WRITING TECHNICAL
REPORTS
Geraldine Eliot
BCIT Communication and Technical Writing Instructor
Technical Reports: Today’s Focus
2
How does audience and
function affect content?
What are the key components
of a report?
How do you integrate graphics
into reports?

©2011 Geraldine Eliot
Characteristics of a Report
3
All reports
 Focus on a clearly identified problem, topic, or
question
 Present an organised record of verifiable
evidence (that we assume is accurate)
 Include an interpretation of evidence, and a
discussion of the implications or relevance of
findings
 Offer a conclusion and/or recommendations
©2011 Geraldine Eliot
Characteristics continued
4
Reports also
Fulfil a need for information (routine vs. specific
needs)
 Are objective, unbiased, and impersonal
 Are designed for reader access
(e.g. headings, subheadings, lists, illustrations)
 Use language and numbering that is relevant for
the reader and purpose


What is included depends on who has commissioned
the report, and why.
©2011 Geraldine Eliot
5
Technical Report Structure
©2011 Geraldine Eliot
Elements of a Technical Report
6
Front Sections
Middle Sections Back Sections
Transmittal Document
Introduction
Sources Cited
Summary/Abstract
Body/Central Sections
Additional Sources
Consulted
Table of Contents
Conclusion
Report Cover/Title Page
List of Illustrations
Glossary
Recommendations
List of Symbols
Acknowledgements
©2011 Geraldine Eliot
Appendices
7
Core Report Sections
©2011 Geraldine Eliot
1. Introduction
8







Usually on separate page, with the full title of report
above
Sets the tone and focus of the report
Outlines details of why you have done the report
Gives a short history/background/context to the
report
Includes dates and people involved
Gives reader an overview – significance, purpose,
scope (what is covered), report organisation, any
limitations?
No results or analysis ©2011 Geraldine Eliot
2. Body/Central Sections
9





This is the core of the report – technical details,
facts, arguments, product information, test results,
etc.
Can write this first (all supplements are derived from
body)
Detailed analysis and rationale, and investigation
Present information and argue case
Use clear, parallel, descriptive, numbered headings
and subheadings for reader access
©2011 Geraldine Eliot
Body con’d
10






Use a logical order of information or sequence of
explanations (e.g. chronological, subject development or
concept development)
Use good paragraph organisation
Each paragraph must start with a main idea/central
point/main step in explanation
AVOID: long, confusing paragraphs with too many
ideas/points
Keep it clear and concise
You don’t want the reader to search for main ideas; you
do the hard work for them.
©2011 Geraldine Eliot
3. Ending – Conclusion/Recommendations
11
Conclusion = summary of main points covered in the
report plus an evaluation of the discussion. It
offers an overall judgement of what the material
means.
e.g. X is better than Y; B failed because of C; A is a
good plan of action.
 What major assumptions can be drawn, based on
the info covered?
 State the main conclusion first, then the rest
 Don’t include any new material/information
©2011 Geraldine Eliot
Ending Continued
12
Recommendations = a straight forward list of numbered
actions to be taken by the reader. They propose an
appropriate response to the problem or question.
e.g. Invest in A instead of B; replace C immediately.
Explains what the next step is/what needs to be done
 Uses strong, definite terms
 Uses first person and active verbs/the imperative
(command language)
e.g. You should; NOT can, could
e.g. We will, must; NOT shall
e.g. I recommend that we…

©2011 Geraldine Eliot
4. Executive Summary/Abstract
13









Separate from rest of report (placed at the beginning, right
after the title page)
Usually 1/10th the size of the whole report
Brief synopsis – what is the whole report about?
Identifies the purpose and most important features of report
– including main conclusion
Summarises findings but does not include any new material
Captures the reader’s attention – imagine this is all they are
going to read.
Usually fairly non-technical compared to rest of report
Does not get a page number
Write this last even though it appears first
©2011 Geraldine Eliot
14
Integrating Graphics into a Report
©2011 Geraldine Eliot
Graphics in Reports
15






Tables = rows and columns of data
Figures = any other illustration
Number each consecutively throughout the report
(separating tables and figures)
Use clear, specific, descriptive titles for each – the reader
shouldn't have to refer to the text to understand the image
Integrate into the report by referring to them before they
appear
Put them at the end of the first paragraph they are referred
to in (+/- three spaces above and below)
©2011 Geraldine Eliot
16

If the graphic takes up a whole page, it appears after
where it is first referred to
Refer to the illustration in one of two ways:
e.g. As detailed in Figure 14, the cost of labour to produce
the stand is nearly as high as the cost of raw materials.
e.g. The mounting plates (Figure 10) are used to bolt any
existing floor-type transmission jack to the structure.

Large schematics and raw data appear as Appendices
at the end of the report
©2011 Geraldine Eliot
17
©2011 Geraldine Eliot
Graphics continued
18
Make units of measurement clear:
 at the top of a column in a table
 along the axes of a graph or
 in a “key” or “legend.”



Each graphic’s title is preceded by “Figure”/“Fig.” or “Table”
followed by the number and then a period
Generally, the caption or title for a table goes above the table, and
the caption or title for a Figure goes under the figure.
If you use data or reproduce a graphic from another source, credit
the source below the graphic
©2011 Geraldine Eliot
19
Referencing and Citations
©2011 Geraldine Eliot
Referencing/Citations
20


•
•
•
Any time you use another person’s words or ideas in
your report, or specific findings from someone else’s
work , you must indicate the source, whether a direct
quote or a paraphrase.
The only time a source is not required is when the
facts or ideas are
Common knowledge among professionals in the field
Easily verifiable
Not the result of a specific piece of research
©2011 Geraldine Eliot
Compare: Which one needs the
reference?
21


A typical Electrical Engineer II working in Canada
earns a median base salary of $80,459, according
to an analysis of data reported by corporate HR
departments.
The earning potential of electrical engineers in
Canada can vary based on employer, experience, and
reputation.
©2011 Geraldine Eliot
APA & IEEE Referencing Systems
22

Surname, Initial. (Year of Publication). Title of Article. Title of Journal, page numbers.

Within the text:
e.g. “References should always be cited correctly” (Eliot, 2011, p. 78). - direct quote
OR Eliot (2011) states that references must always be done properly.
paraphrase
-
- within text
Within text referencing must be used as soon as you mention an idea that you have
taken from a source.
IEEE Citations within Text:
e.g. A recent study [1] indicates an elevated risk among children exposed to certain types of
electromagnetic fields.
IEEE in reference list:
[1] J.D Bowman, “Hypothesis: the risk of childhood leukemia is related to combinations of
power-frequency and static magnetic fields,” Bioelectromagnetics, vol. 16, no 1, pp/ 4859, 1995.
©2011 Geraldine Eliot
23
Final Report Writing Tips
©2011 Geraldine Eliot
Report Writing Tips
24






Think about your audience – summary readers vs.
specialist readers
Set the correct tone (formal vs. informal reports)
Use appropriate language (e.g. Is jargon
appropriate? Should you include a glossary?)
Keep a list of sources as you go
Ensure you have all the correct parts to the report
Ensure your formatting and design is consistent
throughout
©2011 Geraldine Eliot
25





Choose a referencing system and stick to it
throughout
Ensure the page numbers begin on the Introduction
page
Choose appropriate graphics
Label and refer to these correctly
Present a professional looking document that has
been spellchecked, proofread, and that appears
consistent throughout
©2011 Geraldine Eliot
26
Additional Resources
©2011 Geraldine Eliot
Report Writing Resources
27
Technical Report Samples:

www.cics.uvic.ca/climate/change/cimpact.htm

www.ec.gc.ca

www.hpl.hp.com/techreports
Report Writing Advice:
http://infolab.stanford.edu/~widom/paper-writing.html
http://www.cs.umbc.edu/~sherman/Courses/documents/TR_how_to.html
http://www.monash.edu.au/lls/llonline/writing/engineering/technical-report/index.xml
http://www.ieee.org/portal/cms_docs_iportals/iportals/publications/authors/transjnl/stylema
nual.pdf (IEEE Editorial Style Manual)
Tips for Referencing:
IEEE Engineering style documentation format:
http://www.ijssst.info/info/IEEE-Citation-StyleGuide.pdf
http://www.lib.monash.edu.au/tutorials/citing/ieee.html
General:
http://library.concordia.ca/help/howto/citations.html
©2011 Geraldine Eliot