B. Sc.

CSIT Final Year Project Work:

Structuring Report, Presentation and Evaluation

National Workshop on B. Sc. CSIT Project Work and Internship

Monday, April 10, 2017

CDCSIT, TU
 Project

Set of Actions
Existing Situation Desired Situation
A Project

 Pursuing a project within academia is not the same as performing a

project within industry.

 Academic projects should provide evidence of a much deeper

understanding of what you are doing. They require some form of
justification and contextualization.

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Actors in project

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 Project Report
 A detailed documentation of your project work

 As the report represents your project, remember that

the good work you have performed can be ruined by a poor
report.

 Is the major evidence of your project when it is finished

 Although you can improve a poor project with a good

report, you must remember that your report is a reflection of
your project and you cannot disguise sloppy investigation,
development, implementation, analyses and method with a
few carefully chosen words.
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Writing and Structuring the report: Basic Requirements

• A report should be:

 Well structured ( As per the standard set by the

University)

 Well written
 Concise and focused
 Clear
 Properly typeset (As per the standard set by University)
 Well referenced and cited properly (IEEE Standard)
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Writing and Structuring the report: Strategy

Funnel the chapters

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Writing and Structuring the report: Considerations
• What is the purpose of the report?
• To present your work in best light,
• To disseminate your ideas to others

• To get better evaluated!
• Who is going to read it?
• What do they already know?
• What do you want them to learn?
• What do you want them to gain from your report?
• Will it be read by people other than your examiners (junior and
students, academics and experts,…..)

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Writing and Structuring the report: Approaches

• Creating chapter breakdown hierarchy and then after

student can go on to complete these sections at an
appropriate point in their project when results are
obtained and information is acquired.

• Equally distribute chapters to each participant. All of

group members should have equal contribution and
knowledge about the chapters in the report.

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Writing and Structuring the report: When to start?

• Don’t ever wait for deadlines!

• Be aware of leaving students entire write-up to the very

end (They will for a ‘big bang’ approach).

• Parallel documentation with project work activities.

• Chapter write-up, reviews by students and feedbacks by

supervisors. This will mean students do not have to endure
the stress of a prolonged writing phase when their project
nears completion.

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 Writing and Structuring the report: Order

• Order to writing that you are suggested to follow:

• Identify Structure: Chapter Breakdown

• Identify Presentational style: Formatting
• Write Abstract
• Develop Main Body
• Articulate Conclusion and Recommendations
• Add References and Appendices
• Proof Read, Check and Correct

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Writing and Structuring the report: Structure

• Title Page (Make sure its uniform)

• Supervisor's Certificate/ Recommendation
• Internal, External Examiners' Approval
• Acknowledgements
• Abstract
• Table of Content
• List of Figures / Tables / Listings
• Main Body
• References / Bibliography
• Appendix
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Writing and Structuring the report: Writing Abstract

• Briefly summarize the nature of your research project,

its context, how it was carried out, and what its major
findings were.
• The abstract provides the reader with an overview of
your project and is the basis on which many readers will
decide whether or not to read your report at all.
• With this in mind your abstract should be concise
(preferably no more than one paragraph long), clear and
interesting. 12
 Writing and Structuring the report: Main Body
Chapter 1: Introduction
1.1 Introduction:
-A good report requires a good introduction which sets
the scene by putting the work into a bigger
perspective. The introduction gives the reader an
idea of the report’s content so it should also help
you to clarify your own ideas of project.

This section should reflect concepts in project title.

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 Writing and Structuring the report: Main Body
Chapter 1: Introduction
1.2 Problem Definition:
The problem you attempted to solve. It should present
the problem in a non-ambiguous way. What the problem
is? How and Why the problem is important, justifying
why it should be studied?.
1.3 Objectives:
- List the objectives to overcome the problem statement.
- Better list in points.
- Concise and specific to project
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 Writing and Structuring the report: Main Body

Chapter 1: Introduction
1.4 Scope and Limitation
Scope and Limitation of the project: technologies/
features / domains / algorithms
1.5. Background study (if needed, optional, depends
on project)
1.5 Report Organization

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 Writing and Structuring the report: Main Body
Chapter 2: Requirement Analysis and Feasibility Analysis

2.1 Related Works / Existing Work / Literature Review

= Provide the reader with more information about what
the project is about before setting it in a wider context.
Review of research works (Articles/ Books/….) done
on the relevant field of study.
- Appropriate citation is essential.

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 Writing and Structuring the report: Main Body
Chapter 2: Requirement Analysis and Feasibility Analysis

2.2. Requirement Analysis

2.2.1. Functional Requirements
(Use use case diagram for reflecting the functional requirements)
2.2.2. Non-functional Requirements
2.3. Feasibility Analysis
2.3.1. Economic
2.3.2. Operational
2.3.2. Technical
2.3.2. Schedule (Reflection using PERT Chart / Gantt Chart)

(Contextualization needed!) 17
 Writing and Structuring the report: Main Body
Chapter 2: Requirement Analysis and Feasibility Analysis

2.4. Structuring System Requirements

2.4.1. Data Modeling
- ER Diagram Structured
2.4.2. Process Modeling Approach

- DFD (Context Level, Level 1, 2 ..)

Either go for Structured or Object Oriented not their mixture!

(Let them to use appropriate case tools available)

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 Writing and Structuring the report: Main Body
Chapter 3: System Design
3.1. System Design
3.2.1. Database Schema Design: (Schema structures / tables),
normalization
3.2.2. Interface Design
3.2.3. Input Output Design (Data inputs, Controlling data inputs, data
errors)
3.2.4. Dialogue Design (Using dialogue diagrams)
3.2.5. Process Design (Modular Decomposition: Decomposition
Diagram, flowchart for each models, physical dfd)

The analysis and design chapter depends on the nature of project!

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We should be flexible to content and models.
 Writing and Structuring the report: Main Body
Chapter 4: Implementation and Testing
4.1 Implementation:

A bit description about how implementation is done. Overview of

development methodology adapted.
4.1.1 Tools Used: Description about the tools and technologies.
But never forget to relate them with your project. Contextualize
their use in the project implementation.
(Avoid Basic definitions!)
4.1.2 Description / Listing of major classes / methods / data structures or any other modules implemented.
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 Writing and Structuring the report: Main Body

Chapter 4: Implementation and Testing

4.2. Testing
4.2.1. Unit Testing
4.2.2. Integration Testing
4.2.3. System Testing

• List the probable test cases you attempted during testing phase.
• Sample test cases for each testing strategy.
• Both positive and negative test cases.

Again, avoid the basic definitions !

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 Writing and Structuring the report: Main Body

Chapter 5: Maintenance and Support

Possible/ Prospective strategies for maintenance and

support of the project implemented (if any).

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 Writing and Structuring the report: Main Body

Chapter 6: Conclusion and Recommendation

6.1. Conclusion:
Summarize how project is done? What the project has
achieved? What has been its contribution? How the
project has met its initial aims and objectives and if not,
explains why? What are the major results and
findings?

6.2. Recommendations

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 Writing and Structuring the report: References
References and Bibliography

• References list only those articles that have been referred to within
the report itself.
• A bibliography will list all the articles you have used in your project
but are not necessarily referred to in the body of the report.
Bibliographies are useful for the reader in that they identify all
material that is relevant for taking your work forward or
understanding it in more depth.

• Referencing: There are two aspects to referencing. The first

aspect to consider is how to use references correctly within the
body of your report – in terms of their presentation and
appropriateness – called citing/citation. The second aspect is how
to present these references correctly at the end of your report.
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 Writing and Structuring the report: References
Citing References and Bibliography

• There are numerous variations on these techniques that

have their own structures.

• We are prescribed to follow IEEE format for project report.

• APA is prescribed for internship report.

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 Writing and Structuring the report: Appendix
Appendix

• Snap shots
• Source Code
• Annex Tables

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Writing and Structuring the report: Styling/ Format
• The entire document should be in Times New Roman font.

• The font size has to be 12 throughout in paragraphs.

• Font size for the headings will be 16,14,12 (As per the levels)

• Figure captions should be centred below the figures.

• Table captions should be centred above

• Paragraphs must be justified alignment with 1.5 spacing

• The margins to be set as follows:

Top = 1"
Bottom = 1"
Left = 1.25 "
Right = 1"
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Writing and Structuring the report: Avoid Plagiarism
• Plagiarism can be performed accidentally or
deliberately, but in either case it is deemed a serious
academic offence.

• This is one reason why students should perform an

extensive literature survey – to ensure that they are not
merely repeating the work of others.

• Have proper citation and referencing.

Supervisors need to stay alert!

Let’s initiate for a common repository!
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Examiners Perspective: Assessment Criteria for Report
• Clarity of content presentation in the report, typos, mistakes

• Hierarchical Structure / Chapter distribution / Content

Placement

• Consistency between different parts of the report

• How far the content is relevant and supporting the project

work

• Ability to differentiate between others’ thoughts and own

• Ability to handle references and citations

• General stylistic impression

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 Don’t let the students to Forget !
• Review
• Proof Read,
• Check and Correct
• Not to be much conscious about volume of the report
• Pre-submission ( A week before final defense!)

Make sure that students read their report thoroughly beforehand so

that it is fresh in their mind !

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 Structuring the Presentation
• An oral presentation can be compared with an iceberg (Be
clever to reflect the hidden iceberg!)

• A number of considerations go into the development of an

oral presentation: preparation, content, visual aids, the
delivery of the presentation itself and dealing with
questions.

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 Structuring the Presentation …
Introduction: One or two slides that introduce you and your
talk.

Main body: The slides that constitute the bulk of your

presentation and cover the main points that you wish to get
across. How many slides you use within this section will
depend on the length of the presentation and the information
you wish to convey. (As per the report hierarchy)

Summary/conclusion. A few slides that summarize your

presentation and perhaps identify areas of further work.

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Structuring the Presentation: Time vs. attention

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 Structuring the Presentation: Slides

• Proper content

• Proper formatting of slides: design, font, font size, text

color, etc.

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 Structuring the Presentation: Effective Speaking

• Communicate Well: Standard language

• Dress Well: Be formal.

• Voice Projection: Voice level and Clarity

• Eye Contact: Eye contact with entire audience

• Animated: Be animated and enthusiastic

• Coordination: Between the team members

• Starting / Closing statement: Introduction/ Thank you /

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Queries
 Project Evaluation
• Marks distribution in percentage (out of 100):

Proposal 10%.
Mid Term Defense 30%
Final Defense 60%
• Evaluators:

Project Supervisor 60%

Internal ( HOD/Program Coordinator/Faculty) 20%
External 20%
(A fair evaluation should be done by internal, supervisor and external.
Marks should be justifiable )

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 Project Evaluation
Focus of the evaluation

Scope of the Project (Value Added)

Analysis and Design of Project
Project Report Documentation
Presentation
Project Implementation (followed by demo session)
Viva/Question Answer

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Suggested Readings


Christian W. Dawson, “Projects in Computing and
nd
Information Systems: A Student’s Guide”, 2 Edition,
Addison Wesley.

Hossein Hassani, “How to do Final Year Projects: A
Practical Guideline for Computer Science and IT
Students”.

 Mikael ,Berndtsson,
, Jörgen Hansson, Björn
Olsson, Björn Lundell “Thesis Projects: A
Guide for Students in Computer Science and
Information ”Systems”, 2nd
Edition, Springer. 38
• Thank you ! Keep Learning.

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