1. If you gather data by interviewing subjects, be sure to record names so that you can go back later if necessary to get more information. (Obviously, this is not recommended if you are using an anonymous survey.) You may wish to start with a pilot study of a few friends so that you can get a feeling for what variables are important. Then, if you can guess at some of the lurking variables (e.g., age, year in school), you can ask those questions up front to save time. (We call this process blocking or block design in experiments, or stratification in surveys. The purpose is to reduce variation in the pools of subjects so that the effect we are looking for becomes more clear.)

2. If you gather opinion data, proceed cautiously. Wording is tricky, and questions must be posed exactly the same way (preferably in writing) to all subjects.

3. Be sure to include a blank copy of your survey, questionnaire, or tabulation sheet in your final report.

1. Length is not important. Clarity, interest, and relevance are.

2. Two to three pages (plus attachments for raw data printouts, figures, and questionnaires if used) should suffice.

3. If your diagram tells the story, cite it in the text but let the picture do most of the talking. Assume that your reader is a Scientific American or Smithsonian reader; intelligent, though not necessarily an expert in statistics.

4. Any visual aids that summarize the data should contain the exact wording of the question used.

5. Number your figures (Fig. 1, Fig. 2, etc.) and use a consistent citation style for any external sources. The library has a guideline on "Electronic Footnote Citations" on the east wall, underneath the lunar phase chart.

1. Keep your group working productively. Assign tasks, or resolve disputes if two people want the same task. It’s OK to be laid-back if you wish, but be prepared to step in and take charge if things are bogging down.

2. You are responsible for submitting the proposal on Tuesday, 10/31. You are also the person ultimately responsible for the quality of the final product. That doesn’t mean you have to write everything yourself, but it does mean that have to juggle other people’s schedules and make things come together.

3. If people shirk their responsibilities, you may need to use small sanctions (a few points here, a few points there) to encourage them to do the right thing. Last year only a few groups had this problem, so let’s hope we don’t run into it too often.

4. There are 300 points possible: 30 for proposal, 30 for raw data, 10 for group leader report (see below), 200 for final report, and 30 for randomization. The 200 final report points are subdivided as follows: 50 for interest, 80 for technical accuracy, 35 for quality of writing (including spelling and grammar), and 35 for format, style, and neatness.

5. As group leader you must prepare a short report (one paragraph) justifying the point split you feel is correct for your group. Last year many group leaders, though not all, opted for an even split. If your group leader report is missing or inadequate, your personal score will be reduced by 10 points. The group leader report is not necessarily the final say, but in most cases I will support the group leader’s decision provided it is based on merit, not need. (For example, you can’t divert points from people who already have a solid "A" average in order to help someone else raise his grade.)