The Draft Report and the Final Report should demonstrate a clear understanding of the subject of the study, and of the associated theoretical, technical, business, socio-economic, or other project-related factors. They should also demonstrate your ability to communicate in written form on a technical subject. These reports should be on par with reports produced by practising technologists in the workplace. They should show a high level of competence in both written communication skills and presentation skills.
The Draft and Final Reports will be typical of most formal technical reports; they will be lengthy documents (10 000 words) which are properly formatted, carefully crafted, fully edited and proofread, and meticulously documented.
While many conventional formats exist for technical reports, you will be expected to follow the format illustrated in the sample report provided and use APA documentation style.
The required parts for this report include the following:
Prefatory Parts
Cover
Blank Fly Page
Title Page
Letter of Transmittal
Executive Summary
Acknowledgements (optional)
Table of Contents
List of Illustrations
Report Body
Introduction
Discussion Headings and Subheadings
Conclusions
Recommendations
Supplemental Parts
References ListThe report body must contain an introduction, discussion, findings and conclusions, and recommendations, although these exact words may not actually appear as section headings. Report headings are determined largely by report type. For example, primary research reports which present findings and interpretations from original laboratory or field experiments/research will have body headings quite different from secondary research reports which present material gathered primarily from printed sources.
Appendices (if appropriate)
The Sample Report illustrates the appropriate format for the draft and final reports for MSTM 4200 and provides specific direction regarding content for each of the required report components.
Finally, graphics (tables, charts, pictures, etc.) are an essential part of most reports. They supplement the written word, they present ideas in a memorable form, and they contribute to the overall effectiveness and appearance of a report. The APA Style Manual provides direction on how to incorporate graphics into a report (format, documentation, etc.).
The Draft Report will be submitted to the Project Supervisor by Friday of Week 8. This document will be reviewed with him/her for content, style, and suggested changes and comments. The Project Supervisor will not be an editor; what s/he will do is identify sections that still need work (content, format, documentation, writing, and so forth). In addition, the MSTM 4200 instructor may be consulted on specific issues of concern; however, s/he will not read the entire report to provide overall feedback.
The Draft Report will be revised and edited to incorporate changes suggested by the Project Supervisor and/or instructor.
The Final Project Report (*3 bound copies) will be submitted to the Coordinator of Advanced Programs at the Marine Institute by Friday of Week 11. The Coordinator will transfer the Project Reporst to the Examiners for evaluation. Two Examiners will each award 50% (totaling 100%) of the overall grade.
*Note: The report should have a cover which presents the title and author information, and be securely and attractively presented. Copy shops offer a variety of bindings that are professional looking yet inexpensive (Cerlox, spiral, etc.). It is best to avoid covers with windows as they tear easily.