Guidelines for project leaders

TLRI milestone reports

Purpose

Approval of the quarterly payments to projects is based on evidence that the projects are on track, that progress is being made, and that problems are being addressed. The milestone reports should be two to four pages in length, and must address the tasks/headings specified in the project’s contract for the period being reported against. Any issues, problems or delays and the action being taken to address them should be described. Please attach newsletters, conference and presentation papers based on TLRI research, feedback from participants, or similar as appendices.

The milestone should be written using the recommended headings below:

Background or Overview

Activity
This should be listed under the tasks specified in the project’s contract payment schedule for the period being reported against. For example: Meetings, both those that have happened and those that are planned, (include aprticipants). Visits made and their outcome. Data collection, interviews, or testing.

Issues Arising
Any issues, problems or delays and the action being taken to address them should be described.
Also list changes made to research design instruments etc., and discuss the impact of these on future progress.

Attachments
Please attach newsletters, conference and published papers based upon the TLRI research, or similar as appendices. Also list presentations.

Summary/Conclusion

[Note: Please send an electronic version and a hard copy of the milestone to Christina Smits.
Christina’s contact details are: tlri@nzcer.org.nz ; DDI Phone 04- 802 1461]

TLRI final project reports

Purpose
The purpose of the final report is to record the project activities in relation to the project full proposal and the criteria detailed by the TLRI in the initial selection of the project.

The final project report will:

• serve as an accountability measure for the funding received
• provide those interested in the TLRI and future applicants with case studies of completed projects and give insights into how the principles and priorities of the TLRI were realised in practice
• be submitted in hard copy and in electronic format
• be reviewed by the TLRI co-ordination team, or as delegated, in relation to the TLRI pro forma for the report (detailed below)
• be accompanied by a 2–4 page summary (also in hard copy and electronic format)
• be copy edited and formatted as arranged by the TLRI co-ordination team and then reviewed by the project team
• be published, along with the summary on the TLRI website. The summary will also be published in hard copy.

The final report will not be seen as the major vehicle for the dissemination of project findings. It will include details of publications to date and publications, and other dissemination strategies, in progress.

TLRI final project report format

Reports should be written using the headings below.

Section One
Title, authors, and acknowledgements.

Section Two
Aims, objectives, and research questions.
These are to be set within the context of why the focus of the project was thought to be an important area of study in terms of the field itself, and in relation to the strategic priorities of the TLRI (that is, as detailed in the full proposal).

Section Three
Overview and discussion about the research design/methodologies employed.
Related issues of significance should be included such as: strategies employed to develop effective relationships and partnerships; any barriers encountered; and ethical issues that emerged and how these were dealt with. This section should give future applicants some insights into the key elements of a well-designed research project and into potential issues that might arise during implementation.

Section Four
The project findings in relation to the initial research questions and in terms of the strategic and practice values of the TLRI.
This section should locate the project findings in the relevant literature and indicate how the results might be interpreted and applied, particularly by practitioners. If appropriate, suggestions could be made of where to go for further information and/or what might be priorities for subsequent research.

Section Five
Limitations of the project.
This may be a discussion in terms of the study itself, its design and methodologies employed, and/or in relation to the results in terms of the strategic and practice values of the TLRI. This section could include emerging issues and recommendations for future work and for the TLRI.

Section Six
Description of how the project contributed to building capability and capacity.
This section should include a full list of the project team and the institutions/organisations involved. It needs to illustrate how the project addressed the related principles and priorities of the TLRI, especially principle six (refer TLRI overview document).

Section Seven
References
These are to include any publications based on the reported project.

Section Eight
Appendices (if relevant)


For more information email us or contact us at:  PO Box 3237, Wellington, New Zealand