project management 2011 l1 report writing

8/2/2019 Project Management 2011 l1 Report Writing

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EL562 Computer Interfacing

Project Management (Lecture 1)

ProfessorYong YANSchool of Engineering and Digital Arts

University of Kent

Project Report Writing


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Overview

What is a good report?

Consideration of the audience

Objectives of a report

Structure of a report

Use of tables, figures and equations

References

Plagiarism


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What is a Good Report?

Meets the audiences needs

Clear structure and organisation

Informative technical contents

Logical development of information

No obvious grammatical and spelling mistakes

Completeness


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Audience Analysis

Who are going to read the report?What do they know about the subject?

What do they need to know?

What will they do with the information?

Peers, Students, Teachers

Examiners, , Experts, Officers

A combination of them


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Typical Structure of a Report

Front Part Title PageAbstract/SummaryAcknowledgements

Nomenclature (optional list of symbols)Table of Contents

Main Body 1. Introduction2. Section Heading (e.g. Principles)

2.1 Subsection Heading2.2 Subsection Heading

2.2.1 Topic (a)

2.2.2 Topic (b)

2.3 Subsection Heading

3. Section Heading (e.g. Results)

N. Conclusions and Recommendations for future work

End Part ReferencesAppendices


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The Title Page

University of Kent

The Perfect Title of My 3rdYear Project

Your Full Name

BEng (Hons)

Computer Systems Engineering with a Year in Industry

(Optional photo of the system/device you developed here)

Title and Name of your SupervisorIndustrial Sponsor: (if applicable)

Date of Submission (dd/mm/yy)

Follow 3rd Year Project Guideline

University of Kent

The Title of Our 2ndYear Group Project

(Optional photo of the system/device you developed here)

Student Full Name 1Student Full Name 2

Student Full Name 3Student Full Name 4

Title and Name of your Supervisor


See Appendix F (2nd Year Project Handbook)


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The Title Page

University of Kent

The Title of Our 2ndYear Group Project

Specification and Preliminary Design

Student Full Name 1Student Full Name 2Student Full Name 3

Student Full Name 4

Title and Name of Your Supervisor


See Appendix C (2nd Year Project Handbook)


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Abstract/Summary

A condensed version of your reports contents

No longer than one page. But not just one sentence!

State briefly

the purpose/motivation for the study/project,

its scope including what issues are covered and whatmethods are used,

and the main results and outcomes.

The abstract should be self-contained


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Acknowledgements

You may wish to acknowledge contributions

made by particular individuals and/ororganizations.

e.g. supervisors, fellow students or technicians whohelped

Sponsors, project clients,

This will not undervalue your contributions to theproject.


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Table of ContentsAbstract/Summary iAcknowledgements iiTable of Contents iii

Nomenclature iv1. Introduction 12. Section Heading (e.g. Principles) 3

2.1 Subsection Heading 32.2 Subsection Heading 7

2.2.1 Topic (a) 7

2.2.2 Topic (b) 9

2.3 Subsection Heading 123. Section Heading (e.g. Results) 14

N. Conclusions 46

References 47Appendix A Matlab Program Codes 49

Appendix B Microcontroller XYZ Datasheet 52


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Introduction

This section should explain what the reader

needs to know in order to understand thebackground and ideas behind the project Importance of the subject

Its relation to other topics

What has been done before Scope of the report

Structure of the report (optional)


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Background/Literature review

Present the results of background research you

have undertaken Show awareness and understanding of your

subject area and its context

Show understanding of the needs of yourusers/audience and real potential clients of yourwork

Cite relevant references (see below)


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Spelling & Grammar

Ensure no obvious spelling errors

Use your spellchecker

Dobnt just ignor wiggley red liunes - they arethere for a reason.

Grammar checker: use with care

Avoid common mistakes

Itsv Its Affectv Effect Practice v Practise

Use formal written English

Avoid the personal pronoun

Use passive constructions [!?]


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Jargon

What does the audience understand?

Explain terms when first introduced Expand abbreviations/acronyms

at least once

first time they appear

possibly in a list of acronyms/symbols

Example:Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) is a popular subjectnowadays. There are many HCI courses taught at UK

universities.


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Graphical Communication Tables and Figures

Cancarry more information per space than the

same amount of text Only ifclearly explained in the text

Types of Figures Graphs: line, bar, pie

Drawings

Diagrams

Photographs

Images


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Data in table form

Table 10: Pollution data from some UK rivers

Lead Cadmium Arsenic

(ppm) (ppm) (ppm)

Tay 112.35 25.12 45.63Tweed 95.21 25.00 84.52

Don 78.63 36.74 96.36

Earn 65.77 58.59 84.21

Clyde 156.25 86.54 57.54


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Data in graphical formRiver Pollution

0.00

20.00

40.00

60.00

80.00

100.00

120.00

140.00

160.00

180.00

Tay

Twee

dDo

nEa

rn

Clyde

Brotho

ck

River

partsper

million

Lead

Cadmium

Arsenic

Air Pollution

0.00

20.00

40.00

60.00

80.00

100.00

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

g/litre

0.00

20.00

40.00

60.00

80.00

100.00

120.00

ppm g/litre

ppm

Where our students come from

Scotland

Northern Ireland

Other UK

Other EU

Overseas

Figure 12. Pollution data from some UK rivers


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Placement of Tables and Figures

As close as possible to the text which refers to it

All tables must be numbered and entitled above.

A figure must have a caption at its bottom

Simple explanation of what the figure (or table)

shows must be in the text Give the source of data (e.g., Smith et al1986) if

the data is not yours.


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Use of Equation Editors

a1

a

V

VG

i

o

where a is the open-loop voltage gain, is the feedbackfactor of the feedback network, and a is referred to theloop gain. Equation (3) shows that the gain of the circuit

(3)

Vo a

G = ----- = ------------

Vi 1 + a Equation number

All variables must bedefined below the equation


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Recommended to use the Harvard System:

The List should be in the alphabetical order accordingto authors surnames.

For Examples: Hardy, G. (1948) A Course of Pure Mathematics. (9th ed.)

Cambridge U.P. Cambridge. Ch VIII. Smith, W. (1998) Improving efficiency of powder milk

spray dryer. Proc.1st Int. Symp. On-line Flow Meas. ofSolids. 47-55.

Yan, Y. (1996) Mass flow measurement of bulk solids.Meas. Sci. Tech. 7(12). 1687-1706.

Averdieck, W., Particulate emission monitoring,http://www.pcme.co.uk [Accessed 10/09/07]

List of References


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Citing web pages

Document title or description

Date when the web is accessed The web link (URL)

Whenever possible, identify the authors of the

document


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The Vancouver (Numeric) System.

[1] G. Hardy, A Course of Pure Mathematics. (9th ed.)Cambridge U.P. Cambridge. Ch VIII, 1948.

[2] W. Smith, Improving efficiency of powder milk spray

dryer. Proc.1st

Int. Symp. On-line Flow Meas. of Solids.pp.47-55, 1998.

[10]Y. Yan, Mass flow measurement of bulk solids, Meas.Sci. Tech., 7(12), pp.1687-1706, 1996.

List of References


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For Example:

It has been shown (Smith 1972) that .

Smith (1982b) has concluded that .

, this has been discussed by Smith and Brown (1992).Smith et al. (2001) have studied this .

, this technique was discussed by Smith and Brown in1992 [3].

This issue has been studied in [7].

Citing References in the Report


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Useful Tips All projects are different, but there are conventions for

reports (structure and presentation style)

Your supervisor can give advice on issues specific to yourproject report

and comments on a 1st draft

Examples of past (good) reports

Dont underestimate the time that writing takes

Formatting checking the guidelines if any

Proof-reading good to ask someone else to read

Binding

2nd Year Group Project - Specification & Preliminary Design Report2nd Year Group Project - Final Group Report (max 35 pages)

3rd Year Project Report (max 50 pages)

4th Year MEng Project Report (max ? pages).


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Summary

An Essential Skill

Read this Handout

Read the Guideline

Plan and Start Earlier Learn and Practise

Avoid plagiarism

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