Running a long project without losing the thread · seed 1 · A4, ink-friendly. The answer key prints on its own page for grown-ups.

Carry a long project to the end

Learning to Learn · Learning to Learn · ages 16-18
Name ______________________   Date ____________

  1. Which set of details belongs in a decision log entry?

    • Date, deadline, word count, and a list of unfinished tasks
    • Date, decision, reason, and alternatives considered
    • Date, work duration, breaks taken, and a list of sources

  2. Which check helps you choose a useful working question for a project?

    • Can I answer it with available evidence, and does the answer matter?
    • Does it cover every part of the subject, even if I cannot find evidence?
    • Will it let me postpone choosing a method until the final week of work?

  3. Every delay on a project has the same cause: avoiding an unpleasant feeling.

    Circle one:   True   False

  4. You have the sources you need, but starting the report feels overwhelming. Which next action is small enough to try in a short work block?

    • Finish every section of the report before taking any break
    • Wait until the whole report feels easy before opening a source
    • Open one source and note one point relevant to the question

  5. Notes were due in week 2, a draft in week 4, and hand-in in week 6. Notes slip to week 3. Week 5 was reserved for delays. What should you do?

    • Keep every task date unchanged and leave unfinished work until hand-in
    • Review the draft tasks and use reserved time, keeping the fixed hand-in date
    • Move the fixed hand-in date to a later week without discussing it with your teacher

  6. At your weekly review, you find that the next task needs a source you cannot access. What should you do?

    • Ask for help or choose another source, then schedule the next action
    • Schedule the same blocked task again without changing its requirements
    • Stop all project work until the final deadline makes the task feel urgent

  7. Mia logged her choice of a data source and why she chose it. That source is now unavailable. What should she do with the decision?

    • Keep the old choice because writing it down makes the decision permanent
    • Review the reason against the new circumstances and add an updated entry
    • Delete the earlier entry and all its reasons so nobody can examine how the original choice was made

  8. Zed has research notes but keeps polishing his introduction. He needs feedback on whether the whole report answers his question. What should he share?

    • A rough draft covering the report's main sections and evidence
    • A polished introduction with no other sections or research attached
    • A redesigned title page with a list of possible fonts for the report
LightMySky · lightmysky.comW1-mt_73LjxFuEul-s1

Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

Carry a long project to the end W1-mt_73LjxFuEul-s1

  1. Date, decision, reason, and alternatives considered · A decision log records a choice and why it was made. Task lists and work-duration records serve other purposes.
  2. Can I answer it with available evidence, and does the answer matter? · A working question needs a manageable scope, evidence you can obtain and a reason for investigating it.
  3. False · Unpleasant feelings can contribute to delay, but low energy, unclear tasks or missing resources can also get in the way.
  4. Open one source and note one point relevant to the question · Opening one source and recording one relevant point gives you a limited action to start. It does not require finishing the report at once.
  5. Review the draft tasks and use reserved time, keeping the fixed hand-in date · Review the affected tasks and use reserved time where needed. A fixed hand-in date is not yours to change without agreement.
  6. Ask for help or choose another source, then schedule the next action · The review has identified a missing resource. Address that blockage before scheduling an action that depends on it.
  7. Review the reason against the new circumstances and add an updated entry · The source's availability has changed. Reconsider the choice and record the update while keeping the earlier entry.
  8. A rough draft covering the report's main sections and evidence · A rough whole-report draft lets someone assess the argument and evidence. An introduction or title page alone cannot show the whole report.
Worksheet · LightMySky