The Structure of the Report (Main Structure: See Report Guide) Front Page

1. The Report Guide, which can be found on Study Net, summarizes guidelines for report writing for all semesters. I would like to give you my interpretation of it

2. The Structure of the Report(Main Structure: See Report Guide)Front Page Title page (Preprinted, which is filled-out)The Report Itself:- Abstract - Table of contents - Introduction with Problem Formulation - Main sections (Theory Section, Empirical Section, Analysis/Discussion Section) - The Conclusion- Perspectivation - References (Sources)/Illustration List - Appendix for Enclosures

3. Planning: rough drafting preparation of your report:You don´t necessarily write your report in chronological order, and you perhaps write in different sections at different times Method (see section. 2, top): The way to collect empirical data for a study.A systematic approach (there may be a theory behind the method) - we do not teach Method Theory, so it is sufficient to write that empirical data is gathered via, e.g., interviews / questionnaires (primary data), or based on already available data (secondary data)

4. Section 2: Introduction to the problem issue and the problem formulation Introduction to the problemissue Write a brief account of the issue your are going to deal with in your report: • why is it a problem? • Why is it important to write about this problem? • What is the background for the problem? • What is its use? • Who (in the professional filed) would be interested in this problem area? • Any claims made her by you must be backed-up with references (Rogers, 2003) Using the aforementioned points, boil the problem issue down to the problem formulation • It may be necessary to define specific expressions in the problem formulation, if so, define these expressions straight away. The problem formulation can be supplemented with possible sub-questions that all point in the same direction, but not in opposite directions. Demarcate the area: what you will deal with, and what you won't deal with!! THE PROBLEM FORMULATION “I wonder why it sometimes snows in the Sahara Desert?” How often does this phenomenon occur? Report must deal with only one specific problem area within the area of your interest/wonder: Ernest Müller, Rev.: A2016

5. Section 3: The Literature Study Start this section by explaining what its purpose is, and what you hope to achieve or prove by writing it (this is general for all sections!!) Give an account of the literature that you have studied that is going will help you deal with the question(s) you have posed in the problem formulation. When you give an account of the theory, YOU MUST WRITE IT IN YOU OWN WORDS! COPYING DIRECTLY FORM BOOKS OR THE INTERNET IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED !! (We do a plagiarism test!!) Remember to make references to the source: e.g., (Rogers, E., 2003: p25). http://guides.is.uwa.edu.au/c.php?g=380288&p=2575700 You can quote short sections by putting them in “inverted commas”, followed by the (source in brackets, with the year). Do this in moderation.

6. Section 4:The empirical data* or Case (from the “real world”) Start this section by explaining, as usual, what its purpose is, and what you hope to achieve by writing it. You must use a case or example with which to compare your literature study from the previous section. • Find a case/example which is relevant to your problem formulation. • Make a short description of the case/example • What do you hope to achieve with this case/example? • The case could be a description of a construction, a building component, an interview with someone, data collected by others, or some other example altogether. • Empirical data can be data in its strictest sense that exists somewhere already (secondary data)

7. Section 5: The analysis or discussion Start this section by explaining, as usual, what its purpose is, and what you hope to achieve by writing it. Your case/example is discussed (perhaps compared) with regard to what you've learned from studying the literature (from section 2). Is, for example, practice in the real world anything like what is described in the theory you have studied? Discuss these aspects and try to come up with solutions based on objective grounds (your personal views are not important in this respect) - Make sub-conclusions along the way to help you form the final main conclusion, which will eventually help you answer the question you posed in the problem formulation

8. Section 6: The Main Conclusion Explain what the purpose of this section is In this section, you review what you asked in the problem formulation and draw conclusions to the question(s) you asked in the problem formulation • i.e., you must answer the question(s) you have asked in the problem formulation E.g., start by writing: “At the beginning of this assignment, I posed the following question (s).....etc., my conclusions are as follows: Re: the main question:................” Re: sub question no.1:………………..”, etc., etc. NO new information must be given in the conclusions!!

9. Section 7: Putting your findings into Perspective Explain how your findings fit into the context of the present situation, the future, or bring it into perspective in other situations of your choice. What does putting something into perspective mean? To put everything into its correct place. Ensure that things are where they should be in relation to everything else around them. So, e.g., if you hear a quote taken out of context, it might imply something quite different to its original meaning. But put it in it's correct place, or in perspective, and it can take on a completely different and correct meaning.

10. Section 8: References (and possible Bibliography), and Illustration List http://guides.is.uwa.edu.au/c.php?g=380288&p=2575700 List all the books and literature you have cited/used in your report, including internet site addresses, e.g.: 1. Schein, Edgar H. 1968, Paper on: Kurt Lewin´s Change Theory in the Field and in the Classroom “Notes Toward a Model of Managed Learning”. 2. Judson, Arnold S. (1991) Changing Behaviour in Organisations, Minimizing Resistance to Change, Blackwell Business Etc., etc. Illustrations List: Put all your illustrations in an illustration list with references in your text to the pictures in the illustrations list

11. Section 8 : Enclosures (to document any of the material used in your report) Questionnaires, raw data, pictures, and other materials you don't want in the actual report but which is documentation.

12. 2. Introduction and problem issue: Short introduction to the problem area you wish to deal with in this assignment. Its background, its importance, etc., etc Narrow down to Narrow your introduction down to the specific question or questions you want to deal with. Define specific terns that can be interpreted in different ways Demarcate the area you will deal with (explain also what you won't deal with) 2a. Problem formulation 4. Detailed presentation of case/project/example: Detailed account of the case/project/example you want to use to compare real life with what you have learned in the literature study 3. Literature studies: “Fold-out” the literature studies relevant to dealing with the problem formulation (use Harvard Ref System) NO DIRECTCOPYING FROM LITERATURE OR INTERNET! The conclusion must answer these main question and sub-questions Under ways, the problem formulation may be adjusted as you learn more about the subject 5. Analysis and discussion: Your case/project/example is compared and discussed with regard to the literature study in Section 3. Use sub-conclusions along the way if necessary. 6. Conclusions: Your analysis and discussion must answer the questions you asked in the formulation of the problem (Section 2a) 7. Perspektivation

13. Abstract: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3136027/

14. How many pages? 7.Semester Reports:30 pages of text (Abstract, Introduction, Theory Section, Empirical Evidence Section (Case), Discussion/Analysis Section, Conclusion, Perspectivation, References/Illustration List – but exclusive Annex of Enclosures) Text size: e.g. : Areal 12Line spacing: 1.5 Approximately 370 words per page4th semester reports:10 pages of text (otherwise same as above) See the Report Guide for further information about the requirements for text size, line space and the formal requirements.

15. Deadline for the report See semester plan The report must be submitted digitally to Wiseflow

16. The Problem statement can be formulated as: AN OPEN QUESTIONTypically starts withWhat, how, who, when, or with what consequences ...Answering requires analysis / explanation and reasoningOR, AS A CLOSED QUESTIONTypically starts withCan ... ?, Is ... ?, Shows ...?…which, can be answered with yes / no - either / or - both / andAnswering does not necessarily open for exposition and argumentation of the subject!!Use any OPEN questions in the problem definitionA closed question can be reformulated for example:In which way…?Under what conditions ...?Why is this the case ...?How does it happen when it happens ...?

17. THE "BAD" PROBLEM STATEMENT“What happened during the construction of the kissing bridge?”What makes it bad?- The answer requires only summaries of existing sources.- It has not identified a problem - what is it specifically under investigation – is it quarreling, character flaws, bankruptcies, bad steel? – the statement lacks demarcation of the problem!- it discloses no methods of how that question is to be answered. Interviews with the client, project, producers electricity, or the like?Does not use theories or concepts from the course, which may indicate what is examined. For example, project management, construction management.

18. The good problem statement“How could the project manager's lack of quality assurance of the project planning documents for the construction of the Kissing Bridge in Copenhagen cause 2-year delay?” What makes the problem statement good?- It is formulated uniquely- It is demarcated (bankruptcies, bad steel, and the like are deselected) - It is directed against the building trade - It contains a problem - lack of project management and quality assurance causing delay - It contains three items for survey: project management, quality assurance, project planning documents Back