person reviewing documents

Progress report

Evaluate your progress.

The progress report allows to better monitor the progress of students in their program. It also makes it possible to evaluate the progress made  during the last year and to define the objectives for the following year. The information provided in the report ensures that all students are making systematic and consistent progress in their research.

It’s also an opportunity for the student and the thesis supervisor to meet and to take stock of the research and adjust accordingly. It is important to take advantage of these meetings to review the research goals and agree on the expected progress in the months to come. It is possible that several versions of the progress report are needed before coming to a final version.

Download the Annual Research Progress Report form (PDF, 796 KB) .

Who must submit a thesis progress report arrow_drop_down

All students registered in a thesis program must submit an annual progress report.   Students who receive scholarships from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) or from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) must also submit progress reports.

How to submit the progress report arrow_drop_down

The student must submit the progress report to the thesis supervisor by submitting a Service Request in the Candidate Center accessible through  uoZone . The supervisor will then assess the student's progress. He or she will decide if the report is satisfactory or not, by comparing the objectives achieved by the student with the objectives established in the previous progress report.  If the student does not reach these objectives, the progress report could be deemed unsatisfactory.  It is therefore important that the student communicates with his supervisor throughout his studies in order to ensure an adequate progression of the academic path and the research. It is also possible that, following a meeting or a consultation, the student and the thesis supervisor decide to modify the objectives established during the last progress report. If this is the case, both must agree with the changes.

Once reviewed and approved by the thesis supervisor, the report will be submitted to the administration for verification and final approval.  The progress report will then be noted in the student's file.

When to submit a progress report arrow_drop_down

First report: During the second year of the program, specifically during the 4th term. Some faculties or units may however require a progress report before the 4th term. Following reports: One report per year until the submission of the thesis. If the progress is unsatisfactory, a report may be required more frequently.

Please note:

  • If the student has been granted an extension to complete the program, he or she will have to submit a progress report each term.
  • If the student is requesting a leave of absence, he or she must submit a progress report at the same time in order for the request to be approved.

Unsatisfactory progress reports arrow_drop_down

A progress report may be deemed unsatisfactory by the thesis supervisor or by the administration. 

A report can be unsatisfactory for several reasons. For example:

  • The thesis supervisor thinks that the student should be more advanced in the research;
  • External factors are influencing the research;
  • The objectives achieved by the student are not sufficient and/or are not aligned with the established objectives;
  • The research findings are not clear or do not support the thesis sufficiently.

In the case of an unsatisfactory report, the student will be informed of the imposed recommendations to follow. For example:

  • Submit a detailed study plan;
  • Establish more detailed goals with the thesis supervisor;
  • Meet with a thesis committee.

Please note:  After being informed that the report was unsatisfactory, the student will be asked to submit a new progress report that must be satisfactory before the next term.  Students who receive two unsatisfactory progress reports during their studies shall be withdrawn from the program.

Consequences of not submitting a progress report arrow_drop_down

If the student fails to submit a progress report, the access to registration will be blocked until the student remedies the situation. Not registering could have major financial impact and may eventually lead to the student's academic file being closed without further notice.  Any scholarship may be suspended or cancelled.

Tips for establishing effective communication with your thesis supervisor arrow_drop_down

  • The student must stay in touch with the thesis supervisor and meetings should be frequent to ensure the supervisor is well informed of the student's progress;
  • uOttawa encourages students to prepare self-evaluation reports on a regular basis and give them to the supervisor for feedback;
  • After each meeting, the student could make a summary including items discussed and the progress reached;
  • At the end of each meeting the student and the supervisor should plan the next meetings and establish objectives to be met. If possible, set the date of the following meeting.

Writing a progress/status report

By michael ernst, january, 2010.

Writing a weekly report about your research progress can make your research more successful, less frustrating, and more visible to others, among other benefits.

One good format is to write your report in four parts:

  • Quote the previous week's plan. This helps you determine whether you accomplished your goals.
  • State this week's progress. This can include information such as: what you have accomplished, what you learned, what difficulties you overcame, what difficulties are still blocking you, your new ideas for research directions or projects, and the like.
  • Give the next week's plan. A good format is a bulleted list, so we can see what you accomplished or did not. Try to make each goal measurable: there should be no ambiguity as to whether you were able to finish it. It's good to include longer-term goals as well.
  • Give an agenda for the meeting. Some people like to send this as a separate message, which is fine.

The report need not be onerous. It can be a few paragraphs or a page, so it shouldn't take you long to write. Minimize details that are not relevant to your audience, such as classwork and the like, in order to keep the report focused; you will spend less time writing it, and make it more likely to be read.

Writing the progress report has many benefits.

Writing the report will make you more productive, because it will force you to think about your work in a manner concretely enough to write down. Any time that you spend organizing your thoughts will more than pay itself back in better understanding and improved productivity. When a project is complete, it is all too easy to forget some of your contributions. You can look back over your progress reports to remember what was difficult, and to think about how to work more productively in the future. You may be able to re-use some of the text when writing up your results.

Writing the report will make your meetings more productive. When you have a weekly research meeting, the report should be sent 24 hours in advance, to help everyone prepare. (Two hours is not an acceptable alternative: it does not let everyone — both you and others — mull over the ideas.) Don't delay your report because you want to wait until you have better results to report. Instead, send the report on schedule, and if you get more results in the next 24 hours, you can discuss those at the meeting.

Writing the report will give you feedback from a new point of view. The report enables others outside your research project to know what you are doing. Those people may respond with ideas or suggestions, which can help get you unstuck or give you additional avenues to explore. It also keeps you on their radar screen and reminds them of your work, which a good thing if you don't meet with them frequently. (For PhD students, a periodic report to the members of your thesis committee can pay big dividends.)

Writing the report helps explain (to yourself especially, but also to others) how you spent your time — even if there isn't as much progress as you would have preferred, you can see that you did work hard, and how to be more efficient or effective in the future.

If your meetings are more frequent than weekly, then the progress report should also be more frequent. If your meetings are less frequent, it's a good idea to still send a progress report each week.

Important tip: Throughout the day, maintain a log of what you have done. This can be a simple text file. You can update it when you start and end a task, or at regular intervals throughout the day. It takes only a moment to maintain the log, and it makes writing the report easy. By contrast, without a log you might forget what you have done during the week, and writing the report could take a long time.

Back to Advice compiled by Michael Ernst .

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Progress Report: How to Write, Structure, and Make Project Progress Visually Attractive

progress report, how to write, structure, and make it visually attractive

Picture this: Days or weeks into a project, your supervisor asks for a progress report.

Depending on your experience with writing progress reports, you might respond with readiness, anxiety, or confusion. Where do you begin? How do you know you’ve created a satisfactory or even amazing final report? Fear not—the expert team here at Piktochart is here to help.

In this progress reporting guide, we’ll not only give you top tips on how to write a successful report but additionally provide you with progress report templates and checklists to keep you focused on the important stuff. We begin, of course, with the all-important question anyone from a newbie to even a seasoned professional might have: “What is a progress report?”

Table of contents:

What is a progress report, why is a progress report important.

  • How to write a progress report
  • How to structure a progress report
  • Free progress report templates you can edit right away

Progress report checklist

In case you prefer watching over reading, feel free to check out the video summary of this blog post:

A progress report is exactly what it sounds like—a document using simple and straightforward language that explains in detail what has been achieved and what else is needed for project completion. Essentially this document is a status update before the final report, outlining tasks completed by a team member, project manager, or team, along with what else needs to be done.

W hether you need to provide daily progress reports or even quarterly progress reports, this asset outlines the activities you’ve carried out, the tasks you’ve completed, and the milestones you’ve reached vis-à-vis your project plan .

Depending on the scope and complexity of the project, you might need to give a progress report weekly or monthly or for every 25% project milestone.

In terms of audience, a progress report is typically written for a supervisor, colleague, or client. Progress reports can be written from the perspective of one person as well as an entire team or department.

Throughout your career, you’re likely to be creating more reports than you can count (challenge for you: count them and find how many resources you’re using!).

Perhaps you find yourself spending more time crunching data and plugging numbers into graphs than actually working.

Reports don’t have to be as time-consuming as they often are. Progress report templates are time-savers! Get your free Piktochart account so you can follow along as we share more templates below.

We also tapped into the brilliance of Kevan Lee of Buffer in this interactive content experience to help you with your progress report projects.

Dive right in here, and learn some reporting hacks from Kevan .

Sometimes it might feel like writing about your progress in detail is redundant, especially when you’ve been regularly communicating with your supervisor, teammates, and client throughout the course of the project. Like any project manager, you probably think there are more important things to work on.

But this type of professional report is actually quite useful for several reasons.

1. It gets everyone on the same page

Each person who receives a copy of the report will know what has been accomplished and what is remaining. This prevents confusion about what has been or has yet to be done. Additionally, it provides proof and data about the respective project that can be cited and sourced if and when questions arise in the future.

2. Writing progress reports facilitates collaboration

This is especially important when different teams or departments work together. Knowing what another team is prioritizing helps prevent working in silos and also reduces task redundancy. Additionally, progress reporting helps a team identify areas where it can offer help or collaborate with others.

When teams can track progress on where other teams are on the project timeline, project managers get a better idea of the current status. They can reassign resources to make sure everyone is on track to hit the deadline for the current project, which can be tricky if you’re managing remote teams .

If you’d like to learn more about how you can work together with your team on a report, sign up for a free Piktochart account and try our online report maker .

3. It improves transparency and accountability by providing a paper trail

When you submit your report, you’ve placed on record that you’ve accomplished a task or explained why your results were different than expected. Once the document has been accepted, it becomes part of the project’s official documentation.

So, just in case someone accuses you in the future of failing to accomplish a task or not reporting a problem, you can point to the progress report as proof that you did so.

On the flip side, if your project ever gets nominated for an award, you can be sure validators will come seeking documents that explain how the entire thing was accomplished.

4. It improves project evaluation and review

Next time you plan for a project, your team can examine documents, including progress reports, of previous projects to find out what was done right, what went wrong, and what can be improved.

Previous reports can shed light on systemic issues, loopholes, and other causes of delay or failure—both internal and external—that must be avoided or resolved.

5. It provides insights for future planning

When the supervisor knows what tasks have been accomplished, he or she can focus on monitoring progress toward the next stages of the project.

When a report shows that delays have occurred, the supervisor is able to investigate the problems that hindered progress and take steps to prevent them from happening again in the future.

The supervisor will also be able to adjust the project timeline if absolutely needed or instruct teams to double down.

Ultimately, all the valuable insights from the project documentation can increase the chance of success for future projects.

Here is a progress report format example:

monthly report template

How to write progress report s

Have you ever found yourself stuck tapping your pen or staring at a blinking cursor, unable to begin writing?

Writer’s block is not an unusual experience when creating progress reports, especially for those whose jobs typically don’t involve drafting a long document or creating a formal report.

One reason people may find it difficult to write these reports is the thought that they’re not ‘writers.’ Yet, this is simply a negative mindset.

Reports don’t require sophisticated language—in fact, the simpler, the better.

Here are some writing tips on progress reporting:

“Piktochart is my go-to tool when I’m looking for a way to summarize data that is easy for our upper management to review. Piktochart provides me with the tools to display data in a creative, visually appealing way.” – Erica Barto, Selection, Testing & Assessment Specialist at Valero Energy Corporation Create a report, presentation, infographic, or other visuals online with Piktochart. You don’t need any graphic design experience to make professional visual content. Sign up for free .

1. Think of it as a Q&A

Before you start worrying about your reporting frequency and whether you should provide monthly reports or weekly reports, take a step back and focus on the purpose of the report itself.

In essence, the reporting process comes down to Q&A; you’re answering key questions about your progress. Imagine your manager, colleagues, or client asking you their most important questions, and you’re simply providing them with answers on the project status.

For example, let’s say that you’re organizing a weekend fair with food stalls and music and that you’re put in charge of food concessions.

The project plan might require you to have secured letters of intent (LOI) from at least 10 businesses by the end of the first month.

Your progress report would then outline the companies or entrepreneurs who have sent LOIs, including a description of their businesses and plans for their food stalls. If talks are in progress with other businesses that haven’t yet sent LOIs, you can include that and explain when they’re expected to send in their letters.

On the other hand, if you haven’t met your target, you’d have to explain why but also narrate the efforts you have exerted and the expected timeline for achieving the desired results.

roadblock, solution, timeline, problem solving

2 . Use simple and straightforward language

This doesn’t mean you can’t use technical jargon.

For example, if you’re in the construction business, you don’t have to avoid using terms like “tender” or “variation” or “risk management.”

But otherwise, speak plainly. Use clear and concise language.

One misconception in business writing is that complexity impresses. In truth, it only causes confusion. Fact is, being able to speak plainly about your subject indicates that you understand your subject matter inside out.

Let’s get specific. One thing that makes business documents dreary is the transformation of verbs into nouns—just like I did there.

If we had to rephrase that to keep the verb, we’d write, “transforming verbs into nouns.” It sounds simpler and gets to the point.

an infographic about how to transform verbs into nouns, tips for writing a progress report for project managers

3 . Avoid using the passive voice where possible

Sometimes, you can’t avoid using the passive voice in formal documents that prohibit the first-person point-of-view. But when done well, it helps to make your progress reports more relatable.

Going back to the food concession example, a passive sentence would read: “Research on potential food concessionaires was carried out.”

To make that sentence active, give it an actor (which is the team in this case), as in: “The team researched on potential food concessionaires.”

4. Be specific

A study published in the Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience found that when you use concrete words, you tend to engage both the left and right parts of the brain, while the right region tends to remain unstimulated by abstract words.

While the jury is still out on exactly how word meanings are represented in the mind, we can agree that the phrase “a merry sound” doesn’t stir the imagination as much as “tinkling bells”.

“A hot day” doesn’t activate visual imagery as much as “a melting popsicle” does. When a reader’s mind is stimulated by words, it’s less likely to drift off.

melting popsicle, imagery

Taking the previous example, “researched on potential food concessionaires” doesn’t evoke a visual image. Meanwhile, “built a list of 50 potential food concessionaires” is more concrete, especially when you add details of what food items might be sold.

5. Explain jargon if needed

This depends on who will be reading your progress reports, and if you’re using very specialized jargon that only members of your team would be familiar with.

For example, in a report written by a construction team addressed to the project manager , construction jargon could be used as the recipient obviously understands it.

6. Spell out acronyms when they first occur in the document

Don’t assume that every single person reading the report will understand all the acronyms you use without you spelling them out.

For instance, in construction work, SWMS should first be spelled out as “safe work method statement”. ‘Pre-starts’ should be spelled out as ‘pre-start checks’. So in your report, it would look like this: “safe work method statement (SWMS)”, then all subsequent references are free to just be SWMS.

7. Stick to facts

Avoid providing an opinion, unless it’s part of the project.

For instance, your task might be to analyze data and offer your interpretation and prediction. In that case, you can offer your speculation and point of view, as long as you have evidence to back you up.

8. Use graphics to supplement the text

Avoid writing down a long series of numbers in a sentence. Try using different types of graphs , tables or charts, especially when dealing with a series of numbers.

Here at Piktochart, we have many progress report templates, and the hiring progress report below is a great example.

hiring progress report template

When using graphs or charts, try out several types to determine which ones best present your data. You might use a bar graph , pie chart , line graph , or even scatter plot . When doing so, though, spend time distinguishing different data sets from the others by using labels and colors.

Don’t worry if this sounds daunting—there are plenty of software that can help you visualize data , including the most basic examples, MS Excel and Numbers for Mac.

How to structure progress report s

You may still be wondering about the exact process of how to write a progress report. Armed with all of these practical tips, how do you put the report together?

First, it depends on the type of report, as well as the intended reader. A progress report may be written daily, weekly, or monthly. It may be written for an individual or a team.

As you’ll see in the examples below, the main parts of a progress report are:

1. Introduction

This part provides an overview of the contents of the progress report. It’s best to write this after you’ve completed all the other parts of the report. That way, you’ll be able to provide an accurate summary.

Keep it short and simple. One or two paragraphs will do.

2. Accomplishments

Numbers and details are your friends, especially when writing this section of the progress report. The accomplishments you write should correspond to your goals.

milestones reached in a progress report

What were your goals for the period covered by the report?

This could be a goal for the day, week, month, or quarter. On the other hand, it could be a team goal, too.

Be concrete when writing goals. For instance:

goals for next month in a progress report

Avoid providing too much detailed information. The simpler this section is, the easier it is for stakeholders and the project team to see the project priorities.

4. Roadblocks

Explain what situations, if any, prevented you from achieving your goals, or may have hindered the project’s progress.

But don’t stop there. Be proactive and present an action plan and timeline for resolving the roadblocks. Include details, such as funds, materials, and human resources you may need to implement the solution.

Progress reporting templates you can edit right away

To guide you better, here are progress report template examples that are visually attractive and highly readable.

These templates are available if you sign up for a free Piktochart account . Once you log in, use any of the templates below and edit the elements and text to make it your own.

1. Daily progress report s

A daily progress report includes your goals for the day, as well as your accomplishments the previous day. It also explains challenges encountered in performing tasks and achieving goals.

Another section under the daily report is ‘lessons learned’. These need to be directly related to the day’s tasks and challenges, as well as to the previous day’s accomplishments.

daily progress report, report template piktochart

2. Weekly progress report

Weekly progress reports provide a week-by-week breakdown of what has been accomplished and what tasks remain to be completed.

Just like a daily report, a weekly progress report may include challenges and lessons learned. Examples are included in the templates below.

To get a better idea of this, let’s go back to the events example:

  • Many potential vendors were attending a week-long industry convention; couldn’t book meetings.
  • Potential vendors didn’t read the entire email.

example of challenges

Lessons Learned

  • Consider industry events when planning a timeline for contacting clients
  • Introductory emails must be short and have readable formatting

example of lessons learned

3. Monthly progress report ing

A monthly report is necessary for projects with longer durations. The report may provide both monthly and quarterly data on project progress.

cover of a monthly progress report template

4. Team progress report s

Team progress reports provide information on both team and individual milestones and progress status. Now this one is more complicated, simply because it involves several people who may have worked on different tasks.

It’s not enough to just let one person make the report. Of course, one person can do the typing, but everyone must provide input and feedback.

One way to keep a record of different team members’ input is to keep track of edits they have made.

To do this, simply enable tracking of changes on a Word document, or on Pages for Mac users. When working on a collaborative tool like Google Docs , click the pencil icon on the top-right part of the window, and choose “Edits become suggestions” on the drop-down menu. Here’s what that looks like:

suggesting mode google docs

On the other hand, team members can insert comments or questions. Again, you can do this easily on a Word document, as well as on software that let you comment on shared documents, like Google Docs and Piktochart .

Here’s what it looks like in Piktochart (learn more about this feature in our guide to annotated comments for teams ):

Here’s one example of Piktochart’s many team project report templates .

team progress report, template piktochart

One last thing… You’ve finally finished typing up your report—breathe a sigh of relief, but don’t hit ‘send’ just yet.

Go over it at least once (better to do it more than once, especially if it’s a team report). Re-read the article, edit the content as needed, then ask a teammate to proofread with a fresh pair of eyes.

checklist for reports, tips for creating reports, report checklist

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Writing Guide for Undergraduate Thesis Progress Reports

February 3rd, 2018

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Progress Reports

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Progress reports are common and critical documents in science and engineering, typically when you are part of a research team reporting to a funding agency about your progress on work you are doing for that agency. The basic point of a progress report is to summarize the status, progress, and likely future for a particular project. In a progress report you are often expected to commit to an exact schedule for the project completion, discuss the status of the materials being used and account for the money spent, and summarize concretely both the current findings and the predicted results. The professionalism of the progress report is often vital to the future of the project.

In classes and projects involving writing, progress reports are used as a way for you to summarize your progress to your teacher or advisor, who will typically give feedback on whether he or she is satisfied with your progress. These reports could feel like a mere formality or a waste of time to you, but they are an excellent opportunity to articulate some of the key sentences of your final report and even pose questions in writing to your audience. The rules for writing progress reports are a lot more flexible in a classroom or lab than they are on the job, with a lot less at stake, so you should take full advantage of the opportunity for practice.

For more ideas on writing progress reports, I recommend that you visit:

"Progress Reports" article from the Department of Engineering at Penn State

"Guidelines for Writing Reports" from networklearning.org

Style for Progress Reports

The following stylistic advice can be applied to most progress reports you write:

  • Include a working title and the words "Progress Report" at the top of the page.
  • Use section headings in the report to simplify both the writing and reading process.
  • Open the report with a "Scope and Purpose" section, where you give a condensed version of your future report’s introduction and objective.
  • Always include a section entitled, for example, "Progress," which summarizes the work’s pace and progress and explains any snafus, dilemmas, or setbacks.
  • Always include a section entitled, for example, "Remaining Work," which honestly assesses the work that must still be completed. Think right on the page in this section, posing questions, speculating meaningfully, exploring your options.
  • Always include a section that projects the expected results. Commit to a schedule for obtaining those results if possible.
  • If necessary, include a section in which you directly solicit advice from your teacher or advisor. Be forthright and professional about the nature of the advice you need.
  • Keep your paragraphs short and focused—just a few paragraphs per section, typically.
  • Your tone can often be straightforward and familiar—therefore, as a rule, you can use "I" and "you" freely—but do not lapse into informality.
  • Avoid being overly optimistic, pessimistic, apologetic, cocky, or self-deprecating.
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How to Write a Progress Report

Last Updated: May 11, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Ksenia Derouin . Ksenia Derouin is a Business Strategy Specialist, OBM, and Artist based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. With over ten years of professional experience, Ksenia works with wellness and social impact sector solopreneurs and organizations to support their business strategy, operations, marketing, and program development. Her mission is to support business owners in building thriving businesses and creating impact so that they can achieve a sense of purpose, career fulfillment, and financial independence. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 439,393 times.

Progress reports are an important part of project management, whether it's your dissertation or a project at work. You'll need to use these to keep your supervisors, your colleagues, or your clients updated about the project you're working on. You'll be focusing on what you've accomplished and what still needs to be done.

Beginning the Process

Step 1 Figure out what your purpose is for the proposal.

  • Progress report for a research program or project is going to be slightly different than for a project at work. In this case you are more likely to need to cite information and are less likely to need to consider things like cost (although not always).
  • A work report for a client is going to read somewhat differently than for a superior at work. You'll need to consider why you're writing this report for them.

Step 2 Consider your audience.

  • How are your readers connected to the project? How will the outcome of the project affect them? (The connection and how they're affected is going to be different for your superior than for the client, for example.)
  • Consider what decision your readers are going to need to make after reading the progress report (what support, money, time are they investing, for example.
  • Consider the information your reader is going to need to know to oversee and participate in the project effectively. What technical aspects of the project will they need to know. Are they comfortable with technical jargon?

Step 3 Decide on the best way to communicate with your audience.

  • A progress report could be a brief oral report at weekly or monthly staff meetings.
  • It could be periodic emails to colleagues.
  • It could be formal or informal memos to supervisors.
  • It can also be formal reports for clients or government agencies.

Step 4 Check with your supervisor.

  • When it comes to information for a client or government agency, or thesis review board, you err on the side of formality.
  • No matter the formality or informality of your tone you want it to be clear, focused, and honest.

Writing Your Report

Step 1 Decide how you want to present your material.

  • You might choose to do a bulleted list. It's a very clear way to present the material and it's easy to skim and still get the needed information. However, it can be a slightly less formal way of writing a progress report so it might be better to use it for memos to supervisors and emails to colleagues.
  • You may also consider adding in graphs or tables. This might be especially good if you're writing a progress report for a project in which you're trying to get funding, or show why you deserve the funding you've been given.

Step 2 Consider using subsections.

  • Adding subheadings to your can make this even clearer, because it lets your readers or audience know what to expect in each subsection. If there is material that they are particularly interested in they'll be able to jump right to that part.

Step 3 Write the heading.

  • The heading should include the date, when the report was submitted, the name and the position of the recipient, the writer’s name and position, and the subject of the report.

Step 4 Write the introductory section.

  • Make sure to include: the purpose of the report, introduce the project, remind that this is an update on the progress of the project.

Step 5 Do the body of the proposal.

  • Specify tasks that have been accomplished since the last report and what tasks are ongoing.
  • Discuss problems that you’ve encountered, issues that need to be addressed, and potential solutions for those problems and issues.
  • Address changes that have happened and why they needed to be made.
  • You can also include things like personnel changes, difficulty in obtaining material, what cost overruns you may have encountered, any delays or problems with technology or security.
  • It also helps to provide a timeline of the project with any relevant due dates.

Step 6 Address what is next for your project.

  • You really do want to make sure say whether the deadline for the project has changed or not.
  • Avoid sugarcoating any problems for your audience, but don’t alarm them unnecessarily or promise anything you can’t deliver.

Step 7 Add in total hours worked.

Avoiding Common Difficulties

Step 1 Make sure you stay on topic.

  • For example: if your project is about reigniting a local, nonprofit arts organization, it might be tempting to go off into a discussion of the deplorable state of arts funding, but it won't really help detail how your project is coming along.

Step 2 Keep it simple.

  • Depending on who you're writing the report for you might be cut down to a specific page limit. A good rule of thumb is to keep it as short as possible, while making sure that you fit in the appropriate information.

Step 3 Try to avoid being too vague.

Community Q&A

Community Answer

  • Try to judge your supervisor's style. She may have a preference for the types of reports she likes to see. Some may want to see more lists or bulleted information; others will like to know as little as possible to get by. Still others may prefer as much information as possible, no matter how many pages it takes. Thanks Helpful 36 Not Helpful 10
  • Be specific throughout the progress summary, but try not to be overly wordy. Thanks Helpful 18 Not Helpful 6

progress report of thesis

  • In order not to be caught unprepared when it's time for a progress report, it's a good idea to record information as you go along so it's easy to put all the information together. Thanks Helpful 8 Not Helpful 6

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Expert Interview

progress report of thesis

Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about improving your business, check out our in-depth interview with Ksenia Derouin .

  • ↑ https://pressbooks.bccampus.ca/technicalwriting/chapter/progressreports/
  • ↑ https://pressbooks.pub/coccoer/chapter/progress-reports/
  • ↑ https://ohiostate.pressbooks.pub/feptechcomm/chapter/2-audience/
  • ↑ https://pressbooks.bccampus.ca/technicalwriting/chapter/figurestables/
  • ↑ https://www.e-education.psu.edu/styleforstudents/c6_p10.html

About This Article

Ksenia Derouin

To write a progress report, start by deciding how you want to present your info, like with a bulleted list or a graph. You can also add subsections to your report, which can help keep things clear and easy to follow. Then, write your heading across the top of the paper and include relevant details like the date and subject of the report. Below that, add an introduction using italics to give a brief overview of the report. Next, include details in the body, like specific tasks you worked on, and conclude it by addressing what’s next for your project. To learn why considering your audience can help you write a progress report, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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51+ SAMPLE Research Progress Report in PDF | MS Word | Google Docs | Apple Pages

research progress report

Research Progress Report | MS Word | Google Docs | Apple Pages

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Cancer Research Progress Report Summary

1. research performance progress report, 2. research internship progress report , 3. research administration progress report, 4. research center progress report format, step 1: create a cover page, step 2: make the executive summary, step 3:  define the participants of the research program, step 4:   describe the research project accomplishments, step 5: proofread, revise, and prepare the final research progress report, share this post on your network, file formats, word templates, google docs templates, excel templates, powerpoint templates, google sheets templates, google slides templates, pdf templates, publisher templates, psd templates, indesign templates, illustrator templates, pages templates, keynote templates, numbers templates, outlook templates, you may also like these articles, 12+ sample construction daily report in ms word | pdf.

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Student research progress is evaluated at the end of each semester for every student in programs with a thesis, project or major paper, starting when the student is engaged in their research. The student’s research supervisory committee is responsible for evaluating their research progress in relation to the student’s overall research plan. Students may receive an evaluation of:

  • Satisfactory Research Progress:   The student is developing their research adequately relative to the stage in their research program. There may be minor problems with progress in an overall evaluation of satisfactory progress.
  • Difficulties with Research Progress:   The student has some important issue or issues that need to be addressed in order to attain reasonable progress relative to the stage in the student’s research program.
  • Unsatisfactory Research Progress:   The student has some fundamental problem or problems with their research progress relative to the stage in the student’s research program.

Normally, students who are not progressing well will be given an evaluation of   Difficulties with Research Progress   as their first indication of serious lack of progress. Students with an evaluation of Difficulties with Research Progress must subsequently receive a satisfactory evaluation on their next research progress report in order to remain in clear standing.

Students with an evaluation of Difficulties with Research Progress who do not achieve a satisfactory evaluation on their next research progress report will receive an   Unsatisfactory Research Progress   evaluation. Clear and significant cases of lack of research progress may result in an Unsatisfactory Research Progress evaluation without first receiving an evaluation of Difficulties with Research Progress.

Students who receive an Unsatisfactory Research Progress evaluation will be assigned   probationary status   and remain on probation until such time as they successfully achieve a satisfactory evaluation on their research progress report. A student who receives a second Unsatisfactory Research Progress evaluation shall be   dismissed .

Instructions for completing the research progress report will be emailed to students in research-based programs near the end of every term. If you have not received the email or have questions, please contact [email protected] .

Ontario Tech University

Examples

Research Progress Report

progress report of thesis

Progress reports . You heard of them, you may even think they are useful or useless. You may also think that as a student, you don’t have to write them. However, this is not always the case. A research progress report is nothing short as one of the necessary reports you need to make. When it comes to writing reports, a lot of students may feel the need to complain due to the fact that writing reports can be boring or simply a waste of time. What they don’t know is that giving a report is useful for their professors, especially when it is used as a way to know the progress of their performance, school projects, or research activities. So take a good look at these examples to help you out with your research progress report.

10+ Research Progress Report Examples

1. research progress report template.

Research Progress Report Template

  • Google Docs

2. Summer Stipend Research Progress Report

Summer Stipend Research Progress Report

Size: 31 KB

3. Biomedical Research Progress Report

Biomedical Research Progress Report

Size: 150 KB

4. Research Performance Progress Report

Research Performance Progress Report

Size: 76 KB

5. Weekly Research Progress Report

Weekly Research Progress Report

Size: 103 KB

6. Printable Research Progress Report

Printable Research Progress Report

Size: 681 KB

7. Research Fellow Progress Report

Research Fellow Progress Report

8. Human Research Progress Report

Human Research Progress Report

Size: 117 KB

9. Editable Research Progress Report

Editable Research Progress Report

Size: 113 KB

10. Candidate Research Progress Report

Candidate Research Progress Report

Size: 290 KB

11. Annual Research Progress Report

Annual Research Progress Report

What Is a Research Progress Report?

The progress of your research . Whether that progress will be a lot or not as much. The report consists of the detailed progress you give to your superior or for students’ cases to their professors on how their research assignment or research project is going. In addition to that, a research progress report not only consists of the exact progress, but it also consists of what you have been doing, how the research is going, and of course the information you are going to be giving or the evidence whether positive or negative. Everything is written there. A research progress report is a document that clearly states what it is supposed to state.

How to Write a Research Progress Report?

To write a research progress report , there are a lot of ways to do so. Regardless of how you plan it out, draft it out and finalize it, there are still some things you have to think about when you want to proceed. Here are some tips that will get you started with your research progress report.

1. Write the Title of Your Report

The title of your report should at least be about what your research is about. It does not have to be something too fancy that the whole point of the report is lost or too obvious that would make the report redundant.

2. State the Achievements That Have Been Done

Any achievement that has been done or recorded should be written down, no matter how minuscule or large these achievements are. Progress is progress and it should also be recorded.

3. State the Name of the Researchers

The researchers names should also at least be a part of the report, especially if it is a group research. It is always best to add the names of the people involved in helping you with the progress of your report or the progress of your research. Give them some credit.

4. Give the Expected Publication for the Research

There are some who may be asking for the expected publication of your research . If this were the case, at least give the expected date of the research; however, as for the report, when you are done writing it, you should immediately check if you have everything written for it to be presentable.

5. Add the Statistics and Evidence to Support Your Report

The statistics and evidence to support your report should also be present. The reason for having to add evidence for a progress report is to show your professors or your superiors enough to compare the previous progress reports to the current report, regardless if there is any progress or the lack of it.

What is a research progress report?

A research progress report is a document that summarizes the progress of a research made by students. In order for their professors to know the exact ongoing of their research, the students are tasked to write about what is going on with their report and how far are they to achieving it.

Are there other ways to write a research progress report?

There are other ways, but the most common is writing it in an essay form. Of course, you can also fill out a form that states a research progress report form. But it is usual to present it in paragraph form in order for your professors to see the details of the statistics given.

Is a research progress report short or long?

A general research progress report is expected to be a page long. However, this would depend on how much progress you have made throughout your research and how much reports you have done in order to compare from your previous ones.

We are taught to write progress reports while we are still in school, so when we are out there in the real world, we are able to understand the reason and the purpose of writing these kinds of reports. A research progress report is simply just another kind of progress report that we are taught to write. It helps your teachers know where your progress is at the moment and how long are they going to expect your research project to be completed.

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Master Thesis/Project Report Format

Guidelines for preparation of master thesis/project report, overview of the steps.

  • Select master project/thesis advisor.
  • Select a project topic.
  • Select a committee.
  • Obtain approvals for committee, advisor.
  • Register for the master project/thesis course with thesis advisor. (A section number will be provided to you by your project/thesis advisor.)
  • Start Research on your master project.
  • (Optional)  Present a thesis proposal to the committee during mid-way of the thesis.
  • Write project report/thesis.
  • Present your master project and/or defend thesis.
  • Submit your master project report, or publish thesis.

Project/Thesis Option

Discuss with your master project advisor at the beginning to decide whether your master project will be more suited for the project or thesis option.

Questions to ask when evaluating your master project topic:

  • Is there current interest in this topic in the field?
  • Is there is a gap in knowledge that work on this topic could help to fill?
  • Is it possible to focus on a manageable segment of this topic?
  • Identify a preliminary method of data collection that is acceptable to your advisor.
  • Is there a body of literature is available that is relevant to your topic?
  • Do you need financial assistance to carry out your research?
  • Is the data necessary to complete your work is easily accessible?
  • Define the project purpose, scope, objectives, and procedures.
  • What are the potential limitations of the study?
  • Are there any skills called on by the study that you have yet to acquire?

Master level project involves:

  • Analyzing the problem or topic.
  • Conducting extensive research.
  • Summarizing findings from the research investigation.
  • Recommending additional research on the topic.
  • Drawing conclusions and making recommendations.
  • Documenting the results of the research.
  • Defending conclusions and recommendations.

Pre-Thesis Planning

When you’re contemplating a thesis topic, you should discuss your interests with as many people as possible to gain a broad perspective. You will find your faculty advisor knowledgeable and willing to offer excellent suggestions and advice regarding an appropriate thesis topic.

Give considerable thought to the identification and planning of a thesis topic. Review literature related to your interests; read a variety of research papers, abstracts, and proposals for content, methods and structure. Looking at completed master’s theses will be a useful activity toward expanding inquiry skills and thought processes.

After the thesis advisor is selected, you may register on-line for a thesis section. You will need to see your thesis instructor to obtain the thesis section number.

Suggested Master Project/Thesis Completion Timeline

Below please find a suggested timeline. Individual timelines may vary from one student to another.

Required Deadlines

  • The approval page with all signatures must be submitted to the graduate advisor prior to the last day of the semester.
  • The thesis must be submitted electronically prior to the last day of classes. The last day of class can be identified in the on-line Academic calendar.

Scholarship Possibilities

Funding is usually available to students with expertise to the specific area. You will want to research scholarship options during the pre-project planning as many scholarship applications are due months before the award is granted.

  • Research assistantship with a faculty advisor related to the topic of research
  • Teaching assistantship to teach an undergraduate laboratory
  • Check with  Career Center  for on-campus positions
  • Attend all career fairs that would be of interest to consider summer internships
  • SPIE (The International Society for Optics and Photonics)
  • ISA (International Society of Automation)

More opportunities exist; you will need to search for scholarships based on your topic of research.

Citing Sources

The Technology Division at the Cullen College of Engineering* does not mandate citation styles, but you must cite your sources and cite them consistently. Here are some helpful links to assist you with citation:

  • Landmark's Son of a Citation Machine
  • Wikipedia Citation Templates

*The   Human Development Consumer Science department   prefers you to use the APA style. Please consult with your thesis advisor when choosing a citation style .

Thesis Quality

The Technology Division at the Cullen College of Engineering has significant expectations with regard to thesis quality. Poor or average level theses will not receive college approvals. It is the joint responsibility of the student and the committee to ensure that the thesis is of acceptable quality. Ultimately, the task is one borne by the student as the thesis is a reflection of the quality of their work. The thesis committee can direct the student to seek assistance if quality issues are noticed as the chapters are developed. The student should take quality feedback seriously and not wait until the end to attempt to fix this type of problem as it can result in significant delays and postponement of graduation. When you write and defend your thesis, keep the following guidelines in mind:

  • Shows a cursory examination of the topic.
  • Makes little use of existing data sources.
  • Fails to examine primary sources.
  • Shows little comprehension of crucial texts or research in the subject matter.
  • Lacks adequate organization.
  • Treats the topic in a competent, straightforward way.
  • Shows a good grasp of the material.
  • Makes use of existing data sources in a competent fashion or shows a good acquaintance with primary sources and current research.
  • Shows a solid comprehension of research in the subject matter
  • Sustains a line of argumentation throughout the thesis
  • Shows all of the above qualities of a quality thesis as well as some measure of originality in research. Originality is defined as developing new data; treating existing data in an original or particularly compelling way; developing new or particularly compelling theoretical arguments; interpreting existing research in an original or particularly compelling way; or bringing primary or secondary materials and research together to sustain a new, comprehensive or compelling interpretation. In general, a thigh quality thesis either shows some measure of originality in its argument or empirical base; or is in some other way striking or new.

Organization of Thesis

The original and copies of the thesis MUST include the following items  IN THE ORDER LISTED :

  • Blank sheet of bond paper at the beginning of each copy submitted.
  • Copyright page (optional).
  • Title Page (must show month and year of graduation - see example).
  • Signature page (see example). All three required copies must have ORIGINAL SIGNATURES of the committee and the student. Signatures must be in black ink. This page should be omitted from the electronic thesis.
  • Acknowledgment (optional).
  • Abstract Title Page (optional - must show month and year of graduation - see example).
  • Abstract (optional - University Microfilms, Inc. requires abstracts be no longer than 150 words.).
  • Table of Contents.
  • References.

Style Requirements

Although there is no prescribed style for the completed thesis, there are several style manuals available which may prove helpful. The student should contact the thesis advisor to discuss the style manual to be used.  Above all, it is important to be consistent throughout the entire thesis.  Decide how you wish to structure your manuscript and be consistent throughout it.

Steps in the Submission of Electronic Dissertation/Thesis

  • Write your thesis per Technology Division at the Cullen College of Engineering thesis guidelines.
  • Successfully defend your thesis. Make corrections per the thesis committee.
  • Committee signs the approval page.
  • Submit a copy of the final thesis version to the Associate Dean for Research for Graduate Studies or your graduate advisor for formatting review a minimum of two weeks prior to the end of the semester.
  • Wait for formatting approval before beginning electronic submission process.

Electronic Submission

  • Create a single pdf file of the thesis. The signature page is NOT included in the online submission.
  • Submit the signed approval page to your graduate advisor. Approval page is stored in the student’s file. ET students must also submit rubric sheets, one for each committee member.
  • Please note you will be asked if you would like to embargo your work, request a journal hold or a patent hold. Be sure to check with your committee chair about these features and whether your committee chair will approve them.
  • Uploading the thesis requires an active Cougarnet account and log in. If you have not used your Cougarnet account in more than 90 days, please contact the ETD administrator for assistance.
  • You will receive an e-mail confirming your upload to TDL. Please forward this email to your graduate advisor.
  • Wait for confirmation from your faculty chair and graduate advisor that your document has been accepted.
  • Email your committee chair requesting approval of your submission. Also request approval of the embargo, if applicable.

Specifications

The font should be Times New Roman, 12 pt. font

The margins should be one inch (1") each

Electronic Copy Submission

All CCE Technology Division theses submitted in an electronic format may be hosted on the College webpage. You must submit an electronic copy of the thesis in pdf format that accurately represents the printed version of the final document.

  • Copyright Page Example
  • Title Page Example
  • Signature Page Example
  • Acknowledgements Page Example
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  • A Message from the Senior Associate Dean
  • Giving to the CCE Technology Division
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University Registrar’s Office

Dissertation progress report faqs for students.

The Dissertation Progress Report is a tool that is used to track your progress from the time you are admitted to candidacy until you submit your dissertation.

Your initial DPR will be created when you are admitted to candidacy. You will be required to complete a new progress report on April 1 st of each year until you submit your dissertation.

Upon submission of your DPR, you adviser(s) will receive an email notifying them that you have submitted a DPR for their review. Your DGS will also be notified once your adviser has completed their review.

You can email your adviser or your department registrar and request they return your DPR to you for modifications.

Upon successful submission, your DPR status will change from Requires Student Input to Pending Adviser Review.

Log back in to DPR to see the status of your DPR. The Report Status column will show if the status of your DPR.

Contact your department registrar and ask that your adviser be updated.

You will receive an email notification upon approval of you DPR.

Yes, you can log back into the DPR at any time to see reports that have been submitted. Click on the report year and a Report History block will pop-up. Click on the type of report you want to view, Student, Adviser, or DGS to see each report.

From your DPR Home page you can see the Pending Report and Prior Report.  The Prior Report will show a list of the report years in which your DPR has been completed or closed. Click on the report year to see previous assessments.

IMAGES

  1. FREE 11+ Research Progress Report Samples in MS Word

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  2. Awesome How To Write Progress Report Of Research Project Example Lab

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  5. Project Plan and Progress Report of the thesis

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  6. SUPERVISOR'S PROGRESS REPORT EXTENDED RESEARCH OR MINOR THESIS

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VIDEO

  1. Step 1

  2. SCI-Arc Graduate Thesis: 'Miniatures 2' at Hauser & Wirth Los Angeles

  3. Progress Reports

  4. HOW TO WRITE RESEARCH/THESIS RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS, SUMMARY, CONCLUSION, & RECOMMENDATION

  5. How to make progress report for research paper

  6. A Normal Late Night Programming Progress Video I Sent to My Team

COMMENTS

  1. Sample Progress Report

    Sample Progress Report. The following short progress report, written by a student in geology, provides an excellent example of how concrete and affirmative a progress report can be. Note the specificity even in the title, and how sections such as "Remaining Questions" and "Expected Results" demonstrate that the writer, even though he is two ...

  2. PDF Thesis/Dissertation Progress Report

    progress, every semester that they register for thesis/dissertation credits. All members of the supervisory committee are expected to be present at the meeting and provide generous support for student's research efforts. The committee chair must sign the report. Please note, virtual meetings and e-signatures are encouraged until further notice.

  3. Progress report

    First report: During the second year of the program, specifically during the 4th term. Some faculties or units may however require a progress report before the 4th term. Following reports: One report per year until the submission of the thesis. If the progress is unsatisfactory, a report may be required more frequently. Please note:

  4. Progress Reports

    Progress Reports. A progress report provides information on the status of an undertaking. It is typically produced at set intervals over the duration of a project. The length of a progress report varies, depending on the type of project, the frequency of reports, and who is reading the report. Below are general guidelines for writing a progress ...

  5. PDF Progress report template

    Tentative title of the doctoral thesis . 1. Abstract Present the background of your research project, list its main goals, describe the methods to be used and the expected results as well as their impact for the field and beyond. 2. Progress to Date Present the research work you have undertaken since your last progress report, describe the ...

  6. Writing a progress report

    Writing a progress/status report by Michael Ernst January, 2010. Writing a weekly report about your research progress can make your research more successful, less frustrating, and more visible to others, among other benefits. ... (For PhD students, a periodic report to the members of your thesis committee can pay big dividends.) Writing the ...

  7. Progress Report: How to Write, Structure, and Make It Visual

    1. Think of it as a Q&A. Before you start worrying about your reporting frequency and whether you should provide monthly reports or weekly reports, take a step back and focus on the purpose of the report itself. In essence, the reporting process comes down to Q&A; you're answering key questions about your progress.

  8. Writing Guide for Undergraduate Thesis Progress Reports

    The aim of doing the undergraduate thesis is give a small amount of research training. That is, give some idea what it is like to be a researcher and implement scientific techniques to solve problems. At the end of the first semester (term), you will be asked to write a progress report, upon which you will be graded.

  9. Master Thesis Progress Report Sample

    This document provides a template for a master's thesis progress report. It discusses some of the key challenges in writing such a report, including comprehensively understanding one's research objectives and articulating thoughts with precision. The template offers guidance on crafting a progress report that succinctly encapsulates the evolution of one's thesis and provides insights into ...

  10. Progress Reports

    Style for Progress Reports. The following stylistic advice can be applied to most progress reports you write: Include a working title and the words "Progress Report" at the top of the page. Use section headings in the report to simplify both the writing and reading process. Open the report with a "Scope and Purpose" section, where you give a ...

  11. DOC First Semester Thesis Progress Reoport

    Thesis Adviser:_____ Senior Thesis Progress Report . This form must be submitted to your adviser and to the Undergraduate Program Office by Monday, Dec. 5th 4:00pm. Please attach the following items: a. A description of your thesis topic in one sentence. b A brief description of your thesis (250-500 words). A research plan. An outline. A ...

  12. PDF TEMPLATES FOR WRITING A

    progress report should be as short as to provide sufficient information. Format for the Research Proposal and Progress Reports Except the cover page, the text should use common font faces, such as Times, Helvetica, and Courier at the 12-point size. The line spacing should be 1.5- or double-spaced. (However, in the reference list, you can use single

  13. How to Write a Progress Report (with Pictures)

    Make sure to include: the purpose of the report, introduce the project, remind that this is an update on the progress of the project. 5. Do the body of the proposal. The body of proposal, whether it's broken into sections and subsections, is basically just a more detailed version of the introduction.

  14. 51+ SAMPLE Research Progress Report in PDF

    Step 3: Define the Participants of the Research Program. If you are creating an annual progress report, list the organizations currently participating in the research project, state the type of organizations for each business/industry, university, non-profit, etc., and describe the type and level of each involvement.

  15. Research progress reports

    Research progress reports. Student research progress is evaluated at the end of each semester for every student in programs with a thesis, project or major paper, starting when the student is engaged in their research. The student's research supervisory committee is responsible for evaluating their research progress in relation to the student ...

  16. PDF Thesis Progress Report

    Note: It is recommended that students write the Progress Report in Thesis Format. Created Date: 9/4/2009 1:33:02 PM ...

  17. PDF Thesis Progress Report

    Thesis Committee Meetings are required annually per BE policy. The Student sections should be completed prior to the Thesis Committee Meeting. Please see back of form for additional topics and the signature line for the Thesis Committee Chairperson. Please return this form by email to: [email protected] or deliver the hard-copy to the BE ...

  18. What is a Dissertation Progress Report (DPR)?

    The Dissertation Progress Report is a tool that is used to track your progress from the time you are admitted to candidacy until you submit your dissertation. Category: DPR Students.

  19. Research Progress Report

    Here are some tips that will get you started with your research progress report. 1. Write the Title of Your Report. The title of your report should at least be about what your research is about. It does not have to be something too fancy that the whole point of the report is lost or too obvious that would make the report redundant. 2.

  20. Master Thesis/Project Report Format

    Register for the master project/thesis course with thesis advisor. (A section number will be provided to you by your project/thesis advisor.) Start Research on your master project. (Optional) Present a thesis proposal to the committee during mid-way of the thesis. Write project report/thesis. Present your master project and/or defend thesis.

  21. Progress Report of The Doctoral Thesis

    The thesis advisor(s) must also send their report, following the template "Model d'informe del director del seguiment anual RD 99/2011 (18/07/2013)", which outlines the progress that the PhD student has made and that endorses the student´s report Please consult the document "Procedure of the Evaluation of Academic Progress"

  22. Dissertation Progress Report FAQs for Students

    You will be required to complete a new progress report on April 1 st of each year until you submit your dissertation. What happens to my Dissertation Progress Report after I submit? Upon submission of your DPR, you adviser(s) will receive an email notifying them that you have submitted a DPR for their review. Your DGS will also be notified once ...

  23. Research Progress Report : NUS Graduate School (NUSGS)

    University Hall, Tan Chin Tuan Wing Level 05, #05-03. 21 Lower Kent Ridge Road. Singapore 119077. Research Progress Report What it is? A Research Progress Report outlines the progress you have made towards your research work or thesis writing. Your.

  24. Submission and Formatting 101: Master the Dissertation, Thesis, and

    Who: Students completing a dissertation, thesis or report; faculty and staff who assist students with submission; Where: Virtual and in-person (Admin 404 - limit for room is 30); (register to attend online and receive participation instructions) Registration: Please register to receive handouts via email or attend online. The seminar will be ...