Economics Co-operative Education
Work Term Report Guidelines
Table of Contents
SECTION 1: GENERAL INFORMATION
Introduction .................................................................................................................... - 1 Purpose .......................................................................................................................... - 1 Specific Work Term Report Objectives ........................................................................ - 1 Procedure and Timelines .............................................................................................. - 2 Work Term Report Proposal - General Information ................................................... - 3 The Work Term Report – General Information ........................................................... - 3 Deadlines ....................................................................................................................... - 4 Evaluation ...................................................................................................................... - 4 SECTION II: WORK TERM PROPOSAL FORMAT
I
II
III
IV
V
VI
Title page ............................................................................................................ - 6 Letter of transmittal .......................................................................................... - 6 Description of your proposed research using the headings ......................... - 6 Tentative bibliography of works cited .............................................................. - 7 Tentative table of contents ............................................................................... - 7 Draft questionnaire and/or interview/discussion outline ............................. - 7 -
SECTION III: WORK TERM REPORT FORMAT
I
III
II
IV
V
VI
VII
VIII
IX
X
XI
XII
Cover Page or Title Fly ....................................................................................... - 8 Letter of transmittal .......................................................................................... - 8 Title page ............................................................................................................ - 8 Table of contents ............................................................................................... - 8 Table of figures or illustrations (if four or more.............................................. - 9 Summary abstract or executive summary ...................................................... - 9 Introduction ........................................................................................................ - 9 Discussion and results .................................................................................... - 10 Conclusions ...................................................................................................... - 11 Recommendations .......................................................................................... - 11 Bibliography and References ......................................................................... - 11 Appendices ....................................................................................................... - 12 -
APPENDIX
Guidelines for Referencing and Style ........................................................................- 13 -1-
Section I: GENERAL INFORMATION
Introduction
This Guide will provide an overview of the purpose and objectives of the work report
proposal and the work report proper. It is intended to inform students in detail
regarding appropriate format and content requirements. While students should
structure their reports in the manner most suited to their topic, they must ensure they
cover all areas outlined in this document.
Purpose
The purpose of the work report is to provide the university with a means of evaluating
and assessing the learning that has occurred through the Work Term experience. A
work report illustrates your acquired understanding and experience. A good work
report shows evidence of critical analysis, effective organization, clarity, and
conciseness. It enables the practice of skills of presentation, argument, evaluation,
and calculation. It also provides a permanent record of work completed. It is to be a
communication of factual information and analysis that serves a purpose relevant to
the co-op employer and/or to the student’s program. Responsibility for selecting a
topic lies with the student; however, the topic must also be approved by the
employer. Reports must be analytical in nature and demonstrate evidence of critical
analysis, good organization, clarity and conciseness.
The work report should reflect the development of the student’s skills. In particular,
the report must demonstrate the student's ability to:
a) Plan and implement a project;
b) Apply concepts learned in the academic setting to work place learning;
c) Research and conduct appropriate analysis;
d) Summarize findings and communicate in a professional manner;
e) Verify and defend conclusions and recommendations.
Specific Work Term Report Objectives
Economics 299W (Work Term I)
 Analyse an issue/problem related to the student’s work environment;
 Demonstrate an understanding of the structure of a professional report;
 Show reasonable competence in written communication skills
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Economics 399W (Work Term II)
 Analyse an issue/problem related to the student’s work environment and
demonstrate an understanding of economic concepts relative to their
academic background;
 Demonstrate competence in creating a professional report;
 Show competence in written communication and presentation skills.
Economic 499W (Work Term III)
 Demonstrate an ability to analyse a significant economic issue/problem
related to the student’s experience in the work environment;
 Demonstrate a high level of competence in producing a professional report;
 Show a high level of competence in written communication and presentation
skills.
Procedure and Timelines
1. Student selects a topic for the report
This must be considered early in the student’s Work Term as a proposal is due within
one month of the start date. The topic must contain original work related to the Work
Term placement. It must be related to the work experience, be chosen in
consultation with the employer and be approved by the co-ordinator or a faculty
member of the Department of Economics. In selecting a Work Term topic, students
must consider that they may have access to information which is not intended for
distribution outside the organization. If acceptable to the employer, the Economics
Co-operative Education Co-ordinator will make arrangements with the employer to
ensure confidentiality. If a satisfactory arrangement cannot be made, the student
must explore and select an alternative topic.
2. Student submits a Work Term Report PROPOSAL
The topic of the report must be presented in a formal proposal to both the
coordinator and the employer within one month of the start of the Work Term. The
deadline is 1 month after the start date.
3. Student submits the Work Term REPORT
Two full paper copies of the report must be submitted to the Coordinator by the first
day of final exams. Faxed or emailed reports are not acceptable. The Work Term
Report must include as a final appendix the original proposal that was submitted to
the Coordinator and returned with original comments/approval.
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Work Term Report Proposal - General Information
The work report proposal is a brief document describing the subject the student has
chosen for their work report and a plan for completion. The work report proposal
must be typed and returned to the Economics Co-operative Education Coordinator
within one month after the start of employment. The topic will normally be related to
the job or the industry in which the student is employed. The topic must be discussed
with the employer prior to submission of the proposal.
When the Co-op Coordinator returns the proposal, the student needs to ensure that
he/she clearly understands what is being asked of him/her. If students are unclear
of the expectations for the project, it is imperative that they seek guidance from the
Co-op Coordinator. If changes are suggested, students must ensure that they are
compatible with their work situation. If in doubt, students should arrange to discuss
the situation with both the Coordinator and supervisor to reconcile any possible areas
of conflict. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure all comments made on the work
report proposal are understood and incorporated into the final work report. Failure to
address comments can result in lower grades for the work report.
It is common in the work place to have less time for the completion of a project or
report than one wants. It is therefore important that effective time and information
management skills be developed and utilized. Keep in mind that the employer is not
required to provide time during the work day for the completion of the Work Term
Report proposal or the report itself.
The Work Term Report – General Information
All ECEO students must submit a Work Term Report for each Work Term and the topic
must contain original work related to the Work Term placement. A passing grade in
the paper is required for continuation in the program.
The work report must have identifiable analytic and interpretive components. Mere
tabulation of data is not acceptable. A report that compares and evaluates more than
one item or various alternatives using multiple criteria is analytical. A report on a
single topic can be analytic if it discusses advantages and disadvantages. If there is
difficulty in identifying conclusions, then there is likely insufficient analytic content.
Existing literature should be consulted and utilized in assisting the student to
interpret the subject matter of their work. That is, references to the published
literature on the topic should be made. As a rule, use of unpublished internet sources
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is not acceptable. Data collected must be fully referenced and placed in the context
of the larger body of research that has been done on any given subject and made
meaningful to the reader.
In contrast to the proposal, which outlines the work planned, the work report tells
what the student actually did and gives the analysis of the results of the research.
The report should be presented ‘portrait’ style on 8.5 x 11 white paper and bulleted
sections are permitted. Students should pay attention to grammar, spelling,
organization, argument, evidence, quality of information, and clarity of
communication. Please refer to the appendix for guidelines on referencing sources of
information. Although the Work Term Report is completed in the workplace and
perhaps to standards set by the employer, the student should be aware that the
report submitted to the Coordinator must meet the academic requirements set out in
this document.
Deadlines
Proposals and Work Term Reports must be submitted to the Economics Co-operative
Education Coordinator or post-marked by the appropriate deadlines. It is the
students' responsibility to keep track of deadline dates.

The Work Term Report proposal is due 1 month after the start of Work Term.

The work report must be submitted no later than the first day of final exams.
(Please consult the University Calendar to ascertain the specific date for
your Work Term Report).
Extensions to the work report deadline will only be considered in extenuating
circumstances such as serious illness involving the student, the student’s family or
family bereavement. Computer problems, supervisor absence, schedule difficulties
and other situations that students should foresee, are not acceptable causes for
extensions for a work report deadline extension.
Evaluation
The final mark for the Work Term experience will be determined through evaluations
of both on-the-job student performance and the Work Term Report and all will be
recorded on the student’s transcript.
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I: On-the-job Student Performance
This will be assessed by the coordinator in consultation with the department using
information gathered during the Work Term and input from the employer towards the
end of the Work Term. Formal written documentation from the employer will be
sought. This will result in one of the following classifications:
a) Outstanding
b) Above Expectations
c) Satisfactory
d) Marginal Pass
e) Fail
II: Work Term Report
Evaluation of the Work Term Report will result in one of the following classifications:
a) Outstanding
b) Above Expectations
c) Satisfactory
d) Marginal Pass
e) Fail
III: Final Grade for Work Term
The evaluation of the job performance and the Work Term Report will be recorded
separately on the transcript. Overall evaluation of the Work Term will result in one of
the following grades being awarded:
a) Pass with Distinction: Indicates outstanding performance in both the Work Term
Report and the job performance.
b) Pass: Indicates that performance meets expectations in both the Work Term
Report and the job performance
c) Fail: Indicates Failing Performance in the Work Term Report or the job
performance.
For promotion from the Work Term, a student must obtain at least a Pass and the
grades awarded for each Work Term will be noted on the transcript of the student.
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Section II: WORK TERM REPORT PROPOSAL FORMAT
I:
Title page
The title page contains the proposed report title, the recipient (Economics Cooperative Education Coordinator), your name with full academic information and the
date of submission. The title must describe the topic of the report precisely.
II:
Letter of Submittal
This letter follows a standard business letter format and is addressed to the
Economics Co-operative Education Coordinator. Discuss how the proposed work
report relates to your job and include any other information relevant to the Work
Term, which will assist the reader in understanding your proposal such as your
employer's view of the project, resources available to you and any specific
instructions received from your employer.
III:
Description of your proposed research and appropriate headings:

Purpose (or objective): The purpose needs to be clear, concise and specific. It
is what you intend to accomplish in the final report - not why it is being written.
Ensure there is no inconsistency between your title, letter of submittal and
methodology.

Background information: This section provides general information essential
to the understanding of the proposal topic. Of particular value is the rationale
for the project. (Here is the why it is being written.) Specific instructions or
terms of reference your employer has issued to you are included in this
section, or if they are extensive, they should be included in an appendix.

Scope: This section details the extent and limitations by identifying and briefly
discussing the issues associated with the research topic. Any constraints or
special circumstances that are anticipated which may adversely affect the
project should be outlined.

Proposed methodology: One of the most critical components, this section
outlines the methods you intend to employ in collecting and analyzing
information. It must convey that the work to be undertaken will be thorough
and complete. Indicate from where (specific publications, unpublished
material, etc.) you will obtain the data for your research, and provide details
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on how you propose to undertake the required analysis. Your proposed
methodology should detail how you plan to cope with any of the constraints or
circumstances outlined in your discussion of the scope of the project.

Timetable: To help ensure that the work report is completed on time, a work
schedule must be developed and submitted along with the proposal to show
weekly and work end results. Most project specific work will include the use of
a schedule as it is invaluable in the management of any project. (Ensure that
the specific deadline date for submission of the Work Term Report, i.e. first
day of final exams, is noted in your timetable.)

Significance of the report: It is essential to inform the reader why the
conclusions and recommendations you hope to reach are important as this
gives legitimacy to the report and a reason for its composition. This may not
always require a separate heading and may be covered adequately in the
letter of submittal or background.

Other: Additional sections as deemed necessary at the discretion of the
author.
IV: Tentative List of References
This section lists the primary and secondary sources of information expected to be
used in completing the final report. Students must follow the stylistic guidelines for
citation, referencing et cetera outlined in the Appendix of this document, which is an
edited excerpt from the Style Guide of the Journal of Economic Literature, available
at http://www.aeaweb.org/journal/styleguide.html
V: Tentative Table of Contents
This is a draft outline for your final report. It can help focus your thinking and help you
in working towards your conclusions and recommendations. It also provides insight
into how you plan to approach your final report. The tentative table of contents
represents your plan of action. Be aware that your plan may change as you progress
with your report, but this outline is your starting point. Ensure that data and findings
of fact are separated from analysis, conclusions and recommendations.
VI: Draft questionnaire and/or interview/discussion outline
If you plan to conduct quantitative or qualitative research using either a
questionnaire or focus group discussion outline, append it to the proposal for
approval.
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SECTION III: WORK TERM REPORT FORMAT
I: Cover Page or Title Fly
The title fly of the report contains only the report title. The title is an important feature
of the report and should provide a window into the subject. The cover may be either
plain or specially designed. Pictures, images or large letters to make the title more
prominent can be utilized.
II: Letter of Submittal
This is a significant component of the report and is included with the report inside its
cover. The letter of submittal should be addressed to the Economics Co-op
Coordinator and because of the formality of the report, the salutation should read
"Dear (Mr., Ms., or Dr. Surname :)". Be sure to use the Co-ordinator’s correct title and
accurate spelling. It is appropriate to mention the main activity of employer and
department, the purpose of the report, acknowledgments of assistance, the extent of
the research, and perhaps some interesting findings. It may draw attention to specific
aspects of interest to the reader, give suggestions for follow-up studies, and note
limitations of the report. Recommendations for immediate action and comments
about items of special interest can also be included. The letter should not exceed one
page. It must also contain the following declaration: "This report was written entirely
by me and has not been submitted for credit in any other course at this or any other
institution." You must sign your letter.
III: Title page
The title page should be neat with the following information clearly displayed:
1.) The full title of the report;
2.) The name, student number, academic term and department of the person
who prepared the report;
3.) The name of the university and your Faculty;
4.) The name and location of your employer and the name of your supervisor and
department/unit if appropriate;
5.) The date the report is presented or issued and any other identifying reference
such as a report number.
IV: Table of Contents
The table of contents lists the prefatory parts, report headings and the appended
parts. It provides a quick guide to the contents of the report and helps the reader
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locate specific information quickly. The headings of each main section and
subsection are listed according to the page on which they begin. Appendices are
separated from the other contents and are designated by numerals or letters, the
appropriate title or heading and the page number. Appendices follow the references
in your report.
V: Table of figures or illustrations (if four or more)
If the report contains more than four figures or illustrations, a separate Table of
Figures is required.
VI: Abstract or Executive Summary
The Executive Summary provides concisely summarizes all the facts, analyses,
conclusions and recommendations of the report. For the summary to be complete,
readers must be able to understand the report, its conclusions and
recommendations without reading the entire report. The summary should not cite
any references nor refer to any figures or tables. Typically the summary states the
what, why, how, findings, conclusions and recommendations. The Summary should
not give any information, conclusions or suggestions not stated in the report.
The summary is placed after the table of contents (or table of illustrations). The page
is assigned a lowercase Roman numeral (for example “i”) to differentiate it from the
rest of the report (usually paginated as 1, 2, 3). Although the summary is placed at
the beginning of the report, it is prepared after the full report is written. This ensures
that the summary reflects the content of the full report.
VII: Introduction
The purpose of the introduction is to provide all the background necessary to
comprehend the report. It introduces both the subject and the circumstances leading
up to the decision to prepare the report and presents the reason(s) it was undertaken
along with any important limitations. In determining what to include, keep in mind
that different readers of your reports may require specific information or
explanations.
The main components are:


Purpose: Defines what the report is to achieve including the research problem
and objectives;
Background: Describes the events leading up to the existing situation,
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


previous work completed on the same subject and by whom, and why the
study or report is of interest/relevance;
Scope: Identifies the extent of the area under investigation, and indicates to
the reader what will be covered and what is deliberately being omitted;
Methodology: Outlines the type of information needed to achieve the purpose,
explains where the data was gathered from, as well as how the information
was used. It identifies appropriate methods of primary research, if any, such
as personal interviews, telephone surveys, focus groups and indicates
secondary sources of information such as reference books, journals and
databanks. All sources must be referenced in the body of the report and cited
in the Reference List at the end of the report;
Limitations: Factors which may occur in the investigation and analysis and
reduce the validity and/or reliability of the report's findings and related
conclusions. A valid measure is one that measures what was intended. A
reliable measure is one that has a small presumed error component.
VIII: Results and Discussion
This section contains the information collected (primary and secondary), its
evaluation and interpretation. To assist the reader, the report should be partitioned
into headings and sub-headings as appropriate. Careful attention to logical flow and
organization is essential. The order of headings and the order of information within
each will determine how easy it will be for the reader to follow the writer's argument.
The student must decide both what the reader most needs and wants to know. It is
also essential that the student answer any questions that may arise in the mind of a
reader. Any interpretations or recommendations need to be supported by credible
evidence.
Documentation of sources is essential. It gives the student's comments legitimacy
and assists the reader in distinguishing between primary and secondary sources of
information.
Remember that the use of illustrations (tables, charts, etc.) can convey important
findings or information that may be difficult to portray using writing alone. However,
only those visuals which will assist reader comprehension should be included.
Remember, illustrations do not replace written text; they supplement it. They should
be included in the report where the reference to such visuals occurs and the author
must decide the most effective form for the illustration (table, chart, graph, etc.).
Each illustration should be numbered sequentially and given an appropriate title or
caption and the data source for the information displayed in the illustration must be
included. When referring to the illustration at other points in the report, give the
illustration title, number and page number on which it occurs. Large complex
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illustrations belong in an appendix. Illustrations should not occupy a full page as this
will prevent essential explanatory text from being inserted adjacent to the illustration.
IX: Conclusions
The report concludes by answering the question(s) outlined at the start of the report
and are drawn from the results only. New information should never be introduced at
this stage; thus, this section will only include information that has been discussed in
previous sections of the report. Conclusions are logical statements which depend on
previous sections of the report for support. Conclusions should:
1.) be brief, clear and accurate;
2.) be presented in descending order of importance;
3.) mirror formats and order established in the Introduction;
4.) never advocate action.
X: Recommendations
These present the preferred plan of action. Normally several courses of action are
open, each with attendant advantages, disadvantages, costs, limitations and
ramifications. These should have been previously discussed and conclusions drawn
based on the criteria being applied. Recommendations present a definite plan of
action in clearly stated terms and should:
1.) be strong and advocate action. Avoid phrases like, ‘I think...', or `I feel...';
2.) satisfy requirements established in the Introduction;
3.) follow logically from conclusions.
XI: List of References
In preparation of the work report the student must use supporting documents written
by others to give their paper the appropriate context and credibility. Referencing
related documents lends legitimacy to a student’s analysis and interpretation. It
ensures that appropriate credit for other people’s ideas is given and provides
sufficient information to allow follow up. When using an idea presented by someone
else, whether a direct quote or paraphrase, credit must be given to the originator of
the idea. Ensure that appropriate documentation is utilized, but keep in mind that
general information that is well known in the field does not require documentation.
The list of references provides details of documents specifically referred to in the
report. It should appear at the end of the report, but before any attachments or
appendices. See Guidelines in the Appendix for detailed information about
referencing.
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XII: Appendices
All information provided in an appendix must be referred to in the report and must
not be included simply because the author has it available. Appendices or
appendixes (either is correct) may include source documents, data, test results, cost
comparisons, questionnaires, interview questions, maps, complex formulae, etc. The
information provides general support for the report, but the report must be clearly
understood without it.
The following criteria apply:
1.) appendices appear in the order in which they are first referred to in the report
2.) appendices are considered individual documents; paginate separately starting at
page 1
3.) each appendix is given an identifying letter, e.g., Appendix A, Appendix B, etc.
4.) you must include your proposal with the markers comments as the final appendix
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APPENDIX
Guidelines for Referencing and Style
In preparing the proposal and the report, students are expected to pay due attention
to grammar, spelling, and syntax. Students must follow the stylistic guidelines for
citation, referencing et cetera outlined below.
The following is an edited excerpt from the Style Guide of the Journal of Economic
Literature, available at http://www.aeaweb.org/journal/styleguide.html

Tables and Figures: Tables should be set vertically on the page. Number
figures and tables consecutively (Table 1, Table 2, etc.). Do not number them
according to the section in which they appear. Please do not insert figures and
tables in the text. Instead, in the space immediately after the paragraph in
which the figure or table is first referenced.

Reference citations: Include the first name of each author when first
mentioned, either in text or in footnotes. Each subsequent reference to an
author should include only the last name, unless two or more authors have
the same last name. If you cite an article that is neither published nor
accepted for publication, please make every effort to find an internet link to it,
and include the web site address in the reference list, giving the full "http//"
link. If you cite an unpublished article of which you are the author, you must
make that article available to the Coordinator.

Citations should take the place of footnotes whenever possible. Work them
into the text smoothly. For material in quotation marks, include page number
references. Try to avoid using e.g, cf, and "see also." Allan Gibbard (1973)
and Mark Satterthwaite (1975) independently asked the question of what
happens when the agents studied by Kenneth Arrow in Social Choice and
Individual Values (1963) decided...others refocused attention on resource
allocation (Charles Kindleberger 1964a,b; John Cornwall 1977).

Footnotes: Number footnotes in order, corresponding to numbers in the text,
and place them at the bottom of the page (rather than as endnotes).
Footnotes are not necessary for works cited; use citations instead as shown
above.
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
List of References: Verify references carefully; they must correspond to the
citations in text. List alphabetically by author's last name and then by year. In
references lists, only the first author's name is inverted. Please list all authors;
avoid using et al. in lieu of authors' names. Include authors' first names unless
the first names are not published. See the following examples.

Chapter in an edited volume:
Alpert, Marc and Howard Raiffa. 1982. "A Progress Report on the Training of
Probability Assessors," in Judgment Under Uncertainty: Heuristics and Biases.
Daniel Kahneman, Paul Slovic, and Amos Tversky, eds. Cambridge: Cambridge
U. Press, pp. 7-32.

Article in a journal:
Alston, Richard M.; J. R. Kearl, and Michael B. Vaughan. 1992. "Is There a
Consensus Among Economists in the 1990's?" Amer. Econ. Rev. (Papers and
Proceedings), 82:2, pp. 158-77.

Book:
Atkinson, Anthony and Joseph Stiglitz. 1980. Lectures in Public Economics.
New York: McGraw Hill.
For coauthored publications, only the first author's name is inverted: last
name, first name. Subsequent authors' names are written normally: first name
last name. The year of publication or presentation appears directly after the
author(s)' name(s); this applies to all references, whatever their form or forum.
All publication titles are capitalized: books, papers, articles, journals, etc.
Book titles are capitalized in standard fashion and italicized. Paper/article
titles are capitalized and put in quotation marks. Journal titles are italicized
and not abbreviated.
Journal volume/issue numbers are written in roman typeface: 22 :1. Note the
colon. (Small caps, parentheses, italic, and bold typeface are not used.)

Unpublished Paper:
Herbertsson, Tryggvi Thor and Michael Orszag. 2001. “The Cost of Early
Retirement in the OECD,” IoES work. paper W01:02, http://www.ioes.hi.is.
* For further information on referencing styles, students can avail of the excellent
guidelines to essay writing available in the QEII Library or online at the portal
http://www.library.mun.ca/internet/termpapers.php
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