Helsinki Metropolia University of Applied Sciences

A Guide to the Final Year Project

Taru Sotavalta

______________________________________________________________________

Updated 29 September 2015

Copyright2005 Taru Sotavalta and

EVTEK University of Applied Sciences, Institute of Technology

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be

reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means.
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Contents

Originality Check Instructions 3

1 Design of the Bachelors Thesis 4

1.1 Thesis Structure 4
1.2 Layout Instructions 6
1.3 Tables and Figures 9
1.4 Mathematical Expressions and Source Code in the Text 10
1.5 Abstract 12
1.6 Language Aspects 12

2 Documentation Standards 13

2.1 Research Ethics 13

2.1.1 General Guidelines 13
2.1.2 Plagiarism 14
2.2 Referencing Systems 15
2.3 In-Text Referencing 18
2.4 Reference List 19
2.4.1 Basic Principles 19
2.4.2 Printed Sources 20
2.4.3 Internet and Other Electronic Sources 21

3 The Process in Practice 24

3.1 Aim, Scope, Topic and Requirements 24
3.2 Supervision 25
3.3 Project Flow and Schedule 26
3.4 Final Thesis and Its Presentation 27
3.5 Assessment Criteria 27

4 Maturity Test 28

Literature 29
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Originality Check Instructions

As of the beginning of the academic year 2015-2016, all Metropolia students are
required to submit their theses into Turnitin for originality check (www.turnitin.com).
The purpose is, first, to check that the thesis you have submitted for assessment is
original and written by yourself, not plagiarised, and second, to protect your copyright
for the thesis you have written against plagiarism.

The principles of research ethics, which all writers are expected to follow, are
explained in section 2.1.1 in this guidebook, and what is generally understood as
plagiarism is explained in section 2.1.2. They are universal principles and they apply to
theses written at universities worldwide and they also apply to all languages.

Before submitting your thesis to the language advisor for language revision
- upload your thesis into Turnitin
- submit a print copy of the result to your supervisor.

However, you may use Turnitin already during the writing process to check if you need
to do more paraphrasing. Ask your supervisor or language advisor for the class ID and
password. Note that you are not allowed to pass the class ID and password to students
outside Metropolia. The use of Turnitin is practised in the English courses during your
studies, but if you need more instructions, consult your language advisor or supervisor.
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1.1 Thesis Structure

The Final Year Project (FYP), usually carried out in the last year of study, is an
extensive individual project, which gives you a chance to demonstrate what you have
learned and further develop your skills and increase your knowledge. It is a supervised
project, but to a large extent you will be on your own.

Thefinal year project, 15 ECTS credits all in all, includes

seminars
practical project work
a bachelors thesis, that is, a written report on the project, (30-60 pages in
length, excluding appendices), including theoretical background research on the
topic the thesis must include more text than illustrations, such as tables and
figures
oral presentation of the project to an audience, usually in a seminar
a maturity test.

The paper you are about to write must be constructed in the approved manner and
presented following high documentation standards. In order to be considered an
academic paper, a bachelors thesis must meet the following requirements:

1) It is a formal report on the project you have carried out, with a clearly set and
expressed goal and a clear structure, including theoretical background to the
topic and objective discussion of the results.

2) It is written in academic style and language, with appropriate layout, and it

shows that you have sufficient reporting skills to communicate technical
concepts in writing.

3) It contains sufficient information to enable readers to assess the observations

you made, to repeat the tests you carried out if they wish, and to determine
whether your discussion of the results and the conclusions you have drawn
from the results are justified by the data.

4) All the sources used in the report, including all Internet and other electronic
sources, are referenced and documented in such a detailed manner that
readers can easily distinguish between borrowed information and information
that is your own observation or thinking, and also locate the sources if they
wish. Documentation applies to both in-text referencing and the reference list
at the end of the report.

As a student of engineering, you should produce a bachelors thesis that is both a

technical document and an academic paper, and they both require a clear structure.
The topic and especially the focus of the topic largely determine the details of the
structure, but whatever the topic, the report should include the main sections
described in table 1. The sections can be further divided into major and minor
subsections where necessary. Each main section of the report should provide an
answer to a question describing the project, as shown in table 1.
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Table 1. Typical structure of an academic thesis in engineering

Section Description
Introduction What was the question your project aimed to answer and why?

This section should include a general statement of the topic, background to the
project (such as your reason for choosing the topic, importance of the project,
information on your client if appropriate), and a clear statement of the purpose, scope
and goal of your project.

Keep this section short (usually a few paragraphs, no subheadings). Do not give the
methods or results of the project in the introduction, and do not list the contents of
the major sections of the paper here.
Theoretical What is already known about your chosen subject area and what is not known?
background
(Literature Discuss ideas in previous studies relevant to your topic (a brief introduction to the
review) current state of knowledge and practice in your subject area). Identify a gap in the
subject area and justify the purpose of your project, that is, the focus of your topic.

Methods and How was the project carried out in practice, and how was the data analysed?
materials
Describe the context in which the work was carried out (such as the overall project
and its design, your specific task, work environment) and the workflow. Describe the
methods and materials used (accurate details of data, software, materials, methods,
techniques). Give a full account of exact test arrangements and measurements carried
out, and accurate details of data analysis.

The issues included in this section depend on the nature of your project. Whatever
the issues, describe them in sufficient detail and in logical sequence.

Results What was found/created/designed/produced?

This section should include a clear presentation of the results, even possible errors
and sources of errors. Use an appropriate mixture of text, tables and figures. In this
section you should also say if you met the goal(s) set in the introduction.

Discussion What do the results mean?

Evaluate the results and the project: such as benefits and drawbacks, reliability,
significance and usefulness of the results, validity of any conclusions drawn from the
results, technical and economical aspects. Discuss, for example, possibilities of
applying the results for other purposes than the initial, and problems encountered
during the project and decisions made. Evaluate whether the goal set in the
introduction was met: compare the results with those expected.

Provide a critical and objective evaluation of the results and implementation of your
project, and place the results in context with previous studies (discussed in the
theoretical background section).
Conclusions What can be concluded?

This section usually begins with a restatement of the goal of the project, and includes
a brief summary of the key results of the project and a conclusion about the
significance and implications of the results, for your client and perhaps the field in
general. Also mention strengths and limitations of the project and ways in which the
project could be changed and improved if carried out again. In the end recommend
further action, such as further study, if relevant.

Keep this section short (a few paragraphs, no subheadings), tie in and highlight the
main points of the project and its results and draw a clear conclusion.
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What distinguishes an academic paper, such as a bachelors thesis, from a working-life

project report, is the inclusion of the sections Theoretical Background (may also be
titled according to the topic, or sometimes Literature Review) and Discussion in the
paper. The theoretical background section should provide the academic context
for your thesis and also an introduction to your subject area. However, it should not
be too general in nature; it should have a direct link to your project.

The discussion section should provide a critical evaluation of the results and the
project as a whole, its benefits and drawbacks, problems met during the project and
solutions. It may also include some reflection on your own personal development
during the project: what you hoped to achieve and what you achieved on a personal
level, and what you learned from the project.

Final Thesis

The final thesis should include the following parts and in the following order of
appearance:

(hardback cover)
title page (use the template available on the Tube)
English abstract (use the template available on the Tube)
(Finnish abstract only native speakers of Finnish use the template on the
Tube)
contents
(abbreviations, acronyms and terms, if a separate list is relevant)
introduction
theoretical background section, divided into subsections if necessary
sections dealing with methods, materials and results, divided into chapters and
(major and minor) subsections with descriptive titles, depending on the topic
and nature of the project
discussion section, divided into subsections if necessary
conclusions
references
(appendices, if relevant).

Use the Metropolia thesis template (including the title page and abstract
template) which is available on the Tube (go to the Tube front page): For
Student>Studies>Thesis and Maturity Test>Thesis template

1.2 Layout Instructions

Different educational institutions, companies, professional journals and publishers often

have their own house styles to be applied in the layout of papers submitted to them.
Follow these instructions when writing your thesis at this university of applied sciences,
beginning from the first draft you write.
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Line Spacing and Font

Write the report on sheets sized A4 and on one side of the sheet only. Note the
following specifications:

line spacing
o text: 1.5 throughout the paper
o abstract and references pages: single (1.0) line spacing
font size
o text: 11
o chapter headings: 12 bold, all subheadings: 11

font style: Arial (NOTE. If source code strings are included in your text, use font
Courier for source code see section 1.4 in this guidebook for a model.)

For instructions on the margins and other layout details, see the Metropolia
thesis template and instructions, available on the Tube (go to the Tube front
page): For Student>Studies>Thesis and Maturity Test.

Page Numbers, Paragraphs and Lists

Position the page number in the top right-hand corner. Start counting the pages from
the page of Introduction where also the first page number is shown. Number all pages
consecutively throughout the paper including appendices.

Begin a paragraph at the left margin, that is, do not indent the first line, and leave
one blank line between paragraphs. A paragraph should not be longer than 8-10 lines.
Break long paragraphs in two, but on the other hand, do not have too many short
paragraphs in quick succession. Do not write single-line paragraphs or paragraphs
consisting of a single sentence. Vary the length of the paragraphs. Do not begin a new
paragraph at the bottom of a page, and similarly, do not end a paragraph at the top of
a new page. Moreover, when thinking of the content and structure, keep in mind that
each paragraph should indicate a new step in the development of the subject.

A list must not begin or end a chapter or subsection always insert some text (full
sentences) both above and below a list, between a heading and a list, and a list and a
new heading. Indent lists from the rest of the text. Use numbers, dashes or bullets to
mark the items in a list. Lists should not be longer than about half a page. Finally, note
that the thesis must not be a collection of lists. The thesis must contain more text
written with full sentences than lists or tables or figures (on the use of tables and
figures, see section 1.3).

You may use different highlighting techniques, such as underlining, bold lettering,
italicising and indenting a part of the text, to draw readers attention to a specific
point, but use them sparingly and consistently and only one at a time.
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Headings: Positioning and Numbering

In the body of the text, position both chapter headings and subheadings so that they
begin at the left margin, that is, do not indent them. Leave one blank line between the
heading and the text and between the chapter heading and the subheading. It is
outdated style to insert explanatory text between the chapter heading and the first
subheading. Chapters usually start a new page whereas subheadings do not start a
new page. Bold all headings in the text, including unnumbered headings.

Number the headings consecutively (two spaces between the number and the
heading). Do not insert a full stop following the number or heading. Begin the
numbering with Introduction, which is chapter heading number 1, and end with
Conclusions, which is the last numbered heading. However, do not number headings
Abstract, Contents, References, and Appendices. Also note that single divisions are
illogical: do not use 2.1.1 if there is no 2.1.2.

Furthermore, do not chop the text into too small pieces by dividing subheadings into
further and further subheadings. Using more than three levels of headings is seldom
necessary. The number of subheading levels may vary from chapter to chapter. In
addition to numbered headings you may use unnumbered headings in the text if you
wish, but do not include them in the table of contents.

Table of Contents

The table of contents is titled Contents (font size 12 bold). Use the same font size for
headings as in the text but with no bolding, and indent the subheadings. Also give the
page number of the first page of each section.

Leave one blank line between chapters. Leave the same margins as on text pages.
See the contents page of this guide and the thesis template (on the Tube) for
examples of the layout of this page.

Appendices

Long lists such as programme listings, lengthy instructions, survey questionnaires,

complicated tabular material, long figures or series of figures, and the like should be
placed in an appendix rather than in the text. Note that the plural form of appendix is
either appendices (Br) or appendixes (Am).

Number appendices consecutively in order of first mention in the text, and give each
appendix a title (font size 12 bold). Use line spacing 1.5 or single and font size 11 or
10, depending on the content of the appendix, and use the same margins as on text
pages. Alternatively, use a top margin of 1 cm and place the number and the title of
the appendix on the same line as the page number. Choose either style but be
consistent.
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Mention each appendix in the text, and refer to it by its number, not by its title: as
shown in appendix 1. One appendix may consist of several pages, and the number
and the title of the appendix should appear at the top of each page. Mention both the
number and the title of each appendix on the Contents page. If an appendix contains
data or information borrowed from a source, document the reference as usual and
include it in the reference list.

1.3 Tables and Figures

All tables and figures must be integrated with the text; in other words, each table and
figure must be mentioned in the text. As a general rule, the text should both introduce
and explain the table or figure. Note that the thesis must not be a collection of tables,
figures or lists. Most of the paper must consist of full paragraphs written with
complete sentences.

Labelling of Tables and Figures

Number tables and figures in order of presentation in one continuous sequence

throughout the report, including tables and figures in appendices: table 1, table
2 etc / figure 1, figure 2 etc. Use single numeration, that is, do not use
numbering according to chapters. Do not include a separate list of tables and/or
figures in your thesis.

Title each table and figure. The title follows the number of the figure/table.
Table titles are placed above the table, whereas figure titles go below the
figure. The title must not be a full sentence, a question or a relative clause.

Label all types of illustrations as figures, such as charts, graphs, diagrams, line
drawings, photographs or maps, and number them consecutively. For tables,
write headings for each column. Choose terms that summarise the information
in the columns. In figures, explain all symbols used.

Referring to the Sources of Tables and Figures

1 If you have constructed the whole table / figure yourself, no reference is given.
2 If you have taken for example the data from a source but otherwise
constructed the table/ figure yourself, use the following reference, following the
title of the table/ figure:
Data gathered from Smith (2009) [4,78] (where Smith is the author of
the source; if no author is given in the source, use the title of the
document here)
3 If you have taken the table/figure from a source but somehow modified it
yourself, use the following reference:
Modified from Smith (2009) [4, 78], or, Adapted from

4 If you have copied the whole table / figure from a source, with no changes, use
the following reference:
Reprinted from Smith (2009) [4, 78], or, Copied from
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Placing of Tables and Figures and Referring to Them in the Text

Always place text both above and below each table and figure and also
between each table and figure. Never begin a chapter or subsection with a
table or figure: there must always be some text between a heading and a table
or figure.

Mention each table and figure in the text, both before and after its
presentation. The table or figure should appear as soon as possible after its first
mention in the text. Before presentation, write an introductory sentence or two
to lead into the table or figure, and after presentation, explain its significance.
Refer to a table or figure in the text by its number, not by its title: for example,
The percentages in table 1 illustrate As figure 1 shows Do not capitalise the
words table and figure and do not insert an article in front.

1.4 Mathematical Expressions and Source Code in the Text

Mathematical Expressions

Mathematical expressions should be set on a separate line clear of the text and
centred, especially if they are referenced, if you want to emphasize them, or if they are
difficult to read or typeset in the body of the text. If you set different mathematical
expressions on the same line, separate them with spacing together with words or
punctuation. For example:

If a = b, then for all real numbers x,

a + x = b + x, ax = bx, a = b.

If you set different mathematical expressions on separate consecutive lines, centre

each expression on the line, as in the example below:

If a = b, then for all real numbers x,

a + x = b + x,
ax = bx,
a = b.

Grammatically mathematical expressions in the text are sentences or parts of

sentences and you should punctuate them accordingly. If several expressions appear in
a single display, as in the examples above, separate them with commas (or
semicolons) and insert a full stop in the end. However, do not insert commas if you set
a single multiline expression on consecutive lines; only insert a full stop at the end of
the whole expression.

Mathematical expressions that are referenced later in the text should be numbered, as
well as expressions that present important results or steps in a calculation or proof.
Number the mathematical expressions consecutively throughout the paper. Enclose the
number in parentheses and put it at the right margin. All numbered mathematical
 11

expressions must be set on a separate line clear of the text, that is, they must not
appear on the same line as the text. For example:

Hence it is apparent that

13 + 23 + + n3 = (1 + 2 + + n)2. (1)

It is important to distinguish between the possible reference number and the number
of the equation (1). Placing the number of the mathematical expression at the right
margin is a way to make the distinction. In cross-references, place the numbers in
parentheses in the text. For example:
Recalling equation (1), it can be concluded that
As equations (2)-(5) indicated

As a general rule, spell out single-digit numbers (one, twonine) in the text and use
numerals for all others, except when contrasted (for example: 3-12) or appearing with
a noun (chapter 2, figure 4). However, when whole and decimal numbers are used as
quantitative elements in technical and scientific texts, titles, tables and figures, express
them as numerals, including single-digit numbers. Even so, do not begin a sentence
with a numeral: either spell out the number or preferably reword the sentence so that
the number appears elsewhere, or use a conjunction to join the sentence to the
previous sentence. Percentages are always given in numerals. In technical, scientific
and statistical texts, the symbol % is used (9%). No space appears between the
number and the symbol. In humanistic texts the word percent is used (9 percent).

For more information on displaying mathematical expressions in a paper, consult The

Chicago Manual of Style (2003), available in the Institute library, and Scientific Style
and Format Seventh Edition (2005), extracts available online (see Literature at the end
of this guide for details).

Expression of Source Code in the Text

When you need to include a string of source code in the text, note the following:

use font Courier

indent the code
label the code strings as listings (Listing + number + title), and use the word
listing + its number when referring to it in the text
refer to each listing in the text at least once (the same rule that applies to figures
and tables)

Example:
echo<<<EOT
<p><input
type=textname=dbnamesize=20value=Sdbname></p>

Listing 1. Plot table form of PHP code

As listing 1 illustrates .
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1.5 Abstract

The abstract should be a structured abstract stating the key points of the report, and it
should be written primarily to a reader who has not read the report. Hence, it should
make sense on its own and contain the essence of the paper. It should consist of four
basic parts in the order stated below (no subheadings or the like), giving a reader
information on
1 why the project was carried out: the purpose and goal
2 how the project was carried out: the methods used
3 what was found/created/designed/produced: the results of the project
4 what can be concluded: the importance and usefulness of the results, and
possibly recommendations for further study.

The abstract should be short and to the point. Avoid unnecessary detail, especially
when describing the methods, and give emphasis on the results. The abstract should
be 150200 words (all words count, even articles and prepositions). The four parts
listed above are usually divided into separate paragraphs. Use single-spacing and leave
one blank line between paragraphs. Do not refer to the material in your report or to
any sources. Write the abstract in academic style and language. Do not use pronouns
I, you or we in the abstract. Use objective writing style.

If you are a native speaker of Finnish, you must include both an English abstract and a
Finnish one in your thesis, in this order. The Finnish abstract should have the same
content and the same impersonal tone as the English abstract. However, on a
sentence level everything cannot always be expressed in the same order in different
languages.

Also note that both the supervisor and the language advisor must approve your
abstract, separately from the rest of the thesis, and in the case of a Finnish abstract,
also a lecturer in the Finnish language.

Write the abstract on the abstract template included in the thesis template
available on the Tube: For Student>Studies>Thesis and Maturity Test.

1.6 Language Aspects

Write the thesis in standard academic English. You may use either British or American
English spelling and expressions, but be consistent.

Read the instructions given on the courses of English, regarding academic style and
language. In addition, remember the following basics:

1 Do not use contracted verb forms: doesnt does not etc

2 Do not use you unless you are writing instructions.
3 Do not use we unless you are referring to several people including yourself.
4 Use the first person pronoun I when referring to yourself and your
viewpoints. The use of author or writer to refer to oneself is outdated
style.
 13

5 Begin each sentence with a capital letter and end it with a full stop.
6 Check that the rest of the punctuation is correct. Incorrect or missing
punctuation may lead to misinterpretation of your message. Especially note
that there must be a comma between a subordinate clause and a main
clause (when appearing in this order in a sentence), or the text will be
difficult to read:
Since the results were as expected, the project could be considered a
success.
7 Write complete sentences. Check that there is subject and verb (predicate)
in each sentence. Remember that a verb form ending in ing is not a
predicate on its own.
8 Check that there is a subject and verb (predicate) agreement in each
sentence: the subject and predicate must both be singular or both plural.
9 Check that all pronouns agree in number and gender with the nouns they
refer to. Do not use a pronoun in the first sentence of a paragraph if the
noun that the pronoun refers to is in the previous paragraph: reuse the
noun.
10 Explain all abbreviations when first mentioned in the text: term
(abbreviation in parentheses).
11 Divide your text into paragraphs (leave a blank line, no indentation).
12 Do not place a heading at the top of each paragraph: a heading must be
followed by more than one paragraph.
13 Do not write only main clauses. Use conjunctions and linking words to
connect ideas and paragraphs and to give your text a good structure and
logical flow.

Titles of Headings

Choose titles that describe the whole chapter: try to include both the subject and the
focus of the subject in the title. You may then further specify the chapter in the
subheadings. Headings on the same level should have titles that are parallel in length,
style and structure (grammatical form) , that is, they should all be noun phrases, such
as Documentation of references, or all ing headings, such as Documenting references.
Do not use questions, imperatives, relative clauses or full sentences as titles in a
thesis. Finally, the titles should be short, not longer than one line, and meaningful. The
number of chapter headings and subheadings depends on the topic and nature of your
project, and of course on your own judgment.

Capitalise the first and last word and any major words in a title, except articles a, an,
the, short prepositions such as at, as, for, in, on, to, and the coordinating conjunctions
and, but, for, or, nor. This is called headline-style capitalisation. Use it in the body of
the text and in the table of contents. However, in the reference list and abstract use
sentence-style capitalisation: capitalise only the first letter in a title and any proper
names. Sentence-style capitalisation in all titles is used for example in libraries and
some academic circles, and it is also a totally acceptable style, although headline style
is far more common in the English-speaking world.
 14

Abbreviations

Following the Contents page, you may insert a separate list of abbreviations (and
acronyms) containing all the abbreviations used in the thesis, if relevant. Even so,
explain each abbreviation in the text when you first mention it and place the
abbreviation in parentheses following the term. After the first mention you may use
only the abbreviation in the rest of the paper. A list is useful if many abbreviations are
used or if a few are used frequently.

In the text Latin abbreviations, such as e.g. (for example) and i.e. (that is /in other
words), should be replaced by English words in todays formal writing style.

As a general rule, terms are explained in the text, but if several terms used have
different meanings, you may define the terms for use in your paper in a separate list.
See the list of abbreviations and terms in this paper for an example.

2 Documentation Standards
2.1 Research Ethics

2.1.1 General Guidelines

Good scientific practice means, among other things, that you understand and follow
the rules for direct quotation, paraphrasing, and documentation of references, and that
you are truthful in reporting on the methods and results or any other data in your
work. Present information and data accurately and in sufficient detail, also in tables
and figures. Make a clear distinction in your writing between your own ideas and
arguments and those taken from sources. Use language that is precise and
unambiguous and avoid unnecessarily complicated sentence structures, to avoid
misinterpretation. Moreover, do not disclose business-sensitive or classified information
in your work or otherwise, without permission.

Research misconduct is commonly described as three categories of activity:

1 Falsification of results: misrepresenting results, in other words deliberately
changing, selecting or omitting results for presentation in your work.
2 Fabrication of facts: representing fabricated data, in other words reporting on
tests or results you never performed or obtained or did not perform or obtain
using the methods described in your work.
3 Plagiarism: representing someone elses idea or work or parts thereof as your
own or using any of them in your work without acknowledgement.

2.1.2 Plagiarism

Plagiarism has become a serious issue in educational institutions throughout the world,
especially with huge amounts of information available on the Internet for anyone to
access and download. Plagiarism is intellectual burglary and it is wrong. Not all
plagiarism, however, is deliberate, but whether or not, you will be hold responsible for
it. Note that the principles concerning plagiarism apply to both printed and electronic
 15

sources, including all Internet sources. Knowing and understanding what is considered
plagiarism will help you to avoid it.

For example the following instances are commonly held to count as plagiarism:
You quote more than a single phrase directly from another persons work
and use it in your own work without using quotation marks and
documenting the source.
You paraphrase or summarise passages from another persons work by
changing only a few words or the order of words or sentences, which is an
unacceptable citation and is considered plagiarism whether or not you
document the source.
You paraphrase or summarise passages from another persons work in your
own words, without documenting the source.
You use another persons ideas without documenting the source, or you
submit or present work as your own which is the work of another person.
You make a copy of all or part of another persons work and present it as
your own by not disclosing the source.

Acceptable paraphrasing or summarising of source material does not, however, mean

that you should replace every single word in the original by another word. When
paraphrasing or summarising, focus on the content and main ideas of the original and
always try to use your own words, but do not try to paraphrase specialised vocabulary
or technical terms.

Do not over-reference either: do not cite common knowledge or provide four to five
references to support a single argument. If there is a reference at the end of each
paragraph in your paper, you have not done enough thinking of your own. Use
common sense and have confidence in your own writing ability.

2.2 Referencing Systems

Referencing the sources you cite in your thesis, whether through direct quotations or
indirectly through paraphrasing or summarising, means that you acknowledge the work
of others. It is ethical and helps you to avoid plagiarism, and professional courtesy
requires it.

There are many styles of referencing but the primary elements are the same. The two
main styles are the Harvard system or style, also called the authordate system, and
the Vancouver system or style, also called the number system or the citationsequence
system. In addition, many interpretations of them exist. Today no one style can be
considered the only right one in any field.

Agree on the system to be used in your thesis with your supervisor before beginning to
write the thesis. In the field of engineering, the number system is the commonly used
system and therefore recommended to be used in the theses, especially in IT.
 16

The Author-Date System (the Harvard System)

The principle of the authordate system is to refer to a source by giving the authors
last name and the year of publication, and possibly the page number, in parentheses
after the reference in the text as well as in tables and figure legends. In the reference
list, the references are listed in alphabetical order according to the authors last name.

EXAMPLES (the author-date system)

1) references in the text:

as indicated in the study (Smith 2011, 58).

Here Smith is the last name of the author of the source (if no author is given in the
source, give the title of the document here), 2011 is the year of publication, and 58
is the page number where the piece of information was taken from.

NOTE. THE PLACE OF FULL STOP: When the full stop is placed after the reference,
the reference refers only to the previous sentence, as in the above example. When
it should refer to several previous sentences or the whole paragraph, the full stop
is placed at the end of the sentence and also inside the reference, as in the
example below:

as indicated in the study. (Smith 2011, 58.)

2) references in the reference list:

List the references in the reference list in alphabetical order according to the
authors last name. If no author is given in the source, begin the reference by the
title of the document. Give the details in the following order (the first example is an
online document, the second a printed book). For more examples on different
types of references in the reference list, see section 2.4.

Tidwell Doug (2009) Cloud Computing with PHP, part 1: Using Amazon S3 with the
Zend Framework [online]. Developer Works, 22 September 2009.
URL: http://www.ibm.com/developerwords/opensource/library/os-php-cloud1.
Accessed 9 January 2011.

Weaver Patrick (2004) Success in your project: a guide to student system

development projects. Harlow, England, Prentice Hall.
 17

The Number System (the Vancouver system)

The principle of the number system is to number the sources consecutively in the
order they are first referred to in the text, and this applies to both printed and all
electronic sources. The reference number, and possibly the page number, is placed in
square brackets after the reference throughout the text, tables and figure legends. In
the reference list, the references are listed according to the number they were given in
the text, not alphabetically. This system is commonly used in the field of engineering.

Even in the number system, it is a good idea to use the authors names or other verbal
indicators of the sources in the text when writing the first draft of the report and
numbering them only in later drafts. Otherwise you will have to renumber all the
references if you add, change or delete source information during the writing process.

EXAMPLES (the number system)

1) references in the text:

... as indicated in the study [5,136].

Here 5 is the number of the reference in the reference list and 136 is the
page number.

NOTE. THE PLACE OF FULL STOP: The reference number should be placed as close
to the sentence or part of the text to which it is relevant, to avoid misinterpretation
of the source. When the full stop is placed after the reference, the reference refers
only to the previous sentence, as in the above example. When it should refer to
several previous sentences or the whole paragraph, the full stop is placed at the end
of the sentence and one also inside the reference, as in the example below:

as indicated in the study. [5,136.]

2) references in the reference list (see section 2.4.3 for more examples of
different types of references) the numbers here must match with the
numbers in the text:

1. Tidwell Doug. Cloud Computing with PHP, part 1: Using Amazon S3 with the
Zend Framework [online]. Developer Works; 22 September 2009
URL: http://www.ibm.com/developerwords/opensource/library/os-php-cloud1.
Accessed 9 January 2011.

2. Weaver Patrick. Success in your project: a guide to student system

development projects. Harlow, England: Prentice Hall; 2004.

In the reference list, only the last names of authors are often given. However, if you
are uncertain of which name is the last name, in the case of foreign names, always
give all the names. Be consistent with your chosen style throughout the paper.
 18

Indication of Page Numbers in the Text

Indication of page numbers in the text means that you give the exact page number(s)
where the cited piece of information can be located in the source. For direct quotations
it is compulsory and it is recommended also for indirect citations. Indicating page
numbers increases the credibility of your text and makes it easier for a reader to locate
the source. The page number is given after the reference number inside the same
bracket (comma, no space). The same rule applies to both printed and electronic
sources. Page numbers are commonly used in reliable electronic documents. Consider
the following examples (the examples are according to the number style).

[5,136] The information was borrowed from source 5 on page 136.

[5,138-140] This refers to pages 138 through 140 of source 5.
[5,136;7,35] This refers to sources 5 and 7 and respective pages.
[5;7] The information was taken from sources 5 and 7. No page
numbers are indicated in this example.

2.3 In-Text Referencing

In short, provide references every time you use

1 direct quotations
2 paraphrases or summaries of source material
3 somebody elses ideas
4 tables, figures, computations or other data borrowed from a source
5 any facts that are not common knowledge.

When in doubt, provide a reference. Especially note that in your text you should
clearly indicate what is your own idea, observation or argument, and what comes from
your sources.

In the number system, number references in the text consecutively in the order you
use them. Do not give any availability information of the references in the text.
Reference numbers in the text must match with the numbers in the reference list.
Place reference numbers in square brackets after the reference. If you refer to the
same source again, reuse the original number. In other words, each source is given
only one reference number that is used throughout the paper. For in-text referencing
in the author-date system, see section 2.2.

Furthermore, note that each journal article (not the whole journal), each Internet
document and each chapter written by an individual author in an edited book counts as
a separate source that is given its own reference number in the text and reference list.
Conversely, a book, manual or the like with a personal or corporate author, or no
indication of an author, counts as one source even if you cite different sections of the
work, and is given only one reference number which is used throughout the paper.

Direct quotations should be used only for a special reason: a) you quote a definition,
b) the author of the source is an authority and an argument gains credibility by a direct
quotation, c) the source is an official document and the wording has to be precise. If a
 19

direct quotation is necessary, place quotation marks around the quotation and number
the reference as usual. For direct quotations, always indicate the page number. If the
quotation is less than two lines, it may be included in the body of the text in quotation
marks. Longer quotations are indented and single-spaced and no quotation marks are
used.

Personal communication is cited in the text only. It does not provide recoverable data
and therefore is not included in the reference list. Do not number this type of
reference. Instead, give the name of the person concerned, provide as exact a date as
possible, and insert the term personal communication in brackets after the reference;
for example: [John Smith, Managing Director, 15 September 2008, personal
communication]. Give all this information in the text following the cited detail.

In general, the use of personal communication as a reference should be avoided unless

it provides essential information not available from a public source. Ask for permission
from the person concerned, preferably in writing.

Cross-references mean that you refer to parts of your own paper. Use the number of
the chapter, subsection, appendix, table or figure that you refer to, not the page
number. In the final thesis, make sure that the cross-references lead to the intended
parts of the text.

2.4 Reference List

2.4.1 Basic Principles (number system)

(for reference list entries in the author-date system, see section 2.2)

The reference list, titled References, appears at the end of your paper. List all
references in order by number, not alphabetically, in the same order you cited them in
the text. Each reference is listed only once since the same number is used throughout
the paper. Also include all electronic sources in the reference list, as well as the
sources of any borrowed tables or figures.

On the basis of the information you give in the reference list, a reader should be able
to identify and locate your sources without difficulties. The reference numbers in the
text must match with the numbers in the reference list. All the in-text references must
appear in the reference list, and conversely, do not include any other works in the
reference list except those referred to in the text.

Use single spacing and leave one blank line between each entry. Give all the elements
concerning a reference on the same page. Do not indent, underline or italicise
anything in the reference list, not even the URL of a Web reference.

Finally, dictionaries, grammar books, writing guides, or the like that you have used
only to improve the quality and style of your text are not included in the reference list.
A dictionary is included in the reference list only if you have looked up a particular term
for definition. In that case, also the term looked up and the exact page number must
be given in the reference list (see example in section 2.4.2).
 20

2.4.2 Printed Sources

The same basic information should be given of each reference in the reference list,
whether it is a book, book chapter, journal article or electronic document, with some
additional elements depending on the type of the reference.

Examples of Reference List Entries

NOTE: The examples in sections 2.4.2 and 2.4.3 are given according to the number
style of referencing since that is the common referencing system in engineering.
However, you can easily adapt the examples to the author-date system, if necessary,
since the same elements should always be given of references in any system, only the
order of the elements differs.

Of printed sources, give the necessary elements in the following order of appearance.
Also note punctuation.

Authors last name one space Initial(s) of first name(s) full stop one
space Title of work full stop one space Place of publication colon one
space Publisher semicolon one space Year of publication full stop

NOTE 1: If you are uncertain of which name is the last name of author, always give all
the names.

NOTE 2: The underlined headings below are for the purposes of this guide only. Do
not include any headings in your own reference list.

List all the references in your reference list according to the numbers you gave them in
the text. The numbers in the text must match with the numbers in the reference list.
Only the references used in the text are listed in the reference list.

Book, personal author(s)

e.g. Brown JS, Duguid P. The social life of information. Boston, MA: Harvard
Business School Press; 2000.

Gerson SJ, Gerson SM. Technical writing: process and product. 2nd ed.
Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall; 1997.

Book, editor(s)
e.g. Keisler S, editor. Culture of the Internet. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum; 1997.

Book, corporate author (institution, organization or the like)

The institution or organization is given in place of an author.

e.g. Science and Technology Policy Council of Finland. Review 2000: the
challenge of knowledge and know-how. Helsinki: Edita; 2000.
 21

Book chapter by an individual author in an edited book

Give the author and title of the chapter first, followed by In:, then the editor
and book title. Also include the page range of the chapter.

e.g. Wiley B. Interoperability through gateways. In: Oram A, editor. Peer-to-

peer: harnessing the benefits of a disruptive technology. Sebastopol,
CA: OReilly; 2001. p.381-392.

Journal article, personal author(s), or organization or the like as author

Give the author and title of the article first, followed by the title of the journal.

e.g. Boehm B, Basili VR. Software defect reduction top 10 list. Computer
2001;34(1):135-137.

Note: Computer = title of journal, one space, 2001 = year of publication, 34 =

volume, 1 = number of issue, 135-137 = page range; do not include p in front
of the page range for journal articles; one space between the title of the
journal and the year; no spaces between any of the numbers.

Work with no indication of an author or editor

The title of the work becomes the first element. See the example for dictionary
entry below.

Dictionary entry
The term looked up must be mentioned, followed by the page number.
e.g. Dictionary of computing. 4th ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press; 1996.
Periodogram. p. 364.

2.4.3 Internet and Other Electronic Sources

The basic rule is that the same information should be given of an electronic source as
of a printed source with the addition of the type of medium (e.g. online), the URL (the
Internet address) or other indication of access, and the date of access. A common
mistake is to provide only the address of the electronic document, which is not
sufficient information.

Always evaluate the reliability of an Internet document before using it as a source in

your paper. Do not take the information presented at face value. Specifically, look at
the domain of the document, and look for indication of a person, institution or the like
responsible for producing the document (author). Do not mix this with a person or the
like maintaining the document.

Note that all the references or even the majority of the references in your thesis should
not be Web references. Web references may be deleted, changed or moved relatively
quickly, and a so-called dead link in your thesis would seriously undermine the
credibility of your work.
 22

According to universal standards on documenting electronic references in academic

papers, the following information should always be given in the reference list of each
electronic reference:

1 Name of author, if given

If no author is given, the smallest identifiable institutional unit responsible for
producing the document should be given in place of an author. This is
equivalent of the corporate author of printed sources. Do not mix this with the
organisation maintaining the document.
2 Title of document (including number and the like, if an official document)
3 Type of medium, in square brackets: [online; serial online; DVD; CD-ROM;
computer programme]
4 Place of publication (location of the publishing institution or company): often
requires tracing back in the URL.
5 Publisher: institution, organisation or the like that publishes the document.
6 Date of publication/update/modification: e.g. 25 August 2008.
7 Availability: URL for Internet sources; for others, type of medium (see point 3)
8 Date of access: e.g. Accessed 15 September 2008.

Of Internet sources, give the necessary elements in the reference list in the following
order of appearance. Also note punctuation:

Authors last name one space Initial(s) of first name(s) (if no author is
given, give the institutional unit responsible for producing the
document, if given) full stop one space Title of document one space
[online] full stop one space Place of publication colon one space
Publisher semicolon one space Last update of the document full stop
URL: full path to the document full stop one space
Accessed (the exact date when you accessed the document)full stop

If you cannot find most of the elements above for your electronic source, do not use
that source in your thesis. No indication of most of the elements above is a sign of an
unreliable source.

NOTE the following points in the reference list:

1 A URL always begins a new line.
2 Do not underline a URL in the reference list.
3 If a URL is longer than one line, break it at a convenient place after a slash (see
the first example below). Do not break a URL at a hyphen.
4 Do not capitalise online.
5 Be consistent: for example, use either British or American style for expressions
of dates throughout the paper including the reference list (see section 1.6).
 23

Examples

Internet document
Holland M. Citing references [online]. Academic Services. Poole,
England: Bournemouth University; September 2004.
URL: http://www.bournemouth.ac.uk/academicservices/documents/
Library/Citing_References.pdf. Accessed 6 October 2004.

International Organization for Standardization (ISO)/Technical

Committee (TC) 46/Subcommittee (SC) 9. Excerpts from international
standard ISO DIS 690-2/1997. Information and documentation
ibliographic references part 2: electronic documents or parts thereof
[online]. Ottawa, Canada: ISO/TC 46/SC 9 Secretariat. National Library
of Canada; 22 August 2002.
URL: http://www.collectionscanada.ca/iso/tc46sc9/standard/6902e.htm.
Accessed 6 October 2004.

E-journal Zakrwewska JM. Consumer views on managements of trigeminal

neuralgia headache [serial online] 2001;41(4):369-376.
URL: http://www.swetsnet.nl/link/access_db?issn=0017-8748.
Accessed 29 August 2001.

CD-ROM The Oxford English dictionary [book on CD-ROM]. 2nd ed. New York, NY:
Oxford University Press; 1992.

Software Epi Info [computer program]. Version 6. Atlanta, GA: Center for Disease
Control and Prevention; 1994.

Film, filmstrip, broadcast, DVD

Give the title, material designation (film, filmstrip or the like), subsidiary originator
(director), production details (place and organisation), year (for films, the year of
release in the country of production is preferred).

Crop duster attack. North by northwest [DVD]. Directed by Alfred

Hitchcock 1959. Burbank, CA: Warner Home Video; 2000.
(in this example, the first title is that of a scene individually accessible in
DVD, and the second title is that of the film)
 24

3 The Process in Practice

3.1 Aim, Scope, Topic and Requirements

The aim of the final project is to develop and demonstrate the students ability to
apply his or her knowledge and skills in a practical specialist task related to his or her
professional studies (Polytechnic Decree 352/2003, section 7).

The learning objectives of the final year project are that you should be better able to
1 work in a systematic and organised way, and within constraints of limited
resources
2 cooperate with others including supervisors
3 locate sources of relevant information and document them appropriately
4 apply the knowledge and skills acquired on various courses during the studies
5 use appropriate working methods
6 overcome unforeseen problems
7 make good decisions and draw justified conclusions
8 prepare and give good oral, visual and written presentations, and specifically,
communicate technical concepts both orally and in the written form

The scope of the final year project is 15 ECTS credits, which means about 10 weeks
of intensive fulltime work. The project is scheduled in the study programme of the 4th
academic year but you may start planning even earlier.

You should generate the topic of your final year project yourself, and the head of the
degree programme will approve it. The topic must be related to your professional
studies. A typical case is that a student receives the project as an assignment from a
company or an organisation. If you cannot generate the topic yourself, you will be
given assistance in finding one.

In general, a project is a planned piece of work with a goal, and it is usually designed
to improve something, to find information about something or to produce something
new. Being your final year project, this project should also involve theoretical study of
your chosen subject area, based on relevant source material.

The final year project should be a task typically assigned to an engineer in working life,
such as
1 developing a product or service
2 developing or selecting a production method
3 developing or designing a production line, organisation, project, worksite or
quality
4 writing a piece of software or an application of a piece of software
5 carrying out an applied research project.

Once you have chosen your topic, define it, make any necessary limitations to it, and
set a goal for your work. During the project you may specify the topic and the goal
further if necessary. Give your thesis a title which describes it as precisely as possible.
The title should tell the reader both the topic and the focus of the topic, in other words
it should also demonstrate the scope of the project.
 25

The requirements of the final year project consist of

1 participating in seminars (attendance compulsory)
2 carrying out the project work
3 writing a formal report (bachelors thesis) of 30-60 pages on the project
4 giving an oral presentation of the project in a seminar attended by both
students and teachers
5 taking a maturity test.

The work is often done in the premises and with the equipment of the company
assigning you the final year project. If the project is carried out as a paid assignment,
you will have to agree on the salary with the company yourself.

The final year project is an individual assignment, and thus each student carries out
the work independently and writes an individual report (thesis) based on the project.
Even if the final year project is a part of a large project and several students
participate in it, each student will write an individual thesis based on his or her share in
the project.

Bachelors and masters theses are public documents. According to the guidelines
given by the Ministry of Education to polytechnics and universities (2004), no part of a
thesis is to contain classified information.

3.2 Supervision

The final year project is an individual major piece of guided work. The head of the
degree programme will appoint you a supervisor (a lecturer in a professional subject)
before the beginning of the project. If the project is an assignment from a company,
the company will appoint you an instructor responsible for instructing you in the
practical part of the project. At the end of the project, the instructor will give a
statement of your final year project for assessment. In addition, a language advisor
(a lecturer in the English language) will advise you on reporting, use of English, layout,
and documentation details.

Regular meetings with the supervisor especially during the writing process, and not
only at the end of the process, will help you to stay on track while writing the report,
and to complete your project and thus graduate on schedule.

All students in the English-language degree programmes are required to write their
theses in English. Also note that the supervisor and the language advisor may only
give you some advice and guidance, but in the end you alone will be responsible for
both the content of the thesis and the language usage.
 26

3.3 Project Flow and Schedule

From the students viewpoint, the project can be seen to consist of nine different
phases, summarised in table 2. There may be some variation in the process depending
on the degree programme but this is the general flow of the process.

Table 2. Project flow

Phase for student Event for student Supervision Approval

Participation in the preliminary Preliminary seminar, Head of the degree programme

seminar (attendance 3 h, 3rd academic and language advisor: general
compulsory). year information on the thesis
process and writing process

1 Topic selection and proposal Meeting with supervisor Head of the degree
for the topic. Reading the programme: topic
instructions in the Guide.

2 Creating a written project plan Meeting with supervisor Supervisor:

(1-2 pages): the topic, the goal project plan
and a draft of the contents page.

3 Locating and studying relevant Meetings with supervisor and

source material. Planning the instructor
schedule and methods.

4 Carrying out the project work (Seminar in some Meetings with supervisor and
and writing a rough draft of the degree programmes) instructor
thesis.
5 Revision of the rough draft (Seminar in some Meetings with and feedback
step by step into the final draft degree programmes) from readers: supervisor,
and considering feedback from instructor, (language advisor)
readers.

6 Revision of the final draft and Meetings with and feedback

considering feedback from from readers: supervisor,
readers. instructor, language advisor

7 Producing the final thesis, Seminar: Thesis final Supervisor

including abstract(s): final presentation goals, Language advisor
corrections on the basis of methods, results
feedback.
10 min

8 Preparation for the maturity Maturity test, 3 h Supervisor

test: reading the instructions in Language advisor
the Guide. (assessment:
pass/fail)
9 Submission of the final thesis:
check the current instructions for
this on the Tube
(Students>Studies>Thesis and
Maturity Test) or from your
degree programme
Assessment of the project and Supervisor
the thesis: supervisor, instructor, (grade 1-5)
language advisor

The final year project is scheduled in the study programme of the 4th academic year
but you may start planning and even carrying out the project in the industrial
placement in the 3rd academic year or in a summer job. In the 3rd academic year, the
head of your degree programme usually organises a preliminary seminar, and your
 27

participation in this seminar is a prerequisite for your project to be supervised in your

degree programme. As shown in table 2, a recommended schedule for the project will
be given in the preliminary seminar. When planning your own schedule, note that you
must give the supervisor and the language advisor enough time to see through your
draft and read the final thesis. If you submit the thesis to your supervisors on too tight
a schedule, it may delay your graduation to the following graduation day.

3.4 Final Thesis and Its Presentation

For specific instructions on the submission of the thesis, check the current instructions
on the Tube (Students>Studies>Thesis and Maturity Test) or from your degree
programme.

Furthermore, be prepared to give an oral presentation of your final year project in a

seminar. Both students and teachers will attend the seminar, and after your
presentation you should allow them an opportunity to ask questions. The duration of
the presentation should be approximately 10 minutes, not including questions and
answers. The presentation should cover the goal, implementation and results of your
final year project. Prepare a few slides to illustrate your presentation.

3.5 Assessment Criteria

The supervisor will assess the final year project in general and the bachelors thesis
from the viewpoint of the content, structure, and documentation in general, and the
language advisor from the viewpoint of the style and language, layout, and
documentation details. The instructor will assess the final year project from the
viewpoint of the practical project work.

The areas and factors to be assessed include the following:

1 Selection and relevance of the topic, planning the project, setting the objectives
2 Implementation of the project: evidence of relevant background research,
execution of the project, the methods used, creativity in problem-solving
3 Evaluation and discussion of the results: reliability, validity, error analysis,
interpretation, evidence of original thought
4 Conclusions drawn from the results and the overall project
5 Achievement of the project objectives; significance and implications of the
results and the overall project
6 The process of carrying out the project: overall grasp of the project, initiative,
independence, organisation of work, consideration of instructions and
schedules, consideration of feedback, project and team working skills
7 Written presentation: thesis content, organisation of content, use of
illustrations, use and documentation of source material, expertise
8 Written presentation: reporting skills; style, language and format of the thesis
9 Oral presentation: content, structure, delivery, illustrations, expertise
10 Maturity test: content and language usage.

The grade as well as the title of the final year project will be entered into the degree
certificate.
 28

4 Maturity Test
For a Bachelor of Engineering degree, you need to take a written maturity test in the
subject area of your thesis. In the test you should demonstrate familiarity with the
subject area and a good command of the English language. Native speakers of Finnish
are required to write the test in Finnish irrespective of the language of the thesis. This
requirement is based on law.

Read the following instructions before taking the maturity test:

Enrolment: After both the supervisor and the language advisor have given you
permission, enrol for the maturity test, arranged about six times during each
academic year, by filling in the exam envelope (that is, the re-sit envelope).
Check the dates of the maturity tests from your degree programme.

Topic: In the test you will be given three topics, chosen by your supervisor and
related to the subject area of your final year project. Choose one of them as
the topic of your maturity test. The given topics will be clearly defined, that is,
both the topic and the focus of the topic will be specified, and the content of
your writing must correspond to them.

Audience: Direct your writing to readers who have a general knowledge of

your field but are not familiar with your subject area and have not read your
thesis. The audience is usually specified in the topic instructions.

Length and format: The text you write should be about 400 words in length
(all words count, even articles and prepositions) and in the form of an
essay/article/report, as specified in the topic instructions.

The essay/article/report should have a clear structure (introduction, main points

in a logical order, conclusion), and it should consist of whole paragraphs written
with complete sentences. Write the topic at the top of the first page, and use a
few subheadings in the text if necessary. However, there must not be a
subheading at the top of each paragraph. Do not include lists, tables or figures
in your text. Write the essay/article/report in academic style and language.

Assessment: Both the supervisor and the language advisor will assess the test
and mark it as either passed or failed. The test can be failed if the content
does not correspond to the topic or does not demonstrate a sufficient
knowledge of the subject area. The test can also be failed if the language
usage does not demonstrate a good command of the English language and
formal style, or if the provided text consists of lists or the like, or is not of the
required length.

If you fail the test, you will be required to contact your supervisor or language
advisor for feedback before re-sitting the test.
 29

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 30

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