REPORT LAYOUT

CAPSTONE DESIGN PROJECT (CDSP101)

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

DURBAN UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

 PURPOSE OF REPORTS
▪ Inform reader about a particular topic
▪ Quick and easy communication of information
▪ Record a sequence of events or a situation
▪ Keep tabs of ongoing activities and events
▪ Helps manage departments in companies and the company as a whole
▪ Evaluation of sales, distribution, marketing, investment opportunities
▪ Present results of experimental or research work
▪ Provide analysis of data
▪ Used as a decision-making tool
▪ Can be used to determine future courses of action
 KEY FEATURES OF REPORTS
▪ Report is technical and the tone is formal
▪ Must be past tense and in third person
▪ Bias free – no taking sides – no opinions – just the facts
▪ All information must be 100 % correct
▪ Conclusions can be drawn but must be based on the facts presented
▪ Good report:
• Accurate, objective, complete
• Simple, clear, concise
• Well written and well structured
• Has good flow from paragraph to paragraph, section to section, chapter to
chapter
• Must meet reader’s expectations
 REPORT STRUCTURE
❖ Title Page ➢ Introduction
❖ Assessments Page ➢ Literature Review
❖ Declaration Page ➢ Methodology
❖ Acknowledgements ➢ Design
❖ Executive Summary / Abstract ➢ Build
❖ Table of Content ➢ Conclusions
❖ List of Figures ➢ Recommendations
❖ List of Tables ➢ References
❖ Nomenclature ➢ Appendices
➢ Engineering Drawings
 TITLE PAGE
▪ Title page contains:
• University, faculty, department & course details
• Report title
• Year of report
• Group number
• Group members’ details (name & student number)
▪ Title must be:
• Informative – reader can gain insight of contents
• Short but has enough information to distinguish from other similar reports
• Use ordinary grammar instead of headline style, e.g. Using MATLAB to
Design and Analyse Composite Laminates instead of Design and Analysis of
Composite Laminates
 ASSESSMENTS
▪ Here marks will be entered by the mentor, examiner and moderator

DECLARATION
▪ Declare that the work presented is your own and not copied
▪ Must be signed by all group members

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
▪ Acknowledges source of funding or a person / entity that assisted in the work
▪ Not required – include only if necessary
▪ Length is a few lines
 SUMMARY / ABSTRACT
▪ Brief overview of the substance of the report
▪ Length varies from 100 words to 1-2 pages
▪ Written in complete sentences – no point-form
▪ Outlines the most important findings of the investigation
▪ States key results and/or conclusions (and recommendations)

▪ Do not:
• Give general information
• Provide lengthy explanations for the reasons for the investigation
• Include or refer to diagrams, tables or references
 TABLE OF CONTENT
▪ Lists the sections and subsections with their corresponding page numbers
▪ Helps reader find specific information quickly
▪ Section and subsection titles should be informative
▪ Numbering:
• None on title page (can be included in page count)
• Preliminary pages (Assessments, Declaration, etc.) in lowercase Roman
numerals (i, ii, iii, …) including the Table of Content, List of Figures/Tables
• Remaining pages with Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, 4, …) – page 1 will be the
first page of the Introduction
▪ Each appendix should have an appropriate title (Note: plural of Appendix is
Appendices) – should be numbered alphabetically, e.g., Appendix A: Sample
Calculations or Appendix B: Motor Specifications
 TABLE OF CONTENT – EX.
Assessments ii
Declaration iii
Executive Summary iv
List of Figures vii
1. Introduction 1
2. Design 1: 33m Steel I-Girder Bridge 2
2.1. Superstructure 2
2.2. Abutments 4
2.3. Construction method 4
3. Design 2: 25m Super T-Girder Bridge 6
3.1. Superstructure 6
3.2. Abutments 8
3.3. Construction method 8
4. Comparison of designs 10
4.1. Economics 10
4.1.1. Construction costs 11
4.1.2. Long-term maintenance 12
4.2. Safety 13
4.3. Aesthetics 14
5. Conclusions and Recommendations 16
6. References 17
Appendix A: Design 1 Scale drawings 19
Appendix B: Design 2 Scale drawings 25
 LIST OF FIGURES
▪ List of all the figures in the report in numerical order

LIST OF TABLES
▪ List of all the tables in the report in numerical order

NOMENCLATURE
▪ List of all the symbols/variables/abbreviations used in the report listed in
alphabetical order
▪ Not required as these can be defined upon first use
 INTRODUCTION
▪ Shows the reader what to expect from the report
▪ Must be focused on the report and not the subject
▪ Length varies depending on the extent of the report – typically 3-5 pages
▪ The writer must:
• Briefly describe the context and background to the topic/problem
• Describe the change, problem or issue to be reported on
• Explain the importance of the work carried out
• Indicate the overall solution to the problem explored in the report
• Outline the report's scope (the extent of the investigation / study / work)
• Briefly list limitations / constraints / assumptions, if any
• Give a brief outline of the report structure, or can mention the sections
that follow in the text of the Introduction
 LITERATURE REVIEW
▪ Purpose is to provide support / basis for the work done
▪ Must be focused on the problem and solution
▪ Length varies depending uniqueness of problem – typically 5-10 pages
▪ It must contain:
• Review of literature sources related to the topic
• Explanation / discussion of how these sources link to the work done
• Discussion should include achievements, controversies, shortcomings,
strengths, weaknesses, limitations, assumptions, etc.
• Indicate how the overall solution fills in gaps in the research / solves the
problem in a unique way / reduces or surpasses shortcomings,
weaknesses, limitations in the other reviewed work
 METHODOLOGY
▪ How the work was done / thought processes involved in developing the
solution / what was used in compiling the solution
▪ Must be focused on the conceptual designs and final solution
▪ Length is typically 5-10 pages
▪ It must contain:
• Discussion of conceptual designs including their limitations, shortcomings,
strengths, weaknesses, etc.
• Full discussion on the final solution and reasons for choosing it
• Full explanation of limitations / constraints / assumptions in final solution
• Design plan – how the work was carried out
• Description of design procedures / important equations / test methods /
coding software / CAD, FEA, CFD software / fabrication techniques
 DESIGN CHAPTER
▪ Bulk of the report – contains detailed information on design of solution
▪ Length is approx. 10-15 pages per group member
▪ Information must be organised logically and presented systematically under
appropriate headings
▪ Includes:
• Brief discussion on overall design
• Detailed discussion on each component including relevant calculations,
material selection, product catalogue selection
• Test results / simulation results / analyses / coding
• Costing
• Any other relevant information / results / selection
 BUILD CHAPTER
▪ To demonstrate proof-of-concept
▪ Length is approx. 10-15 pages
▪ Includes:
• Discussion on selected components for proof-of-concept including reasons
• Alternate materials used
• Revised calculations
• Alternate catalogue components (motors, belts, etc.)
• Costing
 CONCLUSION
▪ To clarify whether design aims were achieved (do not say “the aims of the
design were achieved”)
▪ Length should be 1-3 pages
▪ It should contain:
• A brief restatement of the design problem
• A summary of the design solution
• Emphasis of design of unique components / use of unique design methods
/ etc.
• No new information
• Opinions supported by the presented evidence
• Clear statements of gaps or shortcomings in the work done
 RECOMMENDATIONS
▪ Not necessary but, if included, it should follow logically from the conclusions
▪ Brief statements of what can be improved
▪ Also, suggestions of the next/future steps in the study
▪ Length is a few lines

REFERENCES
▪ All sources must be referenced
▪ Use IEEE format
▪ Length: as much as is necessary to reference each source in the proper format
 APPENDICES
▪ Any extra material that is essential but not directly related to the findings, for
example, specifications of a motor used in the design solution
▪ Also contains material that is too extensive to be included in the main body,
for example, data tables, additional results
▪ Reference must be made to each appendix at the relevant point in the text
▪ Example: The data obtained is summarised in Table 5. The detailed data is
given in Appendix B.

ENGINEERING DRAWINGS
▪ Full detailed engineering drawings must be done for each design component
▪ A workshop must be able to fabricate components using drawings
▪ Included as an Appendix
 NOTES / TIPS
▪ Identify audience and what they need to know – focus report
▪ Keep focus/purpose of report in mind while writing
▪ If it’s not relevant, leave it out – do not write jargon to fill up the space
▪ Be brief and to the point
▪ Do not write long/complex sentences
▪ Report should be factual and objective – no personal views
▪ Consistent formatting (font, line spacing, layout, etc.)
▪ Number headings and subheadings
▪ Use figures and tables to convey data
▪ Check tense, grammar and spelling
 FORMATTING
▪ All text (excluding title page) should be justified and 11-point Calibri with 1.5
line spacing
▪ Equations
• Centred on the page
• Must be numbered – number in round brackets at the right-hand margin
• In the report, refer to the equation as either Eq. (1) or equation (1)
▪ Figures (pictures, diagrams, drawings, graphs) and tables
• All figures and tables must be centred and numbered sequentially
• Each figure and table must be given a title – for a table the title goes above
the table, while the title for a figure goes below the figure
• Refer to each figure and table in the text of the report – do not put
anything in for nothing
• Figures and tables must be correctly referenced (if applicable)