9 – Guidelines for Writing Internship Reports

9: Guidelines for
Writing Internship Reports

Objective: By the end of this session, participants

will be able to identify the purpose and
format of the Internship Report.

Topics Covered: • Importance of the Internship Report

• Writing Style and Guidelines
• Report Format
• Organization
• Overview of the Writing Process
 9 – Guidelines for Writing Internship Reports

UBC MSS INTERNSHIP PROGRAM 124 STUDENT HANDBOOK

 9 – Guidelines for Writing Internship Reports

Importance of the Internship Report

Good communication skills, both written and verbal are vital,
in securing a good software systems position. Writing reports
is one of the most formal ways of presenting the results of a
project; in addition you may also have to work some of or all
of the following in a job:

• Advertisements • Notes
A recommendation is
• Bulletins • Presentations
required in your Internship
Report. • Contracts • Procedures
• Emails • Proposals
• Job descriptions • Reports
• Legal documents • Specifications
• Letters • Work statements
• Memos

Reports can be written about any professional activity

including: experimental or test results, design proposals,
economic or technical feasibility studies and project
summaries. They usually follow a major effort on a single
topic and are written for review by people involved in
decision making or affected by their work.

An Internship Report contains four essential parts;

however, it may also contain other information and be laid
out under different tiles. These essential parts are:

1. a clear definition of the problem addressed by the

study;
2. the details of the study including: assumptions,
alternatives, and predicted outcomes;
3. conclusions following from the details; and
4. recommendations derived from the conclusions and
addressing the problem.

For an Internship Report, a recommendation is required.

There may be a few situations in your career where
recommendations are not required.

Internship students are asked to write an Internship Report

for a number of reasons, including practice in the following:
1. writing;
2. choosing a suitable subject of interest to students and
their employers;
3. organizing and presenting a large amount of
information;
4. defining the problem;
5. forming relevant conclusions which result in
recommendations;
6. interpreting and following instructions;
7. neatness and thoroughness in presentation skills, and
8. meeting an established schedule.

UBC MSS INTERNSHIP PROGRAM 125 STUDENT HANDBOOK

 9 – Guidelines for Writing Internship Reports

Choosing a Topic Consult your employer

and MSS Director for
Preferably, your report should be based on your Internship
assistance in selecting a
project. If your internship does not involve a specific project, suitable topic for your
you should research a topic that is related to your work or report.
place of employment. You are required to contact your MSS
Director to advise them of the title of your Internship Report,
as well as to submit an outline by the middle of your
Internship.

Style
The Internship Report is expected to be analytical rather than
descriptive. It should contain accurate, factual information Your report is expected
together with sound arguments and conclusions. The format to contain analytical or
of the Report should normally follow the guidelines provided technical information
in this workshop, but if it is to be used by your employer, you rather than descriptive
information.
may use the company's own internal guidelines. However,
you must check with your faculty advisor to ensure that the
company guidelines and topic are acceptable for an
Internship Report. If your employer has given you company-
specific guidelines for your report, you must advise your MSS
Director.

General Guidelines
The length of your Internship Report should be 1,000 to
3,000 words, excluding appendices. The length should reflect Your report should be
the complexity of the topic and the thoroughness of the between 1000 and 3000
research. words in length.

The Internship Report should be self-contained (explain any

terminology particular to the topic the first time you use it),
consistent, and to the point. It should be understandable to
someone who has background in the area of the report (e.g.
computer science, electrical engineering, physics or
microbiology) but is unfamiliar with the particular topic of
the report.

UBC MSS INTERNSHIP PROGRAM 126 STUDENT HANDBOOK

 9 – Guidelines for Writing Internship Reports

1. Use standard formal level of English (no slang or

colloquialisms).
2. Use the first person only in the letter of transmittal and
in the preface.
3. Use a good quality white bond paper.
4. Use only one side of the page for all text and figures.
5. Start major sections of the report on new pages.
6. Bind the Internship Report in a suitable protective cover.
7. Number the pages:
• All pages that come before the body of the report are
numbered using lower case Roman numerals. The
title page is considered to be page i, but is not
numbered.
• The body of the Report begins with the introduction.
The pages of the body are given in Arabic numerals.
The first page of the introduction is considered to be
page 1, but it is not numbered.
8. Leave margins of 1" on the top, bottom, and sides of each
page.
Note: do not fax or email your report to the Internship
office. Your Internship Report should be mailed or hand-
delivered.

Evaluation
If your report contains Your MSS Director, using the evaluation form as a guide will
confidential or evaluate the report.
proprietary material, ask
your coordinator to
arrange for your Your Report receives an overall evaluation on a scale ranging
employer to do the from "Excellent" to "Unsatisfactory" (a sample of the
evaluation. evaluation form will be emailed to you).
Successful completion of your Internship relies on the quality
of your Internship Report and a satisfactory Internship
evaluation from your employer. A "P" will be entered on your
transcript for the completed Internship course. If you fail to
obtain at least a "Satisfactory" evaluation for both your
Internship Report and your Internship evaluation, an "F" will
be entered. If your report is marked “Unsatisfactory,” you will
be given the opportunity to make revisions and resubmit it
for re-marking. Please note that penalties apply for late
reports. Contact your Coordinator for more details.

UBC MSS INTERNSHIP PROGRAM 127 STUDENT HANDBOOK

 9 – Guidelines for Writing Internship Reports

Internship Report Format

The following shows the pattern that should be used for the
Internship report:

Appendices*

References/Bibliography

Recommendations

Conclusions

Discussion

Introduction

List of Figures / Tables*

Table of Contents

Summary

Preface or Foreword

Title Page

Letter of Transmittal

Cover

*optional

Detailed Section Information

The following information explains the purpose and
suggested content of each of the Internship Report sections.
Include only those sections and content which are
appropriate for your topic.

Cover
Purpose: Provides a binding for the report, identifies the
topic and owner of the report.
Content:
• title of the report
• name of the student
• Internship Course Number (i.e. CICS 500)
• Internship Employer
• date report submitted

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 9 – Guidelines for Writing Internship Reports

Letter of Transmittal
(loose attachment to report – slip inside front cover)
Purpose: A brief covering letter, addressed to the first official
reader (usually your MSS Director).
Content:
• name of manager and department for whom the report
was prepared
• terms of reference of the report
• authorization, degree of confidentiality of report
• general comments on the nature of and the time involved
in the investigation
• a comment on the quality of the recommendations
• must be written in formal business letter style and signed
in long-hand
• first person may be used

Title Page
Purpose: Identifies the topic and ownership of the report.
Content:
The title page is • title of the report (clearly identifies the subject of the
considered to be report)
page I, but is not • name of the addressee or recipient, the University of
numbered. British Columbia faculty and department
• student, student ID
• Date and place

You may write the

preface, or Preface or Foreword
foreword, in the first Purpose: Provides reader with background of writing the
person. report.
Content:
• purpose, background, scope of subject coverage
• contributions of others to the report

Summary
The summary is The summary is considered by many to be the most
sometimes called the important part of a report. It is a difficult part to write and
“Management should always be written last. It is often the only part that
Summary” or
managers in the work place have time to read, so it is
“Executive
Summary”. important to state your case succinctly (normally less than
one page).
Purpose: Provides a brief summary of the report, an
information abstract. No reference is made to any part of
the report; a summary is complete in itself.
Content:
• states the more important information in the report
• the purposes, method, reason for the report
• the findings, conclusions, decisions, recommendations
• all major generalizations or assumptions of the report

UBC MSS INTERNSHIP PROGRAM 129 STUDENT HANDBOOK

 10 – Guidelines for Writing Technical Reports

Table of Contents
Purpose: Identifies contents and organization of document.
Content:
• section headings
• page numbers

List of Figures (optional)

Purpose: Identifies any figures, drawings, or photographs
shown in the report.
Content:
• number of figures
• title of figures
• page number

List of Tables (optional)

Purpose: Identifies any tables shown in the report
Content:
• number of table
• title of table
• page number

Introduction
Purpose: Introduces the subject of the report to the reader.
Remember that the reader may be from a different branch
of the discipline, and will require some orientation to the
subject of your report.
Content: Subject and purpose of the report: states briefly
why the report is being written and what the report is
intended to achieve.
• scope: describes how broad or how limited the
treatment of the subject will be
• plan of development: outlines which areas will be
covered
• thesis of the report: the general conclusion and/or the
general recommendation

Discussion
Purpose: Presents evidence (facts, arguments, details, data, Any additional
test results, etc) necessary to the purpose of the report. supporting information
Content : This section contains the main part of the report. should be placed in an
All evidence must be developed in an organized, logical appendix but referenced
and orderly manner. All information must be relevant. in the discussion.
This section should contain pertinent figures, tables,
footnotes and references to material in appendices. Any
additional supporting information should be placed in an
appendix but referenced in the discussion.

UBC MSS INTERNSHIP PROGRAM 130 STUDENT HANDBOOK

 9 – Guidelines for Writing Internship Reports

Conclusions
Purpose: States briefly the major inferences that can be drawn
from the discussion.
Content:
• must be based on information presented in the discussion
The conclusion should • each conclusion should be presented as a separate
never suggest or paragraph, with paragraphs numbered in sequence for
recommend future easy reference
action. • never suggest or recommend future action

Recommendations
Purpose: Suggests a course of action based on the findings and
conclusions.
Content:
• must follow logically from the conclusions
• must be supported both by the conclusions and by the
data in the discussion

References/Bibliography (optional)
Purpose: Acknowledge use of materials from printed sources in
References can be the preparation of your report. Indicate exact source of all
collected on one quotations and/or results of previous work.
page at the end of the
report, or they can be Content:
placed as footnotes • author's name, title of book, year published, publisher's
on the bottom of the name, city, ISBN number, page number
page on which the
reference occurs. • bibliographic entries are listed alphabetically by the name
of the author or by the first major work of the title
• Example: Vetterli, C. “Technical Report Guidelines”,
Internship Journal, Vol. 1 No. 1, August 1992.
• common knowledge does not require a reference, e.g. the
speed of light, the atomic weight of some element. If a new
value for a commonly accepted quantity is cited, the
source should be referenced.

The term “appendix”

applies to only one set of
Appendices (optional)
data: for example, Purpose: Includes data, which is not necessary to an immediate
program listings would understanding of the discussion.
be in Appendix A and
technical specifications Content:
would be in Appendix B. • appendices can contain program listings, drawings, extra
figures, technical specifications, or other detailed
explanations of some aspects of your Report.

UBC MSS INTERNSHIP PROGRAM 131 STUDENT HANDBOOK

 9 – Guidelines for Writing Internship Reports

Reference Material
Every writer requires:
• a grammar handbook
• a good dictionary: Oxford is recommend

Recommended grammar handbooks:

• Milward & Flick, Handbook for Writers, Harcourt
Brace, 2nd Edition, 1993.
• Prentice-Hall, Handbook for Writers, 1st Edition, 1996.
• Strunk and White, The Elements of Style, Collier
Macmillan.

UBC MSS INTERNSHIP PROGRAM 132 STUDENT HANDBOOK

 9 – Guidelines for Writing Internship Reports

Overview of the Report-

Report-Writing Process

Define topic.

Discuss topic and ideas for Report with your supervisor

and MSS Director.

Write your Report according to guidelines provided in this

workshop or company-specific guidelines.

Provide your Report to your supervisor for review at least a

week before your Internship ends.

Determine degree of confidentiality: non-confidential,

MSS Director only or company supervisor only.

Non-confidential Confidential

Determine whether your

Obtain approval* from
your supervisor for Report
to go to your MSS
Director for marking.
*A signed Technical
Report Release form must
accompany your report
when you hand it in.
Submit your Report to
the Co-op/Internship
Office by the due date.
DO NOT submit your
report directly to your
MSS Director.
Report will be marked by
MSS Director
your supervisor or MSS
Director.
Obtain approval* from
Supervisor
your supervisor for
Report to go to your
MSS Director for
marking. Notify the Co-op/Internship
*A signed Confidential Office that your Report is
Internship Report confidential and will be marked
Release form must by your supervisor.
accompany your Report
when you hand it in.
Remind your supervisor to
fax or mail the completed
Internship Report Evaluation
form to the Co-op/Internship
Office by the end of the
month following your
Internship.

UBC MSS INTERNSHIP PROGRAM 133 STUDENT HANDBOOK

 9 – Guidelines for Writing Internship Reports

UBC MSS INTERNSHIP PROGRAM 134 STUDENT HANDBOOK