GUIDE LINS FOR THE PREPARATION OF STATE-OF-THE-ART REPORT

DEFINITION :

A state-of-the-art report is a written statement of the facts of a situation, project, process or test, how the facts were ascertained, their significance, the conclusions drawn from them and the recommendations made.

PURPOSE :

The objective of the state-of-the-art report is to inform the following identified users' groups about the present status and future developments of the subject about which the report is written :

• Ancillary Equipment Makers
• Chemical and Textile Auxillary Manufacturers
• Consultants/Trainers
• Designers/Fashion Creators
• Educationists/Students
• Entrepreneurs : Decentralized Sectors (Handlooms, Powerlooms, Processing Houses, etc.)
• Exporters/Importers
• Fibre Manufacturers
• Garment Manufacturers
• Machinery Manufacturers
• Managers
• Marketers/Traders
• Policy Makers/Administrators
• Researchers
• Technologists
• Textile Consumers and their Organisations

NEED :

The state-of-the-art report is needed to :

• record work done
• assess a situation
• avoid duplication of effort on work already done
• indicate a course of action to be taken as a result of work done
• keep others, especially management, decision makers informed of work done and of the progress made.

CONTENTS :

The reports should be thought provoking and based on the Indian scene. A state-of-the-art report should be exhaustive, systematic and a critical account of published and unpublished material on a specific subject. The body of the report should start with an introductory section, including a statement of the objective of the work reported and reasons for starting it. The historical background should be explained in brief. Depending on the nature of the report, the author should go on to describe the manner in which the experiments were carried out and results obtained. ORGANISATION OF THE REPORT :

The report should be of about 80-100 printed pages of demi size, i.e. about 100 double space typed pages of quarter size. The impact of the report would be greatly enhanced if the material is divided into a logical sequence of sections or subsections.

In many cases it would be necessary to expand the information on the experimental aspects and this is best accomplished in an appendix or appendices, so that the main narrative flow is not interrupted. The report should not only be technical in nature but also provide critical information which will promote textile consumption/exports or improve quality.

After stating what has been accomplished the author must then discuss it in order to interpret the outcome and to supply the reasoning on which the conclusions are based.

Next, the author must draw conclusions. He must give a clear and orderly presentation of the deductions made after a full consideration of the results obtained. He should round off by making his recommendations for further action. The report should conclude with complete reference to literature (published, as well as unpublished) discussed.

PROCEDURE :

1. The author/s has/have to submit in detail the framework and contents list of the report to be prepared for clearance by the committee. The author will then have to prepare the report based on the expert suggestions of NICTAS.
2. The report should be prepared within the prescribed time frame, mutually agreed between the author and NICTAS
3. Author/s has/have to supply two typed copies of the manuscript in English, of the report according to the requirements of NICTAS for printing
4. The author/s will be paid an honorarium of Rs. 2500/- for preparing the report.
5. The reports will become the property of NICTAS. NICTAS will have the sole rights of all these reports.
6. NICTAS reserve all rights to reprint the report, if needed, at no extra honorarium.