How to Write an IT Report for Polytechnic Students (ND and HND)

Quick summary:

An IT (industrial training) report for polytechnic students usually has front pages (title page, certification, dedication, acknowledgement, abstract and table of contents) followed by 4 or 5 chapters: Introduction, Background of the Organisation, Work Done During the Training, Knowledge and Skills Gained (in the 5-chapter layout), and Summary, Conclusion and Recommendations. For the one-year IT after ND, describe your work in stages across the year instead of one long list. Always check your department's IT report guide for the exact chapter titles.

Most report guides online are written for university SIWES. A polytechnic IT report follows the same idea, but there are a few differences: the title page names your polytechnic and the award (ND or HND), and the one-year IT after ND gives you far more to write about than a 3-month placement.

This guide shows the format most Nigerian polytechnics use. Your department's guide comes first, so use this as a checklist.

The order of an IT report

Front pages (numbered i, ii, iii)

1. Title page: the report title, your name and matric number, the company, your department and polytechnic, and a line such as "submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the National Diploma (ND) in Computer Science".
2. Certification: signed by your school supervisor, the IT coordinator and sometimes your head of department. See the certification page.
3. Dedication (optional). See dedication examples.
4. Acknowledgement. See acknowledgement examples.
5. Abstract. One paragraph on where you trained, what you did and what you learned. See how to write the abstract.
6. Table of contents, then lists of figures and tables.

The chapters

After the last chapter come the references (if your school wants them) and appendices, such as photos, diagrams or sample forms you worked on.

What goes in each chapter

Chapter One: Introduction

A short background of industrial training in Nigeria, its aims and objectives, and the duration and place of your training. Keep this chapter short. Write about your training, not three pages of history. See the aims and objectives of SIWES.

Chapter Two: Background of the Organisation

The company's history, vision and mission, what it does, and its departments. Add an organogram (organisation chart) as a figure, and say which department you worked in. See how to draw a company organogram.

Chapter Three: Work Done

This is the main chapter. Describe the tasks you did, the tools and equipment you used, and how you did them. Use subheadings for each kind of task, and add photos or diagrams where they help.

For the one-year IT, write it in stages. A year of work as one long list is hard to read. Break it up, for example:

• 3.1 Months 1 to 3: orientation, safety, learning the basic tools
• 3.2 Months 4 to 8: the main tasks you did on your own
• 3.3 Months 9 to 12: larger jobs, supervising newer students, any project you led

Your logbook is your source here. If you filled it properly, this chapter almost writes itself. See how to fill your IT logbook.

Chapter Four: Knowledge and Skills Gained

In the 5-chapter layout, this chapter covers the skills you gained, the equipment you learned to use, and problems you solved. Link each skill to something you learned in class during ND.

Last chapter: Summary, Conclusion and Recommendations

A short summary of the training, the challenges you faced (transport, access to equipment, supervision), and recommendations to the company, your polytechnic and the ITF. See SIWES conclusion and recommendation examples.

Sample outline: one-year IT report for ND Electrical

Here is how a Chapter Three outline could look for an ND Electrical student who trained with an electrical installation company for a year:

CHAPTER THREE: DESCRIPTION OF WORK DONE

3.1 Safety rules and tools used on site

3.2 Domestic wiring: conduit and surface wiring of residential buildings

3.3 Installation of distribution boards and circuit breakers

3.4 Fault finding and repair of lighting and socket circuits

3.5 Installation and testing of solar inverter systems

3.6 Earthing and insulation resistance tests

Each section explains what the job was, the materials and tools, the steps you followed and what you learned. For a Computer Science example, see IT report for ND Computer Science students.

Formatting tips

• Use the font, spacing and margins in your department's guide. If it says nothing, Times New Roman 12, 1.5 line spacing and 1-inch margins are common.
• Number figures by chapter: Figure 2.1, Figure 3.1, Figure 3.2.
• Write in the first person past tense: "I installed", "I was assigned", unless your school asks for a different style.
• Keep customer names, account details and confidential documents out of your photos.

Using the MonoEd report tool for your IT report

The MonoEd SIWES Report works for polytechnic IT reports too. Pick your polytechnic and it uses the 4- or 5-chapter layout that matches your school. Choose 1 year (12 months) as the duration and it asks you to describe each stage of your training, so Chapter Three covers the whole year. It adds an organogram of your company, lets you add your own photos to the figures, and can bring in entries from the MonoEd logbook. You can read the front pages and Chapters 1 and 2 free before you decide to pay.

Frequently asked questions

Is an IT report the same as a SIWES report?

The structure is almost the same. Polytechnics often call it an IT report, and the title page names the ND or HND award. See SIWES vs IT.

How many pages should an IT report be?

It depends on your department. Many reports land between 20 and 40 pages without appendices. A one-year IT report is usually longer than a 4-month one, because there is more work to describe.

Do I need references in an IT report?

Some departments want a short reference list (for example, the ITF guidelines and any manuals you used). Others do not. Check your guide.

Can I submit my 4-month SIWES report for the one-year IT?

No. It is a different placement, usually in a different company, with different work. Write a new report for the year.