<p class="MsoNormal"> My recent posts have provided advice on the exit project or thesis in planning: <span style="background: yellow none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial">how to <a href="/node/29520" target="_blank">get started</a>, write a <a href="/node/29949" target="_blank">proposal</a>, <a href="/node/30572" target="_blank">manage</a> one’s committee, and <a href="/node/29121" target="_blank">troubleshoot problems</a></span>.
My recent posts have provided advice on the exit project or
thesis in planning: how to
get started, write a proposal, manage one's committee, and troubleshoot
problems. This post concludes this series by providing advice on getting
done-not the last-minute troubleshooting issues dealt within one of the earlier posts-but the big steps that will help you get done on time.
- Write
a proposal-without
it you'll flounder. - Make a
timeline and negotiate key deadlines with your committee-they may even
have a draft ready. For instance, Bruce Stiftel of Florida State
provides standard milestones
for students.
Allow time for comments and revisions. Don't underestimate the time to
create illustrations and do final formatting. Stick to your timeline and
if you need to depart from it, let your committee know ahead of time. - Find
the university style sheet or create your own. There are often two parts.
One will deal with text:
punctuation, capitalization of words, reference formats, and related
issues. The other will deal with
layout: margins, heading styles, fonts. If there isn't a style sheet in
existence use a book like Turabian's Craft of Research
for the text styles. Copy a book or report you find attractive for the
layout style. This is an important document-sticking to a style can save
lots and lots of time. - Take
notes carefully-I use a template that records the methods used, place
studied, and key topics for each reading and that also notes page numbers.
This is a great help later. - While
not absolutely necessary, I've found over the years that keeping notes
about what I do helps reconstruct decisions later. I keep such a log every
day. - Unless
you really, really need to travel or buy a large data set you don't need
to get grants for masters-level projects in planning. It
isn't expected and it can take a lot of time. - Many
people have not managed a 100+ page document-if you are one of those folks, look
for classes on how to use your word processing program effectively to deal
with pagination, sections, paragraph styles, tables, charts, graphs, and
images. There are many simple short cuts and I notice that too few
students use them.
Remember, getting finished is an important step on your path to
being a planner. Doing it as efficiently as possible will enable you to start making
a difference in the world all the sooner.

Houston Apartments To Be Demolished for Freeway Widening
Despite a federal hold on the controversial freeway widening project, the Texas Department of Transportation is pushing ahead with the demolition of an apartment complex in downtown Houston.

San Francisco Just Ended Single-Family Zoning
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted to Tuesday to eliminate single-family zoning, but pro-development advocates say additional changes are needed to unleash a wave of construction.

Land Banking to Prevent Transit-Oriented Displacement in Los Angeles
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) will implement a new land banking program to mitigate gentrification and displacement around future transit lines.

Transit-Oriented Walking Tours Highlight the Value of Density
Housing advocates in Connecticut are leading walking tours that fight misinformation about transit-oriented development and emphasize the benefits of increased density.

State Reports Seeks To Guide Warehouse Development in New Jersey
With demand for sprawling e-commerce warehouses growing, New Jersey’s State Planning Commission has released a series of documents outlining best practices for cities examining warehouse proposals.

Manhattan Congestion Pricing Could Start in 2023
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has resubmitted its environmental impact assessment to federal officials, who sent the agency over 400 additional questions earlier this year.
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension
Lehigh Valley Planning Commission
City of Rolling Hills Estates
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Harvard Graduate School of Design Executive Education
City of Apache Junction
City of Helena
Gallatin County, Montana
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Hand Drawing Master Plans
This course aims to provide an introduction into Urban Design Sketching focused on how to hand draw master plans using a mix of colored markers.