How and when to submit your proposal

How and when to submit your proposal • Due date 2-April (Monday) • Submit a softcopy to your supervisor and submit a doc format to Turnitin for record • Turnitin • class code: 4997111 pwd: ee3111

Proposal format • Length: 15-20 pages (around) • Contents: • Abstract • Introduction • Objectives • Background (literature survey) • Proposed methodology + some theory of the method • Schedule (in a form of a chart) • Budget (optional) • References • Appendix (if necessary)

Writing the report I

Report writing • There are many different kinds of projects, and many different kinds of appropriate project reports. • Therefore the advice given here is of a general kind, setting out the principles behind a successful project report, rather than a prescription for the detailed structure, which will necessarily vary from project to project. • The advice here is also written from the point of view of an examiner who has read many project reports in the past • Your supervisor will certainly give you valuable advice and his preferred format

Report is important • If you wish to secure a good mark for your project, it is absolutely essential that you write a good report. It is the report which is marked, not the program or anything else you might have constructed during the project period. No matter how significant your achievements, if you do not write up your work, and write it up well, you will obtain a poor mark. Ref: www.cs.york.ac.uk/projects/howtowrt.html

Report is important • It is essential to understand that the report will be read(?) and marked by a 3 examiners only your supervisor is familiar with the work which the report describes. Examiners are not mind-readers, and cannot give credit for work which you have done but not included in the report.

Knowing your readers • Before you start working on your report, you consider the kinds of audiences for whom you are going to be writing • In addition to your supervisor, it is likely that over time your project will be read by other people as well (such as students continuing your work). It is important to consider the needs of your readers before you begin writing, and you should continue to keep them in mind as you write.

Expert readers • Expert readers - your supervisors • They are likely to know much more about the area that you are working on, than you do. • They do not want to have to read through unnecessary material that you have copied, or learnt by heart from a textbook. • Want evidence that you understand the key material in your field that is relevant to your project • Want to see that you can explain why it is relevant • You have to be selective in choosing your references to other people’s work, and show that you can focus on key points and summarise details whenever possible.

Expert readers • The reasons these ‘informed’ readers will be reading your work is to find out if you have been able to carry out an extended investigation and that you present your findings in an orderly, reasoned and analytical manner. • Be sure you use definitions and technical language to support the points you are making, not just to impress them with how much you know.

Uninformed readers • At least one of the panel members is not an expert in the field • Future fellow students may read your report to continue your work. • Uninformed readers will be reading for information. • Expect to find out as briefly and clearly as possible what your intentions were, if they were carried out successfully, and what the final outcome of your efforts was. • For these people, technical language will need to be explained, but only in condensed form. They will be no more impressed than your supervisors by lengthy accounts of unnecessary detail.

Knowing your audience • From time to time when you are writing try to imagine some people who are likely to read your work, and consider whether they will easily be able to understand what you are saying. • You should make your work ‘reader friendly’ by making your meaning very clear and easy to follow, allowing your ideas to flow in logical progression, and including adequate signals and linking phrases.

Your audience • Your examiner is faced with the task of reading 17 project reports like yours over a short period. • The examiner will not have much idea about your project except for the title. Therefore you need to present a clear idea of what was the intention of the project, what was your contribution, what were your sources of information, and what you personally achieved • If you can achieve this, then the report has done its work regardless of how successful the project was technically.

A framework for the report • In writing a report it is advisable to form a framework for the report first • You may start with the formation of the titles of the chapters. Then you proceed on to decide the titles and structure of the sections within each chapter. Continuing the process, each section may be further expanded into appropriate sub-sections, divisions and sub-divisions etc., until a complete framework is formed. • If a well-structured framework can be set up, it will be relatively straightforward, to add materials around it to form your report.

IMRAD model • I - introduction • M - methodology • R – results • AD – and discussion • Your background theory conclusions etc should be inserted at the appropriate places

Frame work • If you begin by preparing an outline for your project and list the headings you are going to use, that will help you to focus directly on the details you need to include in each section. • It will also encourage you to consider what kind of information your readers will be expecting to find under each heading.

The structure of the report • Title • The title, in a few words, summarises the most important information on the experiment that you are reporting. • What is the key element of the work?

Abstract • Abstract • The abstract should contain a short summary, about 200 to 400 words (1-page), of the work done in the project. • Does the abstract give a clear and full picture of the report? • Remember we need to read 17 reports in a week!!!!!!!

Acknowledgements • This is where you should acknowledge the various parties who initiated, supervised or made contributions to the project • Optional – no one force you to acknowledge your supervisor • Make sure you spell your supervisor’s name correct!!!!

Table of Contents • This is a list of the contents of the project report. • Is this clear and accurate? • Refer to example

List of Symbols • The list of symbols is not always necessary, but for reports in which many mathematical symbols are used, it is preferable to include such a list in the report.

INTRODUCTION • For most reports the first chapter, as an introduction to the project, is necessary to introduce the reader to the background of the project. The motivation behind the project and a brief outline of the project work should be included in this introductory chapter. • What is the problem? • What was I (were we) trying to do and why?

BACKGROUND (LITERATURE REVIEW) • An up-to-date summary of relevant and related research in your area. Basically this contains a little theory and all the previous work in the area, every statement must be supported by a reference • What is the theoretical background? • Have I defined all terms? • Are references included?

EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURES (METHODOLOGY/ EQUIPMENT/APPARATUS/) • Descriptions about the theory of the approach/methodology used and the steps taken when conducting the experiment • If you are writing a software then explain the algorithm • What information does my reader need to replicate the experiment?

Simulation • The system design and the block diagram of the system, plus some brief descriptions on the theory. • Is it clear? • Could someone else replicate this study based on the diagrams and descriptions given?

RESULTS (EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS) • The function of the results section is to display the full data obtained from the experiments, whether in tabular, graphic, or other form. • What did I find out?

DISCUSSION • In this section, the results are interpreted in terms of the ideas and theory set forth earlier. This often means that it includes: a discussion of any special circumstances on the datacollection or analysis the results and the errors • How should the reader interpret it within the context of the theoretical background above? • What were the most interesting results and why are they of interest?

CONCLUSION • This chapter should state briefly the achievement of the project, the conclusions from the work and suggestions for further work. • This section is meant to convey to the reader your opinion as to the nature and the significance of the results obtained. • What is the main point that the reader should know?

Appendixes • Materials which are closely related to the contents of the report, and which are themselves self-contained, may be included in the report as appendixes. While data sheets should normally not be included, detailed references to data sheets should be included to enable the reader to find them. • Sometimes, the source program is included • Is the information presented clearly?

REFERENCES • This is a list of the references referred to in the report. There is a particular format that the reference list should follow. • Have I included all the references? • Are they correctly formatted?

How to write well • Many students appear not to realize how difficult it is to write well. • Any type of writing is difficult, but technical writing is particularly hard • Help is available in English Learning Centre • Reference: • Robert Barrass, ``Scientists Must Write'', E & Fn Spon (sic) (1982)

Precision • You must strive first to be absolutely precise. • When you write, it is not sufficient that you know what you mean; • What you write must not be capable of misinterpretation. • Take exceptional care to choose the right word for the occasion. • Do not, for example, write ``optimum'' if you mean ``good''. ``Approximate'' means ``close'', so ``very approximate'' means ``very close'‘ • What is “the result is good” • The error is small or the error is acceptable

Precision?

Vigour (活潑地; 果斷的) • Prefer short sentences to long sentences. • Prefer short words to long words, provided that the short word has the meaning you need • Passive voice ? • “a program was written ...'' rather than ``I wrote a program ...''. Many of your examiners might share this preference for, or prejudice in favour of, the passive voice, but this style is passing out of favour in all technical writing?

Vigour • Use of “royal we” ? • (``we wrote a program'' when you mean ``I wrote a program'') • By adding three and five, we obtain eight.

Spelling and grammar • Poor spelling is a distraction to the proficient reader. There is very little excuse nowadays for spelling errors; there are many excellent spell-checker programs which make a good job of finding the errors for you • Be especially careful with words whose common misspelling is a correct spelling of a different word • For example: form/from; with/will

Illustrations • Your report should generally contain illustrations (figures or diagrams), but they must be relevant. Ask yourself if the illustration helps the reader to understand the text. • If the text is readily comprehensible without the illustration, delete the illustration. If it is not, it is usually better to make the text clearer than to add a diagram. • All illustrations should be prepared by an appropriate program, such as visio,pic, xfig or grap. • If possible, include figures close to the text which refers to them, rather than all together in an appendix. • It is normal to list tables and figures at the beginning of the report, after the table of contents.

Good illustration?

Language of each chapter • INTRODUCTIONS • The following has been suggested as a general framework for the Introduction section of research articles (Swales, 1990). This may also provide you with a framework for the Introduction section of your final year project report

Introduction • First: Establish a territory • this means establish that the topic of your research is significant, interesting, or relevant. • Provide some general background information about your topic. • You may want to reference some literature, to support your claims that the topic is important, or as a source for some of your general information about the field.

Introduction • Secondly: Establish a niche (合適的) • Niche area • Establishing that there is a need for more research in the area, in particular for the research that you are doing/have done. • This may be because of inadequacies in previous research, because there has been insufficient research undertaken in your specific context, because previous research now suggests new areas for investigation, etc.

Introduction • Thirdly: Occupy the niche • This means explain to the reader what the focus of your research is. You may outline your purpose, and perhaps summarise your main findings. You may also preview the structure of the remainder of your research report.

Background • What is the purpose of this section? • The aim of this chapter is for you to demonstrate that you understand the theory and the scope of previous research/work carried out in relation to your chosen project. • Do not plagiarise from sources but try to write in your own words. • Cite all sources. • All definitions must follow the way definitions are written. • Clear links between ideas have to be made to show the context clearly • Start with general issue related to your topic and then become more specific

Citations • Why do we reference other authors/research? • Explain what others have contributed in terms of knowledge about the field of your research. • You must acknowledge others who are the sources of this information. • You can indicate in the way you reference their work, the extent to which you agree with the ideas you are reporting. In other words you take a stance or a position on the research and knowledge you are reporting.

Citation • You can refer to an author's work in two ways: by integral or non-integral citation. • In integral citation, the author's name is integrated in your sentence, usually with a reporting verb like 'suggests' or 'argues‘ • In non-integral citation it only appears in footnote or in brackets • Non-integral citation has the disadvantage that the original author is almost invisible in your text, therefore there is a greater risk of the reader confusing the author's ideas with your comments and interpretations. • Integral citation avoids this problem by giving prominence to the author's name.

Non-integral • There were distinct perceptions of family and caste in 19th century accounts of bathing resorts(1), which on closer analysis can reveal a great deal about the nature of perceptions of caste in society generally. • (1) Somloi, G. "Spa Resorts in 19th Century Hungary", Hungarian Historical Journal Vol.23, no.4 Budapest 2001

Integral • There were, as Somloi has rightly pointed out, distinct perceptions of family and caste in 19thcentury accounts of bathing resorts(1). Closer analysis of these perceptions can reveal a great deal about the nature of perceptions of caste in society generally. • (1) Somloi, G. "Spa Resorts in 19th Century Hungary", Hungarian Historical Journal Vol.23, no.4 Budapest 2001

How and when to submit your proposal