SIWES Logbook and Report for Computer Science Students: How to Fill and Write Them

Fill your SIWES logbook while you do the work, not afterwards, and write your SIWES report from that logbook in your own words. The logbook proves what you did week by week; the report explains it. Formats differ between institutions, so your department's template always comes first, and everything below is the general approach that works with any of them.

What the SIWES logbook is

The logbook is the record of your placement. You write in it every working day, or at least every week, and your industry-based supervisor reads and signs it. Your institution-based supervisor checks it when you submit it and when they visit. It is also the main source for your report, which is why a vague logbook makes a weak report.

How to fill the logbook

1. Write the date and the week number.

2. Name the task in specific terms: "built the product page layout with HTML and CSS Grid", not "worked on a website".

3. Note the tools and technologies you used.

4. Write what you learned or what problem you solved. This is the line your supervisor and your assessor read most carefully.

5. Add a screenshot or sketch if your logbook has space for one and your supervisor agrees.

6. Ask your supervisor to comment and sign, at the end of the week at the latest.

An example entry for a web development placement

This is an illustration of the style. Write about your own work, never copy someone else's entries.

• Week 3, Monday: Built the product grid for the practice e-commerce site with HTML and CSS Grid, then fixed a layout break on small screens by changing the breakpoint.

• Learned: a layout must be tested at phone, tablet and desktop widths, and it is quicker to fix a breakpoint than to rebuild a section.

• Supervisor's comment and signature.

Logbook mistakes that supervisors notice

• Vague entries such as "learned HTML" or "assisted the team"

• Entries copied from another student or from a sample online

• Leaving weeks blank and filling them all in at the end

• Missing signatures, or signatures that do not match the dates

• Entries that do not match the work your supervisor actually saw you do

What goes into the SIWES report

Departments differ, so follow yours. The usual shape is:

1. Preliminary pages: title page, certification, dedication, acknowledgement, abstract and table of contents.

2. Introduction: what SIWES is, its objectives, and why you chose your placement.

3. The organisation: its background, structure and what it does.

4. The work you did: the tasks and projects, week by week or by project, with screenshots, diagrams and code snippets where they help.

5. Problems and solutions: what went wrong and how you fixed it.

6. Summary, conclusion and recommendations, then the references.

Writing a SIWES report on web development

A web development placement gives you plenty to write about, if you describe the work concretely. For each project, say what it was for, which technologies you used (for example HTML, CSS, JavaScript, React.js, PHP, Laravel or SQL), what you built, and what you would do differently. Show a few screenshots, a simple diagram of how the pages, the database and the server connect, and one or two short pieces of code with a sentence explaining each. Describe the problems honestly: a layout that broke on phones, a form that failed validation, a deployment that needed a second try. They are the strongest part of a report because they show that you actually did the work.

Preparing for the SIWES defence

• Read your own report from start to finish, so that nothing in it surprises you.

• Be ready to open your project and show it working, and to explain how you built one part.

• Know the organisation: what it does, how it is structured and where you fitted in.

• Be ready for "what did you learn?" and "what was your biggest problem?" with a specific answer for each.

• Know why you used each tool or technology, not only how.

How the SIWES placement at IMT Computers helps

IMT Computers' SIWES placement in Lagos gives Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Software Engineering and IT students, and any student interested in coding and building websites, full support with the ITF/SIWES logbook, the industrial training report (including a report on the web development work you did) and preparation for your supervisor evaluation and institution defence. Because the placement is supervised work on real projects, your logbook has real tasks in it. See also how long SIWES lasts, the difference between SIWES and IT and how to apply for SIWES.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I download a filled SIWES logbook?

A filled logbook belongs to someone else's placement. Submitting it as your own is dishonest, and supervisors and assessors recognise copied entries. Look at a sample only to see the style, then write your own.

Who signs the SIWES logbook?

Your industry-based supervisor at the placement signs it, usually weekly. Your institution's supervisor also checks it when they visit or when you submit it.

How do I write a good SIWES report?

Write it from your logbook, in your own words, with specific tasks, screenshots and the problems you solved, and follow your department's template for the layout and the number of chapters.

How do I defend my SIWES?

Know your report well, be ready to show a project working, and have a specific answer for what you learned and what problem you solved. The checklist above covers the rest.