Guidelines On How To Write Project Report For Pharmacy Students In Nigeria

Project write-up

After the project that can be either bench work, a survey or research on recent trends, a student start writing the project work. Writing a good project depends on several factors. However, one thing I have observed is that the project format for those that involve bench work is somewhat different from those that involve survey and recent trends which is common in PCA.
Some supervisors prefer the student to submit a complete project write-up before adding a correction. On the other hand, others may like bit-by-bit (chapter-by-chapter) kind of correction. However, both methods should produce the same result.
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In addition, some supervisors prefer that the student should print a copy for correction with a pen. This is gradually becoming obsolete, as it is expensive for the student. The student can simply send a soft copy to the supervisor using a mail. The copy is sent back to the student with notes of correction using the same channel.
Before we proceed, it is important to know this fact. Project write-up is changing every time. To prove a point, even if you are fortunate to get a project topic same with the one a professor has done before, be sure to get corrections. What this means is that different lecturers will see that one write-up differently. However, the corrections will be few in such a case.
Before you start a project write-up, consider consulting with your supervisor for a sample project. Preferably, be specific to get a project work he has to supervise before. Follow guidelines on this work.

How To Write Project For Survey Research In Pharmacy

Chapter One

The very first page to start with is chapter one. This is where the introduction is to the work is summarized down. It contains the background of the study. This background summarizes the topic and the reasons for it. Other aspects of it include the problem statement, justification of study, hypotheses, and objectives of the study. Each of these sub-topics has their own function in making the project a success.

• Problem statement establishes the problem the project is to solve.
• Justification gives a concise reason for the finding the solution to the problem. That is what the project will solve after completion
• Hypotheses are the tentative prediction of the relationship between two or more variables
• Aim and objectives on the other hand, should be specific statements that define measurable outcomes, e.g. what steps will be taken to achieve the desired outcome.

To understand better the function of each of these subtopics, visit other similar project topics to give you a better idea as to what each entails. There are available blogs on the internet that provide valuable guides on these.

Chapter Two

Before I proceed, permit me to specify that not all project supervisors want the same thing. Some prefer literature review to be part of chapter one. However, I have to put it in chapter two because that is the most common. Literature review involves a brief overview of what other researchers have written on the said topic. Project topics are made-up of two or more compound sentences and a literature review include related works of literature on each of the compound sentences. For example, a literature review on the topic cytotoxic effects of euphorbia graminea Linn on tadpole will be on past articles on cytotoxic experiments preferably of euphorbia gramminea linn preferably on the tadpole. Investigate cytotoxic activities of other herbs, the use of euphorbia graminea linn on other animals, and the previous use of tadpoles. The other sub-topics include study design, study settings, sampling, variables; controls study methods, data collection, data analysis, and hypothesis.

Chapter Three

This chapter contains how the project work, carried out by the student starts and ends as it entails the result. However, before I continue, let me make it clear here that the study design, study settings, sampling, variables, controls study methods, data collection, data analysis, hypothesis, in some cases are added here. Like as I said, it all depends.
Study design explains the method employed

• Research setting gives a vivid description of the audience involved and the reason for the choice of audience
• Study population establish the number of the audience expected and the reason for coming at that figure.
• Research instrument gives a detail of the survey method employed such as oral interview or questionnaire etc.
• Data collection describe the way and manner in which the student was able to gather the project report information if by self or over the phone using a phone recorder.
• Data analysis explains the instrument or software used in analysing the data obtained from the research instrument converting them to figure from oral or literary work.

Chapter Four

When Result is not in chapter three, it comes in chapter four. When it comes to survey method, a whole chapter can take the result. The result presented using one of the various formats such as graphs, tables, pictographs, etc. in a clear, logical manner. Each format must contain a brief information as to the value and function of the illustration. Give a literary description of the result.

Chapter Five

This is one of the simplest when writing a project. It is the discussion and conclusion of the project. The discussion is all about the findings and comparison with the work done and the other related literature. The conclusion is where the student using his finding to prove a valid point based on the scientific standard.

Bench Work

Every other process is same. The only difference is that the chapter three, which is the method used give more, detailed guide than that of survey method. In this aspect, the student gives a vivid account what happened during bench work providing all the vital details.

Recent Trends

The chapter three of this work based on what literature says on the topic. The student gradually expands the topic from the scratch to the end using previous articles to draw a conclusion. From each article use, a final verdict is passed paving the way for more research on the topic
Once the project supervisor has approved the five chapter, the next thing to do is to include the other aspect of the project, which are references, appendix etc. Before we go that way, let us look at the format of a project.

Project Write-up Format

• Title or cover page
• Certification/approval page
• Dedication
• Acknowledgement
• Table of contents
• List of tables/figures/symbols/nomenclature (where applicable)
• Main work (chapter one – five)
• Reference
• Appendix (where applicable)

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1. Cover page of project contains the project topic, author name, institution, and date.
2. Title page contains the project topic, author name, institution course requirement, and date.
3. Certification/approval page is the page where the student declares to have done the project research work alone and in accordance with laid down rules. Below is the line where the student will sign, project supervisor, Head Of Department (H.O.D) signature and finally the signature of the external supervisor.
4. Dedication is self-explanatory.
5. Acknowledgement is all about appreciating all those who contributed to the success of the project. This is the only opportunity pharmacy students can appreciate those who contributed to their success in life. However, there is a format for a good acknowledgement. For students who are not atheist, they appreciate the God who made it possible. The next in line is the project supervisor before guardians and parents. Friends come in the last paragraphs.
6. Abstracts is as important as the project itself. The reason is that this is the first thing any supervisor will look at. Typing format is also different. It is a single line spacing. It is all about a general summary of the main work. The summary includes the problem statement, methodology, findings, and conclusions. There are two types of abstracts. They are the narrative and descriptive essay. The narrative is a simple summary while descriptive involves the use of subheadings to make each point clearer. It is the most used.
7. When a project work is to be published by the supervisor, there is a need for the use of keywords. Keywords are majors’ words that can summarize the project work. It could be short or long tail keywords. It makes it easy to find the work whenever anybody inputs those same words in a search engine.
8. Keywords should be fund in the first sentence of the project work. Other key locations are the first paragraph, first heading, and fist picture.
9. Jumping to the end of the project work where we find the reference. Use the reference approved by the supervisor. However, in all the projects I have seen in pharmacy has always been the APA style where they are arranged in alphabetical order.
10. An appendix contains the list of all extra materials that were not added to the body of the work. Examples of survey research pictures, questionnaire.

Note: Write up must be in past tense.
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