Rationale

Readings and Investigations
    Article: Schwartz MA (2008). The importance of stupidity in science. J Cell Sci 121:1771
    Rationale: Why a research proposal?
    Description: How to find a mentor for the proposal
            There are effective ways and some common but very ineffective ways.
    Description: Summary of an experiment from a research article (including examples)
            The summary is like a mini research proposal. The goals and format are the same.
    Description: How to critique the work of others
            You'll be critiquing the summaries of your colleagues.
    Description: Research proposal outline (how to do it)
            Here's an example
    Description: Research proposal (how to do it)
            Here's an example
    Description: How to give a presentation (7 minutes max)
            Similar message as a presentation (courtesy of Kristen Wade)
            Here's an example and here's another (I didn't say good example)
            (neither one fits the description of what's needed for the panel, but perhaps you might some use in them)
    Description: How to prepare for a panel.
            You'll be presenting your work to a panel and serving on a panel to assess the work of others.

Things to do and hand in
    25 Jan: Submit name of a candidate mentor plus a pertinent research article
      5 Feb: Progress report on efforts to find a mentor and topic (PDF) (DOCX)
    12 Feb: Obtain agreement from VCU faculty member to serve as mentor
    19 Feb: Bibliography of focused topic (1st draft)
    26 Feb: Proposed reference and experiment for summary of an experiment from a research article
    17 Mar: Bibliography of focused topic
    17 Mar: Description of proposal
    25 Mar: Summary of experiment from a research article relating to research proposal
      4 Apr: Critiques of other's summaries of experiments
    11 Apr: Resubmission of Summary of experiment from a research article
    18 Apr: Outline of proposal
      1 May (9am): Submission of draft of research proposal (Inflexible deadline!)
      3 May: Mock panel: 7 min presentations and discussions of research proposals (schedule)
      5 May: Mock panel: 7 min presentations and discussions of research proposals (schedule)
      8 May (9am): Submission of final research proposal (Inflexible deadline!)
    10-13 May: Panel consideration of research proposals (schedule)
    15 May: Optional revisions of final version of research proposals due.