WRITING THE REPORT Organizing the reprt Mst reprts shuld be rganized in the fllwing manner. Smetime there is a valid reasn t include extra chapters in within the bdy f the reprt. 1. Title page 2. Executive Summary r Abstract 3. Preface and/r Acknwledgements (ptinal) 4. Table f Cntents 5. List f Tables (if apprpriate) 6. List f Figures, r illustratins (if apprpriate) 7. Ntatin r symbls (if apprpriate) 8. Chapters 1. Intrductin 2. Backgrund and Literature Review 3. Design 4. Methdlgy 5. Results 6. Cnclusin 9. References/Bibligraphy 10. Appendices (if apprpriate) Title Page Title page must be f the same frmat as shwn in the sample (Figure 1). The title must be the same in all the senir prject related dcuments i.e. title page, abstract, senir prject requirement frm. Figure 1 - Title Page Table f Cntents The table f cntents shuld nly cntain the majr divisins f the prject, including the list f tables and list f figures, the chapters f the text and their headings exactly as in the text, the bibligraphy/references cited, the appendices, and their respective page numbers. See Figure 2 fr a sample Table f Cntents. Cnsider using
the autmatic Table f cntents functin within Wrd. It can be fund under the Insert menu, Reference ptin, Index and Tables ptin, Table f Cntents tab. This is a very useful methd f rganizing the dcument and updating tables, figure and the table f cntents. Executive Summary (r Abstract) The executive summary is usually less than 500 wrds. It summarizes all the imprtant pints f the study: cntext, prblem, bjective, apprach, Figure 2 Example Table f Cntents cnclusins, and recmmendatins. When writing this sectin, imagine that the reader is incredibly simple-minded, r has s little time t think abut the reprt that nly the mst simple and direct statements are apprpriate. Avid technical vcabulary. Be sure t include the mst imprtant findings in yur study, but be careful nt t prmise mre than yu actually fund. Express results in quantifiable financial terms. Nte an Executive Summary self-cntained and is a substitute fr the reprt itself. The executive summary will fulfill the Library s need fr an abstract. An abstract is als usually less than 500 wrds, is a guide t the reprt, but des nt summarize the reprt cntent. Intrductin This sectin shuld present the backgrund/prblem addressed by the study. The backgrund/prblem tells the reader WHY yu perfrmed the study, i.e., what prblem yu are attempting t slve. The prgressin is ften frm a very general backgrund statement t a very specific and cncise prblem statement. Thugh much backgrund may be needed t get the reader ready fr the reprt, nly a summary is presented here in the intrductin. The rest is placed in the next sectin (see belw). State the bjectives r purpse f the study, i.e., what yu hpe t accmplish with the prject r hpe t cnvey with the reprt. A set f tw t eight bjectives is ften apprpriate and shuld be listed with bullets. These bjectives shuld clearly define the scpe f the prject s that the reader is nt surprised later by infrmatin r is nt expecting smething that isn t there. Any bulleted list f bjectives (r any ther list) must have 'parallel' structure; e.g., all starting with actin verbs study, design, investigate, select, etc. Summarize the slutin apprach yu will take t reach yur bjectives. If yu will experiment, say s, and say why. List the key tasks yu will accmplish as yu slve the prblem. At least sme f these tasks must be related t engineering cntent fund in yur cursewrk r related activities and shuld be generally aligned with yur majr. Regardless f the rganizatin f the intrductin sectin, it shuld answer the fllwing questins: What is this reprt abut? Hw did the idea fr this prject riginate? What is the prblem that needs t be slved? What needs t be accmplished t slve this prblem? What d yu intend t cmplete as part f this prject?
What deliverables will result frm yur wrk? Prttype, prduct design, prcess design, recmmendatins, etc. Hw will yu meet each f yur bjectives? What will nt be included in the scpe f the prject? What main tasks will yu perfrm n the way t cmpleting the prject? Make sure yu include a few sentences telling the reader hw the rest f the reprt is rganized. Backgrund (includes Literature Review) The backgrund shuld prvide a cntext fr the prject and shuld describe any imprtant infrmatin the reader needs t knw in rder t understand what yu ve dne. This may include infrmatin cncerning existing prducts, prcesses, systems, r rganizatins. Cmpany literature, catalgue r manual infrmatin, advertising material, r ther literature may be referenced here. The backgrund may als include imprtant thery that has been develped by thers (literature review). This is infrmatin the reader shuld knw (r be reminded f) befre reading the rest f the reprt. The thery is what is knwn (r believed) abut the imprtant cncepts under study. It may describe a link between prcess/system inputs and utputs r define hw quality, prductivity, r cst is related t design decisins. The thery can usually be fund in textbks r landmark articles abut the subject. Include references t give credit t the riginatrs f the thery. The backgrund shuld als indicate what has been cmpleted r attempted with regards t slving this r similar prblems in the past (literature review). The published literature may include thse that have attempted t slve the same prblem as yu, similar prblems related t yur wrk, r simply prblems related t sme f the methds yu will use. References t recent wrks may include jurnal r magazine articles, theses r previus senir prjects, cnference prceedings, r ther surces. Explain why yur prject is still necessary in the face f this prir wrk. Literature Review Many students cmmit themselves t wrk n their senir prject befre they have dne sufficient backgrund reading n the tpic, dismissing the literature search as cmpleted after a few bks and articles have been reviewed. Wide reading in the tpic is strngly recmmended as a means f discvering a suitable prject and/r an apprpriate apprach t analyzing the selected prblem. Often as result f such reading, an already selected senir prject may be mdified extensively r redefined. A review f the related literature is an essential part f a senir prject. The tpic must relate t existing knwledge n the subject and must demnstrate an ability t lcate, rganize, and use the literature in the field. The literature search shuld be almst cmplete befre prceeding with the prject. This literature review will help in defining the prblem, and prvide insight int the methds and appraches used by thers.
The review f the related literature invlves lcating, reading, and evaluating materials in yur area f interest in the library and nline. The library is, therefre, an indispensable resurce fr thse engaged in prject writing. The efficiency with which materials relevant t prblem are lcated depends cnsiderably n students' knwledge f the University Library and its varius resurces. Generally yu will need t have at least fifteen references; at least ten n them shuld be nninternet surces. There is much infrmatin nline, but yu must be diligent in evaluating the surces f the material. Cited material must be pear reviewed and published by a reputable surce. Wikipedia is nt an acceptable surce in a literature review. The methds f cnducting the literature review differ t sme extent frm subject t subject. Hwever, in mst fields the first step cnsists f lcating r identifying key wrds related t the tpic under investigatin. This is usually dne by checking the main reference surces and textbks n the subject. These key wrds are needed t lcate specific references in Figure 3 - Reference by Authr and Year the indexes and abstracts. During the search f indexes and abstracts a bibligraphy card shuld be prepared fr each bk title, reprt r article which might cntain material pertinent t the prject. The bibligraphy card shuld include all the infrmatin necessary t identify the reference, such as authr, title, publisher, date, peridical title, vlume number, and inclusive paging. PlyCat in the Library will prvide this infrmatin. Libraries will als have facilities t search fr references using key wrd search thrugh database f current peridicals. Sme f the needed materials may nt be available in the library, but may be btained n interlibrary lan. The review f the literature shuld include thse articles and ther references that bear a valid relatinship t the prblem under study. They shuld prvide the backgrund infrmatin that is needed t understand the prject's cntributin t the field and a pint f reference in discussing and interpreting the cnclusins in the prject. When writing the Literature Review all surces must be cited within the reprt and in the reference list f the bibligraphy. One methd f citing surces includes a reference t the surce by authr and year. An example is included in Figure 3. Anther methd is t reference
the surces by number in the reference list. This is shwn in figure 4. Anything reprduced frm anther surce must be cited. Pictures taken by thers r figures created by smene else must be referenced. Design (r Thery) This is ften the lngest chapter and usually has subheadings that shw the steps used in the design f the slutin. Fr a prduct, prcess, r system design, describe the verall apprach and the specific steps taken (calculatins, reasning, mdeling, etc) t arrive at the initial design. This includes defining requirements, cnstraints, r user specificatins and explaining the initial cncept fr the design slutin and any alternative cncepts. Justify each majr decisin by describing the thery r lgic used. Justify any unusual r unique aspects f the design. Present the riginal design in the frm f drawings, prcess plans, r system specificatins. Yur initial cst, quality, r prductivity estimates shuld be presented here. Refer t any drawings, tables, r diagrams in yur text - whether these are embedded in the text r placed in an appendix. If yu have develped new thery fr this prject, derive it in detail in this sectin. Yu may change the title frm Design t smething mre apprpriate. Methds (r Experimentatin) In this sectin yu will explain hw yu tested yur design. If a virtual r physical prttype is prduced fr the prduct, prcess, r system design, explain hw, including all equipment and methds. Include visual aids. If yu ran experiments, indicate what yu did, especially detailing yur set-up. Describe all equipment and techniques used and cnditins f the tests. Justify any nn-standard methds. Describe any statistical tests r simulatins used t evaluate the design. Include as much infrmatin as yu feel is relevant. N results, hwever, shuld be included unless they are preliminary results used t justify a certain methd. Results and Discussin In this sectin yu will present the resulting data whether numerical measurements r subjective bservatins. Yu shuld include nly the imprtant results in this sectin; the rest shuld be placed in an appendix (yu shuld refer t them in the text). Any tables r figures shuld be referred t in the text. Describe and explain the results. Answer the fllwing questins: Figure 4 - Reference by Number Were the results as expected? Why r why nt? Did the thery hld? Is the design a gd ne? Were yur cst, quality, r prductivity estimates n track
Hw shuld the design r thery be changed based n results? Yur prgressin shuld be frm facts t pinins. Describe any prblems r limitatins with the methds r experiment. Answer the fllwing questins: Were any unusual cnditins present? Were any results difficult t interpret? Are there sme questins that remain unanswered? Interpret the results in terms f hw successful yu believe the actual implementatin f the design will be. Answer the fllwing: Based n the results, what d yu predict fr the future? Where might legitimate prblems crp up? Hw shuld use f the design r thery be limited? Cnclusins (r Summary and Cnclusins) In this sectin yu will summarize the prject: prblem, bjectives, and slutin apprach. List a set f cnclusins as bullets. Summarize the results by answering the fllwing: What were yur mst imprtant results? What can yu say abut the thery r the tpic in general based n yur experimental results? Did yu accmplish each bjective listed in the intrductin? What did yu learn in the prject? Hw wuld yu d the prject differently next time r what wuld yu try next? What d yu recmmend based n yur findings? Bibligraphy All published literature referred t by the student t carry ut any f the prject tasks must be listed in the bibligraphy. MLA r APA shuld be used t frmat the bibligraphy. There are several bks and nline resurces that can help in this frmatting. The fllwing essential infrmatin must be included in the listing: authrs, literature title, jurnal name r publisher's name, vlume, number and year f publicatin, and page numbers referred. Appendices Appendices include materials that cannt be presented in the text (due t length, frm, r cmplexity) withut interrupting its cntinuity, but which are helpful in clarifying the meaning f the text. Materials which are valuable in prviding supprting evidence, (i.e. summary tabulatins, frms, dcuments, letters, manuals and questinnaires) may als be prvided in the appendix.
General Writing Guidelines Use this as a guide nly. Each prject has unique elements and may require a different structure r different sectins fr the reprt. Write the Intrductin first, the Executive Summary last. D nt use first persn in the senir prject write up. Headings and subheadings shuld mean smething. Start each majr sectin with a shrt explanatin f what will be cvered. Keep in mind wh yu re writing fr and what yu want t say. Mst senir prjects shuld target a general audience (nt yur advisr!). Imagine that the mst likely peple that will read it are a future bss r a future student that wants t knw what yu did. Use headings, subheadings, bulleted lists, tables and figures whenever pssible. Refer t all tables and figures in the text (same fr Appendices). Be hnest, cite thers, and dn t cnclude mre than yur results tell yu. Yu dn t have t sund like an encyclpedia, but technical writing is meant t infrm, nt entertain. Shrter sentences ften wrk better. Spell-check. It s easy. Cnsult a resurce n grammar and wrd usage if unsure. Have a friend r clleague read ver yur wrk t catch mistakes and suggest changes.