Task: 6,000-word report
ALL reports should include the following:
Abstract
Set out on a page of its own immediately after the title page. The abstract is likely to be the last section to be written. It is a short (200 words maximum.) summary of the project (not an introduction) and should indicate the nature and scope of the work, outlining the research problem, key issues, findings, how you obtained your results and your conclusion/recommendations.
Table of Contents
An outline of the whole project in list form, setting out the order of the sections, with page numbers. It is conventional to number the preliminary pages (abstract, table of contents) with lower case Roman numerals (i.e. (i), (ii), (iii) etc.) and the main text pages (starting with the first chapter) in Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, etc.) as shown below.
Contents Page
List of Tables i
List of Figures ii
List of Abbreviations iii
Acknowledgements iv
Chapter 1 (Title) 1
· (First Section heading)
· (Second etc.)
· (Third)
Lists of tables and figures
You should present separate lists tables and figures you have included and their page numbers at the beginning of your dissertation/project.
A table is a presentation of data in tabular form; a figure is a diagrammatic representation of data or other material. Tables and figures should be clearly and consistently numbered, either above or below the table or figure. Each table and figure should have a separate heading (caption). The reader should be able to understand what the table or figure is about from this heading / caption without referring to the text for explanations. Nevertheless, they need to be discussed and analysed in the text. The numbers of the tables and the figures you use in the text and in the lists at the beginning should correspond exactly.
Main body of document, appropriately structured (this structure may vary depending on the nature of your dissertation.)
References
Appendices (these should only contain material which is genuinely supportive of the argument in the main body of the dissertation).
Other notes on recommended format:
Use A4 size paper only.
Use a sans-serif font such as Arial, Calibri, Helvetica, etc
Type 1.5 or double-spaced.
Margins should be approximately:
3 cms on left hand side of page to allow for binding.
At least 1 cm on the right-hand side
3 cms top and bottom
Pages shouldbe numbered in a single sequence from the contents page onwards.
Short quotations can run in the text within single quotation marks (double quotation marks reserved for quotations within quotations). Quotations longer than about 30 words should be set in from the side of the page (normally the indent should be more than the paragraph indent).
Always write incomplete sentences. Do not resort to note form.
Do not use abbreviations in the text unless they are for an organisation’s documentsetc which are commonly initialised or referred to by acronyms e.g. BBC
All abbreviations must be explained when they first appear and included in the front of the document following the contents page and the list of tables and figures.
Contents Guidance (Total of 6,000)
Contents
Criteria
Mark
Introduction
(≈ 700 – 770 words)
Is the abstract adequate?
Is there a clear purpose and rationale for the study?
Clear set of objectives / research questions, and research relevance
10
Use of Literature
(≈ 1300 – 1430 words)
Was the range suitable and adequate?
Has a critical review of the literature been adopted?
20
Research Design & Methodology
(≈ 1300 – 1430 words)
Was research design and methodology discussed?
Was the approach appropriate?
20
Results, Analysis & Interpretation of Data
(≈ 2000 – 2200 words)
Has the data accurately been presented and analysed or are findings merely a description?
Appropriate theory applied?
Has the student attempted to interpret their findings?
30
Conclusion & Recommendations
(≈ 700 – 770 words)
Are conclusions reasoned?
Do they correspond with the objectives of the research?
10
Presentation
(No word count)
Structure and language
Harvard Referencing applied.
Use of tables / diagrams
10
Guidance Resources:
CANVAS, Modules. Library resources
Assessment Marking Criteria / Scheme:
Contents
Mark
Learning outcome
Approximately word count
1
Introduction
10
1-4
(≈ 700 – 770 words)
2
Use of Literature/Sources
20
1-4
(≈ 1300 – 1430 words)
3
Research Design & Methodology
20
1-4
(≈ 1300 – 1430 words)
4
Results, Analysis & Interpretation of Data
30
1-4
(≈ 2000 – 2200 words)
5
Conclusion & Recommendations
10
1-4
(≈ 700 – 770 words)
6
Presentation
10
1-4
(No word count)
Total marks
100%
