POD Writing Guidelines

I.                   PROBLEM STATEMENT

Write a concise statement of the problem. Write clearly enough so that someone picking up your paper could understand exactly what you were asked to do.

II.                PLAN

Tell what you did to prepare to solve the problem. How did the problem seem to you when you first read it? Consider what you are asked to find, what you know, what you need to know, and what strategies you can use. How is this problem like any others you’ve done? Before you begin to work on the problem, make a guess at the answer.

III.              Work

Explain in detail what you did to solve the problem. Use charts and graphs where appropriate. Tell what worked, what didn’t work, and what you did when you got stuck. Did you get help from anyone? What kind of help?

IV.             Answer

State your answer to the problem. Does the answer make sense? Could there be any other correct answers? Compare your final answer with your original guess. What did you learn from this problem that could help you solve other problems?