STAT J540
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Instructions for Abstracts
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Each person should submit (via email) a typed abstract for each homework solution.

Although you can work on the homework solution code in groups (of up to 3 people),
each student must write his or her abstract COMPLETELY on his/her own:
* You cannot look at any other student's abstract.
* You cannot talk with any other student about what to write for the abstract.
* You cannot help another student in this class with his/her abstract.

The abstract should be at least one to two paragraphs long (some assignments may 
necessitate slightly longer abstracts).  It should explain -- in simple and clear 
English -- the main purpose of the solution code and the reasoning behind the program.
It must be understandable to someone (like an upper-level manager!) who may have 
little or no knowledge of R or SAS.  While comments need to be inserted in the code to 
explain individual lines of the code, the abstract should instead give a broad 
overview of the program as a whole.

The abstract will count for a portion of the student's grade on the HW assignment.
They will be graded on the clarity and correctness of the explanatory summary.
Poorly written or confusing language will result in deductions.

The purpose of the abstract is (1) to ascertain that each student really understands 
what his/her code is doing (if you can't explain it clearly, you don't understand it
well enough!); and (2) to practice and improve written communication skills, an 
invaluable tool for any applied statistician or scientist.

The due date and time for the abstract is the same as the due date and time for the
corresponding HW.  Late submissions will be penalized.