Key points at a glance
- Confirm required format and deadline.
- Review sensitive attachments and signatures.
- Choose binding for the actual page count.
Read programme requirements first
Internship reports vary widely across degree programmes. Some need only a digital PDF; others require printed copies, a particular binding or signed placement forms. Read the current module rules and record deadline, copy count, page format, section order and signature requirements. An attractive bound report cannot compensate for a missing mandatory document.
Example: The report has eighteen pages plus an activity record and reflection form. Check whether these forms belong inside the bound copy or are submitted separately. Do the name, student number and placement dates match across cover and forms? Fixing these details before printing is much easier than replacing finished copies.
Check confidential material before export
Placement reports often mention internal processes, customers, colleagues or company screenshots. Agree with the host organisation and university what can be disclosed to examiners. Anonymise where appropriate and permitted. A black rectangle placed over text in Word may not be a secure redaction if underlying text remains selectable in the PDF. Prepare an approved version when necessary.
Inspect every appendix: Are signatures required? Are other employees identifiable? Are figures legible and attributed? Discuss any embargo or confidentiality arrangement early. Send the printing provider only the final permitted PDF, not a draft containing material that should not leave the project.
Select binding for length and handling
A short report may suit spiral binding because pages lie flat. A longer report might look calmer in softcover. Hardcover is sensible only when required or genuinely justified by length and purpose. Thesis Drucken Online lists these binding styles; inspect actual configuration and page limits when ordering.
Consider duplex printing, coloured figures, paper size and inner margins. Wide tables can become unreadable at A4 size; simply converting every page to an image will not solve that. Print a demanding sample page to verify type, charts and signatures.
Verify the exact file sent to print
Export a PDF and inspect page order, contents, appendices, blank pages and landscape sections. Count pages and compare with the order form. If you merge scanned forms, reopen the result: low scan resolution, skewed pages and clipped signatures may otherwise appear only in the delivered copy.
Allow time for corrections and the production and shipping information shown in the actual checkout. Save the ordered PDF under an unambiguous name. Submit digital and printed copies with the same content unless your programme explicitly requires different versions.
Final submission context
Formal details can feel like a separate writing task, but they matter just as much for a printed submission. Anything missing, misplaced or inconsistently formatted in the document will also appear in the bound copy.
Use this guide together with your cover page, table of contents, page numbers, source notes and appendices. Prepare the final PDF for printing and binding only after the complete file has been checked.
Practical check before PDF export
- Do headings, chapter structure and page numbers match?
- Are sources, figures and tables included completely?
- Are required elements such as declarations, appendices or the cover page included where required?
- Did you open and check the final PDF after exporting it?
Checklist
- Read module rules and deadline.
- Reviewed attachments and privacy.
- Selected binding for length.
- Matched ordered PDF to submission copy.
Common mistakes
- Discovering a required form after printing.
- Uploading incompletely redacted data.
- Submitting inconsistent print and digital versions.
Prepare the finished thesis for submission
Once the content and university requirements are checked, review your PDF and the available printing and binding options.
Review printing optionsRelated content
Explore related guidance on thesis structure, sources, formatting and final submission.
Frequently asked questions
Must an internship report be bound?
Only if your programme requires it.
Which binding should I choose?
Follow the rules and consider length and use; short reports often need a light option.
May I include internal company data?
Obtain the necessary approval before submission.