REPORT FORMATTING GUIDELINES FOR PROJECT BASED

COURSES
1. Introduction
This document outlines the formatting guidelines of the reports submitted for any project-
based courses at IMT Hyderabad. These include Summer Internship Projects, Management
Thesis and Seminar, Special Project and Management Project.

Strict adherence to these formatting requirements is mandatory and reports that are
not complaint to the formatting guidelines will not be considered for evaluation.

2. Content

All project-based courses at IMT Hyderabad will require three submissions based on the
timelines:

1. Proposal
2. Interim Report
3. Final Report
2.1. Proposal document

The proposal document is to be submitted in soft copy to faculty guide by the stipulated
deadline of the first stage of evaluation of the project-based course. The proposal should
include the following sections:

1. Title of the Project

2. Purpose of the work that will be undertaken
3. Scope of the project: what is included and what is not included.
4. Methods that are going to be employed
5. Expected conclusions of the work
6. Timelines

Use same font style/size guidelines as mentioned below in Section 5 of this document.

2.2. Interim Report

The interim is to be submitted in soft copy to faculty guide by the stipulated deadline of the
second stage of evaluation. The proposal should include the following sections:

1. Title Page (Format provided in Appendix 1)

2. Table of Contents
 3. Executive summary
4. Chapter 1 – Chapter 5 to the extent completed (see Section 4 for details of what is to
be included in the chapters)
5. Status of the internship
6. Plan for the rest of the project duration

Use same font style/size guidelines as mentioned below in Section 5 of this document.

2.3. Final Report

The final report is to be submitted in soft copy to faculty guide by the stipulated deadline of
the third stage of evaluation. The final report should consist of the following sections in the
order specified below:

1. Title Page (Format provided in Appendix 1)

2. Page of supervisory committee (Format provided in Appendix 2)
3. Table of contents
4. Acknowledgement Page (Sample provided in Appendix 3)
5. Executive Summary: Should summarize the report in brief, what it is about, why it
is important and what were the major findings or results.
6. Body of the Report: The overall work done by the student in the project is
presented here in a chapter-wise format. Here is a suggested list of chapters that
could be included in the report:
o Chapter 1: Usually titled ‘Introduction” should include basic information
regarding the process of preparation of the report. Should provide a basic
background to the work undertaken and summarize the contents of each of
the following chapters.
o Chapter 2: “Literature Review” or “Overview of the
Organization/Industry”
o Chapter 3: “Methodology” or “Tasks undertaken in the Project” or
“Project 1: Title”
o Chapter 4: “Analyses & Results” or “Key Learnings” or “Project 2: Title”
o Chapter 5: Usually titled “Conclusion” should include a summary of the
key findings or a synthesis of the key learnings from the cases studied.
7. References (as prescribed in Citations and Referencing section below)
 8. Appendices (Financial Statements, Questionnaires, Creatives, Supporting
Documents etc)
2.4.Handling exceptional situations

Please note that the titles and number of the chapters presented above are merely
suggestive. The student should consult with the faculty guide on chapter titles that are
appropriate to their specific project/tasks that the student is undertaking. Here are some
suggestive strategies:

o Sometimes students may undertake multiple projects within a stipulated duration. For
instance, student may do an 8-week internship followed by a 4-week MTS project. In
such cases, the MTS work should be included as an additional chapter in the final report.
o Students may undertake three case studies as a part of their Management Project. In
such cases, three cases may be included in three separate chapters.
o Students may perform three categories of tasks in their internships. These three tasks
may be included as three chapters in the final report.
3. Formatting style guide
All reports mentioned above should adhere to the following formatting norms.
• Font: Times New Roman
• Size: 14 BOLD CHAPTER HEADINGS (Center aligned)

13 BOLD FOR SUB-HEADINGS (Left aligned)

13 bold italic for sub-sub-headings (if any) (Left aligned)

12 for all other text (Justified throughout the report)

• Spacing: 1.5 Line Spacing

• Page numbers to be printed on all pages at the bottom center. Start page numbering
from Executive summary.
• Margins 1 inch on all sides
• New chapter should start in a fresh page.
• Begin new paragraphs in a new line after 0.5 inch tab space. There should be no blank
like space between paragraphs.
• All figures should be numbered sequentially and should have caption immediately
below the figure. Centre align figures and captions.
 • All tables should be numbered sequentially and should have caption immediately
above the table. Centre align tables and captions.
• Captions for figures and tables should be complete.
o Incorrect: Balance sheet
o Correct: Balance sheet of XYZ Ltd. for the financial year 2021-22
• All figures/tables should be cited in the text as “Table 1’ or ‘Figure 1’ and not ‘figure
below’ or ‘table below’
3.1. Citations & Referencing

All project reports should use in-text citations and referencing in APA style. In-text citations
should be used when you paraphrase or quote from a source. Source could be any of the
following: Journal articles, conference papers, workshops, symposiums, white paper, website,
newspaper article, books, thesis and dissertations, book chapters, magazines etc.

Here is a sample on how to use of APA style in text citations and References.

In the realm of digital marketing, understanding consumer behavior is paramount for

devising effective strategies. According to Kotler (2018), consumer behavior is influenced by
various factors, including cultural, social, personal, and psychological factors. Kotler
emphasizes the importance of analyzing these factors to tailor marketing campaigns that
resonate with target audiences. Moreover, a study by Smith and Johnson (2020) highlights the
significance of social media marketing in influencing consumer purchasing decisions. Through
an analysis of online consumer behavior, Smith and Johnson found that social media platforms
play a crucial role in shaping brand perception and fostering brand loyalty.

In today's competitive landscape, companies are increasingly turning to content marketing as

a means of engaging consumers and building brand awareness. Content marketing involves
creating and distributing valuable, relevant content to attract and retain a clearly defined
audience. The American Marketing Association (AMA, 2021) underscores the effectiveness of
content marketing in driving customer engagement and generating leads. According to the
AMA, content marketing allows brands to establish themselves as thought leaders in their
industry and build trust with consumers. By consistently delivering high-quality content, brands
can position themselves as reliable sources of information, thereby strengthening their
relationships with customers.

In the ever-evolving field of marketing research, staying updated on the latest trends and
developments is crucial for success. A recent study by Brown et al (2022) explores the impact
of artificial intelligence (AI) on marketing strategies. Through a comprehensive analysis of AI-
driven marketing techniques, Brown et al. elucidate how AI technologies, such as machine
learning algorithms and predictive analytics, are revolutionizing marketing practices. The study
emphasizes the need for marketers to embrace AI tools to gain deeper insights into consumer
behavior and enhance the effectiveness of their campaigns.

References:

American Marketing Association. (2021). Content Marketing Strategies. Retrieved from

https://www.ama.org/content-marketing-strategies/
 Brown, A., Davis, C., & Wilson, E. (2022). The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Marketing
Strategies. Journal of Marketing Research, 30(1), 45-67.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmr.2021.12.003

Kotler, P. (2018). Consumer Behavior: Understanding and Influencing Consumer Decisions.

Publisher.

Smith, T., & Johnson, L. (2020). The Impact of Social Media Marketing on Consumer Behavior.
Retrieved from https://www.example.com/social-media-marketing-consumer-behavior/

Some useful resources for referencing are here.

o On APA citations: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1FTbadOgp0&t

o Utilizing MS-Word to create APA style citations.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xowxPUlm76I
 Summer Internship Program Report/Management Project

<Title of the Project>

Appendix 1 (remove this box before printing)

DONOT USE COMPANY LOGO HERE

Company Logo (if applicable)

Submitted by
<Student Name>
PGDM (XX)
Id no 123
 Institute of Management Technology Hyderabad
XX June 202X

Summer Internship Program/Management Project Report

<Title of the Project >

Appendix 2 (remove this box before printing)

Submitted by
<Student Name>
PGDM (XX)
Id no 123

A report submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the PGDM (XX)
program of the
INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGY HYDERABAD
30 June 2022

Prof. Faculty Name Mr. Industry Mentor (if applicable)

 Assistant/Associate Professor Designation
IMT Hyderabad Name of Organization

Appendix 3
Acknowledgement
Here is a sample of how the acknowledgement could be worded. This is to be included in the
report at the time of final submission only:

This report has been prepared for the internship that has been done in the (Name of Organization) to
study the practical aspect of the course and implementation of the theory in the field with the purpose
of fulfilling the requirements of the course of (Name of Program)

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to (Supervisor at QACC, Manager/Director/HOD of the

Organization worked in, other employees, staff members etc.) for their support and encouragement.
I sincerely thank Prof. XXXX XXXX, IMT Hyderabad, for his/her constant support and guidance
throughout my management project and for providing his genuine and professional feedback to help
me improve.