INTRODUCTION

Project writing has been a nightmare for final year student (s) from the beginning (selecting appropriate topics) to the end (project defence). Most students don’t find this easy, sometimes they attributed their weaknesses or problems to their supervisors.

“saying my supervisor is wicked, bad, hard, tough, not approachable or just saying too meticulous”.

Project writing is not about “MAGIC” rather it is “LOGIC”.

Causes of Students Flop in Project

1. Some students don’t start their projects on time when others have actually started.
2. Students valued course work but don’t replicate the same in their thesis/project.
3. Some students select topics for their research anyhow, not finding out whether there are enough materials (literature) for their study.
4. Some just collect topics from friends and do not border whether the topics are researchable or have adequate materials.
5. Some students even depend on a project that one brother or uncle did some 3-5 years ago not minding whether the topic is treading or not, not minding who supervise the project then.

Implications of Flops on Your Project

If you fall into any of the above situations, you may experience the following

1. Too many red comments in your work.
2. Your problem statement is not clearly stated.
3. Your background to the study is too long or too small.
4. Your citations are too old (1993, 1982, 1969)
5. Your citations contain too many foreign writers and not showing the local side.
6. You have not operationalised your key variables
7. Your theor(ies) or model(s) are/is not relevant
8. Your research design/method is not appropriate
9. Clearly state and justify your sampling techniques and size  

What Your Supervisor Can Do to Your Topic

Selecting an appropriate thesis/project/research topic is often one of the first things to do when about to carry out a research, thus, the nature of the topic selected determines the direction of the study. Therefore, your supervisor may subject your topic to any of the following.  

1. Your supervisor may reframe your topic.
2. Your supervisor may change your topic entirely.
3. Your supervisor may change/reframe your scope of the study.
4. You may be asked to go and look for a fresh topic and represent.

How to Get Set for Good Project

1. Select an interesting and simple topic or problem.
2. Search the library and online for related literature and empirical studies.
3. Write your problem statement as a result of gaps you identified in the previous literature reviews.
4. Write your research questions/hypothesis.
5. Write your objectives from your research questions and vice versa; note, if your objectives is 4, your research questions should be 4.
6. Indicate the scope of your study.
7. Operationalised your variables.
8. Use relevant theories, use can use anyone come across in the literature review or use another but make sure you relate it to your problem.
9. What method/research design to use alongside data collection instrument and how to administer the instrument(s).
10. Data analysis method that is appropriate must be used.
11. Note: ensure all other work cited in your project are listed in the full reference list at the end of your research.
12.   Proofread and edit using manual and software like grammarly, you may run your work in anti-plagiarism software to know the degree of plagiarism, the lesser the plagiarism, the original your project is.  Note some schools accept between 10-20% i.e 80% or 85% of your work must be original. Click here for the list of plagiarism test software.     

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