Research projects are worth doing. They raise student interest in science and offer experience in authentic scientific practices. Implementing independent research projects among students requires the teacher to be skilled not only in scientific research but also in project management. Teachers' duties include--but are not limited to--providing guidance in safety and ethical issues, instruction in sound research design, tips on avoiding plagiarism, training in statistical analysis, and an introduction to scientific writing and documentation. To keep the process organized, it is helpful to develop a set of deadlines or milestones. If the devil is in the details, as is sometimes said, then, when it comes to research projects, the most important detail is to set--and meet--deadlines. This article suggests how to organize a research unit and to plan effective deadlines. Included is a research project design checklist and a sample student-completed investigation design table. (Contains 2 figures, 5 online resources, and 3 resources for teaching research.)