COMPREHENSIVE REVISED PROJECT GUIDELINE

SCHOOL OF HEALTH INFORMATION MANAGEMENT

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE HOSPITAL, IBADAN.

PROJECT FORMATTING
The project must be produced on A4 paper of very high quality, in font style of Times New Roman
(font size 12), line spacing of 1.5, page numbered in Roman numeral (i, ii, iii) (preliminary pages)
and standard numbering (1, 2, 3) for the main body of the work, spaces after each paragraph.
Numbering should be used for objectives of study and research questions.
Justify the work (use CTRL +J) and no indentation (block paragraph style) for the body of the
work. Project should follow the format below:

PRELIMINARY PAGES
The preliminary materials are contained in the pages that immediately follow the main cover page
of the project work. These include the following:
i COVER PAGE - Project Title (maximum 25 words)
- Name
Matriculation number
- Name of School
- Year of Assessment.
ii TITLE PAGE - Project Title (maximum 25 words)
- Name
Matriculation number
- Purpose for which the project work is
submitted
- Name of School
- Year of Assessment.
iii CERTIFICATION - This is the approval page which serves to
authenticate the project work and give it an
aura of authority. It shows that the supervisor
and the Head of School have endorsed the
project work as meeting the standard and
requirements of the School of Health
Information Management, University
College Hospital, Ibadan to which it is
submitted. Certification page should be written
as:

1
“This is to certify that this research work conducted on (project topic) by (researcher name) has
been read, recommended and approved in its present form as meeting the partial requirement of the
School of Health Information Management, University College Hospital, Ibadan, for the award of
Higher National Diploma (HND) in Health Information Management (HIM).”

Project Supervisor
Name Signature and date
Qualification (Optional)

Head of School
Name Signature and date
Qualification

iv. DEDICATION - This page gives the researcher the opportunity

to dedicate this project to only one person in
one sentence.

v. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT - The acknowledgement page is usually a page

that gives honour to those who had given the
researcher assistance while he/she was carrying
out the research. Acknowledgement is first
given to the supervisor and the Head of School.
Acknowledgement can now be given to all
those that have contributed to the success of
the research work/ academics.
Acknowledgement must not be more than one
page.

vi. ABSTRACT - Abstract is a brief description of the

entire project work. A good Abstract must be
in a page and contain four paragraphs.
The first paragraph should contain a brief
introduction, statement of the problem and
broad objective of the study; second paragraph
should contain a summary of the methodology
adopted; third paragraph should contain the
results obtained and the fourth paragraph
should contain conclusion and a key
recommendation. Abstract should not be more
than 350 words. Keywords must be included at
the end of Abstract (maximum of five
keywords).

vii TABLE OF CONTENTS - The table of contents should show at a glance

what the research work contains with the
corresponding pages.

2
viii LIST OF TABLES - This shows the tables used in the project work
and the corresponding pages. A table is usually
an arrangement of words, numbers, signs or
combination of them in parallel columns for
the purpose of exhibiting certain information in
a compact and comprehensive form.

ix LIST OF FIGURES - A figure on the other hand indicates any kind

of graphic illustration other than the table. It
may be a chart, graph, photograph, drawing or
other illustrations.

x LIST OF ABBREVIATION - This page is for abbreviations and their

meaning e.g. WHO, UN, USAID etc.

It is important that the preliminary pages are the last to be written in any work even though they
come up first by arrangement in the final project work.

3
 THE MAIN PROJECT WORK
The main project work is usually divided into chapters and the chapters are sub-divided into
sections and sub-sections. The heading of each chapter is written in capital letters, while sectional
and sub-sectional headings appear in sentence case.

CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
The background to the study portrays various angles of the educational phenomenon that the
researcher wishes to describe. It could be an event that he has observed and wishes to attempt to
explain or find a solution to. It gives an insight into the topic of the research; it naturally leads the
reader to the understanding of the problem under investigation and gives a focus to the study. It
should contain references that must be accompanied with a date (reference should not be more than
ten years prior to year of project work). It should be a maximum of five pages.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
This section enables the researcher to put across the problem to be investigated as he sees it, in
clear, concise and straight forward manner that he wants to emphasize, build on or proffer a
solution to. The statement of the problem should be the basis for the objectives of the study.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

Here, attempt is made to answer the questions on why the researcher embarked on the study. There
should be a general objective of the study while specific objectives are listed using the phrase “are
to”: e.g. determine, examine, assess, investigate, find out etc.
These specific objectives should reflect the keywords in the title.

1.4 Research Questions

These are questions you intend to find answers to in the course of the investigation and should be in
line with the objectives stated.

1.5 Scope of the Study

The researcher is expected to state his/her areas of coverage and clearly outline what he/she is
doing, the extent he intends to go in order to avoid being wrongly judged. In other words, the
researcher is expected to describe the scope in terms of samples, variables, interest, location and
other resources.

4
1.6 Significance of the Study
To whom will this study be beneficial and how? The researcher must have considered the
importance of such a topic to other members of the society. He/ She needs to point out the value of
the study, its relevance and contribution to existing knowledge.

1.7 Operational Definition of Terms

The researcher must limit definition of terms to the variables as employed. This of course is the
operational definition and not necessarily the dictionary version and should be alphabetically
arranged.

5
 CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
It involves citation of past relevant works covering the variables of the problem and is meant to be a
review and not a reproduction of past work of scholars in the related fields.
2.1 Overview
2.2 Subheading or outlines
2.3 “
2.4 “

Method of Citation
Researcher is expected to use American Psychological Association (APA) Format. Find attached a
copy of the APA VI format.

6
 CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.1 Study Design - This is the structure which specifies the design used in the study. It
could be descriptive, cross sectional type of study.

3.2 Study Area - This is a brief history or description of the area of study.

3.3 Study Population - A description of the target respondents under investigation.

3.4 Sample Size and Sampling Technique

3.4.1 Sample Size - These are the number of respondents selected from the target
population under investigation. The sample size should be
between 120 to150.

3.4.2 Sampling Technique - Sampling technique is the method adopted in selecting

the respondents used in the study. Such method could be simple
random, stratified random etc.

3.5 Instrument of Data Collection

-This is describing the tool for collecting the data e.g. questionnaires,
observation, interview, checklist etc. For questionnaire, the sections
contained should be indicated.

3.6 Reliability and Validity of the Instrument

- This means the consistency with which the instrument measures what
it is supposed or purports to measure. This can be determined by
using any of the following methods, depending on the research e.g.
pre test, the parallel and alternative reliability test etc. Validity
ensures that the instruments used actually perform e.g. Content
validity and Face validity.

3.7 Data Collection Procedure- An explanation of the steps taken to collect the relevant data and
retrieval of questionnaires.

3.8 Method of Data Analysis

7
 - Here, the researcher describes the statistical techniques or tools
employed in analyzing the data, which may include tabulation, graph,
charts, Statistic (Mean, T-test, F-test, Chi-square etc).
3.9 Ethical Consideration- These are the steps taken by the researcher to ensure privacy,
confidentiality and non maleficience (no harm) to the respondents
during data collection. It should be added at the discretion of the
supervisor.

8
 CHAPTER FOUR

DATA PRESENTATION, RESULT AND DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS

In this section, data are presented in tables, charts, graphs and followed by a brief interpretation.
The tables must be numbered on top of tables and the results presented based on the research
questions indicated in chapter one.

4.1: Socio Demographic Information of respondents

Table 4.1: Socio demographic information of respondents

4.2: Answers to Research Questions

(Subject to number of research questions in chapter one)
Research Questions 1
Table 4.2: Title of the table
Research question 2
Table 4.3: Title of the table

4.3: Discussion of findings -Here, findings are discussed in relation to objectives, research
questions, literature review and personal opinion.

9
 CHAPTER FIVE

SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1. Summary - An appraisal of findings.

5.2 Conclusion - This should highlight the main findings or outcomes as

contained in the study. The number of conclusion is
predicted on the number of research questions.

5.3 Recommendations - Possible suggestions to the problems under investigation and areas
that need further studies.

5.4 Limitation of the Study (Optional)

-This is where the researcher is expected to state the
difficulties encountered during the cause of the research
work or that could have hindered data collection

10
 REFERENCES
All sources consulted must be listed here. The arrangement of authors must be arranged
alphabetically i.e. American Psychology Association (APA) Format (Find attached a copy of APA
VI)

APPENDIX (CES) - All other documents, or supplementary material such as

questionnaires; maps, lifted charts, calculations, computer
print-outs, related to the study must be attached.

11