MEP PREP

A structured approach will greatly increase the chances of success in a scientific research project. The first step of such an approach is to write a proposal. The proposal is a ‘birds-eye, big-picture’ level document including background, hypothesis, general methods and plan. You have written such a proposal in the Project Development Course.

The next step is to create a structured project plan to increase the chances of success in your research project. Planning ahead and discussing your plan with your supervisor will help you set realistic goals, ensure that you have enough time to carry out the tasks required to reach those goals, avoid common pitfalls, and get the most out of your time in a research group. Making a realistic and feasible plan will moreover be a key skill you will need in any job. The preparation phase is therefore an essential step towards a successful MEP.

We strongly recommend that you NOT rush the planning phase because of the attraction of getting started in the lab. Planning your project well, thinking through pitfalls, alternate hypotheses, necessary skills, writing plan will help your project be much more successful. Also spend the time to make sure you have a clear mutual understanding of expectations, benchmarks, and communication channels. Important that benchmarks are about work accomplished not getting results.