JIET Group of Institutions

GUIDELINES FOR THE PREPARATION AND PRESENTATION OF

SEMINAR REPORTS

This document may be used for the preparation of seminar reports associated with the
academic programme of B.Tech. It does not cover progress report which will be maintained in a
separate file or notebook. For the preparation of progress reports the relevant guidelines, issued
separately should be consulted with guide. However, some material in that document may be of
use in the preparation of a final seminar report.

1. INTERACTION WITH YOUR GUIDE

2. SUBMISSION

3. FORMAT

• Text and Units

• Page Limits
• Preliminary Pages
• Main Pages
• Referencing Style
• General Guidelines

4. CONTENT

4.1 Expectations
4.2 Structure

5. PRESENTATION

5.1 Time Limits

5.2 Tips for preparing OHPs
5.3 Tips on Speaking

Table 1

APPENDIX IA: sample sheet for top cover (soft)

APPENDIX IB: sample sheet for top cover (hard)

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 JIET Group of Institutions
APPENDIX II: sample sheet for Title page

APPENDIX III: sample acceptance certificate

APPENDIX IV: sample sheet for table of contents

APPENDIX V: sample sheet for figures

APPENDIX VI: sample sheet for tables

APPENDIX VII: sample sheet for OHP

APPENDIX IX: sample sheet for evaluation form

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1. INTERACTION WITH YOUR GUIDE

It is recommended that you meet your guide regularly during the course
of the seminar, though ultimately the form of this interaction depends on both of you.
You should maintain a record notebook/file where you can include a record of your
discussions with your guide, literature survey details, derivations etc. Such a system
will allow easy and quick access to the details and chronology of your work.

You should submit report drafts as and when requested by your guide.
The final responsibility for producing an error-free report lies with you, and not
your guide!

2. SUBMISSION

The bound copies of your report should be submitted within the given
deadline to the designated person. Late submission may not be acceptable; if allowed,
it will necessarily invite a penalty which may be reflected in your grade.
Make sure that the acceptance certificate in your report is signed by your guide
before you make the final submission of the report.

Presentation
Report Page Question Suggested no. of a
time No. of (Type) copies
for limit &Answer(min) OHPs
limit(min)
1(softcopy in CD)
1(hardbound copy
BTECH 50 15 10 5-10
black co)

3. FORMAT

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3.1 TEXT AND UNITS
It is mandatory to use plain A4 sized sheets, smooth finish - the type of
paper that is used for good photocopying. All material should be typed in double
spacing. The recommended margins are 25 mm (1 inch) for top, bottom, right and left
with an extra 13 mm (0.5 inch) for binding on the left. Other than page numbers, no
material should intrude into these margins.

3.2 PAGE LIMITS

The total number of pages in the report, including figures, tables but excluding the
preliminary pages, references and appendices should not exceed the limits specified
in Table 1. (Caution: These are upper limits. Avoid writing a report which is
artificially fattened! Do not waste pages. Use space optimally).

Your guide / co-guide may require you to incorporate additional material (e.g.
derivations, procedures, computer code listings etc.), which may be placed as
appendices. These will not count in the total page count as per the specified page
limits. Such matter can be placed only in the guide's copy provided this
arrangement is approved by the guide; else these appendices should be appearing
in all the copies.

3.3 PRELIMINARY PAGES

These are constituted, in the given order, by:

1. Title page
2. Certification page
3. Acknowledgement
4. Abstract
5. Table of Contents
6. List of Figures and Tables
7. Nomenclature

Each of these should commence on a fresh page. The preliminary pages should be
numbered in small case roman numerals which should appear at the centre on the
bottom.

Title page - see appendix II for a sample format.

Certification page -see appendix III for a sample format.

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Acknowledgement - please keep this brief and resist the temptation of writing flowery
prose! Do include all those who helped you, e.g. other faculty / staff you consulted,
colleagues who assisted etc.

Abstract - the abstract must contain the context/relevance of the problem at hand, a
description of what was done and a gist of the significant observations/results. This
should not exceed one page and should usually be one paragraph.

Table of Contents - see appendix IV for a sample format.

List of Figures and Tables - sample entries are given below:

List of Figures
Figure Page
Caption / Title
No. No.
2.1 Schematic representation of a double layered droplet . . . 21
...
3.2 Variation in rate versus concentration . . . 32

List of Tables - sample entries are given below:

List of Tables
Table Page
Caption / Title
No. No.
2.1 Thickness of a double layered droplet . . . 22
...
3.2 Variation in rate versus concentration . . . 34

Nomenclature - All symbols that appear in the report should be listed alphabetically.
First give all roman symbols, then Greek symbols. Order: ASCII ordering, to the
extent possible. Subscripts and superscripts should be listed separately if these are not
an intrinsic part of the variable name. Some sample entries are shown below:

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 JIET Group of Institutions
Nomenclature
First
used on
Symbol Name and Units
Page
No.
A area of a double layered droplet, m2 . . . 22
a interfacial area, m2
k rate constant, s-1 . . . 34
kp partition coefficient , dimensionless
rate constant for reaction between the diffusant and the immobilized
ki
reactant, s-1
i refers to point on the space grid
s denotes saturation

Note the ordering sequence : Upper case symbols followed by small case ones;
superscripted variables followed by subscripted ones and these should be preceded by unscripted
variables. Avoid subscripts / superscripts that are more than two letters long and do not separate
the letters by a ","; also kpx should follow kp in the nomenclature. In the text, if you have used a
symbol such as Vai where i refers to a running index (identifying, for instance a particular location
or time), enter the symbol Va in the nomenclature and enter i in the list of subscripts.

SEMINAR REPORT

ON

(TITLE)

In partial fulfillment of

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 JIET Group of Institutions
B.E IV yr (Information technology)

Work Carried Out At “JIET”

Submitted To: Submitted by:

Name of faculty/Lab in-charge Name of student
Branch,
Year

CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the Seminar Report entitled

“............................................................................”
(Times New Roman Font 14 Bold Face Capital Letters)

being submitted by Mr. /Ms. (IV B. Tech., VII Sem.)

(Times New Roman Font 14 Bold Face Title Case, 1.5 Line Spacing)
for the partial fulfillment of the requirement of the Degree of Bachelor of
Technology in Information Technology Department of Jodhpur Institute of
Engineering & Technology, Jodhpur, is a record of the seminar work carried out by7
him/her.
(Times New Roman Font 14)
 JIET Group of Institutions

Sh./Ms./Mrs. ………. (Name of HOD)

(Designation) (Designation)
(Times New Roman Font 14 Bold Face Title Case, 1.5 Line Spacing)

Date:
Place:
(Times New Roman Font 14 Title Case, 1.5 Line Spacing)

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 JIET Group of Institutions
Guidelines for Seminar Presentations

1 Introduction

Seminar presentations are an integral part of most units, and they require skills that need
to be learnt and rehearsed. Being able to give a good and clear presentation to a public
audience is an asset you - and your future employer - will greatly value. Oral skills,
alongside writing and research skills, teamwork, and time management, are aspects of
your degree course, or key skills, which will have application to your future career in
whatever field that may be. Future employers always ask for these key skills in
references, and they are often seen as more important than the subject of your degree.

Design and delivery guidelines

The following points may be useful in designing and giving a seminar presentation:

2.1 A seminar presentation is a means of communication with a specific audience (in the
case of seminar presentations, with your fellow students). It is NOT a monologue,
delivered to a lecturer, to prove to him/her that you’ve done your homework.

2.2 A seminar presentation is an oral presentation. It is NOT a written essay that is

simply read out from paper. If you don’t feel confident enough to speak completely
freely, which would be ideal, then use notes/bullet points on prompt cards. Make sure that
your presentation uses English as it is spoken (so no longwinded sentences of the kind
that you are likely to read), but also that the language fits the occasion (so: neither too
formal, nor too casual).

2.3 Speak in a lively and engaged way, so that you avoid monotonous delivery. If you give
the impression that you are not particularly interested in your subject, no one else will be
either (particularly if the session is early in the morning or late in the day). If in a large
room, try to project your presentation, that is: speak loudly enough.

2.4 Don’t speak too quickly, but keep your pace with your audience and allow your material
to ‘sink in’.

2.5 Make frequent eye contact with your fellow students. Address them as your audience -
not just the lecturer.

2.6 If at all possible, stand up while giving your presentation; if you prefer to sit down, try not
to look down too much, or hide behind your notes. Choose a seat where you face your
audience, rather than blend into it.

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2.7 At the beginning of your presentation, outline in a few words the aims of your
presentation. When doing a joint presentation, the first speaker should explain how the
different parts will work together. It is therefore absolutely essential that you co-ordinate
your part of the presentation with your co-presenters in advance, so that you avoid
overlaps, or an overall disjointed presentation.

2.8 Distribute a prepared handout. This handout should give a run down of your
presentation, preferably numbered or in bullet points, and it should have a title. In any
case it should be structured, and easy to read/follow. A handout is NOT identical with
your notes, but a condensation of your presentation, so don’t have more than one to two
A4 pages. Use illustrations only if they relate to your argument or if you refer to them.

2.9 If you use (particularly lengthy) quotations from secondary sources, print them in full on
your handout, as your audience will find it easier to follow them than if you just recite
them. When you come to these quotes in your presentation, tell your audience they can
find them on their handout.

2.10 Also list on your handout all names and specific terms you mention in your presentation,
particularly those that your audience may find difficult to note down without seeing them
spelt out (i.e. foreign names, words, etc.).

3 Illustrating your argument

3.1 A presentation is usually a timed exercise, and you must therefore select your material
carefully so that it fits into the time allocated. Depending on your time, choose a selected
number of key points, rather than attempt to cram everything you’ve read into your
presentation. If there is too much, this will be likely to result in information overload for
your audience.

3.2 Concentrate on arguments or developments, rather than simple facts. The presentation
should encourage your audience to think, and to follow this up with a discussion.

3.3 To facilitate a subsequent discussion, you may want to end your presentation with a
number of conclusions, or even better with a set of questions that emerge from your
research. This is particularly important when you are dealing, for example, with
theoretical arguments or texts, which you may not agree with, or which you don’t fully
understand. Don’t try to gloss over this, but use it instead as a way into the discussion
with your audience. For example:
I don’t think I fully understand what X means when s/he argues... How did you interpret
this...? What do you make of...?
This will help clarify matters both for you and your fellow students who may indeed have
similar problems.

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3.4 Aim to make your presentation more interesting by using visual aids, such as OHP
transparencies. The most important thing about these is that they need to be tied in with
your presentation:
 Visual aids are used to illustrate a point that you have made (or are about to make)
in your presentation. Avoid using them as a kind of visual wallpaper, for example
by ending your talk by showing a transparency without commenting on it.

 Choose transparencies to display items such as key points, graphs, grids, statistics,
illustrations, and photos.

 If you use video clips, use them economically: don’t show about ten minutes when
all you are talking about can be justified by a shorter extract. If you have a limited
time for your presentation, use perhaps only one to three clips.

 Have your visual aids ready to use, and in the right order.

 Introduce visual aids and speak to them. For example, you could say: I am now
going to show you... What I want to show you here is...

4 Preparing yourself for the presentation

4.1 Before the presentation: make sure you are familiar with the room where you are giving
your presentation, and with any audio-visual equipment you will be using. Make sure you
are close to your equipment, and that you face the audience.

4.2 It might be a good idea to rehearse your presentation at home. If possible, ask
friends/house mates to listen to your performance, and ask them for advice which parts
may still be a bit unclear.

4.3 Time your presentation with a watch, to make sure you are within the limits you’ve been
given.

4.4 Do your last rehearsal at the latest the evening before the presentation. Have a good
night’s sleep, avoid getting anxious, and don’t think about it until the moment of the
presentation arrives. And do remember, your seminar tutor is always there in case you get
stuck.

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