The purpose of the progress report is to:
reflect on your current experience and understanding to date in the program and
create planning objectives for the thesis/applied project behavioral research in which you will investigate questions related to socially meaningful behavior change.
The paper should be 2-3 pages in length, double-spaced and with 1-inch margins, using Times New Roman 12-point font, and adhere to APA format writing standards.
It should include sections in which you:
reflect on the content of the program thus far and the impact of school on other areas of your life and vice versa (e.g., job, family)
reflect on previous and current expectations you have for your graduate school experience
discuss your previous and current view/understanding of the science and practice of behavior analysis, particularly in terms of the kinds of research and treatment conducted by behavior analysts.
create at least three behaviorally-written goals for thesis/applied project preparation that you will achieve by the end of the semester. The three goals should target behavioral changes that will result in finding and regularly reading relevant research, keeping records about what you read, organizing the information, keeping track of what interests you, recording interesting research questions and replication ideas, a schedule for writing about behavior analytic literature, etc. as you move forward toward the thesis/project. *(Hint remember the thesis/project training you watched!)
include a short personal statement taking responsibility for your goals and the actions that will need to be taken to meet those goals.
*(Hint make a heading for each of the main areas of your paper that is related to those areas listed above!)
To help you write your professional goals, here are samples. Use this format.
By the end of this term, I will maintain my commitment to professional development by attending (or livestreaming) 1 conference per month (February-May, 4 total) or accruing 15 continuing education units (CEUs) relating to the field of behavior analysis as evident by my proof of attendance (receipt, pamphlet, note guide, handouts, etc.).
By the end of this term, I will contact (via phone, email, or in person) a minimum of three current BCBAs that may be potential supervisors to discuss supervision options as evident by a contact log that includes data/time of contact, summary of conversation, and next steps for future planning.
By the end of this term, I will maintain fluency on previously mastered BDS modules by completing a minimum of two (previously mastered) BDS modules to 100% criterion 4/7 nights each week as evident by my BDS exercise log.
By the end of this term, I will have an annotated bibliography with 5 articles related to possible research topics.
