GUIDELINES FOR PREPARATION OF MBA PROJECT REPORT

(Prescribed format and specification)

1. GENERAL:

The guideline is intended to provide broad guidelines to the MBA candidates in the
preparation of the project report. In general, the project report shall report, in an organized
and scholarly fashion, an account of original work of the candidate including methodology,
data analysis, interpretation and summary of findings.

2. NUMBER OF COPIES TO BE SUBMITTED FOR EVALUATION:

Students should submit 4 copies to the Department through the Project In-charge of
the department on or before the specified date.
The Project Coordinator may distribute the copies as follows:
1. One copy to be signed and returned to the student
2. One copy to be retained for the College Library
3. One copy to be given to the Guide concerned
4. One copy to be forwarded to the External Examiner

3. SIZE OF PROJECT REPORT:

The size of project report should not exceed 60 pages of typed matter reckoned
from the first page of Chapter 1 to the last page of the last chapter.

4. ARRANGEMENT OF CONTENTS OF PROJECT REPORT:

The sequence in which the thesis material should be arranged and bound should be
as follows:
1. Cover Page & Title page
2. Bonafide Certificate
3. Project Completion Certificate (Company Certificate)
4. Declaration by the Student
5. Acknowledgement
6. Abstract
7. Table of Contents
8. List of Tablets
9. List of Figures
10. List of Symbols, Abbreviations and Nomenclature (Optional)
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11. Chapters
12. Appendices
13. References
The Tables and Figures shall be introduced in the appropriate places.

5. PAGE DIMENSIONS/AND MARGIN

The dimensions of the final bound copies of the project report should be 290mm x 205mm.
Standard A4 size (297mm x 210mm) paper may be used for preparing the copies.

The final 4 copies of the project report (at the time of submission) should have the
following page margins:
Top edge: 30 to 35 mm
Bottom edge: 25 to 30 mm
Left side: 35 to 40 mm
Right side: 20 to 25 mm
The project report should be prepared on good quality white paper preferably not lower
than 80 gsm/sq.m.

Tables and figures should confirm to the margin specifications. Large size figures should
be photographically or otherwise reduced to the appropriate size before insertion.

6. MANUSCRIPT PREPARATION:
The candidate shall supply a typed copy of the manuscript top the guide for the purpose of
approval. In the preparation of the manuscript, care should be taken to ensure that all
textual matter is typewritten to the extent possible in the same format as may be required
for the final project report.

Hence some of the information required for the final typing of the project report is included
also in this section.

The heading of all items 2 to 11 listed in section 4 should be typed in capital letters without
punctuation and centered 50mm below the top of the page. The text should commence 4
spaces below this heading. The page numbering for all items 1 to 9 should be done using
lower case Roman numerals and the pages thereafter should be numbered using Arabic
numerals.

6.1 Cover Page & Title Page – A specimen copy of the Cover page & Title page for MBA
project report is given in Annexure I.

6.2 Bonafide Certificate – Bonafide Certificate – The Bonafide Certificate shall be in

double line spacing using Font Style Times New Roman and Font Size 14, as per the
format in Annexure II.

The certificate shall carry the supervisor‟s signature, internal examiner and External
Examiner and forwarded by the Head of the Department with Signature and Seal of the
Department/ Institution.

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6.3 Acknowledgement – The acknowledgement should be brief and should not exceed one
page when typed in double spacing. The candidate‟s signature shall be made at the bottom
end above his/her name typed in capitals.

6.4 Table of contents – The table of contents should list all material following it as well as
any material which precedes it. The title page, Bonafide Certificate and Acknowledgement
will not find a place among the items listed in the Table of Contents but the page numbers
in lower case Roman letters are to be accounted for them. One and a half spacing should be
adopted for typing the matter under this head.

6.5 List of Table – The list should use exactly the same captions as they appear above the
tables in the text. One and a half spacing should be adopted for typing the matter under this
head.

6.6 List of Figures – The list should use exactly the same captions as they appear below
the figures in the text. One and a half spacing should be adopted for typing the matter under
this head.

6.7 List of Symbols, Abbreviations and Nomenclature – One and a half spacing should
be adopted for typing the matter under this head. Standard symbols, abbreviations etc.
should be use.

6.8 Abstract – Abstract should be an essay type of narration not exceeding 600 words,
outlining the problem, the methodology used for tackling it and a summary of the findings,
when typed double line spacing, Font Style Times New Roman and Font Size 12 and
signed by the candidate.

6.9 Chapters – The main text will be divided into several chapters and each chapter may
be further divided into several divisions and sub-divisions. The contents of the Chapters are
only indicative. Only Chapter titles are common.

CHAPTER NO. PARTICULARS

I INTRODUCTION
1.1 General Introduction
II PROFILES
2.1 Industry Profile
2.2 Company Profile
2.3 Product Profile
III REVIEW OF LITERATURE
IV RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
4.1 Title of the Report
4.2 Need of the study
4.3 Scope of the study

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4.4 Objectives of the study
4.5 Sources of Data Collection
4.5.1 Primary Data
4.5.2 Secondary Data
4.6 Type of Research
4.7 Sample Design
4.7.1 Population of the Study
4.7.2 Sample Size
4.7.3 Sampling Technique
4.8 Statistical tools for Analysis
4.9. Limitations of the study

V DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATIONS

VI FINDINGS, SUGGESTIONS AND
CONCLUSIONS
6.1 Findings
6.2 Suggestions
6.3 Conclusion
REFERENCES
Bibliography
APPENDIX : QUESTIONNAIRE

* Each chapter should be given an appropriate title.

* Tables and figures in a chapter should be placed in the immediate vicinity of the
reference where they are cited.
* Footnotes should be used sparingly. They should be typed single space and placed
directly underneath in the very same page, which refers to the material they annotate.

6.10 Appendices – Appendices are provided to give supplementary information, which if

included in the main text may serve as a distraction and cloud the central theme under
discussion.

* Appendices should be numbered using Arabic numerals, e.g. Appendix 1, Appendix 2.

* Appendices, Tables and references appearing in appendices should be numbered and

referred to at appropriate places just as in the case of chapters.

* Appendices shall carry the title of the work reported and the same title shall be made in
the contents page also.

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6.11 List of References – Any works of other researchers, if used either directly or
indirectly, the origin of the material thus referred to at appropriate places in the project
report should be indicated. A paper, a monograph or a book may be designated by the name
of the first author followed by the year of publication, placed inside brackets at the
appropriate places in the project report should be indicated.
The listing should be typed 4 spaces below the heading „REFERENCES” in alphabetical
order in single spacing left-justified. The reference material should be listed in the
alphabetical order of the first author. The name of the author/authors should be
immediately followed by the year and other details. A typical illustrative list given below:

REFERENCES
1. Micheal Levy (2008) Retailing Management 6 edition, New Delhi, Tata McGraw –
Hill
2. Tom Jackle (2004) “Customer Satisfaction, Service Quality and perceived value:
An integrative model” Journal of Making Management vol.20, issue 7/8, PP.897-
917
6.12 Tables and Figures – By the word Table, is meant tabulated numerical data in the
body of the project report as well as in the appendices. All other non-verbal material used
in the body of the project report and appendices such as charts, graphs, maps, photographs
and diagrams may be designated as figures.
* A table or figure including caption should be accommodated within the prescribed
margin limits and appear on the page following the page where their first reference is
made.
* Tables and figures on half page or less in length may appear on the same page along with
the text. However, they should be separated from the text both above and below by triple
spacing.
* All tables and figures should be prepared on the same paper or material used for the
preparation of the rest of the project report.
* For preparing captions, numerals, symbols or characters in the case of tables or figures,
the Computer should be enclosed.
* Two or more small tables or figures may be grouped if necessary in a single page.
* Wherever possible, the entire photograph(s) may be reproduced on a full sheet of the
photographic paper.
* Photographs if any should be included in the colour Xerox from only. More than once
photograph can be include in a page.
* Samples of Fabric, Leather, etc., if absolutely necessary may be attached evenly in a page
and fixed/pasted suitably and should be treated as figures.

7. TYPING INSTRUCTIONS
7.1 General
This section includes additional information for final typing of the project report. Some
information given earlier under „Manuscript preparation‟ shall also be referred.

The impressions on the typed/ duplicated/ printed copies should be black in colour.

If computer printers are used uniformity of the font in the same project report shall be
observed.

A sub-heading at the bottom of a page must have at least two full lines below it or else it
should be carried over to the next page.
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The last word of any page should not be split using a hyphen.

One and a half spacing should be used for typing the general text. The general text shall be
typed in Font Style Times New Roman and Font Size 12.

Single spacing should be used for typing:

(i) Long Tables
(ii) Long Quotations
(iii) Foot notes
(iv) Multilane captions
(v) References
All quotations exceeding one line should be typed in an indented space – the indentation
being 15mm from either margin.

7.2 Chapters
The format for typing headings, Divisions headings and sub-division heading are explained
through the following illustrative examples.
Chapter heading: CHAPTER 1 – INTRODUCTION
Division heading: 1.1 OUTLINE OF PROJECT WORK
Sub-division heading: 1.1.2 Literature review

The word CHAPTER without punctuation should be centred 50mm down from the top of
the page. Two spaces below, the title of the chapter should be typed centrally in capital
letters. The text should commence 4 spaces below this title, the first letter of the text
starting 20mm, inside from the left hand margin.
The division and sub-division captions along with their numbering should be left-justified.
The typed material directly below division or sub-division heading should commence 2
spaces below it and should be offset 20mm from the left hand margin. Within a division or
sub-division paragraphs are permitted. Even paragraph should commence 3 spaces below
the last line of the proceedings paragraph, the first letter in the paragraph being offset from
the left hand margin by 20mm.

8. NUMBERING INSTRUCTIONS
8.1 Page Numbering

All pages numbers (whether it be in Roman or Arabic numbers) should be typed without
punctuation on the upper right hand corner 20mm from top with the last digit in line with
the right hand margin. The preliminary pages of the project report (such as Title page,
Acknowledgement, Table of Contents etc.) should be numbered in lower case Roman
numerals. The title page will be numbered as (i) but this should not be typed. The page
immediately following the title page shall be numbered (ii) and it should appear at the top
right hand corner as already specified. Pages of main text, starting with chapter I should be
consecutively numbered using, numbered using Arabic numerals.

8.2 Numbering of Chapters, Divisions and Sub-Divisions

The numbering of chapters, divisions and sub-divisions should be done using Arabic
numerals only and further decimal notation should be used for numbering the divisions and
sub-divisions within a chapter. For example sub-division 4 under division 3 belonging to

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chapter 2 should be numbered as 2.3.4. Te caption for the sub-division should immediately
follow the number assigned to it.

Every chapter beginning with the first chapter should be serially numbered using Arabic
numerals. Appendices included should also be numbered in an identical manner starting
with Appendix 1.

8.3 Numbering of Tables and Figures

Tables and Figures appearing anywhere in the thesis should bear appropriate numbers. The
rule for assigning such numbers is illustrated through an example. Thus, is a figure in
Chapter 3, happens to be the fourth then assign 3.4 to that figure. Identical rules apply for
tables except that the word Figure is replaced by the word Table. If figures (or tables)
appear in appendices then figure 3 in Appendix 2 will be designed as Figure A 2.3. If a
table to be continued into the next page this may be done, but no line should be drawn
underneath an unfinished table. The top line of the table continued into the next page
should, for example read Table 2.1 (continued) placed centrally and underlined.

8.4 Numbering of Equations

Equations appearing in each Chapter or Appendix should be numbered serially, the
numbering commencing a fresh for each Chapter or Appendix. Thus for example, an
equation appearing in Chapter 2, if it happens to be the eighth equation in that Chapter
should be numbered (2.8) thus:
F=k(2.8)
While referring to this equation in the body of the thesis it should be referred to as Equation
(2.8).

9. BINDING SPECIFICATIONS
*Project report submitted (4 copies) for MBA should be bound using flexible cover of thick
white art paper. The spine for the bound volume should be black Calico of 20mm width.
The cover should be printed in black letters and the text for printing should be identical to
what has been prescribed for the title page.

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Annexure I
<Font Style Times New Roman - Bold>

TITLE OF PROJECT REPORT

<Font Size 18> <1.5 line spacing>

A PROJECT REPORT
<Font Size 14>

Submitted by
<Font Size 14> <Italic>

NAME OF THE CANDIDATE

<Font Size 16>

Submitted to the
FACULTY OF MANAGEMENT SCIENCES
in partial fulfillment for the award of the degree
of
<Font Size 14> <1.5 line spacing>

MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

<Font Size 16>

St. XAVIER’S CATHOLIC COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

<Font Size 16><
(An Autonomous Institution)
Chunkankadai, Nagercoil – 629 003.
<Font Size 14><1.5 line spacing>

MONTH AND YEAR

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St. XAVIER’S CATHOLIC COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
<Font Size 16>
(An Autonomous Institution)
Chunkankadai, Nagercoil – 629 003.
<Font Size 14>

BONAFIDE CERTIFICATE
<Font Style Times New Roman – Size - 16>

<Font Style Times New Roman – Size - 13>

Certified that this project report “……….TITLE OF THE PROJECT……………..”

is the bonafide work of “…………..NAME OF THE CANDIDATE(S) Reg
No.…………” who carried out the project work under my supervision. Certified further
that to the best of my knowledge the work reported herein does not form part of any other
project report or dissertation on the basis of which a degree or award was conferred on an
earlier occasion on this or any other candidate.

<<Signature of the Head of the Department>> <<Signature of the Supervisor>>

SIGNATURE SIGNATURE
<<Name>> <<Name>>

HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT SUPERVISOR

<<Academic Designation>>

<<Department>> <<Department>>

<<Full address of the Dept & College >> <<Full address of the Dept & College>>

Submitted for the viva-voce examination held at St. Xavier‟s Catholic College of
Engineering on ……..........

INTERNAL EXAMINER EXTERNAL EXAMINER

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St. XAVIER’S CATHOLIC COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
<Font Size 16>
(An Autonomous Institution)
Chunkankadai, Nagercoil – 629 003.
<Font Size 14>

DECLARATION
<Font Style Times New Roman – Size - 16>

<Font Style Times New Roman – Size - 13>

I, ________________________________, hereby declare that the project report

entitled “___________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________”
submitted by me in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the award of the degree
of Master of Business Administration, from St.Xavier‟s Catholic College of
Engineering (An Autonomous College Affiliated to Anna University, Chennai),
Chunkankadai, Nagercoil is my own work. The report has not been submitted for
the award of any other degree / diploma of this university or any other university
before.

Place: Chunkankadai, Name:

Date: Reg. No:

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APPENDIX 3
(A typical specimen of table of contents)
<Font Style Times New Roman>

Page Arrangements

CHAPTER PARTICULARS PAGE NUMBERS

Title page
Bonafide Certificate ii
Project Completion Certificate (Company iii
Certificate)
Declaration by the Student iv
Acknowledgement v
Abstract vi
Table of contents vii
List of Tables` viii
List of Figures x
List of symbols, Abbreviations and xi
Nomenclature ( If Any)
I INTRODUCTION
1.1 General Introduction 1 ( should be in the top right
corner)
II PROFILES

* Please refer 6.9 for further contents to be followed in the table.

** Hide the table border before printing
*** The contents of the “Table of Contents” can be changed as per the programme and
project area.

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