CHAPTER NINE

INSURANCE IN CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

Introduction
Risk Management and Insurance in the Construction Industry
• The construction industry is subject to more risk
and uncertainty than many other industries.
• Construction works are hazardous by nature and
accidents are frequent and often severe.

1
Construction projects are sensitive to an extremely
large hazards and risks, due to some of the
characteristics of construction projects :
a) The time required to complete project is high.
b) Human resource requirement is diverse and changes
over time and from phase to phase.
c) Projects are geographically dispersed and sometimes
located in isolated regions of difficult terrain.
d) A large diverse materials is required with advanced
and complex technology.
e) Extensive interaction among the parties involved in
construction lead to team work and inherent conflicts.
2
• If one cannot control a risk through a business practices
or transfer that risk to someone else through an
indemnification clause, then he can manage that risk
through insurance .
• the party to whom a risk is allocated may want to cover
it by means of insurance.
• Construction project parties, can protect their interests by
insurance but must accept that not all risks are insurable.
• Insurance is not the only means by which risks associated
with construction and infrastructure however, it is one of
the principal means by which parties to major projects
treat risk.
3
 definition of insurance
• Insurance is a social device, in which a group of individuals
(called “insured”) transfer risk to another party (called
the “insurer”) in order to combine loss experience.
• Article 654(2) of the Commercial Code of Ethiopia [1960]
provides a legal definition of insurance as follows:
• An insurance policy is a contract whereby a person,
called the insurer, undertakes against payment of one or
more premiums to pay to a person, called the
beneficiary, a sum of money where a specified risk
materializes.

4
 benefits of insurance
• Role of Insurance for the Construction Industry
• The primary function of construction insurance is
to transfer certain risks from clients, contractors,
subcontractors and other parties involved in the
construction project to insurers to provide
contingent funding in time of difficulty.
• Construction insurance plays an increasingly
important role in guaranteeing the success of
projects, with insurers sharing losses resulting
from natural disasters and other contingencies.
• insurance is one of the most important ways to tackle
risk. 5
• The majority of construction companies rely on
insurance policies for different risk scenarios.
• They purchase a number of insurance policies
depending on the project and contractual
requirement.
• One of the primary functions of a construction
contract is to allocate certain risks to one or other of
the parties.
• Insurance is not a substitute for effective risk
management.
• Insurance is only intended to deal with measurable
or known risks and serves to spread the impact of
loss . 6
In considering whether or not insurance should be looked at as
the answer to a particular identified risk, the following
questions need to be considered :
• Is the risk insurable? - Can a policy be procured which
specifically covers the risk?
• Is the cover adequate? - If a policy is procured, will it respond
to the risk which you have identified and to the fullest extent of
that risk?
• Does the cost outweigh the risk? - What is the cost of the
policy?
• What is the nature of the policy? - How long will the policy
operate to provide cover?
• Can the policy be tailored or negotiated?
 
  7
 9.3 Principles of Insurance

• Generally accepted insurance rules are summarized as

follows:
1. Utmost good faith contract
• When insurance is transacted, the purchaser of insurance
makes a proposal to the insurer, sometime by the completion
of a ‘proposal form’, designed by the insurer for the specific
perils to be insured and in which the proposer is expected to
answer specific questions about these perils.
2. No financial profit
• Therefore, except in limited circumstances, profit is not
allowed as a result of an insured event and it is generally
accepted that to allow profit would be against the interest of
society . 8
Article 665 and Article 678 of the Commercial code of Ethiopia states that
the insured receives to the extent of the insured amount as depicted
below:
• Article 665 (2) The insurer's liability shall not exceed the amount
specified in the policy.
• Article 678 A contract for the insurance of an object is a contract for
compensation.
• The compensation shall not exceed the value of' the object insured on the
day of the occurrence.
• Hence, an insured can only recover the actual loss that he is able to prove
and is not allowed to make a profit.
Insurable interest
• A fundamental requirement of insurance law is that the insured must
have an insurable interest in the subject matter of the insurance.
• An insurable interest is an interest which is recognized and enforceable at
law.
• It may be legal or equitable, a proprietary right or a contractual right.
9
 Subrogation
• Subrogation is the complimentary principle of
indemnity.
It arises from two principles of common law.
• First, an insurer cannot avoid liability on the basis
that the insured has a right to claim against some
third party.
• Secondly, a third party cannot avoid liability to an
insured on the ground that the insured will be
indemnified for the loss by way of insurance.

10
Article 683(1) of the Commercial code of Ethiopia
states the right of subrogation of the insurer as:
• The insurer who has paid the agreed compensation
shall substitute himself to the extent of the amount
paid by him for the beneficiary for the purpose of
claiming against third parties who caused the
damage.
5. Contribution
• the insured cannot recover from more than one
insurer.
• In that event, an insurer, having paid a claim, can seek a
contribution from other insurers liable for the same
loss to contribute towards the payment made . 11
• According to Gould [2003], in order for an insurer
to exercise this right the insurance policy must:
• Cover the particular event;
• Cover the same subject matter
• Contain no provision stating that the policy only
applies after other insurances have been
exhausted.

12
• Article 681of the Commercial code of Ethiopia
states the right of contribution of the insurer as:
(1) Where several insurers insure the same object
against the same risk so that the object is over
insured, each insurer may, where there has been
fraud on the part of the beneficiary, require the
termination of the policy and may in addition claim
damages.
(2) Where the beneficiary is in good faith, each insurer
shall, where the risk materializes, pay compensation
in proportion to the value insured by him.
13
6. Proximate cause
• The principle of proximate cause is implied into
contracts of insurance and requires the insured to
show that the loss was caused by an insured
peril.
• Proximate cause means the effect of the common,
dominant or real cause of the loss and will be a
question of facts in each case.

14
 Warranties
• A warranty is a term of the insurance policy which if broken entitles
the insurer to terminate the contract from the time of the breach
regardless of whether the breach is material.
• In the law of insurance the term “warranty” is therefore used in a
similar sense to that more readily associated in general contract law
with the term “condition”.
Fortuity
• The principle of fortuity is fundamental to the basic concept of
insurance and the grant of coverage.
• The term “Fortuitous” means accidental, unintentional or unexpected.
• Article 663(3) of the Commercial code of Ethiopia confirms that
intentional damages are not covered in insurance policy as: (3)
Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary, risks arising out of the
intentional default of the beneficiary shall not be covered by the
insurance.
15
 Insurability and Uninsurability of Risks
1. The Insurability of Risks
• Insurable risk means a risk, which can be covered
by insurance.
• Not all risks are insurable certain limitations must
be put on that principle to make the insurance
transaction viable.
• For a risk to be acceptable by an insurer it has to
be a “pure risk” which means it has the down side
of the effect only (opportunity for loss only);
speculative risks are not covered by traditional
insurance.
16
• Insurable risks are defined by FIDIC and CII together
as follows [FIDIC, 1986]:
1. The principle of insurance is based on the theory of
probability and, therefore, there must be an
element of uncertainty relating to the matter to be
insured, i.e. accidental or fortuitous in character.
– An insurable risk should preferably be measurable in
quantitative terms and in such a way that the theories of
probability and the law of large numbers may be used.
• Without this stipulation, the premium required to
insure the risk could not be scientifically calculated.
• Insurance becomes lottery in the absence of such
calculations. 17
• It is, however, important to note that, if the extent of
the risk is unquantifiable, it is the assessment of the
premium and not the insurability that is in question.
– An insurable risk should preferably be such that it is
acceptable to the insurance market through appropriate
risk selection methods.
• The objects insured must be numerous enough and
homogeneous enough to allow sufficient selection.
4. An insurable risk should preferably be such that one
can determine whether loss has in fact occurred and
the cause of the resultant damage. The extent of the
damage should also be capable of assessment.

18
 2 The Uninsurable of Risks
 
• The insurance industry as a whole is increasingly confronted with
risks where for reasons of principle and capacity doubts as to
whether they can or should cover.
• It is important to note that the responsibility and liability for
damage to property and/or personal injury emanating from
uninsurable risks must be clearly defined in any contract.
Bunni [2003] classified uninsurable risks with categories :
Foreseeable risks
• An insurer will argue that if a contractor stores cement in an
uncovered condition during a rainy season, then any damage caused
is foreseen to be inevitable and, thus, is not the liability of the
insurer.
• On the other hand, if the cement was stored in a watertight shed
and the roof of the shed blows away under severe wind, then the
19
contractor will argue that this is unforeseen damage.
 Unquantifiable risks
• A consequential economic risk is unquantifiable, even in a certain
circumstance.
• It is, therefore, very rarely covered.
• However, the word ‘consequential’ must not be confused with
‘consequence’ as in risks resulting as a consequence of defective
design, material and/or workmanship because these risks are
quantifiable and their limit is the value of the contract which is
insured.
• Such damage resulting from, or occurring as a consequence of these
defects is insurable and the intention of a good insurer must always
be clear in this respect.
• Insurance policies must be written in clear and precise language at
all times but more especially so when dealing with this issue
because, otherwise, it could result in a dispute if repair to a
resultant damage is costly. 20
 Political risks and risks on an international scale
• War is a good example of these risks that are normally
uninsurable.
• The reason is that the principle of the contribution of
many for the benefit of an individual suffering loss breaks
down in such a situation, unless governmental
institutions carry out the insurance.
Causation
• To prove the cause of any damage on a project is to
establish the responsibility and liability for it and to
establish whether or not the damage is covered through
the provisions of the insurance contract.
• If such a cause cannot be proven for any particular risk,
the risk becomes uninsurable. 21
 Types of Construction Insurances
 
• Most construction insurance products currently
on the market can be divided into two categories:
– property insurance
– liability insurance .
• Table shows insurance policies usually issued for
each party in connection with construction.
• Table Typical Insurances on a Construction
Project: Source Bunni [2003]

22
 Table Typical Insurances on a Construction Project: Source Bunni [2003]

Professional Team Owner Contractor

Liability Insurance Liability Insurance Liability Insurance

1. Employer's Liability 1. Employer's Liability 1. Employer's Liability

2. Public Liability for limits in excess of that

2. Public Liability stipulated in the contract or in respect of liability 2. Public Liability
not indemnified by the Contractor

3. Professional Indemnity 3. Public Liability for Non- negligence 3. Public Liability for Non- negligence

Property Insurance

4. Insurance for any part of the works taken 4. Professional Indemnity, if design work is
over or used or occupied prior to completion carried out by Contractor

Decennial Insurance Property Insurance

5. Decennial cover policy 5. Contractors All Risks

Marine Insurance
6. Marine Transport policy

Other Transport Insurance

7. Motor Insurance

23
 Property Insurance
• This insurance mainly provides protection to the
works and any material, equipment and
machinery connected with it.
• Table 2.2: Property Insurance and Liability
Insurance: Source Bunni [2003]

24
Type of Insurance Coverage Transaction

Provide protection to the works and any material, equipment and Transacted through:
Property Insurance machinery connected with it • Contractors' All Risks Insurance Policy
•Erection All Risks Insurance Policy

Transacted through:
Liability Insurance Provide protection to the insured party against specific legal liabilities •Employer’s Liability: towards employees
to which he may become exposed as a result of activities culminating in •Public Liability: towards third parties who are
not partly to the insurance contract
bodily injury and/or property damage.
•Professional Indemnity Insurance: towards the
design professional

25
• In the case of Ethiopia, property insurance is regulated in the
Commercial Code of Ethiopia [1960] under Article 654(2) to
Article 675.
• The Commercial Code of Ethiopia [1960] under Article 654(2)
states that
• (2) Where damages are insured, the insurance policy shall
extend to the risks affecting property or arising out of the civil
liability.
• To illustrate some of the property insurances commonly
issued are;
• (Private) Property Fire Insurance
• Burglary Insurance
• Contractor’s All Risk Insurance
•   26
 Liability Insurance

• Under a liability insurance policy, an insurer undertakes

that, if the insured person (the client) becomes legally
liable to someone else (the ‘victim’), the insurer will
indemnify the client against damages and legal costs
which become payable .
• Liability insurance is intended to provide protection to the
insured party against specific legal liabilities to which he
may become exposed as a result of activities culminating
in bodily injury and/or property damage.
• Liability insurance under the Commercial Code of
Ethiopia [1960] is discussed under Article 654(2) to Article
685. 27
To illustrate some of the Liability insurances commonly
issued are:
• Compulsory (Liability) Motor Insurance; (in case of car
accident or collision on road);
• Employer’s Liability Insurance; (to compensate the
employer in case of the worker’s
• negligence who injures third party ); see also Article
2130 of the Civil Code;
• Professional Liability Insurance/Professional Indemnity
Insurance;(in case of Engineer’s or Architect’s liability
towards its client);
• Workmen’s Compensation Policy; (to cover the liability
of the employer to the worker as per the Labour Law).
28
 Insurance Companies in Ethiopia
• Insurance service is fundamentally important both for
the construction business and construction project,
since there is an obvious and inherent element of risk
in them.
• Despite the advancement of insurance as commercial
business, it is little understood and exercised by the
Ethiopian society in general and the construction
industry in particular .
• The emergence of insurance business in Ethiopia was
closely linked to expatriates and foreign insurance
companies.
• Table : Ethiopian Insurance Companies; Source, website
of the National Bank of Ethiopia: 29
No Company Name Date of Establishment

1 Ethiopian Insurance Corporation 1975

2 National Insurance Company of Ethiopia S.C. 23/09/1994

3 Awash Insurance Company S.C 1/10/1994

4 Africa Insurance Company S.C 1/12/1994

5 Nyala Insurance Company S.C 6/1/1995

6 Nile Insurance Company S.C 11/4/1995

7 Global Insurance Company S.C. 11/1/1997

8 The United Insurance S.C 1/4/1997

9 NIB Insurance Company 1/5/2002

10 Lion Insurance Company S.C 1/7/2007

11 Ethio-Life and General Insurance S.C. 23/10/2008

12 Oromia Insurance Company S.C. 26/01/2009

13 Abay Insurance Company 26/07/2010

14 Berhan Insurance S.C. 24/05/2011

15 Tsehay Insurance S.C. 28/03/2012

16 Lucy Insurance S.C. 13/11/ 2012

30
 CHAPTER 10
INDIVIDUAL /GROUP TERMS PAPER PREPARATION AND PRESENTATION

10.1 What is term paper?

• a major writing assignment in a school or college
course representative of a student's achievement
during a term .
• A term paper is a research paper written by
students over an academic term, accounting for a
large part of a grade.
• It is a written original work discussing a topic in
detail, usually several typed pages in length, and is
often due at the end of a semester.

31
• Term papers are generally intended to describe an
event, a concept, or argue a point.
• There is much overlap between the terms research
paper and term paper.
• A term paper was originally a written assignment
(usually a research based paper) that was due at
the end of the "term"—either a semester or
quarter, depending on which unit of measure a
school used.
• However, not all term papers involve academic
research, and not all research papers are term
papers.
32
 10.2 guide lines for preparation of term paper
• Different courses may have different requirements for the writing of a term
paper.
• You need to find them out and comply with them.
Components of a Term Paper
i. Preliminaries
a. Title Page
b. Abstract (if required)
c. Table of Contents (if required)
ii. Text
a. Introduction
b. Main Body (Chapters or Sections)
c. Conclusion
iii. Reference Materials
a. Parenthetical Documentation
b. Notes (if any)
c. Appendix (if any)
33
d. References
 Guidelines for Preliminaries
2.1. Title Page
• The title is a concise identification of the main
topic of the paper.
• A title is concise, descriptive, and informative.
A title page contains:
i. the title of your paper
ii. Your name and student number
iii. The course name and code,
iv. The instructor’s name
v. The due date
34
When writing a title:
• do not write the title as a question;
• do not use abbreviations.
• avoid "excess" words such as a, an, or the, or
phrases such as a study of or investigations of.
• consider its length.
A two or three word title may be too short, but a 14
or 15 word title is probably too wordy.

35
 2.2. Abstract
The abstract is a:
• brief summary of the principal findings of the paper.
• preview of the paper.
• stand-alone, self-contained document that can be read
independent of the paper.
• An abstract is a brief summary of the main ideas of your
term paper usually in about 100 to 200 words.
• The abstract is the reader’s first encounter with your
paper.
• Reviewers will form first impressions of your research by
reading the abstract.
• “Usually, a good abstract is followed by a good paper; a
poor abstract is a harbinger of woes to come.” 36
• The main elements are as follows:
i. a short statement of your research nature or subject
ii. a brief description of your general theoretical approach
and research methods
iii. a short summary of your main arguments and research
findings
The abstract should briefly state:
• the purpose of the research or the research problem
(introduction),
• how the problem was studied (methods),
• the principal findings, including statistical analyses
(results), and
• what the findings mean (discussion and conclusions). 37
The abstract should be:
• one or two paragraphs,
• no more than 175 words, and
The abstract should:
• not include subheadings such as "Purpose" or "Results."
• not use first person, e.g., "I."
• not include information or conclusions that are not stated
in the paper.
• not emphasize minor details.
• not contain bibliographic references, figures, or tables.
• not use jargon or abbreviations (unless they are
commonly used and do not require explanation, e.g., DNA
or UV light) . 38
 2.3. Table of Contents

• A table of contents provides an analytical outline of

your paper with the sequence of your presentation.
A table of contents should list out:
i. The heading of every division of the paper
ii. The subheadings of every subsection within the
divisions (if any)
iii. Page number for every division and subsection

39
 3. Guidelines for Text
3.1. Introduction
• An introduction should be an interesting opening
to show the main theme and specific topics of your
paper.
The Introduction is:
• a clear statement of the problem or project and
why you are studying it .
• a map of the path you’re going to take from
problem to solution .
• It is not simply a literature and concept review.
40
An introduction usually forms through:
i. a concise and complete statement of your research
question or the general purpose of your term
paper.
ii. a justification for your study (the significance)
iii. a background to your research question and a
review of the relevant literatures on it (literature
review)
iv. a brief statement of the sources of data, the
procedure or methods of analysis methodology)
v. a preview of the organization of the paper
41
The Introduction should contain:
• sufficient background information to allow the
reader to understand and evaluate the results of
your study
• a brief literature review. Cite and discuss previous
research from relevant literature, and state how
your research relates to or differs from others'
work;
• the rationale for your study. Why did you choose
that subject, and why is it important? and
• a simple statement of the most important point(s)
that you will address in your paper. 42
The Introduction should:
• proceed from the general to the specific. It should
introduce the problem, present necessary
background information, show the continuity
between previous work and the work you did, and
indicate your purpose and rationale.
• include only background information and studies
that are relevant to the present study. Do not try to
include everything that you know about the topic.
• cite the relevant literature sources in the text.
• assume that the reader is scientifically literate but
not familiar with the specifics of the study. 43
 3.2. Main Body (Chapters or Sections)
• Since the topics of term papers are so diverse, it is
impossible to give specific indications of how to
write the main body of a term paper.
• But, the general rule is that you must organize your
presentation in a logical framework with a clear
conceptual linkage among sections and give every
point with substantial support from concrete
source.

44
 3.3. Conclusion
• A conclusion should provide a firm ending of what you
have discussed in the paper and, preferably, further to
reach a judgment, to endorse one side of an issue, or to
offer directives.
• A good conclusion usually contains:
i. a recapitulation( summary) of the main findings or main
themes
ii. statements about the specific values or alternative
insights of your paper for understanding the subject
matter
iii. Indications of the important relevance to the current
circumstance or future possibility
iv. Suggestions for policy in points to your findings 45
4. Guidelines for Reference Materials
• Different institutions have developed
different styles of documentation.
• No matter which one you use for your paper,
the principle is to be consistent.
• The format system provided.
• Here comes from the American Psychological
Association (APA system).
 

46
 4.1. Parenthetical Reference
• A term paper must have a clear documentation
of all reference materials used in the text.
• This requires that your paper must indicate
from where you obtained:
• i. direct quotations
• ii. borrowed ideas (including paraphrases and
summaries)
• iii. data and cases (if they did not come through
your own research)

47
• Sample:
i. One work by one author
• If the author’s name appears in the text,
Walker (2000) compared reaction times
• If not,
In a recent study of reaction times (Walker, 2000)
ii. One work by multiple authors
• First citation in the text:
Wasserstein, Zappulla, Rosen, Gerstman, and Rock
(1994) found
• First next citation in the text:
Wasserstien et al. (1994) found
iii. One work by group as author
• Use the name of the group as the author
Hong Kong Census and Statistics Department (1997) found
48
 
 4.2. Notes
• The notes at the foot of each page are called as footnotes.
• The notes at the end of each chapter or at the end of the paper before
other reference materials are called as endnotes.
• But, both formats and functions are the same.
i. Documentation notes
• Footnotes or endnotes for reference documentation is seldom used now.
ii. Content notes
• However, it remains common to use footnotes or endnotes for providing
additional content in the text. Such footnotes or endnotes may:
a. include material which is not strictly relevant to the main argument
while yet is too important to be omitted.
b. explain, supplement, amplify material that is included in the main text.
c. give cross-reference to other sections of a paper

49
 4.3. Appendix
• The purpose of appendix is to provide reader with
detailed information which would be distracting to
read in the main body of the paper.
• Usually, the information in an appendix is a large
table, a long cross-reference to the text, a sample of
a questionnaire or other survey instrument used in
the research.
• If your paper has only one appendix, you should
simply label it Appendix; if your paper has more than
one appendix, you need to label each one with a
capital letter
(Appendix A, Appendix B, Appendix C, etc.) 50
 4.4. English References
• At the end of your paper, you must provide a reference list in an alphabetical
order by the surname of the author.
• If you use the title Bibliography, you can list out both references cited in the text
and the relevant works which have been consulted.
• If you use the title Reference, you should only list out the references cited in the
text.
• General forms:
i. Book reference
• Author’s name. (Year). Title of work. Location: Publisher
ii. A chapter or an article in an edited book
• Author’s name. (Year). Title of chapter or article. In Editor’s name (Ed.), Title of
book (page numbers). Location: Publisher.
iii. Periodical (e.g., journal articles)
• Author’s name. (Year). Title of article. Title of periodical, Volume Number, Page.
iv. Daily newspaper report or article
• Heading of the report or the article. (year, month and date). Title of the
newspaper, page. 51
 Sample: Book reference
i. A reference to an entire book
• Beck, C. A. J., & Sales, B. D. (2001). Family mediation: Facts, myths, and further prospects. Washington, DC:
American Psychological Association.
ii. Book in new edition (second, third, etc.)
• Mitchell, T. R., & Larson, J. R. (1987). People in organizations: An introduction to organizational behavior (3rd
ed.). New York: Mcgraw-Hill.
iii. Edited book
• Gibbs, J. T., & Huang, L.N. (Eds.). (1991). Children of color: Psychological interviews with minority youth. San
Francisco: Jossey-bass.
iv. Translated work
• Laplave, P. -S. (1951). A philosophical essay on probabilities (F. W. Truscott & F. L. Emory, Trans.). New York:
Dover. (Original work published 1814)
v. Book, group author as publisher
• American Bureau of Statistics. (1991). Estimated resident population by age and sex in statistical area, New
South Wales, June 1991 (No. 3209.1).Canberra, Australian Capital Territory: Author
• Note. When the author and publisher are identical, use Author as the same of the publisher.
Sample: A chapter or an article in an edited book
• Bjork, R. A. (1989). Retrieval inhibition as an adaptive mechanism in human memory. In H. L. Roediger III & F. I.
M. Craik (Eds.), Varieties of memory & consciousness (pp. 309-330). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
Sample: Periodical
• Mellers, B. A. (2000). Choice and the relative pleasure of consequences. Psychological Bulletin, 126, 910-924.
Sample: Daily newspaper report or article
• New drug appears to sharply cut risk of death from heart failure. (1993, July 15). The Washington Post, p. A12.
52
• iv. Authors with the same surname
• For one work by one author, show author’s initials in all text citation:
• R. D. Luce (1959) and P. A. Luce (1986) also found
• For one work by multiple authors, show the first author’s initials in all text citation:
• J. M. Goldberg and Neff (1961) and M. E. Goldberg and Wurtz (1972)
studied
• v. Two or more works within the same parenthese
• By different authors:
• Several studies (Balda, 1980; Kamil, 1988; Pepperberg & Funk, 1990)
• By the same author:
• Past research (Gogel, 1984, 1990)
• By the same author in the same year:
• Several studies (Johnson, 1991a, 1991b, 1991c)
• vi. Specific parts of a source
• One specific page:
• (Cheek & Buss, 1981, p.332)
• More than one page:
• (Cheek & Buss, 1981, pp. 332-333)
• A specific chapter:
• (Shimamura, 1989, chap.3) 53
 How to Write a Term Paper
• Writing term paper is not easy.
 
• It requires a lot of hard work, extensive reading and
thinking.
• Below are some guidelines to help you to write a term
paper.
• Identify an interesting topic:
• Select a topic that you are interested so that you will
enjoy the process of term paper writing.
• Gather information:
• Take support of available sources of information such as
internet, libraries, abstracts and review articles.
• Read papers that are already written on a similar topic of
your term paper so that you can formulate a direction.54
• Recognize the problem(s):
• Identify the problem(s) that are still unsolved and unanswered.
• In your term paper, you should identify and list out the problem(s),
give a literature review and an updated summary, give conclusion
and recommendations by which the problem(s) can be solved.
• You should provide a comprehensive essay that demonstrates your
understanding of the topic.
• Provide quotations:
• Provide references to support your ideas. Giving proper reference is
important for term paper writing because without it readers will cast
doubt on the accuracy of the information you provide and you will be
blamed of plagiarism or academic dishonesty.
• General organization:
• The following sections should be included in your term paper.
• Title:
• Give an informative and concise title. 55
• Abstract:
• Give the objectives, your findings and the
significance of your paper.
• Introduction:
• Give background information and relate the
problem(s) you found with the current information.
• Emphasize your contribution.
• Main body:
• Present your ideas in a systematic and concise
manner.
• When necessary, supply figures, diagrams and
tables with legends. 56
• Discussion and conclusion:
• Give a summary of your ideas, compare and
contrast yours with that of other studies.
• Suggest future directions and provide thoughtful
discussion about the implications of your
suggestions.
• References:
• Make sure you provide accurate citations with the
following format.
• List references alphabetically.

57
Journal:
• Yoshida H, Kawane K, Koike M, Mori Y, Uchiyama Y, Nagata S. Phosphatidylserine-
dependent
• engulfment by macrophages of nuclei from erythroid precursor cells. Nature, 2005,
437:754-8.
Book:
• Strunk W Jr, White EB. The Elements of Style, third ed. MacMillan, New York
(Chapter 2), 2008.
Text citations:
− Single author (Smithson, 2008)
− Two authors (Smithson and Thompson, 2008)
− Three or more authors (Smithson et al., 2008)
− Multiple references (Smithson et al., 2008a; Smithson et al., 2008b; Jones et al.,
2003)
Abbreviations, units and symbols:
• Abbreviations must be given the first time they are used, both in the abstract and
again in the main text.
• SI units should be used except where non-SI units are more common [e.g. milli-liter
58
(ml) for volume]. Symbols should be consistent throughout the text and figures
 Stages of writing a term paper
• Writing a paper involves the following steps:
1. Planning and finding of topic
2. Reading and focusing your topic
3. Collecting data
4. First version
5. Revision & editing

59
 Writing, Revising, and Proofreading
•  
• First Draft
• Have a clear purpose in mind when you begin writing, but don't try
to think of everything at once. Papers are
• rarely written correctly on the first draft. This means you must be
sure to allow yourself enough time for
• writing and revising.
• Review
• After the first draft is written, set it aside for at least a day or so,
then re-read it to yourself. Also, allow enough time in the process to
give the draft to your science and English teachers, as well as
someone who
• is not familiar with your research project, for comments. Ask them
to mark any section that was
• confusing or they had to read twice to understand. 60
Revise
• When you revise, aim for improving clarity.
• • Use third person in grammar, when possible.
• • Examine the verb tenses throughout your paper.
• Most or all of the Abstract should be written in past tense.
• Present and past tenses are correct in the Introduction.
• Past tense or present perfect tense (researchers have shown) is
appropriate for the literature review and the description of the
Materials and Methods.
• Use past tense to describe Results .
• Use the present tense for the Discussion and Conclusions. The
present tense allows your readers to join you in your consideration
of the matter at hand.
• Examine your use of pronouns, especially "it." Is the meaning clear?
• Examine your sentences for needless words. 61
Proofread
• Proofread for correct spelling and sentence
structure!
• Computer spell-checkers do not recognize
misspelled words if they are valid words, nor do
they check the grammar.
• Any errors in spelling, grammar, sentence structure,
punctuation, or misuse of a word is distracting and
affects the reader's confidence in you.
• A paper with writing and typing errors may score
poorly even if the research itself is excellent.
62
 Typing Specifications
Rules
• All papers must be typed, using standard 12-point, serif typeface (such as Times), and double-spaced.
• Papers must be printed single-sided on 8 1/2 x 11 inch paper with one-inch margins (on all sides).
• Output from dot matrix printers is not acceptable.
• The typical research paper should be between 5 and 12 pages. It may not exceed 20 pages. Lengthy papers
are neither necessary nor desired.
• The title page shows the title of the paper, the author’s name, school name, and date of submission.
• All pages except the title page, abstract, acknowledgments, and table of contents must be numbered. Type
the numbers, using Arabic numerals, within the one-inch margin on the bottom of the page.
• These numerals should be centered and one-half inch from the bottom edge of the paper.
• Do not include your name on each page of the paper.
• The papers are "blind" reviewed, which means that all identifying information such as name and school
must be removed prior to paper review.
• Each section of the paper should be identified by a heading, centered within the page margins, and typed
using the same typeface and font size as text. All letters are capitalized.
• Use abbreviations sparingly, but if a very long name or term is repeated throughout the paper, an
abbreviation is acceptable.
• Abbreviations should be defined the first time they appear in text by placing the abbreviation in
parentheses following the spelled-out word.

63
 10.3 guide lines for presenting term papers

The Oral Presentation

Timing
• The presentation may not exceed 15 minutes and is
followed by a five (5) minute question-and-answer
period.
• A session moderator will aid the student speaker in
maintaining the time and in fielding questions from
the audience.
• The timing procedure includes a 12-minute warning
signal from the moderator, and a 15 minute stop time.
• At the 15-minute point, the presentation will be
stopped, even if the student speaker has not finished. 64
Answering Questions
• Following the presentation, the session moderator
will ask for questions from the judges, followed by
questions from the audience.
• The speaker must repeat or paraphrase each
question before answering it so the audience
understands the entire dialogue.
• Questions intended to harass the student speakers
will not be allowed by the session moderator.

65
Suggestions
• Explain your research in enough detail so the audience understands what you did, how
you did it, and what you learned. Be sure your presentation is logical and easy to follow.
Make your message clear.
• Avoid jargon or terminology the audience might not understand. If it is essential to use
specialized terms, remember to explain them briefly. Be prepared to define terminology
used, if necessary.
• Graphs, tables and other illustrations may help explain your results. Remember to name
the variables on each axis of a graph, and state the significance of the position and shape
of the graph.
• Do not, however, read each number in the table/ figure. Call attention instead to
important points.
• Deliver your presentation at a comfortable pace. Time yourself. Classroom practice
sessions provide an excellent "live" audience and help build confidence. Videotape the
presentation, if possible. Listen and watch for "ah's," "er's," or nervous mannerisms.
• Plan to speak for 12 minutes; that "builds in" time to finish within the allotted 15 minutes.
• Acknowledgments are presented at the end of an oral presentation.
• No written handouts are permitted.
• Research apparatus may be demonstrated only if it is integral to the presentation and only
if the apparatus is hand-held. 66
Slides
• Use 2 x 2-inch (35 mm) slides.
• When preparing text for slides, use no more than 9double
spaced lines per slide. Each line should be at most 4.5
inches wide (about 50 characters in non-proportional
font).
• If you can read the slides without a magnifier, people in the
audience can probably read them on the screen. It is
better to have the letters too large than too small.
• Thumb spot all slides in the lower left corner when the
slide reads correctly on hand viewing. Add sequence
numbers.
• Have slides in carousel tray with thumb spot visible in
upper right hand corner. 67
Color Choices
• Color is not required. Color should be used only to
clarify or make the visual more legible.
• Overhead transparencies most commonly have
black letters on white (clear), but slides are
frequently made using other colors.
• Most legible are black letters on yellow. The
following are listed in descending order of legibility:
green, red, or blue on white (clear); white (clear) on
blue; black on white (clear); and yellow on black .
• Do not overuse color. Use good judgment.
  68
• Your PowerPoint slides should be organized as follows:
a. Presentation title
a. Name of each team member and semester (i.e., Fall 2011)
b. Percentage of contribution: Write next to your name, the percentage of
contribution (total = 100%).
c. Slides organization:
i. One overview (content) slide
ii. Slides for 20-25 minutes presentation, however, you don’t want to have
too many slides that you have to rush on each slide.
iii. One conclusion slide
iv. Slide for references: as needed
d. Presentation date: Nov. 30 or Dec. 7. Each team member should
approximately present the same amount of time. Points will be taking for
those who don’t present long enough. Bring your laptop and be ready to
start. Points will also be taking off if the team goes over the time limit; so
you may want to do practice runs. 69
 Using power point visuals
•  
• • Test the equipment. Arrive early and test the equipment. Check the readability of your
visuals for different locations within the room.
• • Have backups. If you are using a projector, have an extra bulb on hand. Have a second set
of PowerPoint files. Recognize that equipment can fail so also prepare to give your
presentation without the hardware!
• • Dim lights as little as possible. Dim the lights in the room (but don’t make it too dark). If
you can, darken the lights in the front of the room where the screen is located. Bring the
lights back up to complete exercises or during discussions.
• • Position yourself. Stand to either side (rather than in front) of the equipment and screen.
Talk to the audience, not to the projected image or your computer.
• • Use motion. Motion attracts people’s eyes. Gesture to the screen when appropriate.
Stand still when you want people to read the screen.
• • Pace yourself. During the presentation, hold the image on the screen only until the
audience has had time to grasp the meaning.
• • Control attention. Turn the projector off or make the screen black when it is not being
used.
• • Be confident of the technology. Learn the keyboard “shortcuts” for the program you are
using.
•  

70
  Important basic part of presentation
Introduction
• Establish your relationship with the audience and
let them know what to expect. For example, one
approach is to:
• o Introduce yourself and establish credibility.
• o Capture the essence of your message in a single
topic sentence. Make your personal stance clear.
• o Get your audience’s attention through relevant
humor, provocative statements, startling facts, or
rhetorical questions.
71
 Discussion
• This section illustrates or proves your viewpoint.
• Present your main points using statistics, details,
and analogies.
• To stir emotion in the audience, let your
enthusiasm and sincerity show.
• Use vivid language.
• oPersonalize your message through anecdotes or
examples.

72
 Conclusion
• The end of a presentation should be as carefully
orchestrated as the other sections. For example:
• Tell the audience you are about to bring your
remarks to a close.
• Briefly summarize your main points.
• Make a memorable parting statement.
• It is a good idea to prepare notes with key points
in advance so you can avoid reading text in front
of the audience.

73
 Assignment
•   titles and prepare term paper within
Instruction: Choose one of the following
the group.

1) Health and safety problems

2) Quality problem
3) Time management problems / project delay
4) Cost overrun of projects
5) Performance of construction projects
6) any of your interested titles construction.
• Total mark 15 %
• Group member 5/ 6 students
• Submission Date: one week before final exam
• Total page of term paper 10 - 15 pages.
• You should send your assignment with the email address
[email protected]
  74
 The end of the course
 
Tank you for your cooperation
 
 
 
 

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