BEng Degrees in Engineering

Final Year Project ENX313

Bryan Attewell
21/02/2008
Ahmed Elmarakbi
07/07/2008

Contents
1. Introduction
2. Choosing an Individual Project

3. Role of Academic and Other Staff

3.1. Academic Supervisor
3.2. Work Based Supervisor
3.3. Module Team
4. Reporting and Assessment
4.1. Project Brief
4.2. Interim Report
4.3. Final Report
4.4. The Viva
4.5. Marking Your Work
4.6. Timescale
5. Project Management
5.1. Preliminary stage
5.2. Execution
5.3. Mid Year
5.4. Final stage
Appendix 1 - Sample Project Brief
Appendix 2 - Writing Style and Use of References
Appendix 3 - Sample Gantt Chart
Appendix 4 - Help With Grammar
Appendix 5 - The Final Report
Appendix 6 - Assessment Criteria

1. INTRODUCTION
The final year project might be considered the most important module on the
programme, it is certainly the largest, at 40 credits, in terms of its contribution to your
degree classification. The project is normally the last module to be tackled, which
means that you are able to bring to bear all of the knowledge and skills that you have
accumulated during the course.
Let's get this into perspective however, it is an undergraduate project, not a doctoral
thesis. We want to see a problem competently solved and reported. The project does not
have to include the development of new theories or great originality, rather the correct
application of known procedures to an engineering problem. Most students enjoy their
final project, it is an opportunity to pursue an investigation into an area in which they
have a personal interest.
The project will include a number of key elements.
1. First there will be the identification of a problem and the negotiation of a project
brief with your supervisor.
2. You will be expected to conduct research into the subject of your project. This can
take many forms, e.g. patent search, literature survey, contacts with suppliers,
customers and colleagues.
3. You will write and submit an interim report.
4. You should then set about solving the problem that you have been faced with. It is
necessary that the project contains at least one of the following elements:4.1. A design study resulting in a set of engineering drawings and supporting
calculations.
4.2. Experimental work where a test rig is designed and made, experiments carried
out, and the results analysed and reported.
4.3. A manufacturing problem is identified and a system is designed and put in
place to eliminate the problem.
5. While all projects should contain some element of a literature review, projects that
confine themselves to that activity are not acceptable.
6. Your project will be reported by means of a written report.
7. You will attend a viva (or question session) with two members of academic staff.

2. CHOOSING AN INDIVIDUAL PROJECT

We would normally expect part time students to be in employment and to do a project
related to their place of work. If this is not possible, a design based project is probably
the best solution, see 4.2 above. Sunderland based on campus students will be able to
use laboratory equipment within the University, but they may also wish to conduct an
industrially inspired project taken from a work placement, or a design based project.
The choice of the project title is very important. You need to identify a subject that will
hold your interest over a period of about one year, that will be demanding, but not
impossible!

Students vary in their level of ambition and ability. Those aspiring to a first class
honours degree would need to ensure that the project is sufficiently demanding to allow
them to display their ability to the full. A student who can perhaps only devote a limited
amount of time to study and who will be satisfied with a lower grade might chose
something less ambitious.
Industrially based students have available to them very large resources compared to
students who are not in work. In particular they are able to ask suppliers for
information about their products, or even request that they carry out part of the work of
the project. It is necessary to strike a balance here, in the real world most engineering
projects involve contributions from many sources, and you will probably need to obtain
information from suppliers. It is not acceptable, however, to undertake a project that
merely involves the obtaining of tenders and the organisation of the work. It is essential
that your project shows that you have been involved in engineering the details of the
process. You should size the motors, and calculate the stresses etc., you should not rely
on a supplier to do this for you. The final grade awarded will take into account any
external assistance that you may have had.
There may be conflicts of interest between the needs of your company and the
academic requirements of the project. It is better to choose a project that is not of
critical importance to the firm's future, as such a project would probably be taken out of
your hands if things started to go wrong, while the timing of the academic project
might not fit with the company's requirements. The best projects are perhaps those that
the firm would like to carry out, but have been sidelined by more pressing issues.
You will be required to negotiate your project title and content with your academic
supervisor. We hope that you will undertake a project that is of interest, and will make
every effort to allocate supervisory staff that have the necessary expertise.
The idea for the individual project may be a proposal from a member of staff or your
own, or perhaps a combination of the two.
Staff Proposals
For projects proposed by members of university academic staff you should discuss the
project with the proposer so that you have ample of time to think about the best choices
for you. Please note that not every project is appropriate for every student: some may
only suit students with a very specific set of interests. Each project proposal will have a
brief outline in order to help you to make an informed choice.
Own Proposals
If you have your own idea for an individual project it is your responsibility to find a
member of university academic staff who is willing to supervise it. The module leader
will be happy to help you find a supervisor but you should not assume that one can be
allocated in every case.
The individual projects offered by members of staff may well vary significantly in
breadth, depth and degree of complexity. The vital thing is to select a set of projects
(preferred project and two others) that are right for you. Some students are better
advised to attempt harder, riskier projects that require a high degree of original input

and technical problem solving. Other students are better suited to clear, well-defined
and comparatively safe projects that provide scope for demonstrating proficiency with a
low risk of failure.
If you are ambitious and would like to achieve high marks in your project, you should
choose your set of projects with particular care. The potential supervisors will be more
than happy to offer advice on the appropriateness of a project, given your academic
background, strengths, weakness, motivations and ambitions. Please keep in mind that
it is essential to balance realism and ambition when making a choice.
Please note that if you choose from the projects offered by members of staff your first
choice of project might not be guaranteed since supervisors can only take responsibility
for a limited number of individual projects. In some cases, you will be allocated one of
your other choices.
Typical project titles might include:
The design of a mechanism to operate a high speed weaving machine.
A review of the energy requirements of a company and the implementation of a system
of process monitoring and adjustment to optimise energy consumption.
The design of a computer controlled machine to bend brake and other pipes for the
automotive industry.
The specification and implementation of a control system for an industrial process.
The application of statistical process control to the manufacture of a company's
product.
The specification and design of a variable speed drive system for an industrial process.
The use of Taguchi techniques in an experimental investigation into the problems
associated with the manufacture of injection moulded components.
The application of a solid state control system to a domestic product.
The automation of a production line.
Etc.
Please note that all of these titles involve the solution of a real engineering problem.

Projects which confine themselves to a literature review are not acceptable.

3. ACADEMIC AND OTHER STAFF

3.1. Academic Supervisor
You will be allocated an academic supervisor who will normally have specialist
knowledge in your chosen field of study. If you are a centre based student the academic
supervisor will be a member of the centre's staff, while if you are an independent
student or a student based at Sunderland the academic supervisor will be a member of
the University's staff.
You will be able to meet your centre or University based supervisor on a regular basis,
typically once every week, while if you are an independent student you will have phone
and e-mail contact with your academic supervisor.
Your academic supervisor will give advice on the choice of project title and content,
and will give guidance throughout the period of the project. The academic supervisor
will also take part in the assessment process.

3.2. Work Based Supervisor

If you are a part time student, wherever possible your project should be work based,
and there should be a person at your place of work who will agree to act as a work
based supervisor. That person should normally be a chartered engineer and have
sufficient authority to ensure that you are given adequate facilities for the conduct of
the project. It is your responsibility to find a work based supervisor.
The work based supervisor will be involved in the choice of a suitable project title, and
will be available for possible consultation on a weekly basis. Please note, however, that
your project cannot proceed until the University has agreed the title and project brief.
The role of the work based supervisor is to help ensure that facilities are made
available, it is not to give detailed guidance on the conduct of the project, as that should
be your own work.
The work based supervisor will be asked to make a confidential statement about your
work that will be considered by the academic members of staff responsible for your
assessment, and that person may attend your viva and discuss your performance with
the academic staff involved.

3.3. Module Team

There will be a module leader who is a member of academic staff at the University and
that person will be a member of the module team. The module team will comprise the
module leader and at least two other members of University academic staff.
A member of the module team will always be present during student vivas, including
those taking place at learning centres.

4. REPORTING AND ASSESSMENT

You will be required to undertake the following pieces of assessment:
1.
2.
3.
4.

An initial project title and project brief

An interim report
A final report
A viva

4.1. Project Brief

This document contains the title of the project and explains the scope of the project.
The brief should be formulated after discussion with both academic, and where
appropriate, industrial supervisors. It should not exceed 500 words in length, including
the title. The word count (your word-processor will count the words) should be shown
at the end of the document.
The completed brief should be submitted to the module team, and the project cannot
proceed until the brief has been agreed by the module team.
See appendix 1 for a sample project brief.

4.2. Interim Report

There is a slight variance in the procedure to be adopted for Sunderland based and other
students. Sunderland based students will, in addition to submitting an interim report, be
required to attend an interview with a member of the module team who is not their
supervisor. It will be necessary to bring evidence of work completed, drawings,
calculations etc, to this meeting as well as a copy of the Interim Report.
The principal purpose of the Interim Report is to ensure that the project is proceeding
satisfactorily, while it allows the academic supervisor to provide feedback on your
progress.
It also gives you some practice in writing a formal report and enables the academic
supervisor to make some comments on the style of presentation used.
The interim report should be written in a formal style avoiding the use of the first
person (I, we) and should use embedded references. For guidance on an appropriate
style see Appendix 2 - Writing Style and Use of References.
Over the years it has become apparent that many students have difficulty with a number
of relatively simple grammatical constructions. Appendix 4 provides a guide to help
avoid common errors.
Due to the timing of the interim report, it will deal predominantly with the literature
review. You may wish to use all or part of it to comprise the chapter in the final report
that deals with background research. The interim report does not have to be
incorporated into the final report however.

The interim report should describe the progress to date and indicate the next stages of
the work. It should include a Gantt Chart showing how you plan to continue with the
work. (See Appendix 3 - Sample Gantt Chart).
The interim report should not exceed 2000 words in length, and a word count should be
appended.
You should submit two copies of your intermediate report, one to your academic
supervisor and one to the module team. Your academic supervisor will comment on the
content of the interim report and may require that you carry out further work and resubmit the report before proceeding with the project. That could happen, for example, if
there was insufficient evidence of background research. Like the project brief, this part
of the assessment is pass/fail, it does not contribute to your final grade. You must obtain
the approval of your academic supervisor before proceeding with the project. It is
recommended that the interim report be submitted 12 weeks after you have registered
on the project module.

4.3. Final Report

The final report forms the main basis of your assessment. It will be marked by your
academic supervisor and by a member of the module team. The final report should be
presented and structured in accordance with the guidance given in Appendix 5. You
should discuss the precise format of your report with your academic supervisor.
You will submit two copies of your final report such that they are received at
Sunderland at least 2 weeks in advance of your viva. Prior to its formal submission, you
may ask your academic supervisor to comment on the style and content of your written
work.
An important thing to remember about the final report is that its main purpose is to
describe what YOU have achieved. While there will be a chapter devoted to your
review of the literature, it should not be padded out with material taken from other
sources. Students often feel the need to include appendices filled with copies of
manufacturers' catalogues, or to bolster the body of the report with text copied from
other sources. This is both unnecessary and unwelcome and the practice will result in
marks being deducted. A technical report should provide a concise description of what
has taken place together with a reasoned discussion of the outcome. Reports are not
marked by weight, rather the quality of their contents.
The final report should not exceed 50 A4 pages in length, not including engineering
drawings or large diagrams that should be folded and included at the rear of the report.

4.4. The Viva

The purpose of the viva is to ensure that the work reported is indeed your own and to
explore your understanding of the issues relating to the work.
The viva will be conducted by two members of academic staff, one will be your
academic supervisor, and the other a member of the module team. They will both have
read your report. Your work based supervisor may attend the viva, but that person's

attendance is not essential. In any event the work supervisor may be asked to comment
upon your work throughout the year.
In the case of centre based or independent off campus students the viva may be
undertaken by video conferencing subject to the technical quality of the transmission
being of an appropriate standard. It is expected that independent students will make
their own arrangements and pay for any hire and connection charges involved.
You will be asked to briefly describe the work that you have undertaken, and then you
will be asked a number of questions relating to it. It will not be necessary to prepare a
formal presentation, you are not being marked on presentation skills. There will not be
facilities available for overhead projection or computer based presentation.
If you have constructed a portable product, e.g. an electronic circuit, you may bring that
to the viva to demonstrate its operation. In that case you must make arrangements well
in advance of the viva to ensure that any necessary ancillary equipment, power supplies
etc, is available.
The duration of the viva will be about 20 minutes.

4.5. Marking Your Work

Your mark will be determined by the two members of academic staff attending the viva.
They will take into account the difficulty of the project, the quality of your report, your
responses during the viva, and possibly the comments of the industrial supervisor.
Appendix 6 details the criteria against which the project will be marked.
In the case of the academic members of staff being unable to agree a mark within the
degree classification boundaries e.g. 2.2, 1st etc, your report will be marked by the
module leader and further discussions will take place between the staff concerned. In
the event of agreement not being reached at that stage, the report will be examined by
the external examiner and the matter discussed at the board of examiners' meeting.
The projects are marked under the following headings:
Research Review
This should provide the theoretical underpinning of the project and should be treated in
depth. It should clearly be applied to the practical element in some way: normally either
in helping to develop the product or in evaluating the product. Any references used
should be appropriate and timely for instance if old references are used it should be
clearly argued that they are still relevant or they should be used to show how the field
has moved on. The student should be away of the quality of the material they are citing
and making appropriate use of it rather than just peppering the text with occasional
references. If the reference material does not support an argument it is of limited use.
Final Report
The main body of the project report should include consideration of the following
(some if not all): how the theory from the literature influenced the approach adopted,

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problems encountered and their solutions, setbacks, lessons learned, involvement of the
project sponsor if applicable and his/her reaction to the project, an exposition on how
the deliverables satisfy the objectives, how it was established that the deliverables meet
the objectives.
Success
The quality of the end product is clearly important. Success can only be evaluated
effectively if measures have been identified to allow an objective assessment - giving
some notation of "proof", rather than reliance on opinion or anecdotal evidence.
Success in the project should always be argued for in terms of mapping back to the
objectives identified in the terms of reference.
Control (Supervisor only to comment on this)
The control assessment should take into account the feedback from the 2 nd marker and
also the supervisors assessment of the students ability to control and management the
entire project. However, apparent management and control may exist because of the
level of advice and direction given by the supervisor. Where this is the case the overall
mark should be reduced accordingly.
Presentation/Viva
The purpose of the presentation (viva) is to allow the student to demonstrate the grasp
they have of the subject of the project and thus to guarantee that they are indeed
responsible for the report submitted. The focus should be on a brief, accurate, critical
summary from the student of what they have done/achieved followed up by a
question/answer session based on the content of the report, demo of the product (where
appropriate) and presentation.

4.6. Timescale
All students are normally expected to complete the project within one academic year.
You will have fixed deadlines for the submission of all work associated with the
project. The table below shows a typical timetable for a centre based student.
Week
Nos.
1-2
3-4
5-11
12
13-22
22-26
26
29

Activity

Staff

Agree project brief with supervisors

Project brief submitted to module team and response obtained
Carry out literature survey and other means of background
research. Consider a range of alternative solutions to problem.
Write interim report.
Submit interim report. (Interview for Sunderland based students)
Continue to carry out work on project.
Complete work and write final report
Submit 2 copies of report
Attend Viva

AS/WS
MT
AS/WS

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AS/MT
AS/WS
AS/WS
AS/MT
AS/MT

AS - Academic supervisor
WS - Work based supervisor
MT - Module Team
Students will be supplied with an addendum to this guide giving specific dates for the
required submissions. This will vary from year to year and between centres depending
upon the mode of operation.

5. PROJECT MANAGEMENT
5.1. Preliminary stage

Project Proposal Selection

You will be allocated an individual project and a member of staff will be assigned to
supervisor it based on the previous procedures (Choosing an Individual Project, section
2).

Project Plans Development

You will have the opportunity to read through the project outline, discuss the projects
with your supervisor, summarize the project and proposes the approach, milestones,
deliverables, resources, timeline and scope.

Project Brief Submission

You will prepare and submit a project brief form to your allocated supervisor. Then, the
supervisor will have the opportunity to review, comment and approve it or ask you for
modification. Once the project brief has been approved by the supervisor, you will
move ahead and work on the next stages of the project.

5. 2. Execution

Weekly Meetings

You must arrange regular meetings with your supervisor. The meetings may be brief
once your project is under way but your supervisor needs to be sure that your work is
progressing. If you need to see your supervisor between meetings you should send
mail, asking him/her to suggest a time when he/she will be available. Before the
meeting, you should have prepared a written list of points you wish to discuss. And
during the meeting, you should take notes so that you do not forget the advice you were
given.

5.3. Mid Year

Progress Report

You will submit an interim report to the 2nd marker. The report includes a literature
review, objectives, methodology, progress-to-date, initial results and Gantt chart.

Project Review

12

A short meeting (10-15 mins) between you and the 2 nd marker will be held to
professionally review the report. You will have the opportunity to explain your ideas,
show your progress and raise any constraints or problems you have been experiencing.
It is expected that the projects should have progressed to the point were something has
been built or modelled.

Reporting

The 2nd marker will write his/her report about your performance and make
recommendations to your supervisor and the module leader.

5.4. Final stage

Final Project Report and Viva

Considering the recommendations made by the 2 nd marker and supervisors

observations during the weekly meeting, you will be advised on how to complete your
project and submit a final report. Provided you have successfully submitted your final
report, a twenty minutes viva will be held. You will have the opportunities to
professionally present your work and answer technique questions raised by the
committee panel.
The Importance of Project Management
In addition to the academic requirements of the project, it also provides an excellent
vehicle for students to develop and practice their project management skills.
All students will have studied, or will be studying concurrently, a project management
module that will cover the aspects of planning and control that can and should be
applied to this work.
It is essential that the project be broken down into a list of tasks, and durations
allocated to each, before a project plan is constructed. This plan should be reviewed
regularly throughout the project and modifications made where necessary. The most
successful students are generally those who are best organised, and part of the
assessment will include a consideration of how well the work has been project
managed.

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Appendix 1 - Sample Project Brief

The Design of an Operating Mechanism for a Jacquard Loom
During the weaving process, a proportion of the threads are lifted so that a shuttle,
carrying thread, can pass beneath them. The height of the lift is variable depending
upon the type of cloth being produced, typically between 40 and 60 mm, while the
speed of operation varies between 200 and 500 lifts per minute. It is the aim of this
project to design a new operating mechanism for this process.
The project will begin with a review of existing literature, including a patent search,
competitors' and in- house designs, and published academic work. Discussions will also
take place with the marketing department of the company, to establish the perceived
requirements for the new mechanism. The results of this research will be analysed and
a product specification written and agreed with the principals of the company.
A range of alternative designs will be prepared and compared according to a list of
criteria that will also be derived, based upon the product specification.
One design will be chosen for further development. An engineering scheme drawing
will be prepared and design calculations carried out. A variety of materials and
manufacturing methods will be considered before a final selection is made for the
device. Manufacturing drawings will be produced and a prototype constructed and
tested.
Finally a project report will be prepared that will describe the process followed in
designing the mechanism, will include details of the proposed solution and test results,
and will evaluate the final design against the original specification.
[Word count = 259 ]

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Appendix 2 - Writing Style and Use of References

Technical reports are normally written in a formal manner. In particular the first person
is avoided, i.e. I, we.
You can usually express your ideas without recourse to I or We, e.g. "I decided to
measure the current" can be written as "It was decided to measure the current".
You should avoid overstating your case. "The equipment performed superbly", should
be written "The equipment was found to be satisfactory, meeting the specification in all
respects."
You should stick to Standard English expressions. Swear words or colloquialisms
should not be used. "When I interviewed the operator I found that he was as sick as a
parrot because the machine kept breaking down" should be replaced by "Interviewing
the operator revealed that the machine was not reliable, being subject to frequent
breakdowns."
Over the years it has become apparent that many students have difficulty with a number
of relatively simple grammatical constructions. Appendix 4 provides a guide to help
avoid common errors.

Use of References
You are encouraged to read about your subject and you may quote from those sources,
but you must make it absolutely clear that those words were not your original work.
E.g. "It can be shown that the force is proportional to the square of the velocity."[4]
Here a quotation has been taken from a book, paper, or Internet article, and used within
the report. It is made clear that the words belong to someone else because they are
contained within quotation marks "", while the name of that person will be given at the
end of your report in the reference section beside the number [4].
Often you will want to make use of another worker's ideas, without citing their precise
words. This is also permissible, provided that you credit that person within your text.
E.g. Brown [3] believes the world to be round, while Smith [5] argues for a flat plane.
This is a normally a more appropriate use of a source than to quote verbatim, but there
are occasions when you need to use the exact expression. DO NOT copy large chunks
from texts or other sources however.
If you use someone else's ideas or words within your text without crediting the source,
you are guilty of copying or plagiarism. In the past students have failed their projects,
and therefore their degree, because their reports contained substantial amounts of
copied material. Copying is both unprofessional and dishonest, while the legitimate
use of sources with proper references is an essential part of report writing.

15

Listing References within Your Report

There is a variety of styles that can be used to denote sources within your work. One
way is to use a superscript character 1 with a note at the bottom of the page. In technical
work it is more usual to list all of the sources at the end of your report and give each
one a number. The numbers then appear alongside the appropriate citations within the
text. The enclosure of the number within square brackets clearly shows that the number
is a reference, e.g. [7].
References are normally numbered according to their position of first appearance
within the text, the first reference to appear being number 1 etc.
You should adopt a consistent style for laying out the information about sources. A
good way is to begin with the person's name, followed by the year of publication, then
the title of the book or article, followed by the publisher and ISBN if it is a book,
journal title and edition, or web page address.
[1] Cross N. 1994 Engineering Design Methods. 2nd Edition. Wiley. ISBN 0 471 94228 6
[2] Martin J.J. 1955 Development of an Equation of State for Gases. A.I.. Ch. E. Journal. June
1955
[3] Attewell B. 2000 Bryan's Bicycle Page. http://www.battewell.freeserve.co.uk/bike
accessed 12-9-2010.

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Appendix 3 - Sample
Gantt Chart
Week No.
Activity
Agree Title and Brief
Submit Brief
Literature Survey
Evolve Concept
Solutions
Write Interim Report
Submit Interim Report
Choose Solution
Scheme Drawing
Calculations
Material Selections
Manufacturing
Selections
Detail Drawings
Build Prototype
Test
Write Final Report
Submit Final Report
Attend Viva

9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

Appendix 4 - Help With Grammar

Students often make mistakes with the following:1) Apostrophe
Apostrophes are used to indicate possession or missing letters.
Possession
The dogs bone.
Here we have only one dog possessing one bone. Placing the apostrophe before the s
indicates that only one dog is involved.
The dogs bones.
Here we have several dogs possessing several bones. The apostrophe is placed after the
s to indicate that there is more than one dog.
The dogs ate the bones.
Note that there is no apostrophe needed as there is no implied possession - dogs is
simply the plural of dog. We do not know that the bones belonged to the dogs.
Other common examples include:It is the Universitys policy. (Only one University)
There are several Universities in the area. (Plural)
I would not buy that companys products. (Only one company)
All of the companies responded to the survey. (Plural)
The other use for apostrophes is in connection with missing letters
Dont
Is short for Do not.
Its in the cupboard.
Its is short for It is.
The dog ate its bone.

Here, although possession is implied, no apostrophe is used. This contradicts the rule
given above and you might find it a tad confusing. If you are indeed confused I would
suggest that you always write It is in full, and never use an apostrophe with Its.
2) There and their.
Their indicates possession, while there is a place.
They parked their car over there.
It might help you to remember this by saying Where? Over there, the spelling of
where and there is the same.
3) Affect and Effect
An effect is normally an outcome or result of an action. A simple check is to see if you
can replace the work effect with the word result.
The shooting of the gun had the effect of killing the people.
An important effect was the dissolution of parliament.
The word effected is used in the context of brought about.
He effected the changes by killing his boss and taking his job.
Affect is normally used in the context of influencing something. If you can replace the
word affect(ed) with influence(d) then it is being used correctly.
It was claimed that the gunshot wound had affected his health. The hole in his head
had an affect upon his balance. The effect of the gunshot wound was that he died.
It was claimed that dyeing the food would not affect the taste. However the dye in the
food had the effect of spoiling the taste.
She effected her victory by affecting the judgement of those around her.

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Appendix 5 - The Final Report

The work carried out during the year should be presented in a report. It is difficult to be
completely prescriptive about the report content owing to the likely range of project
topics but the following sections are considered to be important, you should discuss the
format of your report with your academic tutor:Title page
This should be in the format included in this guide with the actual title and the name of
the student arranged so that they can be seen through a binding with a window. At the
bottom of the title page there should also be the statement:- A final year project report
submitted in partial fulfilment of the regulations for the award of BEng (Hons) in
Multidisciplinary Engineering at the University of Sunderland, (give academic year
2oox/200y).
Acknowledgements
These should be brief acknowledgements to those who have made a significant
contribution to the project. This section should start on page i).
Abstract
This should be a concise summary of the main contents of the report and the
conclusions. The reader should be able to form an opinion about how interesting the
project has been and whether it has been successful. An Abstract should be typically no
longer than 250 words on one side of paper.
Index
This should identify the main sections or chapters and the sub-sections of the report.
Relevant page numbers should be included. An index of the graphs, diagrams, tables
and photographs should be included on subsequent pages followed by a list of
appendices.
Nomenclature
All symbols used should be listed and the meanings defined with units being given
where appropriate. The list should be in alphabetical order.
Introduction
This should include a brief statement of the background/reasons for the project and a
clear statement of objectives. This section should start on page 1.
Literature review
If it is appropriate a literature review will deal with previous work related to the topic
in hand and this should be presented in a critical format so that it will provide the basis
for development of the project . References should be cited in the following way:-

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 ...according to Einstein [27].... and an appropriate list presented as shown in the later
section.
Industrial context
This section should include a description of the present industrial practice and the
potential benefits deriving from implementation of the project findings.
Methodology
A description of the techniques used to develop the solutions to the industrial problem
and for a range of alternative solutions. Clear sketches, plans and descriptions of the
main solution to the problem and of all alternative solutions should be included
together with the rationale for selecting a particular route.
Analysis
Analysis should, where possible, involve mathematical models of the proposed
solution. All calculations should be well annotated being accompanied by clear
diagrams and explanations. Any other aids and such aspects as computer programmes
should be described and/or listed.
Conclusions
These should be bold, clear statements listed 1, 2, 3 and so on to indicate the project
outcomes.
The conclusions will answer such questions as Have the original objectives been
achieved? Does the solution comply with the companys requirements? Do you
recommend that the manufacturing systems or procedural modifications are
implemented?
Suggestions for further work
This section will deal with such aspects as recommendations for extending the study,
for examining further manufacturing conditions and for developing a greater
understanding of the effects of the proposed systems.
References
References are to be presented in the following way:[1] Smith, AB, Jones C, 1993 Advances in the design of manufacturing control
systems, J. Manuf Eng, 22 , 5, 1993, 210-215.
[2] Kirkman, John, 1980 Good Style for Scientific and Engineering Writing, Pitman
Publishers, 1980, p27-33.

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Appendices
Any useful material which does not contribute directly to the main text or which
because of its sheer bulk would detract from the readers enjoyment should be included
in an Appendix. Such material may include engineering drawings, computer programs,
tables of data, or numerous graphs, recorder printouts etc. Do not photocopy and
include manufacturers data sheets or similar informationha, rather cite them as
references.
General Aspects of the Format of the Report and its Submission
The report should be prepared in 12 point typescript with double line spacing on white
A4 paper. Only one side of the paper should be used. The margins should be as
follows:Left (binding edge) and bottom .................................................35mm
Other margins ..........................................................................14mm
Pages should be numbered consecutively including those on which graphs, diagrams
etc appear. The numbers should be located centrally at the bottom of each page. Roman
numerals should be used up to the end of the Nomenclature section and thereafter
arabic numerals are required.
The length of the report, not including appendices, should not exceed 50 sides.
Two copies of the report should be submitted by the required date.

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Appendix 6 - Assessment Criteria

1st
The student has taken full responsibility for the project and has required only minimal
assistance. Performance has been exceptional with all objectives met and exceeded.
The supervisor has learned from the student.
Within the report there is evidence of a substantial literature survey, with a significant
number of relevant references although this number is difficult to define and depends
on the subject area. Sources are clearly referenced throughout the text, with the
provenance of all concepts made quite clear. The report is well structured, and complies
with all requirements with regard to length and layout. There are minimal spelling or
typing errors, and the numerous diagrams, graphs and other figures are both relevant
and neatly executed. The report accurately describes the work carried out, shows a full
understanding of the material with evidence that the student has been able to take the
existing knowledge and expand upon it or use it in an original way. There is a detailed
and comprehensive analysis of the project results which are also related to the original
aims .
The performance during the viva is exceptional with the student demonstrating flair,
ability, understanding and significant achievement with no apparent weaknesses.
2.1
The student has shown a very good professional attitude, requiring little supervision
and working effectively independently. The student has explored and understands all of
the significant issues and can tackle problems, plan progress and manage time
effectively.
A literature survey has been carried out, using most of the relevant sources. Sources
are clearly referenced throughout and the provenance of most concepts made quite
clear. The report is well structured and conforms to the required standards. There are
minimal spelling or typographical errors, and all diagrams are both relevant and neatly
executed. The report accurately describes the work carried out and shows a sound
understanding of all aspects. There is some analysis of the project results. The aims of
the project have been satisfactorily achieved.
Technically competent, hard-working, good professional attitude. Above average
performance. The viva reveals no major weaknesses but lacks the flair and depth of
understanding shown by the 1st class student.
2.2
There has been satisfactory progress. There may have been minor problems with time
management. The student required guidance throughout the year but works well with
direction. The student understands key concepts but does not show much initiative.

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A literature survey has been carried out, but not all of the sources are entirely relevant
and it is occasionally difficult to determine the source of a concept. The report has a
reasonable structure and, while there may be some typographical errors and spelling
mistakes, they are not so numerous as to provide a major distraction. Most of the
diagrams are relevant and reasonably executed. In general the report accurately
describes the work carried out, but there may be some ambiguities, or sections which
are not quite clear. The work is clearly reported but the results/findings are not
analysed in any great depth. The reader senses that the student has a reasonable grasp
of the subject but feels that there are a few areas which could have benefited from
further study.
The viva reveals a good, reliable, student of average ability who is reasonably confident
but does not demonstrate complete understanding of the project topic. Most of the
questions are tackled fairly accurately.
3rd
The student has required considerable assistance and guidance and only understands the
main issues with noticeable difficulty. Some progress has been made, achieving the
minimum acceptable standards.
Some attempt has been made to examine the literature and a few sources are cited, but
there may be sections of the report that have clearly been quoted from the work of
others without a proper reference. There may be a some failings in the overall standard
of presentation, e.g. poor or insufficient diagrams, significant numbers of errors. The
report does describe the work carried out, but may be difficult to follow, or may leave
the reader guessing as to what actually happened in some sections. The report is
factual without being analytical. The reader is left with the concern that, while the
work is not without some merit, the student does not fully understand some of the key
aspects of the subject.
Rather indifferent viva. There is evidence that the project has met some of the original
aims but there is much left undone. There is a lack of understanding in several areas.
An inability to successfully answer several questions.
Fail
Little work has been done. The student shows difficulty in understanding the
requirements of the project.
There is very little evidence of a literature survey, save for examples of uncited copied
text that has been used to bulk out the report. The report may be poorly prepared with
numerous errors and with an inadequate number of badly presented diagrams. There
are obvious and significant gaps in the investigation, and there is little evidence to
suggest that any substantial work has been carried out.
During the viva there is little evidence of how the aims of the project have been met
and there is a general inability to answer questions.

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