4.2.2. Progress report

Progress report is sometimes required during the process of performing the project. It major purpose is to update your professors, managers, or clients with the progress of the work they have approved of (K.W.Houp, T.E.Pearsall, E.Tabeaux, S.Dragga, 1977). Progress reports may be written in many forms: memoranda, letters, short reports, formal reports, or presentations. A progress report is usually of approximately 1000 words (two pages, typed single-spaced).

A progress report should also be in the form of a memorandum, with the following beginning:

To:

From:

Subject:

Date:

Most progress reports present the following information:

1. Brief summary of the essence of the project

2. (In case when there are multiple progress reports) Presentation of the work done since last reporting. Refer here to the sequencing of task in the proposal's schedule.

3. Discussion of problems that have appeared. As they are bound to happen, but are not completely predictable, you need to warn your client/advisor of them. Depending on the situation you may require the revision of the original draft.

4. Presentation of the work left to be done and estimate of feasibility. For a progress report this is the core. Very often here you will tackle the question of funds, your ability to finish everything in the proposed time and within the proposed financial budget.

4.2.3. Final report

Final report is the complete report, overview of your work. Its main parts are the following:

Title Page

Titles as a rule, need to be concise, precise, and up to the point. It should consist of words that can well serve as keywords.

Table of Contents

In this report it is expected to include a table of contents as well as a list of figures you employ throughout the text.

Abstract

Abstract has a special significance within your work. It is a piece that can stand on its own, a 100-200 word summary of the project. The basic issue an abstract needs to address is informing and persuading the readers of the validity of your work. To do so, include in your abstract essential aspects of your work, state the problem and the purpose of your work, the scope and methods employed, and major results and conclusions drawn from those.

It is recommended to write your abstract when you finish the entire work. As abstract needs to be crystal clear and precise, only then is the right time to write such a piece. And here you should use active voice freely, you should emphasise that it was you who did something significant.

BODY OF THE REPORT The body of the report should be divided into the following major

sections. You may need to further subdivide them into subsections.

Introduction

Here you should orient the reader as to your reasons for choosing to deal with a certain problem. You proceed with its background and current relevance which you illustrate with an overview of relevant literature. Specify the goals which were expected and which were achieved. Then indicate most clearly the approach you employed and why that one in particular over the others. Finally, refer to the criteria that should be used.

Materials and Methods

Start with identification of equipment and materials that you needed for your project, review the schedule of your work, the appropriateness of your method. You should write this part in such a manner that someone else could repeat your work following the instructions you give in your report.

Results

Identify and elaborate of your accomplishments. Whatever those may be, give a detailed description. You can use figures, graphs, and tables, but be careful to express all of your significant results in verbal form. Give a name and number to each figure or table (e.g. Figure 1: Input Frequency and Capacitor Value). Insert the figure or table where you first mention it in your report, and refer to it thereafter by the label you have given it.

Discussion

Very often the discussion and conclusion sections are merged into a single one which explains the results and their implications, significance. You are expected to specify clearly if you managed to achieve the goals as set in the proposal report. Furthermore you should compare the expected and gained results, then show the relation between your results and those obtained in other projects or experiments. Refer to the problems that arose, why they appeared, if they were expected and how you dealt with them. Once again, you need to give a rationale for your chosen method.

In light of all these, you may give some personal viewpoint, what your experience is after completing the work, would you change anything, what would you recommend to future or other investigators.

Finally, elaborate on the significance of your findings, be they theoretical or practical.

Appendices Appendices present supporting material, such as details of testing

procedures, extended calculations, computer documentation, instructions, data tables, side issues, or large figures.

References

List any sources of information that you have used - articles, books, interviews, etc.