Documentation

Writing an academic paper

• In-text citation
• Select the most important information and do one
or both of the following:
• Completely change the original wording
• Completely change the order of the ideas and words
• Indicate the author and the year that the
article/chapter/book/website was published
Writing an academic paper
• Directly quoting someone else
• Keep all or almost all of original wording intact
• Is effective when the word is powerful or there is no way
else to paraphrase reasonably the original wording.
• Use quotation mark, indicate the author, the year
that article/chapter/book/website was published
• Use active voice, “I” instead of “this researcher”
• Block quotations should be single spaced, not
double spaced and should be indented on the left
by ½ inch
APA Guidelines
a. Page margins = 1” for the top, bottom, and right
side; left 1.5” in your thesis
b. Start page numbering on the first page of text (not
the title page)
c. Any tables or figures should be inserted into text,
close to the place cited (but where they are not
broken by a page break) if possible.
d. Reference lists should be single spaced, with
double spacing between citations and arranged
alphabetically
Writing reports
Word processor
• What a word processor can do for you
• What else to be taken into account
Report format
• Purpose
• Abstract
• The main point
• Subsidiary information?
• Weight of details regarding mathematical analysis,
formulas
→ Appendices
• References
Report plan
• Title page/Cover page report
• Acknowledgements • Conclusions
• Summary/Abstract • Recommendations
• Table of content • References/Bibliography
• List of Figures and Tables • Appendices
• Abbreviations*
• Introduction
• Sections or Chapters of
 Engineering Context ENG1601 Title
Engineering Faculty
Monash University page
[Option A]
ALTERNATIVE DESIGNS REPORT:
THE FUEL CELL CAR

[Option B]
TWO ALTERNATIVE
CONCEPTUAL DESIGNS

Lee Binks (12647892), Penny Jinks (12993456) and Hong Links

(13504733)

Date submitted: June 5, 2005

Sample of Summary
This report presents a design for a bridge to be
constructed on the Calder Freeway crossing Slaty
Creek in the Shire of Macedon Ranges. Two designs
for the bridge were devised and then compared by
considering the cost, construction and maintenance
of each bridge. Design 1 is a super-T beam bridge
while Design 2 is a simple composite I girder bridge.
It is concluded that Design 1 is the better design.
This design is cheaper, easier to construct, more
durable and easier to maintain.
Table of Content

Contents
Roman number
Introduction

Words of use

…………………………………..........

ConclusionS

Appendices
Headings
Layout

• Paper size
• Margins
• Pagination – Appendix
• Headers
• Font size – Line spacing
• Punctuation
Presentation of data
• Graph – Horizontal and Vertical page layout
• Photographs – Be careful when using photos
• Table
Summary
• Reader, reader, reader
• Clear format, concise content
• Keep the report as short as is reasonable
• Appropriate appendix
• Give references to sources used in the report
• Use clear, accurate, annotated graphs to present
results
• Check spellings and punctuation
• Get somebody to proof read your report
Exercise