Free editable template
Project report template with all preliminary pages, chapters and a formatting checklist.
Chapter-by-chapter outline
| Section | Contents |
|---|---|
| Preliminary pages | Cover page, title page, certificate, declaration, acknowledgement, abstract, table of contents, list of figures and tables |
| 1. Introduction | Background, problem statement, objectives, scope and limitations, report organisation |
| 2. Literature survey | Existing systems or research, comparison table, gap you are addressing |
| 3. Requirement analysis | Functional and non-functional requirements, hardware and software requirements, feasibility study |
| 4. System design | Architecture or block diagram, DFD, ER diagram, UML diagrams, database design, circuit diagram or drawings |
| 5. Implementation | Technology used, module-wise description, important algorithms or code snippets, screenshots |
| 6. Testing | Test plan, test cases with expected and actual result, bugs found and fixed |
| 7. Results and discussion | Output screens, graphs, performance figures, comparison with objectives |
| 8. Conclusion and future scope | What was achieved, limitations, realistic future enhancements |
| End matter | References in IEEE or APA style, appendices, user manual, plagiarism report, paper publication certificate if any |
How long each chapter should be
| Chapter | Share of report |
|---|---|
| Introduction | 8–10% |
| Literature survey | 10–15% |
| Requirements | 8–10% |
| Design | 20–25% |
| Implementation | 20–25% |
| Testing and results | 15% |
| Conclusion | 3–5% |
Mini project vs final year report
- Mini project: 20 to 40 pages, literature survey can be one or two pages, testing can be a single table
- Final year: 80 to 150 pages with full design diagrams, test cases and results
- PG dissertation: adds research methodology, experimental setup and comparison with published work
Formatting rules
- A4, Times New Roman 12 pt, 1.5 spacing, justified
- Chapter titles centred, 16 pt bold; headings numbered 1.1, 1.1.1
- Equations numbered on the right
- Every figure and table referred to in the text
- References in IEEE style in the order cited
FAQs
What is the difference between a project report and a black book?
A black book is the final hard-bound version of the project report. The content and chapter format are the same.
Which reference style should I use?
Most engineering departments use IEEE. Management and humanities departments often use APA. Check your template.
Can I use AI tools to write my report?
You can use them to improve wording, but examiners expect the content to describe your own project. AI-written generic text is easy to notice and may be flagged by similarity or AI-content checks.
Last reviewed: 2026-10-11. Always follow the format your own department gives you.