School of Mechanical & industrial

Engineering

Technical Writing And Research

Lecture one
Introduction to Technical Report
Writing
Prepared By; Fekadu .B April , 2022
1
 Unit contents
1. What is Report?
2. Define technical report.
3. What is the purpose of technical report?
4. Examples of technical reports.
5. Characteristics of technical report.
6. Types of reports
7. The structure / sections/ layout of a technical report
8. Process of Writing Technical Report
9. Qualities of Good Technical Writings

2
 What is Report?
 Report is a piece of informative writing that describes
a set of actions and analyses of any results in response
to a specific brief.
 Report: is a document that presents information in an
organized format for a specific audience and purpose.
 Complete reports are almost always in the form of
written documents.
 A good report is easy to be familiar with an issue raised
as a subject because:
 its title is precise and informative,
 its layout and format are well organized, and
 Its binding is easy to handle and opens
3
flat to
 What is technical Report?
 The term “technical” refers to specific knowledge of
specific area of study.
 This is to mean “technical” refers knowledge which is
not widespread or worldwide.
 Technical communication is the delivery of technical
information to specific audiences.
 Whenever you try to write or say anything about your
field of specialization, you are engaged in technical
communications.
 The information of technical communication should
be of:
 Their needs,
4  Level of understanding and
 Technical Report Writing
 Technical Report Writing is
 direct,
 informative,
 clear, and
 concise language written specifically for an
identified audience.
 The content must be accurate and complete with no
exaggerations.
 To deliver the intended message, the text must be
objective and persuasive without being argumentative.
 Technical Writing is a broad term that encompasses a
wide variety of documents in science, engineering, and
5 the skilled trades.
 Cont’d
 A technical report (also: scientific report) is a document
that describes the
 process,
 progress, or
 results
of technical or scientific research or the state of
a technical or scientific research problem.
 It might also include recommendations and
conclusions
of the research.
 The Purpose of Technical Report
 To convey information as clearly and
6
adequately as possible
 For Whom?
 Technical reports are prepared for supervisors,
subordinates, peers, customers, clients, and various
government agencies.
 Typical technical reports include:
 Progress reports  Manuals
 Feasibility studies  Facilities descriptions
 Proposals  Procedures
 Primary research  Planning documents
reports  Environmental impact
 Case studies statements
 Lab reports  Safety analysis
7  Trip reports reports

 Who Writes Technical Report?
 Professionals like:
 Engineers,
 Scientists,
 Architects,
 Physicians,
 Lab technicians, and so forth.
 In the broadest sense, virtually any trade or profession
can be considered to have a technical component, and its
practitioners must prepare technical writings.
 Think about doctors, nurses, farmers, lawyers, and
experts of all types.
 Every one of these persons will write in the jargon of
8 their discipline - a kind of technical writing.
 Characteristics of Technical Report
 A technical report differs from other compositions:
 It is written in more or less conventional forms to
meet a specific need or requirement.
 It is not an outburst/sudden occurrence of
powerful feelings or an expression of recollected
emotions.
 The conclusions and recommendations are strictly
based on the facts included in the report.
 A Report is Like a bathing suit: “It covers
everything that has to be covered but nothing
more…” (Shearring and Christian (1965: 131) )
 It should place as few hindrances as possible
9 between mind of the writer and the mind of the
 Some general attributes of technical writing
1. It pertains to a technical subject.
2. It has a purpose/ objective.
 A technical document always written for a
reason, and the purpose.
 Reports may be to explain :
 what was done,
 why it was done, and/or
 the results of a study.
3. It conveys information/facts/data.
 A report without facts or scientific evidence usually
lacks credibility,
 And it is likely to be unsuccessful in achieving its
9
purpose and objective.
 The verbs that are probably associated with
factual statements are:

 Determined  Approved
 Solved  Cancelled
 Built  Invented
 Accepted  Designed
 Rejected  Developed
 Completed  Discovered
 Passed  Uncovered
 Failed  Deduced
 Broke  Studied
11
 Cont’d
 Verbs that are often not associated with factual
statements include.
 Think
 May be
 Suggest
 Appear
 Suppose

12
 Types of Reports
 Technical reports are so diverse that may be
categorized according to:
 Their length (short and long)
 Their tone/style (formal or informal)
 Their mode of delivery (oral and written)
 Their form (Printed, Letter, Memo and Manuscript
Formats) or
 Their purpose (informational reports, analytical
reports, persuasive reports)

13
 Informal Reports
 Can be structured in any way.
 Use first- or second-person narrative.
 are shorter than formal reports.
 have no preliminary parts and supplementary parts.
 are concerned with everyday matters that require little
background.
 is generally in the form of a person to person
communication.
e.g.
 Sales report for a specific period
 internal proposal which analyzes an internal
problem and recommend a solution,
14  laboratory reports,
 Types of informal reports
 Incident Reports
 Field Trip Reports
 Reporting Conference Attendance
 Inspection Reports
 Progress Reports

15
 Formal Reports
 Have a set structure.
 Are long, analytical and impersonal.
 Have a formal tone and use third-person narrative.
 Analyze a specific topic in great detail.
 Include citations for the sources.
 Charts, graphs and statistical information are also
common components.
 Annual Reports,
 Reports of companies,
 Project reports,
 External proposal and
 Thesis
16
 Classification of Technical reports Based on the
Purpose
 Classification of Technical reports Based on the
General Purpose of the Report
 Informational Reports
 Analytical Reports
 Persuasive Reports

17
 1. Informational Reports
 Describe situations without any analyses,
interpretation or recommendations.
 Do not contain any conclusions or
recommendations
 Readers can
 agree or disagree with, like or dislike, ‘
 oppose or advocate based on the report.
 Good informational report typically tells a reader how and
what. It doesn’t say why.

18
 2. Analytical Reports
 Go one step beyond informational reports.
 Describe and analyze situations.
 Try to find causes and may show long or short-range
consequences.
 Includes an evaluation or interpretation or analysis of
data and the reporter’s conclusions.
 May have recommendations for action.
For example, why a system does not work, how a process
can be improved, why an environment is changing, what
the advantages are of maintaining, changing or selling a
business.
 Analytical reports usually deal with why something is so.
19
 3. Persuasive Reports
 Its main purpose is to conveys information to the concerning
body.
 Such kind of technical writing influences direction and
decisions.
 They are action-oriented.
 They describe, analyze and presentclear
recommendation for readers to consider and to act
upon.
 For example, by showing how a company or city can save
money, what changes are necessary to improve a situation,
what can be done to counteract or take advantage of certain
20
trends or practices.
 THE STRUCTURE / SECTIONS/ LAYOUT OF
A TECHNICAL REPORT
 Engineers write technical reports (also called
engineering reports) to communicate technical
information and conclusions about projects to
customers, managers, legal authority figures, other
engineers and other scientific community.
 A TR follows a specific layout and format as specified by
the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).
 Layout and Format of TR generally includes:
 Front matter
 Text (Body)
 Back matter
21
 1. The front matter
 Is used to help potential readers find the report.
 Will help the reader to quickly decide whether or not the
material contained within the report pertains to what they
are investigating.
 The front matter includes:
1. Cover Page
2. Label
3. Title Page
4. Acknowledgements
5. Table Of Contents
6. Lists Of Figures And Tables
22 7. Abstract
 1.1 Cover page
 A cover and label are used if the report is over 10 pages long.
 The cover (front and back) provides physical protection for the
printed report.
 Plastic spiral bindings and thick, card-stock paper are
recommended.

1.2 A label
 A label is placed on the cover to identify:
 Report title and subtitle (if a subtitle is appropriate)
 Author’s name
 Publisher (optional)
 Date of publication
23
 Sample cover with a label

24
 1.3 Title Page
 Provides descriptive information that is used by
organizations that provide access to information resources
(i.e., library).
 Duplicates the information found on the front cover (if
one is used).
 Has the following positive characteristics:
1. It should be informative
2. Concise
3. Clear enough
4. Avoid vague and overly complex terms
5. Put it on new separated page if the report is more
25
than five pages
 Cont’d
 The title page Contains:
 Title of the report
 the name of the person, company, or organization for
whom the report has been prepared
 Your name and position (ID No.)
 Your specific department’s name in the organization
 Date of submission
 The title of the report should indicate exactly what the
report is about.
 The reader should know not only the general topic, but
also the aspect of the topic contained in the report.
26
 Cont…
Compare the following pairs of titles:
 Eg.1.
Bridge Analysis Vs
Analysis of a Pre-stressed Concrete Bridge
 Eg.2.
Internet-based ATIS Vs
An Evaluation of Internet-based Automated
Traveler Information Systems

27
 1.4 Acknowledgement
 Unless you have given credit elsewhere, mention
diligently the names of persons and organizations that
have helped you in the production of the report.
 When you include published material and the list of
sources is very long, use a separate page for the purpose.
 Clearly indicate that permission has been taken for the
reproduction of copyright material, if any.

28
 1.5 Table of contents

 The table of contents

iii

47
 Cont…
 The contents page sets out the sections and subsections of
the report and their corresponding page numbers.
 It should clearly show the structural relationship between
sections and subsections.
Examples for sections and subsections
1. Title of first main section (usually Introduction)
1. First subheading
2. Second subheading
2. Title of second main section
1. First subheading
2. Second subheading
1. First division in the second subheading
2. Second division in the second subheading
3. Title of third main section
30
 Cont…
 Number all the preliminary pages in lower-case Roman
numerals (i, ii, iii, iv,).
 Preliminary pages are any which come before the
introduction, including the summary and, where applicable,
acknowledgements.
 Number all the remaining pages of your report with Arabic
numerals (1, 2, 3, 4,). Thus the report proper begins on
page 1 with your introduction.
 Provide a title in your table of contents to describe the
contents of each appendix (Note: one appendix, two or more
appendices).
 Don't just call them Appendix 1 or Appendix 2. Include its
31 name.
 1.6 List of Figures and Tables
 A list of figures and
tables helps the reader
to locate
illustrations,
drawings,
photographs, graphs,
charts, and tables of
information contained
in the report.

iv

32
 1.7Abstract
 Abstract is an accurate representation of the contents
of a document in an abbreviated form.
 The Abstract, is a short paragraph which summarizes
the entire report:
1. Aims/Purpose: what does this experiment intend
to accomplish? (1 sentence)
2. Methods (optional): how was it accomplished? (0-1
sentence)
3. Results: what were the major findings (directly
measured or observed)? (1-3 sentences)
4. Conclusions: what implications do these findings
have? (1-2 sentences)
 1.7Abstract
 It should be approximately 100-150 words (1/3 of a page,
double-spaced)
 Though abstract is found near the beginning of the
report, it should be written after we finished the
writing of the report.
 Many times, scientists will only read paper’s abstract to
determine whether the paper will be relevant to them or
not.
52
 The summary/abstract does NOT:
 provide general background information.
 explain why you are doing the research, investigation or
design.
 refer to later diagrams or references.
E.g. Here is an examples of a good abstract.
Abstract
The aim of this experiment was to determine the influence of
carbon content on the tensile material properties of steel.
Specimens of 1020, 1045, and 1090 steel were tensile tested
until failure. Of the three types of steel examined, 1020 had the
lowest yield strength but the highest elongation, at 52kpsi and
62%, respectively. 1090 had the highest yield strength and
53 lowest elongation, achieving 75kpsi and 7.8%, respectively. It
 2. BODY SECTION
 Is where you present your work.
 In this section the author:
i. describes the methods, assumptions, and
procedures;
ii. presents and discusses the results;
iii. draws conclusions, and recommends actions based on
the results.
 The body of the report:
 presents the information from your work, both
real world and theoretical, or your design.
 organizes information logically under appropriate
headings.
36  conveys information in the most effective way for
 Parts of the body/text
 Introduction
 Methods, Assumptions, and
Procedures
 Results and Discussion
 Conclusions
 Recommendations*

37
 2.1. Introduction
 provides the background information.
 is usually half to three-quarters of a page in length.
 Its purpose is to set the context for your report.
 It prepares the reader to read the main body of the
report.
 It focuses on the subject, purpose, and scope of the
report.
 It puts a clear statement of the aims of the project
 It states technical background necessary to understand
the report;
e.g. theory or assumptions
38
 Cont…
Subjec - defines the topic and associated terminology;
t may include theory, historical background,
and its significance
Purpose - indicates the reason for the investigation,
objectives
- indicates the extent and limits of the
Scope investigation

39
2.2 Methods, Assumptions, and Procedures
 Information in this section includes:
 System of measurement
 Types of equipment used and accuracy
 Test methods used
 Methods
 How did you discover the problem? What
measuring tools were used? What measurement system
was used?

40
 2.2 Methods
 Explain the methods used for the research /work
with a schematic sketch or listing.
1. Interview, questionnaire, sampling (depends title)
2. Data Collection & Analysis (velocity, Temperature,
etc. = inputs)
3. Modeling or conceptual drawing of system
4. Design analysis of a system or parts (Force, size,
etc)
5. Simulation using software
6. Manufacturing & Testing
7. Experiment
41
 2.2 Methods

42
 2.2 Methods
 Categories of methods and sources for collecting
data:
1. Methods (Primary Data)
 Personal observation
 Telephone Interview
 Personal Interview
 Questionnaires
2. Sources (Secondary Data)
 Internal Records (letters, memoranda, reports,
contracts, agreements, transcript of talks, orders,
office notes on files)
 Library
43
 Assumptions and procedures
 Assumptions
 What do you think, but cannot substantiate as fact?

 Procedures
 How did you gain a better understanding of the
problem? Manufacturing & Testing

44
 2.3 Results and Discussion,
 The results and discussion section describes what you
learned about the problem as a result of your research,
identifies the degree of accuracy related to your findings,
and gives the reader your view of the significance of
your findings.
 Results
 explain your findings with help of graphs or
tables , simulations etc.
 Discussion
 How accurate are your findings?
 What is the significance of the results of the
45 research?
 2.4 Conclusion
 The conclusion section provides an effective ending to
your report.
 This section:
 states whether you have achieved your aims
 gives a brief summary of the key findings or
information in your report
 Highlights the major outcomes of your investigation
and their significance.
 The conclusions should relate to the aims of the work:
Example
 Aim: The aim of this project is to design a mobile phone
tower.
 Conclusions
46 In this report, a design for a mobile phone tower has been
 2.5. Recommendations*
 Recommendations: is often included in reports that are
the result of tests and experiments, field trials, specific
design problems, and feasibility studies.
 The author may recommend additional areas of study and
suggest a course of action, such as pursuing an alternate
design approach.
 You should not introduce new ideas in it.
Additional Studies
 Is there information that still needs to be learned?
Suggested Actions
 What does the author want the reader to do with
47
the information?
 Where and how to write references
 Referencing of sources in written work generally
occurs:
 in the body of the text as either
-in-text citations or
-footnotes, and
 at the end of the text in the form of
- a reference list or
- a bibliography.
 Therefore, the two parts to referencing are:
 citations in the text of the report
48
 a list of references in the final section
 3.3 Appendixes
 Anything that cannot be left out of a report, but is too
large for the main part of the report and would serve to
distract or interrupt the flow belongs in the appendixes.
 Examples include:
 Large tables of data
 Flowcharts
 Mathematical analysis
 Large illustrations
 Detailed explanations and descriptions of test
techniques and apparatus
 Technical drawings
49
3.2 List of Symbols, Abbreviations, and Acronyms

 If more than
five symbols,
abbreviations,
or acronyms
are used in
the report,
they are to be
listed with
their
explanation.
45
 Process of Writing TR
 Writing technical report involves and
explains:
 what is done,
 why it was done,
 what has been discovered and
 what is the significance of the findings.
 And again, it should clearly state and explain:
 what novel comes out of your work, and
 how it relates to prior knowledge.

51
 Planning (Preparatory steps in writing
report)
 An effective report is the result of careful preparation
and execution of the plan.
 The following are important preparatory steps to
writing a report:
 Selecting an appropriate and specific topic
 Identifying Clear Objectives for Writing
 Define your scope
 Determine your audience
 Collect the data
 Organize the material
 Making an outline
52
 Qualities of Good Technical Writings
 As a technical writing, the readability, professionalism,
objectiveness and the impact of the report are expected
qualities.
 The basic characteristics to produce good reports are:
1. Accuracy:
 conventions of grammar, punctuation and usage,
 spelling,
 accurate sentences,
 paragraphing as well as any appropriate format
standards apply throughout the document.

53
 Qualities of Good Technical Writings
2. Clarity
 A technical report should convey a single meaning.
 Figures must be understandable.
3. Comprehensiveness
 Comprehensiveness: is crucial for two reasons:
 Firstly, the people who will act on the document need
a complete, self-contained discussion so that they can
apply the information effectively, efficiently and safely.
 Secondly, the document will be the official company
record of the project from its inception to its
competition.
54
 Qualities of Good Technical Writings
4. Accessibility
 refers to the case with which can locate the
information the readers seek.
5. Brevity or conciseness
 In report writing, there is no minimum or maximum
page length requirement .
 It is not common for technical reports to exceed 20
pages.
 It may stands against clarity and comprehensiveness.

55
 Qualities of Good Technical Writings
6. Modest writing
 writing in full (writing “it is” rather than “it‟s”)
 avoiding slang or colloquial expressions, but using
words correctly.
 Introducing sentences or paragraphs using phrases
such as:
 „At the same time‟,
 „On the other hand‟, or
 „Bearing this in mind‟,
 for example, keeps the smooth flow of information
and helps to catch the attention of the readers to the
56
supplementary information which follows.
 Qualities of Good Technical Writings
7. Continuity
 A report should include logically and interestingly
organized information.
 This requires continuity between successive sentences,
paragraphs, and sections and even between the written
text and the figures and/or tables.
 To keep the smooth flow of information, using
appropriate transitional words, phrases, sentences, or
even paragraphs play a vital role.

57
 K Y OU
THA N n
ti o
e s
Qu

58