This is the last week before finals and the inevitable end of school. To say that I am stressed is an understatement: I am stressed, tired, cranky, worried, anxious, and overworked. I have so much to do over the next few days. But I just have to take it day by day and try to finish everything on time. In order to make sure everything gets finished on time without delay, I've been trying to prioritize my tasks and multitask. For instance, during some free moments during class, I've been working on editing my lit review. I finished editing everything up to the conclusion. I felt it took a higher precedent than some of my other classes because I have a higher grade in those classes so getting a lower final exam grade wouldn't hurt my grade as much. However, based on an online final grade calculator, I need at least a 78% on my final exam to pass Capstone 1 with an A. So with that in mind, I am putting all my effort and thought into my schoolwork. The first thing that pops in my mind when I wake up is what I need to complete that day and the last thought of the day is what I haven't finished and need to do tomorrow. In Capstone, I need to finish editing my conclusion (including my potential impacts), then add the revised problem statement and methods section. After, I might need to include an intended results and conclusion section as well as an abstract, though that is pending based on the answer Ms. Veillette gives me when I ask her about it. I am hoping to finish it by tomorrow afternoon or early evening. Then I want to actually fix my website and add everything I need. It will probably take me a couple of hours, but seeing as I have a final on Monday, I will either finish it tomorrow night, Sunday night, or split the work and finish it Sunday afternoon. However, since it is due on the night of the final exam (which is Thursday for me), I do have some leeway when it comes to completing this aspect. I also need to finish the introduction and methodology for my poster for next year. I don't think it will take me that long since I know what I want to write in the introduction. I could probably finish it in about 2 hours max, even if I have some unforeseen trouble. This will probably take me to the end of the weekend, since I also need to study for my Monday final. On Monday, I would like to finish my final capstone presentation. On my methods presentation, I did really well. I got 100/102, with the two point deduction coming because I forgot to add something that was on the rubric. On the verbal aspect I was graded highly. I would like to do just as well, if not better, on this final presentation. It is just a combination of the first presentation and the methods presentation. We are on a strict 12 minute schedule so I am hoping for no more that 14 slides with content. I need to practice it obviously and get the timing down, but I think I can do it. I found the perfect theme for my presentation. Now I just have to make it through finals week. Since this week is the last proper week of school, this is my last blog for the school year. But fear not, because when I go to Baltimore to do this experiment, I will be blogging weekly again. There won't be a blog next week, but look for a blog in 2 weeks time. Tags: Presentation, Lit Review, Time Management, Project, Forward. Reflection, Problem Solving, Independent, Blogs.
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This week was pretty mellow. All we did was work on our methods presentation and present them. We had Monday and Tuesday to complete the presentation and started presentations on Wednesday. The presentation was only 10 slides plus citations and you only had 6-8 minutes to present. I had trouble keeping my slides condensed because there was so much I needed to add to my presentation. I had three separate slides for the methods and materials needed for each phase of my experiment (cell preparation, immunoblotting, and NMR- spectroscopy). There were so many materials I needed for the western blot that I had an entire slide dedicated for just the materials. I then had another slide just for the procedure of my western blot. Writing about the cell preparation and the NMR-Spectroscopy were easier because there were fewer steps and fewer materials, so I was able to fit everything onto one slide each. I also provided an introduction to my topic because I didn't define certain terms in my last presentation, and I was docked points for that. In order to make sure that everyone is understanding what I'm saying I summarized the background information one would need to understand my project. I spoke briefly on anabolic metabolism and biosynthesis, choline metabolism and GDPD-6, as well as glycerophosphocholine. I then launched into my questions and variables. In the variables section, I realized I wrote "control" where "constant" should be, but I covered it while presenting by saying "My controls and constants are...". I don't think anybody realized it though. I then spoke about the materials and methods used in each phase of my experiment. Finally, I presented my rationale. My presentation went well overall. It wasn't perfect, but it wasn't terrible. I was nervous at first but as soon as I started speaking, I knew what I was talking about. I was able to list the materials section for the western blot from pretty much memory. There were times that I stuttered or paused because I forgot the word I wanted to used, but I did better than before. I also became nervous again close to the end, but I managed to push through. I went over time however. I was only supposed to speak for 6-8 minutes, but spoke for 9 minutes 44 seconds. I believe it was just because I had a lot of materials I needed. In the final presentation, which can only be about 8 minutes I believe, I can shorten the time I spent on the methods section. I plan to generalize the materials list some more just to shorten it. I have to start working on everything, since we only have one more week before finals. Tags: Presentation, Reflection, Forward, Projects, Independent
This week was all about my methods. I finished up writing my experimental design with the help of my uncle. After I handed it in, I started writing my written methods section. I had to write up the rationale for using the procedure, the methods, materials - which includes why we need them, how much, and from where - safety precautions, hypothesis, variables, biases or constraints and limitations. We also had to create a timeline of our project, called a Gantt chart. A Gantt chart is where you name your tasks, assign start dates and duration, as well as how much you have completed. This will form a timeline. Making the Gantt chart was easy enough after finding the template on Excel. It took me a while to find, but it was easy to use and change. My only issue was that my procedure was close to 60 days, so when I tried to take a photo and paste it in my write-up, it appeared very tiny. It was still completed properly, it was just small. Other than that, my only issue was with writing my materials section. We had to be as specific as possible, so it took me a while to find all the materials I needed, especially for the western blot. If you wrote it out in list form, there were over 40 items required for the Western blot. Add into account that I had to provide a need or use for the material, it took a while to finish. In addition, I began to try to finish it up only at 8 PM the night it was due because I procrastinated. I came home and went to volunteer. By the time I got back, it was 5 and I spent 3 hours on YouTube. I realized I shouldn't have done that, especially since I didn't sleep until midnight that night, but hindsight is 20-20. Luckily, I finished just in time. The rest of the week was pretty mellow. I missed Thursday's class because I was signing up for my courses next fall. On Friday I was just working on some future work that will be due by the end of the semester, mainly the time management plan. It will be due on the 11th of June. I honestly can't believe that it is nearly the end of the school year. There is only three more weeks of school left. Even though the weather is nice, I have to stay focused and finish my work on time, then I can have all summer to spend outside. Tags: Projects, Reflection, Forward
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AuthorShubhangy Raghavan Archives
January 2019
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