Guidelines for good Documentation

Executive Summary

• MUST be provided before the Contents page.
• It provides a reader with a summary of why the project was prepared, what it covers, and a summation of the conclusions, and/or recommendations.
• It should be about one page in length 250 to 400 words.
• It is not an introduction, but should function as a totally freestanding document for readers who will read no more of the report.
• It should contain all pertinent information including conclusions and recommendations in a concise summary.
• It is not the Introduction to the report/assignment.
• It should not contain any theory.
• It may be single line spacing.

          09-05-2012

Table of contents and numbering

      Introduction

•       Should be provided at the beginning to advise what is contained in the following section of the report. 

       Body of Assignment

•      For academic assignment -  The authors statements must be supported by relevant academic theory
•      Technical paper -  Not be required. 
• Able to apply the theory  to the different situations by choosing good, bad.

        10-05-2012
       Referencing

•      Just putting a list of publications at the end is not acceptable.
•       Need to cite 20-25 sources for a given research.
•       References must cited according to Harvard.
•       Reference must be listed alphabetically by author.

      Figures and Tables

•        Tables and figures are used to reduce the word count of a document.
•        Tabular format is need when doing stakeholder analysis. 
•        Tables shouldn't run over onto following pages. So that the tables must start from a new page.

12-05-2012

Stylistic conventions for academic writing
Use formal English 
      Eg :- Author believes that
Aim for clarity
      Eg :- Link to chapeter by chapter
Learn how to use specialist vocabulary
      Eg: :- Action Verbs
Avoid abbreviations and contractions
Be impersonal
      Eg :- Based on the statics provided by ...............
Be cautious (Word limit)
Avoid misplaced conjunctions
        Eg :- No link between paragraphs
Numbers
Be objective
Avoid apologies
Addressing the reader
Be concise
Use continuous prose



14-05-2012
Evaluative/ Analytical writing
Academic writing includes evaluation. 
You may be required to evaluate the following in writing.

•       Evaluate two/ more theories which of several items, ideas is the best for a purpose.
•       How well another writer has analyzed a subject.