Work Term Report Common Errors MME Department By: Ginette Tseng

Acknowledgments

• Usman Ali • Chris Chasse • Christina Chen • Sante DiCecco • Varun Jacob-John • Shari King • Ryan McNamara • Waqas Muhammad

Important Documents • Work Term Report Common Error Checklist

• https://uwaterloo.ca/mechanical-mechatronics-engineering/sites/ca.mechanical-mechatronics-engineering/files/uploads/files/wkrpt_guidelines_common_errors_updated_2014.pdf

• Work Report Guidelines • https://uwaterloo.ca/mechanical-mechatronics-

engineering/sites/ca.mechanical-mechatronics-engineering/files/uploads/files/Work%20Report%20Guidelines%20for%20website.pdf

Presentat ion Outl ine

1. Why are you writing a work term report? 2. Topic selection 3. Advice by section

a. Front matter b. Main body c. End matter

4. Common formatting/grammatical errors

Why are you wr i t ing a work term report? • Main Purpose: practice effective written

communication • Audience does not have to have technical

knowledge in your field

Source: http://media.except.nl/media/cache/uploaded_images/asset_image/communicate_mixslider.jpg

Source: http://www.workhiveapp.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Communication-Style.png

Topic Select ion • A technical problem encountered on your work

term • Must be solved with original engineering analysis

• Unacceptable Topics • Descriptions of processes, systems, equipment,

mathematical models • Literature review • Company practices or standards

Example: Project Topics

“Describing all the different current light fixtures in the plant.”

“Determining if replacing current light fixtures with energy efficient fixtures is worth spending the initial capital.”

Advice by Section Front Matter

Front Matter • Order of front matter

• Title Page * • Letter of Submittal * • Table of Contents ** (start numbering here) • List of Figures ** • List of Tables ** • Summary ** (always after List of Tables)

• Do not include a section called “Contributions”

• Include this in the letter of submittal

* - no page number ** - roman numeral page number

Letter of Submittal • Address to

• Mechanical: Michael Collins, Associate Chair, Undergraduate Studies

• Mechatronics: William Melek, Director, Mechatronics Engineering

• Do not bold the title and employer

• Must contain the statement of declaration • “This report was written entirely by me and has not

received any previous academic credit at this or any other institution”

Table of Contents , L is t o f F igures, L is t o f Tables

• Table of contents should not contain table of contents

• Connect entry to its page number with a dotted line

• Ensure that the page numbers are aligned

• List of figures and list of tables should be on separate pages

• Do not include figures or tables that appear in the appendix

Summary

• It is a brief version of the full report • It is a synopsis, not a preview

• Include quantified specifics • Results of implementation

• Should be 1 to 2 pages long • Preferably 1 page

• Should be the last section written

Work Report Overview Looking at the flow of the report

Outl ine of Main Body • Work report should be like a technical story

• A general outline for work term reports

Introduction Background about problem

Define the problem

Define the objective of the

report

Engineering Judgement

and Analysis Define constraints

and criteria Present potential

solution(s) Compare

solutions (as applicable)

Results/ Implementation

Explain how solution is

implemented

Results and analysis of

implementation

End Matter Conclusions about objective, solution

and results

Recommendations on how the project

should move forward

Advice by Section Main Body – Introducing the Problem

Introduction

• Generic background information • Introduce important concepts

• Define problem the report is trying to solve • Why has the company commissioned the

project?

• Define objective of the project • What should be accomplished by the end of

the report?

• Must use in text references

Objective

• Must clearly state the objective in introduction • Topic is not an objective

Example “The company would like to replace lighting fixtures to save energy costs.”

“The objective is to select and install lighting fixtures that provide the most savings to XYZ Foods.”

Background

• May be included in the introduction if brief

• Supply technical background • Define all important acronyms and technical

terms

• Teach reader enough of technical content to get through the report

Advice by Section Main Body – Engineering Judgement and Analysis

Constraints vs. Cri ter ia • Criteria – requirements, what your potential

solutions will be judged on Example • Minimize initial cost ($) • Minimize labor costs ($) • Maximize energy savings ($/year)

• Constraints – restrictions, things that cannot be changed (should contain numbers)

Example • Total cost less than $2000 • Finish project by end of 2016 (year end) • Runs on 120 VAC

Engineering Analysis and Judgement • Present potential solution(s)

• Information with respect to constraints and/or criteria

• Compare solutions using standard engineering decision analysis techniques

• e.g. decision matrix

• Provide reasoning and justification for all decisions

• Need to display engineering analysis and judgement, or else report will be resubmitted or failed

Example – Weighted Decision Matr ix • Explain weightings for criteria and

solutions

“Initial cost has a weighting of 0.6, labour costs has a weighting of 0.1, and energy savings has a weighting of 0.3.”

“Since staying under the allotted budget is very important to the company, the initial cost of the project is given a weighting of 0.6.”

Criteria Weighting Solution 1 Solution 2 Initial Cost 0.6 Labor Cost 0.1

Energy Savings 0.3 Total 1.0

Example – Weighted Decision Matr ix • Explain weightings for criteria and

solutions

“Solution 1 and 2 get the score of 3 and 5 respectively for the initial cost criteria.”

“Since solution 1 costs $2000 it receives a score of 3. Solution 2 is quoted at $1500, therefore it receives a score of 5.”

Criteria Weighting Solution 1 Solution 2

Initial Cost 0.6 3 5 Labor Cost 0.1 5 3

Energy Savings 0.3 5 4 Total 1.0 3.8 4.5

Advice by Section Main Body – Implementation

Results and Implementat ion

• How the solution is/will be implemented

• Discuss results of implementation • Refer to criteria, constraints and previous

analysis • Quantifiable results are preferable

Example • Actual cost of the project • Achieved energy savings

Advice by Section End Matter

Conclusion

• No new information should be presented in the conclusion • Brief summary of solution and results

• Refer to objective (was it met?)

Example “Installing more light fixtures will increase the productivity in the plant.”

“Installing solution 2 provides the most savings to XYZ Foods.”

Recommendations

• Provide recommendations for the project • This is not a self reflection

• Should be specific, measureable and attainable

• Look forward • Do not state what could have been done

better during the process of the project

References • Allows readers to verify and delve deeper

into subject matter

• Should be listed in the order they appear in the main text

• Use a standard format, must contain sufficient information to locate source • e.g. APA, IEEE, MLA etc. • Include URL for electronic sources

• Avoid confidential sources

Glossary

• Only include if main text has numerous technical terms, company specific terms or mathematical symbols

• Otherwise, define all terms or mathematical symbols in main text

Appendices

• Relevant information that is not required for comprehensive understanding

• Reader should not need to look at the appendix while reading the report

• Should be mentioned in text

Common Errors

Figures and Tables • Captions should be with the figure or table

• i.e. not on separate pages

• Captions should be descriptive but not long

• Refer to all figures and tables in text by number • Ensure figures and tables have significance to

discussion

• If the table or figure is not your own, cite them

• Make sure the table or figure is legible

• Centre the figures and tables along with captions

Figures • Captions should be below figure

• If referring to a color in a picture, print in color

• Make sure data is distinguishable if printed in greyscale

32 2

9

8

Different Light Fixtures

Type 1Type 2Type 3Type 4

Figure 10: Amount of different light fixtures

32 2

9

8

Different Light Fixtures

Type 1Type 2Type 3Type 4

Figure 10: Amount of different light fixtures

Tables

• Captions appear above the table

Type of Fixture Fixture Price Bulb Price Number of

Bulbs Total Cost

1 $150 $8 3 $174 2 $60 $4 4 $76 3 $30 $2 1 $32

Table 2: Total cost per fixture

Formatt ing/Grammatical Issues • Sentences should not start with “And” or

“Because”

• Sentences should not end with prepositions

• Do not use rhetorical questions

• Do not use first or second person • e.g. me, I, you, we, our, etc.

• Do not use contractions • e.g. can’t, don’t, etc.

• Do not use conversational language or slang “Retrofitting the fixtures will be rough and will cost loads.”

“Retrofitting the fixtures will be strenuous and expensive.”

Formatt ing/Grammatical Issues Cont’d • Check for run on sentences

• Check for unnecessary blank spaces

• Equations should be numbered and referred to in text

• 1.5 or double space

• Use active voice “The benefits of replacing the light fixtures is being considered by the owner of the factory.”

“The owner of the factory is considering the benefits of replacing the light fixtures.”

• Use present tense

Automatic Resubmit List • No signature on the letter of submittal

• No clear objective

• No in-text references in Introduction

• Figures that are not your own are not referenced in the figure caption

• Conclusion does not match the objective

• References do not contain sufficient information to be located

References [1] University of Waterloo Faculty of Engineering, Department of

Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, "Work Report Guidelines - Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering," 2014. [Online]. Available: https://uwaterloo.ca/mechanical-mechatronics-engineering/sites/ca.mechanical-mechatronics-engineering/files/uploads/files/wkrpt_guidelines_common_errors_updated_2014.pdf. Accessed: Jun. 18, 2016.

[2] K. Cedrone, R. Fraser, and D. Weckman, "Work Report Writing

Guidelines," 2012. [Online]. Available: https://uwaterloo.ca/mechanical-mechatronics-engineering/sites/ca.mechanical-mechatronics-engineering/files/uploads/files/Work%20Report%20Guidelines%20for%20website.pdf. Accessed: Jun. 18, 2016.