Communication Skills Lectures

1. Formal Project Reports
Lecture # 2
EN-223 Research Project & Presentation

2. Lecture Outline
• Introduction to Formal Project Report
• Components of Project Report
• What is Report Outline?
• Project Titles
• Preliminary Pages – 1st Component of a report
• Title Page
• Abstract
• Disclaimer
• Acknowledgement
• Table of Content
• List of Tables/Figure/Symbols

4. Introduction to Formal Project reports
• Structure of Formal project report:
• Introduction (why you are doing the work)
• Procedure (what you did and how you did)
• Results (what happened)
• Discussion (what it means)
• Conclusions (what was learned)
• Recommendations (what is to be done with the new knowledge in future)

5. Introduction to Formal Project reports
• Report Style/Format is often a personal choice and will differ
according to:
• Type of report
• Formal/Informal/Misc
• Purpose
• Publication/Proposal/Survey/Indicent report etc.
• Audience
• Researcher/Students/Managers/Public etc.
• For each report, students should consult their lecturer or school to
determine if any specific requirements apply.
• The provided material in this lecture will serve the purpose of
guidelines rather than inflexible set of rules.

6. Components of a formal project report
• The components will be determined by purpose and complexity of a report.
Components
of Report
Preliminary
pages
Text of the
report
Supplements
(if
appropriate)

7. Components of a formal project report

8. 4.1 Prepare Report Outline
1. Decide the Type of document (Formal/Informal/Misc) on some aspect
of your work
• A project is completed, so a report is the logical way to present results.
2. Decide on readership
• Who do you want to share results with?
• Department/Division/Company/Funding agency/Researchers/Students
3. Reasons for writing
• Are you trying to get funding for a project?
• Are you researching a mechanism?
• Do you want to communicate your project results to other engineers/researcher?
4. State the purpose and objective of the work
5. List major point/ingredients to include in report
6. Assign hierarchy to each section and sub-section

9. 4.1 Prepare Report Outline
Purpose of work
• First of all, write purpose or purposes, state them in the outline.
Sample Outline
• Title
• Robotic Spray Painting Arm for Paddle Tennis Racket
• Readership
• Researchers/Students/Faculty/Industrial Engineers
• Purpose
• Present current working in Robotic Arms
• Present the design/constraints/specifications/materials/results of Robotic
• Make recommendation on 6-axis robotic arm
• Recommend robotic arm for industrial applications

10. 4.1 Prepare Report Outline
Objective of work
• Next, it is Necessary to state the objective of the work.
Objective
• Design 6-axis robotic arm for multipurpose industrial applications
• Difference between purpose and objective?
• Purpose
• something that influences goal or reason for achieving the goal
• Objective
• specific action which one try to achieve as a short term plan.

11. 4.1 Prepare Report Outline
List major ingredients of report
• List major points your want to include in your report.
• For example,
1. Latest Research in Robotic Arm
2. 6-axis of Robotic arm
3. Light weight and Robust Materials used in Robotic Arm
4. Software and Hardware used for controlling Robotic Arm
5. Methodology to control robotic arm
6. Testing robustness of robotic arm
7. Make future recommendations for other researcher/students

12. 4.1 Prepare Report Outline
Assign hierarchy to major points and organize

13. 4.2 Project Title
• A title is an essential part of the outline and project as well.
• A title must be:
1. Accurate
2. Concise – (only 10–12 words and not over 100 characters including spaces)
3. Grammatically correct
4. Free of Jargon and Acronyms
• An effective title should:
1. Convey the main topics of the study
2. Highlight the importance of the research
3. Be concise – (Should not contain “A study of”)
4. Attract readers

14. 4.2 Project Title - Examples
• Two General categories of Title:
1. Declarative – states main findings/conclusions of the article
• Example: Selective elimination of messenger RNA prevents an incidence of untimely
meiosis
2. Descriptive – describes the subject of the article, but leaves out the
findings/conclusion
• Example: Mechanism of DNA translocation in a replicative hexameric helicase

15. 4.2 Project Title - Examples
Too long title
• When your title exceeds 100 character, it should be trimmed
• For example:
A. Research on the way of power plant and substation's basic data regulation to
improve the qualification rate of power system state estimation in HeBei power
network
B. Design of an IGBT-series-based Solid-State Circuit Breaker for Battery Energy
Storage System Terminal in Solid-State Transformer
C. Does Vaccinating Children and Adolescents with Inactivated Influenza Virus Inhibit
the Spread of Influenza in Unimmunized Residents of Rural Communities?

16. 4.2 Project Title – Examples
Too long title
• Original Title:
Finite element solution comparing the normal contact of an elastic-plastic layer medium
under loading by (1) a rigid and (2) a deformable indenter.
• Edited Title
• Effects of indenter stiffness on finite element modeling of coating.
• The editor has edited the title after reading abstract.

17. 4.2 Project Title – Examples
Too short
• A title should have enough information and allows the reader to
decide whether the article is worthwhile to read or not?
• For example, the below given title does not tell the reader what he
will learn about chemical coatings.
• Original Title
• Diamond Coating
• Edited Title
• Tribological properties of vapor-deposited polycrystalline diamond on
cemented carbide

18. 4.2 Project Title – Examples
Too short (cont.)
Too short
Influenza Vaccination of Children: A Randomized Trial
• This title doesn’t give enough information about what makes the
manuscript interesting.

19. 4.2 Project Title – Examples
Inaccurate Title
• For example, the below given title suggests that it’s a review article.
• A review article is one that reviews previous work and does not contain new
information.
• However, the article is really about instrument improvements that
make this measurement technique very easy and cost effective to use.
• Original Title:
Modern ellipsometry: A new surface and film analysis with an old name
• Edited Title:
Ellipsometry improvements that make film thickness measurements easier

20. 4.2 Project Title – Examples
Jargon and Acronyms in Titles
• Jargon is special words or expressions used by a profession or group that
are difficult for others to understand.
• Original Title:
Vanadium oxicarbide films prepared by CVD from vanadil acetylacetonate
• Edited Title:
Vanadium coating to solve wear problems
• The original title would frighten the readers away with big words.
• It was really a readable article with usable information. Unfortunately,
many readers would pass this article by because of “title scare.”

21. 4.2 Project Title - Examples
• Ask few question, once the Project Title is finalized.
1. Is it interesting, concise, and informative?
2. Is it accurate enough for use in indexing systems and bibliographic
databases?
3. Will potential readers be able to judge your paper’s relevance to their own
interests on the basis of the title alone?

22. 4.3 Preliminary pages
• Preliminary pages are all numbered with
roman numerals (I, II, III, IV, V, VI etc.)
• Title page which is not numbered.
• Students can adapt the order of their
preliminary pages to meet any specific
instructions given by lecturers or
particular schools.

23. 4.3.1 Title page
• A title page should be simple, attractive, and include the following
information:
• name of the university
• name of the particular engineering school
• code and title of the subject
• title of the report (which is precise and indicates the topic and scope)
• name of author(s) and ID number(s)
• name of supervisor/resource person
• date of submission

25. 4.3.2 Abstract
• An abstract
• also known as an overview or summary
• Its is multipurpose
• A manager may use the abstract to decide whether or not the content of the report is relevant.
• It allows researchers to quickly review literature and significant findings on a particular topic.
• an abbreviated version of the report/paper, written for people who may never read the complete
version.
• often written last as its purpose is to provide a summary of the report’s essential
information
• will cover Background, Purpose, objective, methodology, results, conclusions
• it is usually about 100–250 words in length
• appear on a separate page after the title page or just before Introduction
• generally written as a single paragraph
• And its stand alone

26. 4.3.2 Abstract
• The abstract should include the following elements:
why? background problem, purpose and objective of the report
how? brief details of the approach/procedure/methods
what? important results/findings (what was accomplished)
so what? major conclusion(s) and recommendation(s)

27. 4.3.2 Abstract
• The following are common mistakes in writing an Abstract
• too much background or methods information
• figures or images
• different font sizes
• duplicate words: e.g., in the in the
• punctuation errors
• poor grammar/word choice
• references to other literature, figures or images
• use of numerals to start a sentence: e.g., 12 children too part in the study
• undefined abbreviations or acronyms
• contradictory information
• poor structure and content organization

28. 4.3.2 Abstract
• Difference between abbreviation and acronyms
• An abbreviation is typically a shortened form of words used to represent the
whole (such as Dr. or Prof., dept. – department, est. - established)
• An acronym contains a set of initial letters from a phrase that usually form
another word e.g. NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration)

29. 4.3.2 Abstract
Additional Information
• The location and format for an abstract for a technical journal is
dictated by the journal.
• All journals have style and form guides, which are included in the
author instructions for a journal.
• Some journals impose word limits like this.
• Sometimes extended abstracts of 300 to 400 words are used in lieu
of published papers, but these are special cases.

30. 4.3.2 Abstract
• After background, the first sentence is a likely to state purpose (why the
work was done) then Objective (what you hoped to achieve) then
Methodology, Results and Conclusions.
• Eliminating Detail from Methodology
• The Methodology may be the hardest part of an abstract to keep brief.
• You must be ruthless (cruel) in eliminating details yet comprehensive in conveying
what was done.
• For example, there may be an urge to describe unique software used in
interpretation of data. If the tests conducted consisted primarily of tensile
tests, state that
“tensile tests were conducted and indicated that . . ..”
• Do not mention how they are done. The detail can be left to the body of the report.

31. 4.3.2 Abstract
• Do not use results data in the abstract. The results are stated in words.
• It is acceptable to say that
• “the feature material had only 50% of the reflectivity of the control material,”
• But it is inappropriate to state that
• “the feature had average reflectivity of 22.47, s 7.6, compared to 155.90 s 4.3, on
the control.”
• If you obtained ten different results in your tests, group them so that they can be
stated in a sentence or two.
• If you have ten conclusions, convert them to one general conclusion and
one general or overarching (main) recommendation.

32. 4.3.2 Abstract
Most common mistakes
• Too long abstract
• Try to make the abstract no longer than 250 words.
• Avoid Technical Jargon
• It contains so much technical jargon that nonworkers in the field cannot understand
what was done.
• Remember that some readers may not have your technical background.
• It should have been changed in level accordingly.
• New information not covered
• Never introduce information in the abstract that is not covered in the paper.
• Paraphrase title in abstract
• Title and abstract are always read together, so no reason to repeat words or
paraphrase the title in the abstract

33. Hydrolysis and Condensation-Coupling of Ph
enyltrimetboxysityl-Terminated Polystyrene
Macromonomers
• Anionically grown monofunctional polystyrene macromonomers are coupled through the
hydrolysis and condensation of trimethoxysilyl end groups. Hydrolysis is initiated by
adding acidified water to a tetrahydrofuran solution of the macromonomer. Condensation
is facilitated by evaporating the solvent and heating the polymer under vacuum above the
glass transition temperature. The macromonomers couple to form high-molecular-weight
polymers and reach a finite size, beyond which further growth is inhibited. The final
products are completely soluble star-shaped polymers, which are characterized by size-
exclusion chromatography with molecular-weight-sensitive detectors. The molecular
weight distribution of the stars are surprisingly narrow, although there are definitely
mixtures of stars with different numbers of arms. The average number of arms in a star
decreases as the molecular weight of the macromonomer increases. The final, limiting
structures of the stars can be explained by the free energy changes associated with the
number and length of arms. The results strongly suggest that the prevalent mode of
growth at later stages of condensation becomes addition of macromonomer to stars, rather
than addition of stars to stars. Studying the condensation-coupling of the macromonomers
provides understanding for more complicated network-forming systems and also provides
a unique method for synthesizing start-shaped polymers that has several advantages over
other synthetic methods.

34. 4.3.2 Abstract
• The abstract shows above is not only very long and highly technical,
but it also misses the mark on content.
• Why was this work being done?
• What is the scope of the work?
• Was it part of a study to invent a new plastic?
• What does the author want readers to do with the data in the report?
• Is he or she recommending the use of condensation coupling of
macromonomers?

35. 4.3.2 Abstract
• Next slide presents an example of an abstract acceptable in length,
content, and general format.
• An abstract is not a summary of everything done; it is the essence of
what was accomplished.
• It is like an advertisement of a report; it is your statement to readers of the
value of your work.

36. 4.3.2 Abstract

37. 4.3.3 Disclaimer
• A ‘disclaimer’ or declaration of authenticity is often required in major
pieces of work such as large reports, projects and theses.
• It is a signed statement declaring that the report is the work of the
stated author(s).
• This is a possible disclaimer statement:
• I declare the following to be my own work, unless otherwise referenced, as
defined by the University’s policy on plagiarism … followed by the author’s
signature.
• Students are not guilty of plagiarism if they have correctly referenced
the sources of all material which is not their own work.

38. 4.3.4 Acknowledgments
• The acknowledgments section is optional;
• however, it is essential that significant assistance, editing or work carried out
by another person or organization be acknowledged.
• The students may wish to thank colleagues or supervisors.
• In a group-writing situation where different sections of a report are
written by various people, writers of separate sections must be clearly
identified.
• Acknowledgments are not normally used on informal reports (for
concision), but they are allowed on papers and formal reports.

39. 4.3.4 Acknowledgments
• This may be a granting agency that supplied funds, a laboratory that
supplied materials
• Almost all U.S. universities and U.S. government research
organizations require acknowledgment of the source of funding:

40. 4.3.4 Acknowledgments
• Individuals or organizations and their contributions can be named:

41. 4.3.5 Table of Contents
• The list should include:
• all major section/subdivision headings;
• numbered and worded exactly as in the text of the report (minor headings/level 4
headings are optional)
• page numbers for each section/subsection
• Title page should not be in Table of Content.
• This allows the reader to understand the structure of the report, and
to differentiate between important and less significant information.

42. 4.3.5 Table of Contents
• Example: Indentation of headings in a contents list

43. 4.3.6 List of Figures & List of Tables
• List of Figures
• The list is only necessary if more than a few figures appear in the main text of
the report.
• Skip a List of Figures if only one or two diagrams appear in the report.
• The list includes the figure number, caption, and page number, ordered as in
the text.
• List of Tables
• The list is only necessary if more than a few tables appear in the main text of
the report.
• Skip a List of Tables if only one or two tables appear in the report.
• The list includes the table number, caption, and page number, ordered as in
the text.

44. 4.3.7 List of Symbols
• List of Symbols
• A list of definitions should appear at the
beginning of the report if symbols are used
extensively.
• If there is no list, symbols should be defined
in the text when first used.
• The list of symbols should include
appropriate information such as
• Symbol
• Definition
• quantity to which the symbol refers
• unit of measurement