A step by step guide on writing an internship report

In partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of a degree, one is required to do an internship and thereafter compile an internship report which is submitted to a panel of judges assigned by the institution to evaluate one’s internship experience.

In this article, I’m going to take you through the following steps of writing your internship report;

1. Writing the cover page 2.The acknowledgement/ Foreword page 3.The abstract 4.Table of Contents 5.The body 6.Appendix 7.Conclusion

Writing the cover page. The cover page should include the name of the institution, faculty not forgetting the period within which you conducted the internship. The organisation’s name and the names of your supervisor during the internship process should also be included on the cover page of your internship report. See example,

Declaration Page

It is expected of you to confirm the originality and authenticity of your report as well as acknowledge any forms of citations, quotations and references to any third party’s work (journals, publications…) as appropriate.

Approval Page

Your University and on-site supervisor must confirm that the report was developed under their supervision by signing on this page.

Acknowledgement.

You must be certain if the page where the author goes ahead to extend their sincere gratitude to the people who have helped him or her towards their achievement. (That’s if you’re a good book reader)

Well, it’s your time now. You’re the author. Go ahead and show your gratitude to the people who were there for you. Consider this as an example:

“I wouldn’t have reached this far without the help of my University Supervisor Mr kamusala David, the Company supervisor Madam Namatovu Asher your tremendous effort and guidance couldn’t go unnoticed. Hajjat Namwase Amina, a Woman of valour. I call you my woman of steel. Raising four kids all by yourself and ensuring that they all attend school to the highest level? Ohh girl! you really are my hero. There ain’t a single thing i can do to repay you. To my family and friends, Ntare Ian and Agaba Julius, there is no way i can forget the discussions we had prior to our exams. I wouldn’t have reached this far without the combined effort of you guys.”

That’s just an insight of how your acknowledgement page should be. Typically extending gratitude.

Now that you have finished editing your cover page and the acknowledgement page, let’s dive into the next page.

Abstract

This is typically a summary of your internship report. It is intended to give the reader an insight into the entire report before reading the whole of it.

You should be brief and always straight to the point while writing an abstract. Many readers depend on the abstract to decide on whether to continue reading or stop at that point.

Advice

Never write the abstract before you finish writing the report

You can always write your abstract before the acknowledgement .

Never forget to number the pages of your report.

Any abbreviation, shorthand or slang used in the report should be clearly illustrated and explained on a fresh page before the body to enable the reader to clearly understand your report.

Always have a notebook to note down your daily tasks at the internship

Table of Contents

In a situation where you’re planning to travel to a place you don’t know, you need a map or a guide. Similarly, the person going to read your report also needs a guide and that guide is none other than the table of contents.

List of Figures

You need to provide a detailed list of all the figures used that is why each figure in your report must have a number and caption at bottom.

List of Tables.

Caption and number each table and also provide a detailed list before you jump to the body.

Acronyms and Abbreviations

It’s not that everyone knows understands the abbreviations and acronyms used. Take the responsibility to list them all and provide their meaning.

Body

Clearly outline the titles and chapters in your report together with the page number where they can be traced(found). Below is an illustration of how your chapters can be arranged.

Chapter One

Introduction- briefly explain your report

Background of the internship

Objectives of the internship

Host organization background

Structure of the organization

The core functions of the organization

Sources of funds of the organization

Chapter Two

Position held at the organization

Duties and responsibilities performed

Work schedule

Work departments

Level of accomplishments of assigned duties

New skills and knowledge acquired

Relationship with the courses taught at university

Benefits derived from the internship exercise

Challenges faced and how you managed them

Chapter Three

Conclusion

Recommendations

Reference: all cited sources should be indicated per the academically accepted format.

The body is where you write about your experience, findings as well as recommendation.

It is expected of you to write about the challenges you found out that the organization is facing and the suggestion on how they can overcome those challenges.

In the body, you ought to always begin with the introduction giving a brief description of the organization, it’s mission and what they deal in.

It is expected of you to state the objectives of the internship and thereafter start narrating your experiences from which you proceed to the challenges and recommendations.

Any quotations or writings used in your report that are not your own findings but are related to your work should be clearly stated on the appendix page and then you can proceed to the conclusion page declaring that the writings in your report are as a result of your internship experience.

Sign your document.

Congratulations my friend. You’ve successfully completed writing your internship report. What remains of you is to defend it now.

Incase you have any questions feel free to contact me any time. I will be glad to help