Most people doing solo projects will need to write some form of Initial Report, sometimes
including a Literature Review or Literature Survey. Where I teach, at York, we ask that students
produce an initial report of about 10 pages, at about this time. Although everywhere will be
different, the underlying purpose of this sort of report is similar. So today's blog takes a look at
the benefits of such a report (for you the writer, and for the reader/marker), and gives you a few
hints about what requirements you are given.
including a Literature Review or Literature Survey. Where I teach, at York, we ask that students
produce an initial report of about 10 pages, at about this time. Although everywhere will be
different, the underlying purpose of this sort of report is similar. So today's blog takes a look at
the benefits of such a report (for you the writer, and for the reader/marker), and gives you a few
hints about what requirements you are given.
Purposes for you
- It helps to focus your mind on your topic area
- It enables you to communicate your key ideas to people
- It encourages you to plan the main focus and next stages of your work.
Purposes for us
- It demonstrates that you are engaging with the project and with its topic material
- It helps us to really understand your thought processes and thinking about the project
- It shows you are actively looking to set your work in context (i.e. what's "out there" already).
Report Structure
The most important thing you can do is to cross-check your own department's requirements.
Many students throw away marks because they forget to make sure that their work meets the
published expectations. Check to see if there is:
Many students throw away marks because they forget to make sure that their work meets the
published expectations. Check to see if there is:
- a page limit (minimum, maximum, or both, i.e. a range such as 8-10 pages)
- a particular required set of contents (or list of things that must be covered)
- a specific Reference format.
Your supervisor should also be able to answer questions about preferences in style, structure,
layout, use of diagrams, which literature is acceptable etc.
layout, use of diagrams, which literature is acceptable etc.
What each section means
I thought it would be useful to show you a typical required structure, and give you an interpretation
of what each section means. This way you might get a better idea of why each particular section is
there.
of what each section means. This way you might get a better idea of why each particular section is
there.
1. Title page, Abstract, Contents
These are not always specified, but it's good practice to include them. The Title states the focus of
your project, the Abstract summarises in one paragraph what the whole report covers, and the
Contents section provides an ordered index to your work. This can make your project look good,
and gives the reader a good first impression of your work and its focus.
your project, the Abstract summarises in one paragraph what the whole report covers, and the
Contents section provides an ordered index to your work. This can make your project look good,
and gives the reader a good first impression of your work and its focus.
2. Introduction / overview
This is where you set the scene for the reader. Tell them what the project's really all about.
What context does it fit into? Think of how a television documentary grabs your attention before it
goes into detail. It's an antidote to diving straight into detail and confusing your reader.
What context does it fit into? Think of how a television documentary grabs your attention before it
goes into detail. It's an antidote to diving straight into detail and confusing your reader.
3. Previous work (Literature Review)
This is usually the largest section of an initial report. Lots of students are confused by what this
section really means. Think of it as a way to say "I'm going to tell you about my project in a bit, but
first I'd like to demonstrate that I know where my project fits in to what has been done before".
Basically what has been already written, thought, marketed, and discussed about this project area.
If you have a huge area, then summarise the main works. If there are very few publications in your
area, then focus on the few most closely related to what you're planning to do.
section really means. Think of it as a way to say "I'm going to tell you about my project in a bit, but
first I'd like to demonstrate that I know where my project fits in to what has been done before".
Basically what has been already written, thought, marketed, and discussed about this project area.
If you have a huge area, then summarise the main works. If there are very few publications in your
area, then focus on the few most closely related to what you're planning to do.
4. Your project aims
Now that you've told the reader what's already been done, it's time to describe what you are going
to contribute to the area. A good way of doing this is to summarise your project's Title, main Aim,
and series of Objectives.
to contribute to the area. A good way of doing this is to summarise your project's Title, main Aim,
and series of Objectives.
5. Plan
Finally, in this report, we'd like to see something of how you are organising yourself and your work.
You might want to provide a detailed timing plan of what you're planning to do and in what order.
This can be a formal Gantt chart, or a 'storyboard' or list of ideas. Just demonstrate to us that you
are ready to start work, and you know what your prioritised order of work is going to be.
You might want to provide a detailed timing plan of what you're planning to do and in what order.
This can be a formal Gantt chart, or a 'storyboard' or list of ideas. Just demonstrate to us that you
are ready to start work, and you know what your prioritised order of work is going to be.
6. References
Don't forget to include a list of all the references that you have referred to in your report.
Put these in a format that's specified by your department or supervisor.
Put these in a format that's specified by your department or supervisor.
In SUMMARY - try to think about how your report will come across to another reader.
It's the very hardest thing about writing. It's not just a brain-dump of whatever's in your mind,
but instead it's a 'brain-feed', telling the reader about your work in an order that will make
sense to them and bring them along with you.
It's the very hardest thing about writing. It's not just a brain-dump of whatever's in your mind,
but instead it's a 'brain-feed', telling the reader about your work in an order that will make
sense to them and bring them along with you.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Full details on how to write a Literature Review, along with managing a solo project, are found in the book, available from the Amazon site below.
Managing Your Project: Achieving Success with Minimal Stress
Also available on Kindle: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0164RXKLI
No comments:
Post a Comment