Template for Final Year Project Progress Report for students of University of Birmingham School of Metallurgy and Materials.
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\begin{document}
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Date: \today{} \hfill{} Project supervisor: \\
Word count: 2,999 \hfill{} Dr Alessandro Mottura
{\LARGE The project title of my individual research project }
{\Large A. Student (123456)}
\vspace{0.4in}
\singlespacing
\tableofcontents
\onehalfspacing
\section{Abstract}
A summary of the scope and significance of the project, the methodology / techniques used, the results gained / outcomes generated and the conclusions obtained. Abstracts are generally a single paragraph and less than 250 words.
\section{Introduction}
An introduction to the project -- your aims and objectives should go here. You can use bullet points. You probably want to keep this to half-page or so.
\section{Literature review}
This should demonstrate a sound understanding of the current state of knowledge in the field, which should critically assess previous and current work in the public domain, drawing out the major facts, views, trends etc. (not just listing a series of literature / information sources and/or literature/ information abstracts).
This should then develop into a description of the need for the project and so define the
project aims and how they are to be attained in the methodology and/or experimental work. Literature in \LaTeX{} \citep{ardell05} is best done using BibTeX \citep{ashbyjones, hk}. For your individual project you are asked to use the Harvard method for citations -- \LaTeX{} can do it very easily (see above).
\section{Methodology}
Description of the methodology and/or experimental methods used to achieve aims of the project in sufficient detail to allow other researchers to repeat your work.
\section{Initial Results}
This should be a coherent presentation of the results / outcomes of your work, including your methodology and/or experimental work, such that the key findings i.e. facts, views, trends etc. are readily revealed (this should not be a chronological presentation of what was carried out nor, usually, just the raw data).
\begin{figure}
\begin{center}
\includegraphics[width=4in]{figures/examplefig}
\caption{Some example figure}
\label{examplefig}
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\end{figure}
A good example of how to insert a figure in \LaTeX{} is shown in \figref{examplefig}. Note that in \LaTeX{} all figures are \emph{floats}. This means they are items that flow all the way to the top of the page.
\section{Project Plan}
An analysis of the results of your methodology and/or experimental work, relating the findings back to the assessment of current state of understanding presented in the introduction.
\bibliographystyle{chicago}
\bibliography{Literature}
\end{document}