Crafting a research paper or report
Technical writing
Tips of the masters
By
Ronan Fitzpatrick
School of Computing
Dublin Institute of Technology
November 2003
References for this presentation
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DT266 – Final year diploma project guide - DIT
Final year degree project guide – DIT
Crafting a research paper by Fitzpatrick and O’Donnell
Report Writing Handout by Jane Ferris’
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Structure
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Cover page and project title
Page margins
Line spacing - 1½
Font size – 12-point, 14-point, 16-point
Section headings/Section numbering
Page header - Chapter title
Page footer - Page number, page 1 starts Chapter 1
Justified text.
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Structure
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Abstract, Acknowledgements, List of figures, Table of
contents
Chapter 1 - Introduction to project
Chapter 2 - Research chapter(s)
Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter Z - Conclusion
Glossary of terms
References or Bibliography
Appendix
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Project code. Technical Writing: Tips of the Masters - Ronan Fitzpatrick
Abstract
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This is an overview of the project, which is
intended to convince others that the
content is significant. It sells your work,
so, weave the keywords of your text into a
summary of about 200 words.
First thing to be read, last thing to be
written.
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Chapter 1- Introduction to project
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What the project is about?
Why are you doing it?
Who are you doing the project for?
What value will it have for them?
What is the challenge (problem) of the project?
How will your solution differ from existing solutions?
Who else will the project be of interest to?
What value will it have for them?
How do you plan to do it?
What do you hope to deliver at the end of the project?
What will the timescale be?
What will you gain as a result of doing this project?
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Chapter 1- Introduction to project
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Any experimental or prototype work you have done to date
What you need to learn in order to complete your project
Details of any special hardware or software you need to
complete the project
Any technical feasibility, financial feasibility or temporal
feasibility issues
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State what your project will NOT do
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Include the titles of your remaining chapters.
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This will become Chapter 1 of your manual or report so, format it as per the
"Crafting a research paper" guidelines. You'll probably discover that this chapter
runs to about 10-15 pages.
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Chapters
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Research chapter(s) about your core topic
Chapter explaining what methodology you will
use and why.
Chapter titles should reflect methodology life
cycle phases for your project
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– development project
Structured system, soft system, object oriented
Include lots of appropriate graphical representations
Reflect technical manual and user manual
And, don’t forget testing and evaluation.
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Chapters
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– research project
Research chapters
Chapter with your contribution to the
body of knowledge – your deliverable(s)
Evaluation of your deliverable.
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Chapter structure
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Overview paragraph (un-numbered)
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5.1 Introduction
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5.2 Body of Chapter
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5.2.1 Definitions
5.2.2
5.2.3
Always start a chapter
on a new page.
5.x Conclusion.
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Three pronged strategy
Research
Code
Report
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Presentation
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Chapter Z - Conclusion
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Two aspects
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Summary of what the research has achieved
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Deductions that can be made from the research
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Objectives, deliverables, your creation
Findings, critique
Future research
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What you haven’t been able to address in the time
allowed but where future students might continue
from here.
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Citation and Reference
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Plagiarism
Emphasises research and not opinion
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Research implies repeatable, so, source
can be found by others
Make a statement, cite a source
Based on Harvard style
References or bibliography.
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SAP
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Scholarly - Learned and academic,
evidence of educated research, instructive
and clearly explained (W6H), formal in
language
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Authoritative - Honest, accurate and true,
respected, convincing
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Professional
– proficient, practiced,
consistent, oozing quality.
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Authoritative writing style
Do
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Write in the passive voice (e.g., the research was completed)
Write gender-free text (use the plural)
Include examples in order to clarify topics for your readers
Be consistent with bulleted lists, numbered lists, figure and
table captions
Be consistent with the spelling of new technical words
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For example, end-user, eCommerce, Internet
Keep your sentences to under twenty-two words
Proof-read your work for tryping errurs
Re-read your work for structure, meaning and clarity.
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Authoritative writing style
Don’t
Don’t use words like, etc., one or one’s, basically,
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essentially
Don’t write “this chapter will attempt to…” (Write
“this chapter will”)
Don’t write “As already stated...” (Write “in Section
X.Y it was explained”)
Don’t confuse it’s with its, or there, they’re, their
Don’t rely only on a spellchecker
Don’t include clipart unless it is significant to your
report.
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Professional
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References – Without references your project is not
research. It is probably closer to journalism or simply your
own opinion. Cite references in the text as (Bloggs, 1997)
and in the Bibliography give the full reference i.e.,
Surname, Initial, (year in brackets) Title, Publisher, City,
Country, Vol (Issue), Page Nos.
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Language – Write using best English vocabulary,
grammar, syntax and semantics in properly structured
paragraphs. Avoid slang and colloquialisms. Remember
to write text at a level appropriate to your readers.
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Professional
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Style -
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Illustrations –
Use a consistent style for page formatting,
page headers, footers, headings at level 1, level 2
and level 3, bulleted and numbered lists.
Figures and Tables are essential
aids for your readers so, us a consistent format for
presenting them
 Border, reference number, caption, different font,
bold titles
 Refer to them in the text
 Explain then to your readers.
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Some more Do’s and Don’ts
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Do lots of referencing
Avoid use of personal pronouns I, you
Avoid use of dialogue as per a TV
program,
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“Welcome to this report”
"In a few moments I will explain"
Do some self critique
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Indicate how the research can be improved.
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Some more Do’s
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Report project interviews
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State interviewee’s name, date, place
List the questions and answers
Project code listing
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Include clear, easily maintained code listing
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not just an entire dump of all code at the end
Provide a list of files at the beginning.
Look at past manuals in the library.
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Some more Do’s and Don’ts
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Don’t waffle PLEASE!! Be concise and to the point. Only
include relevant information.
Use appendices for extra information that will be useful to
the reader but has no direct impact on the project (but
don't overdo it either).
Get a number of people to proof read you manual. When
it’s your work and you proof-read it yourself, you only see
what you THINK you wrote.
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Structure, structure, structure. The manual should 'flow‘.
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Don't have gaps of whitespace.
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No smart or joking comments. This is an academic thesis.
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Some more Do’s and Don’ts
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Readers should be able to get a clear idea of what your
project is about by comparing the Abstract and Conclusion
As you are writing, have one word in the back of your
head; 'Why'. Why did you choose one thing over another,
why do you have to write what you're writing, why is this
bit of information important for my reader.
Don't overuse the person 'I did this and then I did that and
I think because I found....'. Use a mixture of passive but
also first person
Do read research papers (which you should be doing
anyway) to get a feel of what your writing should 'sound'
like.
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Most important Do and Don’t
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Do yourself justice and Don’t boast.
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