Written Report Formats

The title sheet MUST contain the following information :

• EE Course Number - Section Number
• Project Number
• Project Title
• Author Name
• IEEE Membership Number
• Date
• Instructor Name : --------
• Advisor Name : --------
• Team Member(s) : --------
• Report Types

Engineers are frequently asked to write a number of different types of reports. The three types of reports that students write in the EE Labs are:

1. Project notebooks
2. Individual Formal Technical Papers Technical Manuals
3. Group Formal Technical Papers
4. Proposals

Project Notebooks

The purpose of a Laboratory and Engineering Notebook is twofold: (1) to provide engineers with a uniform means of recording research, development and engineering theoretical, analytical, design, experimental and other technical data, notes and ideas, for ready future accessibility to the user and others; and (2) to compile and preserve for patent protection purposes a legal record of technical activity.

Each project team must keep a project notebook. This notebook must be up-loaded to the designated ECE lab web site. All project related written work and reference material should be kept in this notebook as far as practical. The notebook must have four divisions. The first division must be subdivided by individual team members. Divisions 2 through 4 are input as a team. However, as in all cases, credit should be given to the person creating the specific work.

1. The first division must include notes and sketches of ideas, theoretical concepts, computations, illustrations of apparatus and products and, of course, design for each individual student. In other words, all student generated work on the project. This work must indicate the time and date when it was done. It should be witnessed and noted by a co-worker or supervisor. Do not include weekly reports or weekly presentations.
2. The second division must include photographs, diagrams, data sheets, etc. relating to the project and references. In other words, material used on the project generated by outside sources.
3. The third division must contain all of the experimental data.
4. The fourth division must contain the following:
   1. complete circuit diagram, parts list and any schematic and/or circuit board layout files.
   2. complete flowchart, software listing and software files.
   3. timetable (Gantt Chart, original and actual, only)
   4. budget (Est. expense including labor & equip, original and actual, only)

Individual Formal Technical Papers

The project formal technical papers must follow the criteria for the IEEE Student Paper contest. Additional information has been contributed from Dr. Storrs. Each member of the team is required to report on the whole project.

Group Formal Technical Papers

The difference between individual and group reports is related to the coverage and the number of pages. Group reports should follow the same general outline given above except the body of the report should contain a number of different chapters. For Group Reports, each student must contribute from 10 to no more than 15 pages on the particular area for which they were responsible. The report must indicate which student wrote which section.

• Proposals
• Title Page
• Table of Contents
• Abstract

1. Introduction
2. Background
   
   A concise description of the current status of work in the proposed project area, emphasizing how current and past efforts are incomplete or inadequate relative to the proposed project. Define the specific technical problem and address its importance.
3. Objective
   
   Enumerate the specific objectives and explain the benefits gained by successful completion of the work. A detailed, specific list of hardware and/or software to be delivered to the customer at the end of the project.
4. Methodology
   
   Provide an explicit, detailed description of the proposed approach. The plan should indicate what is planned, how and where the work will be carried out, a schedule of major events, and the final product to be delivered. The methods planned to achieve each objective or task should be discussed explicitly and in detail.
   
   If it is a second semester project, preliminary results should be included along with progress and reasons for continuing the project.

• Bibliography
  
  Cite relevant work in the area of the proposed project. ( no less than 5)

1. Timetable (Gantt Chart)
2. Budget (estimated expense, man-hours)
   
   The budget is an essential and integral part of the project. You must budget ALL expenses. You must list all parts and equipment that you use. All equipment has a rental fee of 0.2%, per day, of the purchase (or replacement) price of the equipment. Parts should be charged at the purchase price. Charge $10 or $15 per hour for your own labor and include a 50% overhead charge.

Each member of the project team must contribute a section on their part of the project. Each team member should be responsible for writing between 4 and 8 pages of the proposal. The proposal must clearly indicate the student responsible for each section.

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