<p>I started my first summer research this Monday.
Way before starting it, my PI wrote my research outline for me.
I read it over many times, but whenever someone in the lab or any other people ask me what my project is, I don't know what to say.
The research outline written by my PI doesn't have a title. It just has three short paragraphs (3-4 brief sentences each) outlining three different things I'm going to be doing.
When asked about my project, is it appropriate to just regurgitate each of the three things written on there?
The problem is that while I'm saying each of the three things, I don't even know what I'm talking about. No matter how many times I reread the research outline, I can't see how my research is going to be, what it is about, what its purpose is, whether it even has hypotheses, how some research methods are going to be used, and so on.
The same goes for reading research papers assigned by my PI.
I'm really worried.. :(</p>
<p>haha… good luck</p>
<p>I would google my heart out, and try to gain a background in whatever the topic of study is. That way, going into reading your research papers you have some prior knowledge.</p>
<p>Or you could always go in, reading them with no knowledge, and then do background as you go. I have found this way works for me. </p>
<p>I’m curious, what field is your research in?</p>
<p>Goodness ysk1, will any thing go right ? 
. j/k.</p>
<p>The best policy is honesty. Talk with others in your lab and your PI and let him know you do not fully understand. He would be foolish to expect you to know everything just starting in his lab…</p>