Project Paper Guidelines

Diploma in Aviation (Pilot Training)

(With special considerations, the project paper for this group can be either done on individual
basis or in a group of maximum five candidates only)

1: Session Content

 Choosing the project

 Doing the project

 Writing the project paper

 Submission of project paper

2: Project Definition

 Ordered, critical and reasoned exposition of knowledge in an approved field, relevant to

the programme

 Embrace technical, economic and human aspects

 Afford evidence of knowledge of relevant literature

 Submitted in accordance with the programme regulations

3: Program relevance

 The project should normally be related to the management aspect of:

o Aviation engineering sector,

o Aviation engineering function in a aviation management

 The project could also address many different aspects such as operational, technical,
financial, human resource or strategic management issues relating to aviation. If the focus
of the project is outside the above industrial spectrum it MUST contain considerable
comparative analysis of practices in the engineering sector.
4: Requirements
  Satisfy the Examiners:
o Overall

o Oral/Presentation (to be discussed and finalized)

o Project Paper

5: Project Selection

 Select a topic within the area of aviation management or relevant areas

 Ensure that the topic allows for sufficient “intellectual analysis” of the problem

 Ensure that the project timescales allow sufficient time to collect information for the
“write-up” period

 Check with your supervisors that the topic is suitable

6: Project Proposal

 Approach one of the supervisors appointed by APFT

 Discuss with your supervisor on your project

 Give sufficient information to explain the problem or issue and what you intend to do

7: Project Execution

 Set up a TWO way meeting with your supervisor either through email or at least one
meeting

 Present your proposed approach and seek advice and guidance from supervisor or
lecturers

 Keep in regular contact with your supervisors to advise on progress seek guidance

8: Planning

 Define Objectives

 List and order the activities/milestones

  Estimate duration

 Draw the plan/bar chart

 Level resources

 Analyse risk and identify fall-backs

 Re-plan

9: Why Plan?

 Clear objectives

 FOCUSED effort

 Clear milestones make progress explicit

 Goal achievement aids motivation

 Clear communication tool

10: Key to a successful plan

 Build on the literature

 Set dates and submit the final output before dealine

11: The Habit

 The best way to successful completion of research project as a whole is continuous

discussion with supervisor

 Acquire the habit of successful completion at intermediate stages

12: Six Roads to Failure

 Write project plan and file until submission date

 Start work eleventh hour before submission date

  Submit a company report rather than a project paper

 Submit without proof reading by the supervisor

 Type the project paper overnight and hand in on the last date

13: Writing the Project Paper

 Planning the work

 Collecting the material

 Structure of the work

 Writing the report

 Draft

14: Planning the Work

 What is that for?

 Who is that for?

15: Collecting the Material

 Work done by you (information collected)

 Literature

 Checking the facts

 Arranging the facts & opinions

16: Structure of the Work

 Preliminary Pages:
o Title page
 o Executive Summary

o Table of contents/figures

o List of accompanying material

o Acknowledgements/declaration

o Definitions

 Body of Report

 Appendices

 Glossary of Terms

 References/bibliography

17: Title Page

TITLE
by
Mohd Baharuddin Kadir Bin Abdul Mahad

Project Paper submitted in partial fulfillment for the

Diploma in Aviation (Pilot Training)

Institute of Professional Development

Asia Pacific Flight Training
(Month) 2010

18: Executive Summary

 Single spaced

 One page only (maximum 1 ½ page only

 Summary of objectives, methods and findings

19: Table of Contents
 List of main chapter titles with sub-headings
 Page numbers
  List of Figures/Tables

20: Acknowledgements/Declaration
 Those whose help you wish to acknowledge
 Declaration that the work prepared and presented is your own (except where otherwise
acknowledge) has not been submitted for any award

21: List of Abbreviations

 Defines any specific terms that are relevant only in this report

22: Body of the Project Paper

 Introduction
 Literature Review/ Case Study
 Fact Finding and discussion on the topic selected with examples
 Critical Analysis
 Conclusions

23: Introduction Chapter

 Broad view of the general research area
 How your project title fits into this area
 Aims, Objectives and hypotheses(if there is)
 Outline of work and how it is presented (optional)

24: Literature Review

 A review of the literature should be carried out at the START of your project writing
 This section should be drafted at the start of the study, but will then need editing in the
light of the research findings
 It should critically review the relevant literature NOT just summarise everything you
have read.
25: Methodology Used
 What is the subject matter of study?
 What is the question and how is it generated?
 What were the intended purpose, process, logic and outcome?
 How was the study conducted?
o The underlying study paradigm or philosophy
o Research methods ( if time permits)
o How the data was gathered and analyzed (library research)
o How the data was analysed and interpreted

26: Result
 In a positivistic study – this is a straightforward presentation of the results
o Unit of analysis and sample taken from case studies
o Lots of tables and charts from secondary data
 In a phenomenological study, may not be possible to separate from the analysis of the
results

27: Project Findings and Discussion

 Overview of the significant findings
 Consideration of the findings in the light of existing study
 Examination of findings that fail to support the hypotheses

28: Conclusions Chapter

 Re-state the purpose of the study
 Summarise the discussion
 Itemise conclusive points/implications from the work (related to the project objectives)
 Point out links to other areas
 Suggest areas for future development (may be in a separate section)
 Make recommendations (based on earlier discussion)
29: Possible implications
 Fill a gap in the literature
 Produced a solution for an identified problem
 Results challenge accepted thinking
 Your results support and enhance statements in the literature
 Help clarify where existing thinking can be applied
 Suggests a synthesis of existing ideas
 New ideas or propose new areas of investigation
 Possible New method for researching topics to be recommended

30: Appendices
 Relevant material
 Would distract from main arguments
 e.g Computer listing, company policy statements
 Remember Quality not quantity!!

31: Glossary of terms

 Explanation of terms used in report

32: References/Bibliography
 REFERENCES – specifically cited in text
o [1] in body followed by numeric list (ordered as first appears in body) at end – BS
or Vancouver system
o (Trelease, 1969) in body followed by alphabetic list – Harvard system
 BIBLIOGRAPHY – list of sources of general information (often commented). May not
have been specifically cited in the text

33: Miscellaneous
 Diagrams & Figures
o Organisational charts, histograms, pie charts, network diagrams etc
 o Footnotes
o Index

34: Project Paper Writing

 TYPED
o A4 paper, 4cm left hand margin
o single sided, double (1.5) spaced
 LENGTH
o 25-50 pages
 BINDING
o Soft binding sufficient

35: Submission Procedures

 Gain the approval of your supervisor to your draft project paper
 Get project paper typed and proof read at least 1 week prior to the final submission date
 Submit two copies to the IPD-OUM and 1 copy to your supervisor before the end of your
registration period
 Once submitted the project paper MUST be examined-it cannot be withdrawn

36: Examination Procedures

 On receipt your project paper will be date stamped and passed to your academic
supervisor
 Arrange a mutually convenient date and time for your oral examination, before the end of
the month following the end of your registration period
 The examiners will award marks for: project progress; project paper content; project
paper presentation; oral examination (to be finalized with after discussion with Captain)

 You will receive feedback on your result

37: Board of Examiners
 Consists of IPD-APFT Staff & External Examiner
 Presented with ( for each candidate or group with maximum of 3 candidates)
o Attendance credits
o Assessment marks
o Project marks
o Any relevant correspondence

38: Recommended Supervisors

 Captain Mua’azam : muaazam@apft.edu.my