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MP Milestones- Formatting Tips

Cover Page

Before submitting your final Work Plan or Final Report, be sure to add a cover page at the beginning of the document. Please see here for a cover sheet template. Providing a cover page at the beginning of your document is an essential part of formally presenting your research. Your cover page should list:

  1. Project Title
  2. Student Name(s)
  3. MP Advisor Name(s)
  4. Client (if applicable)
  5. Date and Degree

Executive Summary

Your executive summary will be included in your DukeSpace submission of your final report. Another signed copy of your executive summary will be submitted to Student Services. Please note there is a difference in format between these two submissions.

DukeSpace Executive Summary Formatting (Part 1 of Final Report Submission)

The executive summary is an overall summary of the master’s project, clearly stating the problem (that instigated/inspired/necessitated the MP), and a description of all parts of the master’s project significance, objectives, methods, findings/results, broader ramifications of the work, and conclusions. The summary should stand alone (i.e., be intelligible to those who may not have the opportunity to read the entire work). It may not exceed 2 typewritten pages. The recommended length is 650-900 words (1000 words maximum). It may be typed 1.5 or single-spaced. Normally, the summary follows the cover sheet and precedes the table of contents in the report. It is titled “EXECUTIVE SUMMARY” and may be numbered with a small Roman numeral or left unnumbered. Formatting can include bullets if desired. During final upload to the library site, this Executive Summary will be pasted in as the “abstract.” Please incorporate the unsigned version of the Executive Summary in the final project uploaded to DukeSpace. Final MP examples are also available in DukeSpace. Please reference the MP Handbook DukeSpace page for more information on uploading to DukeSpace.

Student Services Executive Summary Formatting (Part 2 of Final Report Submission)

The Executive Summary signed by the project advisor is required by Student Services only.

Examples of signed Executive Summary submissions to Student Services.

The content of the summary is the same as the executive summary in the final report, but the format differs. The title of the project, the author’s name(s), and the date of the submission should be included in the heading. It may be typed 1.5 or single spaced. Please make sure your MP Advisor(s) provide a signature and date to show completion of the project at the bottom of your Executive Summary. The signed, separate executive summary must be submitted to Student Services by the deadline found on the 2S Timeline at a Glance or 3S Timeline at a Glance.

Final Report Content

Generally, project reports or research papers contain the following five sections, though content will be project-specific and may vary considerably for client projects.

Refer to the style guide recommended by your advisor.