2021 Cornell NanoScale Science & Technology Facility
Research Experience for Undergraduates (CNF REU) Program
Basic and Abridged Rules for Final REU Report -- Due August 13th!
To finish up the CNF REU Program with us, you must submit a written report of your research and results, which is due to me by Friday, August 13th. All CNF REU Intern Final Reports (and posters, presentations and videos) will be made available to the National Science Foundation, CNF REU Interns, Mentors, and PIs. In addition, these materials will be available on the web for general public viewing. The final reports will be included in the annual CNF Research Accomplishments. The research reports from past REUs are on the web in PDF. Taking a look at those can give you insight into our REU research projects and final reports. https://cnf.cornell.edu/education/reu
Full rules and requirements -- note again that YOUR deadline is AUGUST 13TH;
https://www.cnfusers.cornell.edu/acknowledgements/research_accomplishments
1. One thousand (1000) words maximum. Four (4) graphics maximum.
2. Name all files and emails -- YourlastnameFinalReport.pdf, YourlastnameFig1.jpg, etc.
3. Please DO NOT format your report -- NO columns/bold/styles/hypertext/indenting/tabs/etc.
4. You will send your report in TWO “parts” -- PDF for the written report and JPGs for the graphics.
5. Final Reports are due to your PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR and MELANIE-CLAIRE by August 13th. It's a good idea to also include your MENTOR!
NOTE: Your PI may request a more in-depth report, something MUCH longer than the report we are requesting, or you yourself may want to write a more detailed report. These options are fine, but are not to be confused with the official CNF REU request for a report! Item #1 above describes FIRM maximums. Please do not go over them. USE YOUR WORD COUNT TOOL!!!!
Dear CNF REU Interns:
Over the summer, you will be working with your principal investigator and mentor (PI/M) on a final report for the CNF Research Accomplishments (RA). The RA will be made available to the CNF community, National Science Foundation, general public, and the CNF REU Program participants of course (a hard copy will be mailed to you). The RA will also be placed on the web in PDF. Such a wide distribution requires that you put your best effort into your research, first, and into the accurate reporting of same, second. While I unfortunately have little influence on the former requirement, I do have much to do with the latter. For many of you, this will be your first technical report and giving your full attention to the rules of reporting will serve you well as your research career progresses. Please read and follow the instructions carefully. Consider this real world experience.
(See https://www.cnfusers.cornell.edu/acknowledgements/research_accomplishments for the complete, unabridged rules.)
Start by sitting down each week with your PI/M to work on an outline for your report. (This will also assist you in pulling together your presentation for the convocations.) Your PI/M will know what you can leave out and what you need to put in, in order to submit an accurate and compelling report of your research. For instance, most everyone needs to spin resist, pattern it, and get rid of it. So don’t spend a lot of time and words explaining the exact spin speed and pattern/etch/lift-off process -- cover all that in a sentence or two. Instead, tell us how the device worked -- or didn't, as the case may be. That is what makes your research unique and interesting. Also, when you are training on imaging tools, ask how to take images at as high a resolution as possible! At least 300 dpi and nothing less than 200.
YOU MUST STICK TO THE 1000 WORD, FOUR GRAPHICS MAXIMUMS. Again, consider this real world experience in reporting. The American Chemical Society requires authors to read a 448-page document before even submitting an article! So our instructions and requirements are pretty tame in comparison.
** VERY IMPORTANT **
YOUR PI MUST APPROVE YOUR REPORT BEFORE YOU SUBMIT IT,
so be sure to plan plenty of time for this. Start at least two weeks before the deadline.
Then, email your approved final report to your principal investigator AND Melanie-Claire by Friday, August 13th.
To save time, also forward the approval email from your PI to Melanie-Claire.
Your final stipend payment DEPENDS on all these rules being followed. So your attention literally benefits you!
Melanie-Claire Mallison
CNF REU Program Coordinator