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Guidelines for the Implementation of the Final Year Project I & II for Undergraduate Programs
Bachelor of Electrical and Electronics Engineering
Bachelor of Electrical Power Engineering Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering,
Bachelor of Civil Engineering.
Prepared by
College Final Year Project Committee College of Engineering,
Universiti Tenaga Nasional
Fifth Version
May 2011
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Contents 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 2
2. Definition of the Final Year Project ................................................................................. 2
3. Aim ............................................................................................................................................... 2
4. Objectives .................................................................................................................................. 2
5. Types of Final Year Projects ............................................................................................... 2
6. Student’s Responsibilities ................................................................................................... 3
7. Assessment ............................................................................................................................... 4
7.1. Assessment Criteria for Project I ................................................................................. 4
7.1.1. Project Proposal ....................................................................................................................... 5
7.1.2. Progress Report 1 .................................................................................................................... 5
7.1.3. Progress Report 2 .................................................................................................................... 6
7.1.4. Logbook ....................................................................................................................................... 6
7.1.5. Oral Presentation 1 ................................................................................................................. 6
7.1.6. Conduct of Task ........................................................................................................................ 7
7.2. Assessment Criteria for Project II................................................................................ 7
7.2.1. Progress Report 3 .................................................................................................................... 7
7.2.2. Logbook ....................................................................................................................................... 8
7.2.3. Oral Presentation 2 ................................................................................................................. 8
7.2.4. Technical Skills ......................................................................................................................... 8
7.2.5. Quality of Project ..................................................................................................................... 9
7.2.6. Thesis ............................................................................................................................................ 9
7.2.7. Conduct of Task ..................................................................................................................... 11
8. Conditions for Completion of Project .......................................................................... 11
Appendix 1: Sample Guide for Project Proposal Report ................................................... 12
Appendix 2: Sample Guide for Progress Report ................................................................... 13
Appendix 3: Sample CD Cover ..................................................................................................... 14
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1. Introduction
To inculcate an attitude towards research, life-long learning and critical
thinking, each student will have to embark on a two-semester Final Year
Project (FYP), which consists of part 1 – Project I (FYP1) and part 2 – Project II
(FYP2). Project I is to be taken as a prerequisite to Project II.
2. Definition of the Final Year Project
The Final Year Project (FYP) is an engineering project that is related to the
student’s field of study and must be carried out by the student as partial
fulfillment for the award of the bachelor’s degree.
3. Aim
The aim of the final year project is to enhance the student’s knowledge and
skills in solving problems through engineering based projects.
4. Objectives
Having successfully completed the final year project, students are expected to
have:
(i) The capability to manage and use scientific knowledge to carry out
engineering projects;
(ii) The capability to think objectively, analytically and critically in
identifying and solving problems in a systematic manner;
(iii) The capability to be independent in carrying out and producing
solutions to engineering problems;
(iv) The capability to deliver or present the project findings in oral and
written forms.
5. Types of Final Year Projects
The final year project to be carried out by a student can be in any of the
following natures, encompassing study/research, design/development,
software development or case study.
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The common characteristics of a project are as follows:
(i) A project in the form of a research focuses on the behavior,
phenomena or characteristics of events, processes, designs or
developments. The end product will be in the form of data,
observations and interpretations, which can enhance the student’s
knowledge.
(ii) A design or development project focuses on the design or
development of a product, which fulfills specifications, standards or
technical needs. The end product is a design or product.
(iii) A project in the form of software development focuses on developing
a computer software/program according to fixed specifications. The
end product is a computer software/program.
(iv) A case study/topical project involve research on a certain case or
topic. This research encompasses all aspects or facts that influence
the topic or case. The end product is in the form of critical analyses
and interpretations of the case or topic with justified conclusions
and/or solutions.
6. Student’s Responsibilities
Students have to comply with all guidelines stipulated by the College Final
Year Project Committee. Failure in complying the guidelines and due dates
may result in a poor grade for the project. The following are some of the
responsibilities of students taking the final year project:
There are no formal lectures associated with the course; hence
students must be independent while conducting the course.
Nonetheless, students (in Project I) are required to attend a ½ day
intense course on Research Methodology, which will be held together
for all departments.
Students are required to check for class notices posted on notice
boards around the College of Engineering and also through their
online student record system as frequent as possible.
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Students must enroll as users of Moodle Final Year Project
(http://moodle.uniten.edu.my/moodle/course/fyp). Periodic updates
and materials related to the course will be posted here.
On the first week of the semester, students can view titles online
through UNITEN’s student record system.
Students will do selection of titles on the second week of the
semester. The date of title selection will be notified.
Students are required to have regular meetings with their project
supervisors to discuss project progress and any other matters
pertaining to the project. Weekly discussions are highly
recommended.
Students are required to have a logbook. All ideas, methodologies,
literature reviews, discussions and findings pertaining to the project
must be logged into the logbook. The logbook will be evaluated.
Students are required to be aware of all due dates pertaining to the
project.
7. Assessment
Assessment of the final year project will be based on the stages completed in
the research/study or design carried out.
7.1. Assessment Criteria for Project I
The assessment will be based on the six (6) considerations as
follows:
Project Proposal : 15%
Progress Report 1 : 20%
Progress Report 2 : 25%
Logbook : 10%
Oral Presentation 1 : 25%
Conduct of Task : 5%
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7.1.1. Project Proposal
This assessment is weighted 15% of the final grade and is based
on the following:
A brief scene setting introduction to the context of the
project;
A clear statement of the project's objectives;
A project plan in some appropriate diagrammatic form
with milestones.
Maximum pages allowed for the report is 3 pages. There is
example in the Appendix 1. Refer to the FYP Calendar for the
deadline.
(The Project Proposal Report must be submitted to the
College Admin Counter at the ground floor by the stipulated
deadline. DO NOT submit to your supervisor).
7.1.2. Progress Report 1
This assessment is weighted 20% of the final grade and is based
on the following:
Quantity and quality of literature review/ background
study;
Ability to summarize literature review/ background study;
Ability to relate background study to project objectives;
Ability to present a good report (physical setup, language,
tidiness).
The report will be allowed a maximum of 10 pages (excluding
appendices). There is an example of Progress Report in the
Appendix 2. Refer to the FYP Calendar for the deadline.
(The Progress Report must be submitted to the College
Admin Counter at the ground floor by the stipulated
deadline. DO NOT submit to your supervisor).
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7.1.3. Progress Report 2
This assessment is weighted 25% of the final grade and is based
on the following:
Ability to identify and discuss work procedure, analysis
and approach;
Ability to discuss expected output of project;
Ability to present a good report (physical setup, language,
tidiness).
The report will be allowed a maximum of 10 pages (excluding
appendices). Refer to the FYP Calendar for the deadline.
(The Progress Report must be submitted to the College
Admin Counter at the ground floor by the stipulated
deadline. DO NOT submit to your supervisor).
7.1.4. Logbook
This assessment is weighted 10% of the final grade and is based
on the following:
Adequacy of the content of the logbook as an acceptably
good preliminary report;
Organization of the logbook;
Tidiness of the logbook;
Frequency of meeting with the supervisor.
(The Logbook must be submitted to the supervisor by the
stipulated deadline).
7.1.5. Oral Presentation 1
This assessment is weighted 25% of the final grade and is based
on the following:
Ability to use presentation tools, appropriate attire and
good time keeping;
Ability to communicate orally (language, fluency and flow
of presentation);
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Ability to discuss concisely and briefly about technical
work;
Ability to answer questions with justifications.
7.1.6. Conduct of Task
This assessment is weighted 5% of the final grade and is based
on student’s attitude and initiatives towards implementing the
project.
7.2. Assessment Criteria for Project II
The assessment will be based on the following seven (7)
considerations:
Progress Report 3 : 10%
Logbook : 5%
Oral Presentation 2 : 15%
Technical Skills : 5%
Quality of Project : 10%
Thesis : 50%
Conduct of Task : 5%
Important Reminder:
Project II is a continuation of Project I.
7.2.1. Progress Report 3
This assessment is weighted 10% of the final grade and is based
on the following:
Ability to present and discuss results;
Ability to present a good report (physical setup, language,
tidiness).
The report will be allowed a maximum of 10 pages (excluding
appendices). Refer to the FYP Calendar for the deadline.
(The Progress Report must be submitted to the College
Admin Counter at the ground floor by the stipulated
deadline. DO NOT submit to your supervisor).
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7.2.2. Logbook
This assessment is weighted 5% of the final grade and is based
on the following:
Adequacy of the content of the logbook as an acceptably
good preliminary report;
Organization of the logbook;
Tidiness of the logbook;
Frequency of meeting with the supervisor.
(The Logbook must be submitted to the supervisor by the
stipulated deadline).
7.2.3. Oral Presentation 2
This assessment is weighted 15% of the final grade and is based
on the following:
Ability to use presentation tools, appropriate attire and
good time keeping;
Ability to communicate orally (language, fluency and flow
of presentation);
Ability to discuss concisely and briefly about technical
work;
Ability to answer questions with justifications.
7.2.4. Technical Skills
This assessment is weighted 5% of the final grade and is based
on student’s ability to demonstrate competent psychomotor skills
in conducting works related to project. These works could
include the construction and testing of a prototype (for design-
based projects), implementation and testing of a program (for
software-based projects), systematic execution of experiments
(for research-based projects), etc. Students need to arrange with
the supervisor for the demonstration.
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7.2.5. Quality of Project
This assessment is weighted 5% of the final grade and is based
on the type of the project (Research / Design / Software
Development / Case Study). The purpose of this criterion is to
evaluate the end product of the project in terms of quality and
effectiveness.
7.2.6. Thesis
This assessment is weighted 50% of the final grade. The thesis is
a complete report pertaining to the project carried out. It
contains the improved contents of the Project Proposal, Progress
Report 1 – 3 together with discussions, results and findings,
conclusions and recommendations for future work. It is to be
evaluated by a panel of assessors comprising of the supervisor
and an internal examiner from the college.
The contents and format of this full thesis should comply with
the College thesis preparation guidelines. The thesis format can
be obtained from the following website
http://moodle.uniten.edu.my/moodle/course/fyp.
Students are required to submit drafts of the thesis prior to the
oral presentation. Both first draft and a revised second draft of
the thesis are to be submitted to the College Admin Counter at
the ground floor by the stipulated deadline (refer to FYP
calendar). DO NOT submit to your supervisor.
The students are required to make necessary corrections to the
thesis, and submit to the College Administration Office by the
stipulated deadline the following items:
TWO (2) copies of hardbound thesis (BLACK cover with
GOLD lettering);
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ONE (1) CD containing the softcopy of the thesis and all
materials related to the projects including the project
proposal, progress reports, oral presentation slides,
references, etc. (Cover of CD as in Appendix 3);
Letter of Approval signed and stamped by supervisor and
co-supervisor(s).
(These deliverables must be submitted to the College Admin
Counter at the ground floor by the stipulated deadline. DO
NOT SUBMIT TO YOUR SUPERVISOR. Submission will be
recorded and failure to comply may result in the hardbound
thesis not accepted for examination).
The following criteria will be used to assess the hardbound
thesis:
Presentation of Thesis (Total – 10%)
Physical setup, tidiness, neatness of text, diagrams,
graphs and others
Suitability and continuity of chapters
Language and grammar
Compliance to thesis format guidelines
Technical Work Achievements (Total – 40 %)
Plan and approach by the student towards the problem
Design and construction (hardware/ software)
Results and conclusions of the project
Fulfillment of the objectives of the project with the
solution obtained
Originality of idea, formed from creative and innovative
thinking
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7.2.7. Conduct of Task
This assessment is weighted 5% of the final grade and is based
on student’s attitude and initiatives towards implementing the
project.
8. Conditions for Completion of Project
Project 1 is the prerequisite to Project 2.
A student who fails Project 1 (with an E grade) must repeat the
subject. The student may retain the topic of the project, or if the
student chooses to work on a new topic, he/she may do so with prior
approval from the department committee.
Extension to Project 1 and 2 is not allowed.
Hence, Project 1 and 2 should each be completed within one normal
semester respectively. Proper time and project management is vital.
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Appendix 1: Sample Guide for Project Proposal Report
The following is a sample outline that contains vital elements in a student’s project
proposal. Note that all questions for a section may not apply to all students, and should
be used as a general guide only. A guide means that you do not have to follow it 100%.
You can present the report in another manner but please make sure the vital elements
are in your report.
1. Cover Page with Title, Author’s Name, Supervisor’s Name and Date.
2. Problem Definitions / Introduction (1 – 2 paragraphs)
o Summarize the problem
o Describe format / outline of the proposal (sections, etc).
3. Preliminary Background Study (1 – 3 paragraphs)
o What is the history of the problem?
o Why is this problem interesting?
o When and why does the problem occur?
o Is the problem already solved? What is done now?
4. Project Objectives and Scopes (1 paragraph)
o What in general will this project achieve? (Do not delve into details or
timelines).
5. Project Details
o General Work Procedures (1 – 2 paragraphs)
A brief statement of the methodology for the realization of the
project. It could define the general approach to how the project
and its output(s) will be realized
o Implementation issues and Challenges (1 – 2 paragraph)
What will be the most difficult issues and challenges in the
implementation?
What makes your project unique?
o Timeline (1 paragraph – Gantt Chart form)
Provide an estimated timeline of project deliverables and
important dates.
6. Conclusion (1 paragraph)
o Summarize the project including the problem, motivation and proposed
solution (if any).
7. References
o List references used to compile proposal and references that will be used
for project (if already known).
FORMAT – All progress report should be in 12pt. single-spaced Times New Roman.
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Appendix 2: Sample Guide for Progress Report
Progress reports are written in this course to keep the supervisors informed about the
progress of the project in terms of work completed, problems encountered and work
remaining. Even though progress reports are often in the form of a memo, the writer
should be careful to write formal, standard prose. Progress reports represent not only
the writer’s work but the writer’s organizational and communication skills. Below is
proposed outline on writing a progress report. The outline should be taken as a general
guide only.
Heading:
It should contain the following standard elements:
Progress Report #: Indicate what number the report is.
Reporting Period: Identify the time period covered by the report.
Submittal Date: Indicate the date that the report is sent.
Project Name: Indicate the name of the project.
Student Name: Indicate the student’s name.
Supervisor Name: Indicate the supervisor’s name and co-supervisor (if any)
Subject: A clear phrase that focuses on the subject.
Background:
Here, the student gives the reader (supervisor) some background information. Tell the
reader what the project is and clarify its purpose and time scale. If there have been
earlier progress reports, you might make a brief reference to them.
Work Completed:
This section of a progress report explains what work has been done during the reporting
period. You might arrange this section chronologically (following the actual sequence
of the tasks being completed), or you might divide this section into subparts of the
larger project and report on each subpart in sequence. Whatever pattern you use, be
consistent.
Problems:
If the reader is likely to be interested in the glitches you have encountered along the
way, mention the problems you have encountered and explain how you have solved
them. If there are problems you have not yet been able to solve, explain your strategy
for solving them and give tell the reader when you think you will have them solved.
Work Scheduled:
Specify the dates of the next segment of time in the project and line out a schedule of
the work you expect to get accomplished during the period. It is often a good idea to
arrange this section by dates, which stand for deadlines. To finish the progress report,
you might add a sentence evaluating your progress thus far.
Appendices: Include relevant appendices if necessary.
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Appendix 3: Sample CD Cover