant literature and you will probably continue to seek references. However, it is important now to consider the process. In TMA 01, you described the purpose and components of a literature review. Using that description and any comments that your tutor made, can you describe:
i.how useful your review has been so far?
ii.which aspects of the review have you found difficult and why?
iii.how you would improve your reviewing in the future?
Study note
You will again obtain a low score if you simply state what you have been doing. For a good mark you must show an understanding of your working practices, analyse what went well or went wrong - in other words, be self-critical.
• c. What skills are needed?
i. List, with justification, the skills that you feel you will need in order to see your project through to completion; expand on the three most important for you.
ii. Having identified the skills in part (i), say which aspects of your project are likely to prove to be the most personally challenging and how you intend to address the challenge(s).