Writing a formal acknowledgement is an integral component of any project, report or thesis. An acknowledgement is meant to express gratitude to everyone who has helped you in accomplishing the task.
The confusion begins when you prepare the list of persons who have helped you. You may be clear about the names but how to go about acknowledging them is something you do not feel too sure about. Here are a few tips to make your acknowledgements look formal and gracious:
First step is to prepare a list of all those you want to thank and acknowledge. Do not make an attempt to include the names of everyone who may have helped you in one way or the other. Thank only those who have made significant contributions to complete that particular project making sure that you do not miss out on anyone who has advised you in professional capacity.
The language should be formal and simple. Pay more stress on grammar rather than elaborate appreciations.
Try to be gracious without indulging in a plethora of adjectives.
Use full names as far as possible and make sure to spell the names right.
Acknowledgements written in the form of an essay are more appealing.
The significance of writing an acknowledgement is to show the readers that the work presented is because of noteworthy contributions from the academia and personal support.
Sample Usage
Acknowledgements
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my advisor, Professor V.P.Malik who continuously inspired me and kept me motivated to complete the project. It is also because of him that I got an opportunity to work in an interesting and innovative area.
I would also like to thank Professor P.S.Joshi whose work I referred to time and again and who has been instrumental in my understanding of the intricate algorithms.
In addition, a thank you to professor S.R.Deshmukh who introduced me to the latest programming languages and kept me abreast with the current practices around the globe. His enthusiasm had a lasting effect and kept my interest and quest alive.
I would also like to mention the names of Professor B.K.Menon and Professor B.K.Bakshi for providing their valuable comments and feedback which helped me in removing all the pitfalls and refine the report.
Last but not the least I would like to thank my friends Alok Saxena and Arvind Bhatia for their support and cooperation in proof reading and editing the report.
Thanks to all of you for making this research an enriching experience.
|