STYLE GUIDE AND INSTRUCTIONS FOR PRESENTATION OF THESES, DISSERTATIONS AND PROJECT REPORTS
- PREAMBLE:
After completing a research, the researcher has to write a comprehensive report detailing the following:
(i) The background of the project
(ii) The aims and objectives of the project
(iii) The procedure or methods used
(iv) The findings or results obtained and significance of the results
(v) The conclusions that can be drawn based on the results obtained
(vi) The lessons learnt, particularly with respect to the difficult unanticipated problems solved
(vii) The recommendations in which the researcher gives the future courses of action and modifications to existing methods and procedures.
Project or research reports are usually written for the benefit of the researcher and others who may need the information. Although these reports may differ considerably in scope of treatment, they are expected to follow a conventional pattern of style and form in academic circles. These matters of style and form may seem unduly arbitrary but are based upon principles of clear organization and presentation. It is essential that research students should be familiar with them in order to be able to communicate the procedure and the findings of the research effectively.
The format given below is the style guide for presentation of the theses, dissertations and project report following the principles of technical report writing. The rules given here are not merely arbitrary ones but are necessary. This is because the theses, dissertations and project report may be deposited in the university library as bond volumes and hence must be produced with the same care as project reports must be neat and effortlessly legible.
Since the finally typed copy will be prepared by a typist or computer operator who cannot be expected to be completely familiar with the stylistic requirements of all disciplines, the copy supplied to him/her should adhere closely to the form to be used in the final version. Margins must be uniform to allow for binding and trimming. Paper must be of uniform color and erasures must be complete and clean.