I have to write about it in my project file of computer.
Answers
Answer:
Explanation:
Your report should be written in ‘scientific English’. What this means is not easy to define. Some
of the suggestions below are taken from Avison (1981). Note that this handout is not in scientific
style!
Use a formal rather than a colloquial style
• Don’t use contractions: for example, write is not rather than isn’t.
• Don’t use informal words like lots (e.g. replace this caused lots of problems by this caused
many problems).
• Don’t use emotive words (e.g. terrible, awful) or slang.
• Don’t use I unless you are referring to a specific individual choice you made.1 Thus in the
introduction, if you are explaining why you chose a particular project, then it’s ok to write I
decided because this was your own individual choice. On the other hand, if you review a
number of alternative ways of solving a problem and then select the one which you have
argued is best, I would avoid the use of I, since here you are claiming that anyone, not just
you, would have made the same choice. So rather than After reviewing the possible design
choices as discussed above, I decided ..., I would write After reviewing the possible design
choices as discussed above, it was decided ... In general, expect to use quite a lot of passive
sentences: the system was constructed rather than I constructed the system.
Good writing is simple writing
• Writing in a formal style doesn’t mean that your report should be hard to read because it’s
full of long words and complicated sentences. Concentrate on getting over the information
(facts, reasons) to the reader as clearly as possible.
• Don’t use unnecessary jargon. Keep your intended audience in mind (for the Project Report
this is a competent computer scientist who is not necessarily a specialist in the area of the
project). By all means use common technical terms in the field, but avoid unnecessary
jargon or long words which are just designed to impress. You won’t.
• Don’t ‘pad out’ your report. Markers won’t be impressed by length.
• Long and complex sentences should be broken up. The same is true of paragraphs. (On the
other hand, sequences of very short sentences and paragraphs are irritating.)
• Spelling, punctuation and grammar should be perfect. Use appropriate tools to check.
Spelling checkers are normally good (don’t forget to set them to British English). In my
personal experience, the grammar checker in Microsoft Word is of limited use. Try to get
someone else to proof read your report: remember that other people are generally better at
spotting your mistakes than you are.