CSD CCE Spring Progress Report (Methods Section) Worksheet

Submission Link |

Learning Objectives | Based on the Final Project Write-up Rubric

  1. Articulate individual components of a project methodology (methods section)
  2. Articulate rationale for using particular methodology
  3. Demonstrate understanding of the purpose of documenting methods

Worksheet Instructions

Use this report worksheet to collect the information required for the CCE Spring Progress Report. We recommend that you type into this document as you work, and save frequently.

Your advisor must review your work prior to submission.You may email the contents of this file, or the file itself, to your Advisor for editing and review.Submit your work when your Advisor determines that your progress “meets expectations”based on the Project Report Methods Section Formative Evaluation Rubricincluded at the end of this template.

When ready to submit, copy and paste the contents of this worksheet into the CCE Spring Progress Report SUBMISSION form, which you can access via the Capstone Course webpage via

Save this worksheet so the content is available for your future Capstone Project report submissions.

The Capstone Project Advisor approved CCE Spring Progress Report should be submitted to CSD no later than April 30.Note: we will not accept reports that have not been approved by the project advisor.

Please discuss with your Capstone Project Advisor a timeline to complete review and feedback prior to the due date; or, we recommend the following timeline:

  • Contact your advisor NOW to set a meeting date
  • Submit draft to Advisor byApril 7
  • Advisor returns to you with feedback byApril 15
  • Complete advisor recommended revisions and submit to CSD by April 30

The submission form includes the following statement to confirm that your Advisor has determined your work is ready for submission:“I assert that my Advisorhas reviewed and approved this report as ‘meets expectations’.”

  1. General Information
  • Your name
  • Advisor name
  • Is this a group project?___ Yes ___ No
  • If yes, provide the names of the other students in your group.
  1. Project Update
  • Current Project Title
  • Has your project changed substantially since you submitted your CCE Fall Progress Report?

___ Yes ___ No

  • If yes, please submit a new CCE Fall Progress Report that includes your new Introduction.
  • Do you anticipate any major changes or challenges in the scope of your work since your last report?___ Yes ___ No
  • If yes, please contact your Capstone House Affiliate to discuss.
  • Describe the progress you have made since submitting your CCE Fall Progress Report
  • Examples of progress include scheduling or completing an FCE, use of subjectsdetermination (IRB, IACUC, SAS), completing a literature search.
  • Describe at least three next steps you will undertake to continue work on your project, and by what month(s) you plan to accomplish them.

CSD CCE Spring Progress Report (Methods Section) Worksheet

Submission Link |

  1. Potential Senior Scholars
  2. Have you applied or do you plan to apply to the Senior scholars?___ Yes ___ No
  3. If you have not yet formally applied, you must do so via the OUME Senior Scholars webpage
  • If no, skip to section D
  • If YES…
  • Are you transitioning your Capstone intoa Senior Scholars project on the same topic?

___ Yes ___ No

  • Ifno, explain your rationale for changing your project topic?
  • Will your advisor remain the same?

___ Yes ___ No

  • How will you communicate this with your Capstone advisor?
  • Please describe your rationale for changing from Capstone to Senior Scholars

  1. Complete the following section if you plan to continue your Capstone Project

Project Report methods

The next step in the Capstone Project is to provide a 250-700 word Methods section for your project, which is a detailed description of the processes for meeting the objectives of your Project (e.g. describe what steps you will take to accomplish each objective of the project). Consider this adraft version of the Methods section of your Capstone Final Project Report.

What is a methods section? / What makes a good methods section?
Generally a methods section tells the reader how you conducted your project. Whether you need a methods section, or how thorough it needs to be depends on what kind of a project you're writing about. For example, if you are writing a review paper you may not need a methods section, but you are writing a method paper, you will need a very thorough methods section.
  • It is also called "Materials and Methods"
  • The goal is to make your project reproducible
/ A good methods section gives enough detail that another scientist could reproduce or replicate your results.
• Use very specific language, similar to a recipe in a cookbook.
• If something is not standard (equipment, method, chemical compound, statistical analysis), then describe it.
• Use the past tense.
• Subheadings should follow guidelines of a style (APA, Vancouver, etc.) or journal (journals will specify these in their "for authors" section). For medical education writing, refer to theAMA Manual of Style.

Excellent resources for writing your traditional data driven methods section are:

  • Lamar Soutter Library Guide: Scientific and Scholarly Writing: Partsof the paper
  • University of Wisconsin-Madison:The Writer’s Handbook: Methods Section
  • Sullivan, GM (2012). Writing Education Studies for Publication. Journal of Graduate Medical Education Jun 4(2): 133-137. doi: 10.4300/JGME-D-12-00044.1. Retrieved March 8, 2017 from

Use the belowMethods Section Formative Evaluation Rubric to understand the requirements for this section, and to assist your Advisor in providing feedback. Your work should “meet expectations” before submitting to CSD.

CSD CCE Spring Progress Report (Methods Section) Worksheet

Submission Link |

  1. Working with Your Capstone Project Advisor
  • How many hours have you worked with your Advisor since submitting your CCE Fall Progress Report, (please include face-to-face, emails, calls, and other communications including working on this report)?
  • enter a whole number ______

Do you have any questions for the Capstone Course leadership?

For an immediate response, please contact your Capstone House Affiliate via .

Blackstone | Rachel Gerstein PhD

Brightwood | Sarah McAdoo MD MPH

Burncoat | Christina Hermos MD MS

Kelley (MS1 MS2) | Yunsheng Ma MD PhD MPH

Kelley (MS3 MS4) & Group Projects | Colleen Burnham MBA

Quinsigamond | Carolina Ionete MD PhD

Tatnuck | Eustathia Lela Giannaris PhD

CSD CCE Spring Progress Report (Methods Section) Worksheet

Submission Link |

CSDProject Report Rubric / Meets Expectations / Below Expected / Comments/Recommendations
Methods: Appropriate methods or process / The student clearly describes the project’s approach, which aligns with goals. The student defines the components of the process and methodology and explains why these were chosen. Potential challenges are shared, as are plans to respond to them, including modification as necessary. / The student describes the project’s approach in a basic manner, which does not clarify how it aligns with goals. The student does not clearly define the components of the methodology or explain why particular methods were chosen. Potential challenges are not shared, nor are plans to respond to them.

Project Report Methods Section Formative Evaluation Rubric