Mini Proj Wrkshp1 t06

8/6/2019 Mini Proj Wrkshp1 t06

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Robert Blake SLDC &Robert Blake SLDC &Nikki Longden, Communication SystemsNikki Longden, Communication Systems

WRITING UP YOURWRITING UP YOURMINIMINI--PROJECTPROJECT

Workshop 1:Workshop 1:Structuring your projectStructuring your project


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In workshop 1:

1. An overview of technical report writing structure

2. How to structure Comms mini-project reports

In workshop 2:

1. How your report will be assessed: what are

lecturers looking for?

2. Referencing and avoiding plagiarism

Writing Up Your Mini Project: OutlineWriting Up Your Mini Project: Outline


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In addition to the workshop presentations, thereis a handout containing supplementary information.

This handout is split into 4 parts:

1) What Lecturers are Looking for in Your Dissertation1) What Lecturers are Looking for in Your Dissertation

2)2) Structure of sections before and after the main body

of the report

3) Technical writing reference information

4) Final checklists

Workshop Supplementary Material (i)Workshop Supplementary Material (i)


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Parts 1 and 4 are stand alone and do not need

to be read in conjunction with sections from the

main presentation

Part 2 should be read with the overview of

technical report writing structure section of this

Presentation

Part 3 should be read with the technical writing

inc. references! section of this presentation

Workshop Supplementary Material (ii)Workshop Supplementary Material (ii)


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Before we start Before we start

What do you think the purpose of the mini

project report is?


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PART 1PART 1

AN OVERVIEW OF TECHNICALAN OVERVIEW OF TECHNICALREPORT WRITING STRUCTUREREPORT WRITING STRUCTURE


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Well start with 2 questions:

What is the conventional format for technical reports?

What are the main sections you expect ?

TECHNICAL REPORT STRUCTURETECHNICAL REPORT STRUCTURE


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Technical Report StructureTechnical Report Structure

Title pageAbstract

Contents list

Glossary

IntroductionMethods

Results

Discussion of results

Conclusions/Future work

References

Acknowledgements

Appendices


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Technical Report Structure: IMRaD+ CTechnical Report Structure: IMRaD+ C

The core sections of a technical report are

IMRaD

IIntroduction

MMethodsRResults

&&

DDiscussion

Or IMRaD + CIMRaD + Ci.e. with the addition of a Conclusion


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IMRaD & C diagramIMRaD & C diagram

The diagram shows the

shape of the IMRaD & C

structure

Note how in the

introduction the focus of thereport is broad before

focusing on your specific

studyThe structure remains

narrowly focused in theMethods & Results but

gradually broadens in theDiscussion & Conclusion

Introduction

Method

Results

Discussion

Conclusions and Further Work


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Report SectionsReport Sections

Which sections do you think are the most

important in your mini project reports?


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SECTIONS BEFORE THE MAIN BODY OF THE REPORTSECTIONS BEFORE THE MAIN BODY OF THE REPORT

1. Title (see slides 5-7 of supp. mat.)2. Abstract

3. Table of Contents

4. Lists of Figures, Tables, Formulae and Acronyms

(see slide 8 of supp. mat.)

5. Glossary (see slide 9 of supp. mat.)

NB You may be required to insert a declaration after

the title page


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The abstract (i)The abstract (i)

This is one of the most difficult parts of a report to

write.

It should give your reader a brief but complete

summary or overview of the entire report from aims to

conclusions

From the abstract alone, your reader should know

what you have done and found out

It is the last thing that you write


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The abstract (ii)The abstract (ii)

Typically 100 to 200 words in length

One paragraph

Highly succinct

Is not an introduction

1st section to be read, therefore important


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The Contents Page (i)The Contents Page (i)

Needs to be self explanatory

Gives a clear overview of structure

Uses headings to guide the reader through the report

structure

Uses numbering, indentation, subheadings (especially

in long reports). Use automated features in MS Word

to do this [index, tables, cross reference, pagenumbers]


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The Contents Page (ii)The Contents Page (ii)

1 Introduction 1

1.1 Overview.1

1.2 Aims.3

2 Exercise 1 5

2.1 Method.... 5

2.2 Results.. 7

2.3 Analysis...10


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The Contents Page (iii)The Contents Page (iii)

Your chapters, sections & subsections in the main

body of your report should be numbered in the

same way

When you use figures you should also include a List

of Figures with

1. Figure number

2. Figure caption / description

3. Page number

The same applies for tables


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SECTIONS IN THE MAIN BODY OF THE REPORTSECTIONS IN THE MAIN BODY OF THE REPORT

1. Introduction

2. Methods

3. Results

4. Discussion

5. Conclusions

NB You may tailor the main body of the report to suit your specific

mini project needs


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The Introduction (i)The Introduction (i)

This Sets the scene for the report, by introducing &

explaining information needed to understand the rest of the

report.

Youll put your reading here. It gives : brief background to the study

explains reason[s] for the work carried out

explains connections with previous work i.e. reviewing

relevant technical papers (referencing!)

This is the section where you will bring in any reading & cite

the work youve read


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The Introduction (ii)The Introduction (ii)

At the end of the introduction

explain your aims clearly

introduce how you will address these

explain briefly how the report is structured

[signposting]; helpful/reader- friendly


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Methods (i)Methods (i)

Now detail the methods you used to address the aims

you introduced in the introduction.

Depending on your study, the methods may describe:

software or hardware design

a model or simulation

the production of a media artifact such as a video

research you have undertaken


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Methods (ii)Methods (ii)

The aim of this section is to enable another researcher

to repeat your methods so you need to explain to the

reader

How you designed the model

Reasons for choices made etc.

Certain functions of a software package you have used

This section should also demonstrate that you are using

standard technical procedures


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Results (i)Results (i)

Presents the data or results i.e. data from the simulation/

model or experiment. There is little analysis here, unless

you have a combined results & discussion chapter

You need to consider the most appropriate method of

organising & presenting results

Do not just include figures & tables, ensure that

the text provides:

a commentary guiding the reader through the figures &

tables

references to all of these


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Results (ii)Results (ii)

Figures & tables need to be well presented: Carefully labeled

Carefully numbered, e.g. Figure 3.2

They must have a caption describing the data

presented Figure axes must have clearly specified units when the

data being presented has units

Remember the reader will look at the figures & tables

only if directed to do so in the text.


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DiscussionDiscussion

In this section you interpret your data or results, inother words analysing your results & discussing the main

findings of your lab work or simulation

Keep your project aims in mind- dont deviate fromthese.

If there are any limitations of your study, state them.

Broaden the scope of your discussion to compare your

findings with those of earlier work i.e. link back to to

earlier sections


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ConclusionsConclusions

This section is short & succinctState what you major conclusions are, referring back

to your original aims. Have you achieved these aims?

Highlight key features

Discuss what advances you have made

Some reports also include a Further Work or

Recommendations section


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SECTIONS AFTER THE MAIN BODY OF THESECTIONS AFTER THE MAIN BODY OF THEREPORTREPORT

1. Acknowledgements (see 11 of supp. mat.)

2. References (to be covered in workshop 2)

3. Appendices


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ReferencesReferences

We will look at referencing in detail in workshop 2tomorrow

Briefly, if you use the work or ideas of others, you

must cite them in your dissertation & then list the

full details in a referenced list at the end


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Appendices (i)Appendices (i)

To make your report easy to read & not swamp your readerwith too much data, it is often useful to include some

material e.g. code, full programmes in an appendix (cd or

paper?)

Many readers of your report may not read these sections

& certainly should not need to read them to follow your

report.

However, some readers will want to analyse your detailed

results in greater depth e.g. to compare with their own

findings.


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Appendices (ii)Appendices (ii)

If you include any appendices, then reference them in

the main report (otherwise the reader will not be

aware of them or fail to understand their purpose).

The presentation of appendices needs to be of the

same standard as the body of the report. Each

appendix needs a self-explanatory title.


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Appendices (iii)Appendices (iii)

Examples of what should be contained in the

Appendices:

Listing of code developed Scripts

Interviews

Story boards


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Appendices (iv)Appendices (iv)

An Appendix may be on paper or on media such as a CD(check with your supervisor)

Do not put something in an Appendix that the reader of

your dissertation requires to follow your work

Appendices should be numbered in a similar manner to

the dissertation sections but beginning with a letter, e.g.

Appendix A.1

Appendix B.2.1

Appendix C


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PART 2PART 2HOW TO STRUCTUREHOW TO STRUCTURE

COMMS MINICOMMS MINI--PROJECTPROJECTREPORTSREPORTS


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Structuring Your MiniStructuring Your Mini--project Reportproject Report

There are 2 main types of mini-project report each with its

own structure:

1) Reports for unstructured mini-projects

2) Reports for structured mini-projects

Remember to adapt the structure to suit the information

you are presenting & organise it more effectively.

Use as many headings as you need

Make sure the scope of each chapter or section is clearlydefined by its title & the introduction to that chapter.

Make sure the layout is logical & the work flows.


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Structuring your Comms Report: Writing for the readerStructuring your Comms Report: Writing for the reader

Before you start writing, think about who the reader willbe. Who are you writing for?

Then make sure you write in a manner & level of detail

appropriate for them

Explain to your reader

why & what you did,

what the outcome was

Write concisely whilst explaining clearly.

Write in good formal technical English [clearly,

accurately & reader friendly]


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We saw earlier that standard technical reports have a

Title pageAbstractContents listGlossary

IIntroductionMMethodsRResultsDDiscussion of resultsCConclusions. Future work

ReferencesAcknowledgementsAppendices

Slide 37 shows the layout for the 1st main type of mini-project

Structuring your MiniStructuring your Mini--project Reportproject Report


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Abstract

Contents listGlossary

IntroductionRequirements Analysis / Task Analysis

Design - Software, Hardware, Media, ResearchImplementationTesting / Verification - if appropriateConclusions/ Future work

References (If any reading is used)Acknowledgements [if necessary]Appendices [cd]

Which sections form the body of the report?

MiniMini--project Report: Layout 1project Report: Layout 1 Unstructured TaskUnstructured Task


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Adapt the central chapters to help your reader to:

1) understand what you did & how you did it,

2) realise your understanding of the task

3) what could be taken further & how

Layout 1: Unstructured TaskLayout 1: Unstructured Task


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In Layout 1, an important subsection of the Conclusions isFurther work.

Given more time & funding how would you overcome

limitations (weaknesses) & take the work further

Youre demonstrating your wider technical & theoretical

awareness & knowledge, & discussing aspects you didnt

have time for

MiniMini--project Report: Notes on Layout 1project Report: Notes on Layout 1


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The 2nd type of mini project has a series of structured tasks

that lead you through the project rather than 1 particular

test or simulation.

Here you have to use your ingenuity to develop a coherent

structure

You may wish to group similar tasks together or you may

wish to repeat the MRaD + C structure for each exercise. Add

concluding statements.

There should be a logical progression through the report

with an overall introduction & conclusion

MiniMini--project Report: Notes on Layout 2project Report: Notes on Layout 2


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Remember that all mini-project reports should be

written in technical English

You need to write in the third person, i.e. not using

the words I, You, We or They

Report Writing StyleReport Writing Style

Mini Proj Wrkshp1 t06

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