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Work Term Report FAQ
Note: full guidelines for a report are in the Co-op handbook, pp 41-46. Contents: I. What's the deadline for the current term? III. What's the point of a report? V. What's the report supposed to look like? VI. How do I format bibliograply entries for newsgroups? Web Pages? I. What's the deadline for the current term? Generally the second Friday after the start of classes. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Usually dropping it off in the CS office on paper is best. However, you can check with Dr Fan about an electronic submission. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- III. What's the point of a report? A work term report should allow you to practice formal writing. It is supposed to be structured like a real world report so that later on you'll have something to refer to when needing to do a software evaluation, user manual etc. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This is sometimes tricky. You don't have to do it on something directly work related (especially. if your job is not particularly interesting or conductive to such a report). You can pick a different CS topic in any area (eg. operating systems, hardware, software) and tie it into your work experience (maybe you didn't like the operating system used at the company, so compare it to others). Remember, it can't be something that you're recycling from another class. It also shouldn't be a day by day account of what you did at the office. As well, don't leave the report until the end of the work term or start of the academic term. You will find you don't have enough time to do it. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- V. What's the report supposed to look like? 1. A cover (binding). Can be a duotang or plastic. 2. Letter of submittal. Formal business letter (include academic coorinator's name and address, and your name, address, outline the report's subject, acknowledge people who helped, etc.). 3. Title page. Your name, student number, and report title. 4. Table of contents. List each section of the report and page numbers. You should have a separate list for figures or tables (if applicable). 5. Executive summary. Justify the report's existence and briefly outline each major point of the report. Then state your conclusion in one sentence. 6. Main Body of the report. 6.1. Introduction. Background on the report, introduction to special terms (eg ISAM, VSAM, FDDI, ESDN) that you will be using throughout. 6.2. Analysis. The body of the report that includes your discussion of alternatives, presents your arguments etc. 6.3. Conclusions. Your analysis should be a buttress for your conclusions. 6.4. Recommendations. Not always necessary, but may be needed if you're writing an evaluation, or similar. 7. Appendices. Includes things like data, or code. . 8. Bibliography. List any books, magazines, journals, FAQs you have used. This can be a good starting path for readers who're interested in learning more about the subject. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- VI. How do I format bibliograply entries for newsgroups? Web Pages? For newsgroups: give the article's author; newsgroup name; article title For web pages: web page author; URL; section(s) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The following are both important: a) spelling. If yoo can't spell it makes you look very unprofessional to the reader (. Any results or recommendations from you are automatically suspect, since you're obviously not very careful. Certainly, typographic errors happen, but they should be a rare exception, not the norm. b) grammar. Same holds as for (a). While sentence structure and things like passive/active voice are often a matter of personal style, certain errors are very obvious and irritating (and common). |
Using X-Windows (Postscript)
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