On a normal day, research does not promise convenience, and for the fact that it is mostly deliberate, the researcher is meant to brew his/her mind with every level of preparedness. However, final year projects doesn’t appear as deliberate is it was meant to be; and as prerequisite, in partial fulfillment of their undergraduate programmes, it becomes almost natural to do a final year project research. To that effect, it feels doctored that one can choose your project topic by yourself and decide which resource materials to take from and which to cut off. Managing your expectations becomes the goal. But sorry expect anything.

Speaking of what to expect, writing final year projects is a journey not a destination and to think that every undergraduate is entitled to a first time research is worth asking what the worst that could happen is? The intention of this article is simple - to expose undergraduates to things they should expect in the course of their research journey.

So here are what you should expect in your research project journey

Your draft can be ruled out or cancelled
Your confidence can be intimidated when your meticulously drafted research draft is crossed out by your project supervisor for a mistake that should have simply been pointed out.

Your project topic could be changed in the middle of your research
Lol, but yeah it happens. I can attest to a colleague of mine, back in the days, whose project topic was rejected at the project defense panel. Yes you didn’t get me right, I mean she has concluded her research but on the defense day, her topic was rejected on the grounds that the project topic was too advanced for her level.

Some reasons your project topic could be ruled for change;

• If your project topic is faulty

• If it lacks materials to back up your research

• If you are committing a research malpractice.

• If your project topic is not achievable at the undergraduate level.

Availability of projects supervisor not certain
You can start off your final year project research early and finish very late, because your project supervisor may not always be available to make corrections, offer advice and make approvals without which the progress of your research is denied.

Resource available is not certain
You may have labeled the resource materials you will adopt for your research but things can go south making those available resources almost useless. Take on a plan B in terms of research materials for your project topic.

Final year projects wear the nature of every kind of research – it is full of uncertainties. Infact, the uncertainties makes it what it is, or else it is no more a research.