What is Technical Report?

A report is a statement of the results of an investigation or of any matter on which definite

information is required (Oxford English Dictionary).

It can also be defined as any kind of information presented/communicated in oral or written

medium for a concerned body or group of people about a certain subject. So, it can be considered
as a means of communication.

Technical Report- a report about a technical –practical, mechanical, procedural and

methodological, industrial, procedural, nominal- subjects’ wrote language of science and
technology. That means, technical reports are the primary written work products of engineers. As
such, they present facts and conclusions about:
 Designs
 Experiments
 Technical concepts
 Visual depictions of designs and data
 Inspections
 Progresses and other projects

Main Purpose: - convoying information

- to stimulate the readers
A technical report’s purpose is for an engineer to communicate information gained through a
process of technical or experimental work.

A scientific or Technical Report describes a research process or research and development

results or the current state-of-the-art in a certain field of science or technology. Therefore all
documents in the following list are Technical Reports, if they deal with a technical subject:
 reports about laboratory experiments
 construction and design reports
 reports about testing and measurements
 various theses written at the end of study courses, doctorate theses
 articles or reports about research works in scientific journals
 Project reports etc.

During your time at university you may be asked to write different types of reports upon
different subject matters, such as, laboratory reports, technical reports, and reports of a work
placement or industrial visit, reports of a field trip or field work.

Characteristics of Technical Report

 A highly structured form of writing – depend on conventional formats
 Shall bring clarity to the reader! This means, the reader must understand the topics
described in the Technical Report in exactly the same manner as the author has meant it
without any feedback or answers from the author.
1 UoG – DELL - Technical Report Writing- for Engineering students Compiled by: Alehegn B.
  Technical Reports must have a high level of systematic order, inner logic, consistency
etc.
 All kinds of reports will require a formal structure and careful planning, presenting the
material in a logical manner using clear and concise language.
 It is impossible to write technical documents that will be easy to everybody to read. So,
write reports that can be understood by the decision makers.
 Your report should have clear answers to the following questions

–What is the report about?

–What are you trying to say?
–Who are you writing for?
–How long can the report be?

Stages of Report Writing

Preparation and Planning/ Planning Stage

To fail to prepare is to prepare to fail. The importance of preparation and planning cannot be
stressed too highly. Often, however, writers simply ignore this aspect or dismiss it as too
mechanical to be worthwhile. As a result they plough too quickly into the writing process itself
and end up failing to realize their full potential. Anything you commit to paper before your
overall plan has taken shape is likely to be wasted; it will be like a bricklayer starting to build the
wall of a house before the architect has drawn up the plans. Before you write a single word you
must:
 Set your objective.
 Assess your readership.
 Decide what information you will need.
 Prepare your skeletal framework.
 Test and revise your skeletal framework.
Collectively these activities constitute the planning stage of report writing, and the amount of
time and thought you spend on them will make vast difference to the effectiveness of all the
work that will follow, by:
 continually reminding you of your overall objective
 making you constantly 'think readers'
 ensuring you know what information you will need to gather
 giving you clear guidelines to follow when writing each section
 Enabling you to rise above the detail and obtain an overview of the entire report at any
time.

2 UoG – DELL - Technical Report Writing- for Engineering students Compiled by: Alehegn B.
SETTING YOUR OBJECTIVE

Why have you been asked to write it?

Knowing your purpose will help you to communicate your information more clearly and will
help you to be more selective when collecting your information. So, it is vital to establish your
precise objective. You must first be absolutely sure of the purpose of your report. Only then can
you even begin to think about what you are going to write and how you are going to write it.
A clearly defined objective has a number of important benefits:
 It helps you decide what information to include - and leave out.
 It helps you pitch/tone the report at the right level.
 It makes it easier to write the report.

An objective is not what you intend to write, it is what you intend to achieve. There is a great
advantage in setting a clear objective.

So what do you want to achieve? What results are you hoping for? What do you want to happen
next? Only when you have identified this 'bottom line' can you begin to concentrate on getting
your message across effectively.
Here are some possible overall objectives for a report writer:
 to inform
 to describe
 to explain
 to instruct
 to evaluate (and recommend)
 to provoke debate
 to persuade.

ASSESSING YOUR READERSHIP

The next stage is to identify and assess your readership. In the engineering workplace, readers of
technical reports include supervisors assessing progress on specific projects or corporate officers
evaluating professional recommendations and proposals to invest in new technologies. Usually,
readers will have a technical or engineering background, but it is your responsibility as the
report writer to explain the specifics of the subject of your experiment, process, or project.

In many cases, you know who will be reading your report and the detailed content, style and
structure can then be matched to their level of knowledge and expertise:
 Concentrate on points they will care about.
 Explain things they do not know.
 Address questions and concerns they would be likely to raise.
Often, however, you do not know your readers personally. Try to find out something about them.
The following questions will prove useful:
 Are the readers alike or mixed?
 Are they used to reading and understanding reports?

3 UoG – DELL - Technical Report Writing- for Engineering students Compiled by: Alehegn B.
  How much time will they spend on this report?
 What do they already know?
 What else will they need to know?

DECIDING WHAT INFORMATION YOU WILL NEED

There are a number of questions you need to ask yourself at this stage:-
• What is the information you need?
• Where do you find it?
• How much do you need?
• How shall you collect it?
• In what order will you arrange it?
 You may have much of the information you need already such as results from a laboratory
experiment or descriptions of your methods of data collection. However, there may be other
material which is needed such as background information on other research studies, or
literature surveys. You may need to carry out some interviews or make a visit to the
university library to collect all the information you need.

• Make a list of what information you need.

• Make an action plan stating how you are going to gather this.
For some reports, you will need to collect very little information, while for others you will
require a great deal.

You have already written down your specific objective. Take another look at it and see what it
tells you. For example, if you were asked to investigate the circumstances surrounding an
accident in a restaurant kitchen, your objective could be agreed to be: To investigate how an
employee received injuries from a food mixer whilst working in the restaurant. You will now
draw up a general list of areas you will need to cover:

 What happened?
 What were the consequences?
 Was the employee properly trained?
 Was the machine properly maintained?
 Was it avoidable?

Consider everything, and later check it against your objective to make sure it is relevant. Once
you have done this you can start to list specific questions that will need to be answered. For
example, under was the machine properly maintained? Supplementary information you might
require would include:
 Was a full service record maintained?
 Was the machine in good working order?
 Have any other problems been reported?

4 UoG – DELL - Technical Report Writing- for Engineering students Compiled by: Alehegn B.
Mind mapping your total research needs has a number of significant advantages over relying on
experience, random thoughts, or, worst of all, good fortune:

 The objective of the report is more clearly defined.

 All the facts that will be needed are clearly identified.
 Unnecessary facts will not be included.
 The links between the key concepts and facts will immediately be recognizable because
of the proximity and connection.
 The nature of the structure allows for easy addition of new thought sand information.

PREPARING YOUR SKELETAL FRAMEWORK

Careful planning will help you to write a clear, concise and effective report, giving adequate time
to each of the developmental stages prior to submission.
• Consider the report as a whole
• Break down the task of writing the report into various parts.
• How much time do you have to write the report?
• How can this be divided up into the various planning stages?
• Set yourself deadlines for the various stages.
You are now in a position to think about the overall plan of your report. This is known as the
skeletal framework. It is like drawing up the plans for a new house. Not only will it show its
overall structure, it will also remind you of the materials (information) you will need to gather
before the process of construction can begin.

A well-planned skeletal framework is the key to effective report writing. There are three stages
involved in the preparation of a skeletal framework:

 Write a working title.

 Consider the overall structure of the report.
 Consider how information will be presented within the main body.

Structuring Your Report

All types of reports have a number of commonly recognized components, including:

Beginning
• Title page
• Acknowledgements
• Contents
• Abstract or summary
• Introduction
 Theory
Middle
• Methodology
• Results or findings

5 UoG – DELL - Technical Report Writing- for Engineering students Compiled by: Alehegn B.
• Discussion
• Conclusion and recommendations
End
• References
• Appendices

We shall now look at each of these in turn.

Title page
The title should be brief and meaningful and describe the contents of the report, identifies the
subject, and indicates the purpose of the study. The title page includes the title, author’s name,
course name and number, lab section number, instructor’s name, the date and is not numbered
(page number not given).

Acknowledgements
You should acknowledge any help you have received in collecting the information for the report.
This may be from librarians, technicians or computer centre staff, for example.

Contents
You should list all the main sections of the report in sequence with the page numbers they begin
on. If there are charts, diagrams or tables included in your report, these should be listed
separately under a title such as ‘List of Illustrations’ together with the page numbers on which
they appear.

Abstract or Executive summary

This should be a short paragraph summarizing the main contents of the report. It should include a
short statement of the main task, the methods used, conclusions reached and any
recommendations to be made. The abstract or summary should be concise, informative and
independent of the report. Write this section after you have written the report. Readers should be
able to gain all necessary information from the Executive Summary and sometimes will read
only this part. It should be written in the third person, passive voice, and past tense because it
explains work already done.

A Good Executive Summary/Abstract will include:

 The overall purpose of the experiment or principal objectives.

 The problem to be studied.
 Experimental methods and materials used.
 Main results.
 Main conclusions.

6 UoG – DELL - Technical Report Writing- for Engineering students Compiled by: Alehegn B.
Introduction
This should give the context and scope of the report and should include your terms of reference.
State your objectives clearly, define the limits of the report, outline the method of enquiry, give a
brief general background to the subject of the report and indicate the proposed development.
This section provides a context for the work discussed in the report. Therefore, it:
 Defines the experiment/work performed.
 Defines the scientific purpose or objective for the experiment.
 Includes a description of the problem and reasons for the work being done.
 Gives sufficient background information to the report.
 Must answer the questions: Why was this study performed? What is the specific purpose
of the study?

Theory
This section is mostly embedded in the introduction, especially if it is simple and the paper is
reporting a specific sub-task like a lab experiment. Theory explains the technical background of
the work. It usually includes the mathematical equations, models, and formulae, as well as the
scientific relations in its final forms, which governs the work, referenced to its original sources.
If any derivations are required or needed to backup the work, they are detailed in the appendix
and only the beginning and final relations are mentioned in this part, with reference to the
appropriate section in the appendix. Any equations or models should be formatted and numbered
according to the standards followed in technical writing.

Methodology
In this section you should state how you carried out your enquiry. What form did your enquiry
take? Did you carry out interviews or questionnaires, how did you collect your data? What
measurements did you make? How did you choose the subjects for your interviews? Present this
information logically and concisely. This section also includes:
 Apparatus - lists all equipment and materials used in the experiment. Be sure to include
identification labels of all equipment.
 Experimental Setup - provides details of the setup needed to carry out the experiment or
work. It could be a circuit diagram or a mechanical setup.
 Experimental Procedure - describes and explains the steps and process of the experiment in
chronological order. You should:
 Give detailed information in a paragraph structure that allows the reader to
duplicate/repeat the experiment exactly.
 Give the information in a step-by-step format.
Write mainly in the passive voice.

7 UoG – DELL - Technical Report Writing- for Engineering students Compiled by: Alehegn B.
Results or findings

Present your findings in as simple a way as possible. The more complicated the information
looks, the more difficult it will be to interpret. There are a number of ways in which results can
be presented. Here are a few:
• Tables
• Graphs
• Pie charts
• Bar charts
• Diagrams

 Numerical data should be included in graphs or tables to provide the best possible
information about the real situation.

 Sample Calculations - Calculations are usually based on equations and mathematical

relations which should have been mentioned earlier in the “Theory” section. If few
calculations are performed, they can be included in this section. If calculations are repetitive
and in large numbers, only one sample of each type should be included in this section and the
rest can either be performed electronically with results tabulated in the appendix or can be
done manually in the appendix. Final results should be summarized in this section with
reference to the work in the appendix if need be.

Illustration checklist
• Are all your diagrams / illustrations clearly labeled?
• Do they all have titles?
• Is the link between the text and the diagram clear?
• Are the headings precise?
• Are the axes of graphs clearly labeled?
• Can tables be easily interpreted?
• Have you abided by any copyright laws when including illustrations/tables from
published documents?

Discussion
The results to the technical report should be analyzed, interpreted and stated clearly. That means
the incorporated information in figures and tables should fully be explained and interpreted. Data
presented as results should be well organized.

This is the section where you can analyze and interpret your results drawing from the
information which you have collected, explaining its significance. Identify important issues and
suggest explanations for your findings. Outline any problems encountered and try and present a
balanced view. That means, any errors should be discussed and explained with regards to how
they occurred and how they affected the conclusion. An error analysis is usually an essential part
of the discussion and provides a comparison to expect results. This section should answer the
questions:
8 UoG – DELL - Technical Report Writing- for Engineering students Compiled by: Alehegn B.
 o What do the results clearly indicate?
o What was discovered?
o What is the significance of the results?
o Are the results fully discussed and conclusions drawn based on the knowledge
gained?
o How did errors occur?
o Did any of the errors affect the conclusion of the experiment/study?

Conclusions and Recommendations

This is the section of the report which draws together the main issues. It should be expressed
clearly and should not present any new information. You may wish to list your recommendations
in separate section or include them with the conclusions. This section should briefly summarize
the significant results of the experiment. The conclusion:
 Must answer any questions raised in the introduction regarding what was shown,
discovered, verified, proved, or disproved.
 Must explain why the experiment is significant.
 Must explain the implications for your particular field of study.
 Should not include discussion of new information not already mentioned in the report.

Appendices
Useful information, but too lengthy to fit within the body of the paper or additional information
related to the report but which is not essential for the main findings are placed in an appendix.
This can be consulted if the reader wishes but the report should not depend on this. Typically
appendices are used for long mathematical formulas and complete sets of data such as tables or
figures details of interview questions, statistical data, a glossary of terms, or other information
which may be useful for the reader.

All appendices should be referenced within the text of the report; items in the appendices should
be arranged in the order in which they are mentioned in the report itself.

References
It is important that you give precise details of all the work by other authors which has been
referred to within the report. Details should include:
• author’s name and initials
• date of publication
• title of the book, paper or journal
• publisher
• place of publication
• page numbers
References should be listed in alphabetical order of the authors' names. Make sure that your
references are accurate and comprehensive.

9 UoG – DELL - Technical Report Writing- for Engineering students Compiled by: Alehegn B.
APA (American Psychological Association) Style originated in 1929, when a group of
psychologists, anthropologists, and business managers convened and sought to establish a simple
set of procedures, or style rules, that would codify the many components of scientific writing to
increase the ease of reading comprehension.
As with other editorial styles, APA Style consists of rules or guidelines that a publisher observes
to ensure clear and consistent presentation of written material. It concerns uniform use of such
elements as selection of headings, tone, and length, punctuation and abbreviations, presentation
of numbers and statistics, construction of tables and figures, citation of references, and many
other elements that are a part of a manuscript. (Source: Official APA website)
In-text Citation with APA
The APA style calls for three kinds of information to be included in in-text citations. The
author's last name and the work's date of publication must always appear, and these items must
match exactly the corresponding entry in the references list. The third kind of information, the
page number, appears only in a citation to a direct quotation.....(Crockatt, 1995).
Direct quote from the text
"The potentially contradictory nature of Moscow's priorities surfaced first in its policies towards
East Germany and Yugoslavia," (Crockatt, 1995, p. 1).
Major Citations for a Reference List/Bibliography
Note: All second and third lines in the APA Bibliography should be indented.
Material Type Reference List/Bibliography
A book in print Baxter, C. (1997). Race equality in health care and
education. Philadelphia: Ballière Tindall.
A book chapter, print version Haybron, D. M. (2008). Philosophy and the science of
subjective well-being. In M. Eid & R. J. Larsen (Eds.), The
science of subjective well-being (pp. 17-43). New York, NY:
Guilford Press.
An eBook Millbower, L. (2003). Show biz training: Fun and effective
business training techniques from the worlds of stage, screen,
and song. Retrieved from http://www.amacombooks.org/
An article in a print journal Alibali, M. W. (1999). How children change their minds:
Strategy change can be gradual or abrupt. Developmental
Psychology, 35, 127-145.
An article in a journal without Carter, S., & Dunbar-Odom, D. (2009). The converging
DOI literacies center: An integrated model for writing
programs. Kairos: A Journal of Rhetoric, Technology, and
Pedagogy, 14(1), 38-48. Retrieved from
http://kairos.technorhetoric.net/
An article in a journal with Gaudio, J. L., & Snowdon, C. T. (2008). Spatial cues more

10 UoG – DELL - Technical Report Writing- for Engineering students Compiled by: Alehegn B.
DOI salient than color cues in cotton-top tamarins (saguinus
oedipus) reversal learning. Journal of Comparative
Psychology, 122, 441-444. doi: 10.1037/0735-7036.122.4.441
Websites - professional or The World Famous Hot Dog Site. (1999, July 7). Retrieved
personal sites January 5, 2008, from
http://www.xroads.com/~tcs/hotdog/hotdog.html
Websites - online government U.S. Department of Justice. (2006, September 10). Trends in
publications violent victimization by age, 1973-2005. Retrieved from
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/glance/vage.htm
Emails (cited in-text only) According to preservationist J. Mohlhenrich (personal
communication, January 5, 2008).
Mailing Lists (listserv) Stein, C.(2006, January 5). Chessie rescue - Annapolis, MD
[Message posted to Chessie-L electronic mailing list].
Retrieved from http://[email protected]
Radio and TV episodes - from DeFord, F. (Writer). (2007, August 8). Beyond Vick: Animal
library databases cruelty for sport [Television series episode]. In NPR
(Producer), Morning Edition. Retrieved from Academic
OneFile database.
Radio and TV episodes - from Sepic, M. (Writer). (2008). Federal prosecutors eye MySpace
website bullying case [Television series episode]. In NPR
(Producer), All Things Considered. Retrieved from
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/
Film Clips from website Kaufman, J.C. (Producer), Lacy, L. (Director), & Hawkey, P.
(Writer). (1979). Mean Joe Greene [video file]. Retrieved
from http://memory.loc.gov/mbrs/ccmp/meanjoe_01g.ram
Film Greene, C. (Producer), del Toro, G.(Director).
(2015). Crimson peak [Motion picture]. United States:
Legendary Pictures.
Photograph (from book, Close, C. (2002). Ronald. [photograph]. Museum of Modern
magazine or webpage) Art, New York, NY. Retrieved from
http://www.moma.org/collection/object.php?object_id=108890
Artwork - from library Clark, L. (c.a. 1960's). Man with Baby. [photograph]. George
database Eastman House, Rochester, NY. Retrieved from ARTstor
Artwork - from website Close, C. (2002). Ronald. [photograph]. Museum of Modern
Art, New York. Retrieved from
http://www.moma.org/collection/browse_results.php?
object_id=108890

11 UoG – DELL - Technical Report Writing- for Engineering students Compiled by: Alehegn B.
PRINCIPLES FOR EFFECTIVE REPORT WRITING

There are several well-known and well-tested pieces of advice to people who wish to
communicate effectively on paper. Here are some that should prove particularly valuable to
report writers.

The Importance of Reports

The report is the major product of your project or investigation. Indeed, for most people it is the
only tangible evidence that any work has been undertaken. It should not be silent on all your hard
work. There is as much importance in presenting facts as in finding them; what is not reported
will soon be forgotten, and might as well never have been discovered.

Drafting the report

 Try to write your draft report over consecutive days. You will find that in two days you
will achieve three times what you can in one; in four days you will do four times what
you might in two.
 Write in bursts of about forty minutes to an hour, each followed by a short break.
 Never start a writing session without being clear what you intend to achieve.
 Be flexible. You may have to postpone a writing session to do some other work.
However, flexibility works both ways, so make the most of any unexpected writing
opportunities.
 A ten-minute solo walk can often be more useful than an hour sit ting at your desk.
 Once you have started, keep the momentum going. Do not be over concerned with
writing conventions at this stage. There will be time for this later.
 Read a passage aloud to yourself. If it sounds like the latest news from Afghanistan, or
staccato or complicated, you are failing.

The need for explanation

 Always begin by saying what you have been asked to do, who asked you and when. Say
how, where and when you did it, and with whose help. Always explain what you are
talking about. Never be afraid of explaining too much.
 Try to consolidate highly factual reference into self-contained sections which will be
seen as help for those who require it, but not as required reading for those who do not.
 Always make it clear what you have accepted, and what you have verified. When you
have verified something, say how.
 You cannot explain the present without first explaining the past. Begin at the beginning.
How do things come to be where they are now?
 Be specific. Words like ‘mostly’, ‘largely’ and ‘substantially’ merely raise the question
‘how much?’ Say instead ‘three-quarters’, ‘two thirds’, ‘about half’; there is no need to
be finicky, but you must say what you mean.

12 UoG – DELL - Technical Report Writing- for Engineering students Compiled by: Alehegn B.
Differentiating between important facts and details

The best report writers are those who know which are the main facts, and which are the details
that illustrate them. If you did not fully understand that sentence, please read it again.

Avoiding too many figures

A common mistake in writing reports is to produce too many figures and too few explanations.
The principles to follow are two-fold:
 Restrict figures to those which are meaningful.
 Make sure they are consistently produced and interpreted.
Never assume that the readers will draw the right conclusion from the figures. They may quite
easily not be reading them at all when they read the text; or they may read them and make the
wrong conclusion; or they may fail to make any conclusion. Always say in words what they
mean.

Style of Writing
Good style is the best way to get your message across each time you write. Your aim should be
to write reports which are:
 read without unnecessary delay.
 understood without undue effort
 accepted and, where appropriate, acted upon.
Research has suggested that the factors that most affect readability are:
 An attractive appearance.
 Non-technical subject-matter.
 A clear and direct style.
 Short sentences.
 Short, familiar words.
There are several points that you will need to consider when you are writing your report:

Simplicity
Most written reports should avoid using overly complicated language.
 If a report is to persuade, brief or justify, its message must be clear.
 Avoid sophisticated, lengthy sentences when presenting the factual of data.
 Avoid using unnecessary jargon because it confuses even the most informed reader.
 Ensure that your abbreviations are standardized.
 Be cautious of confusing your reader.

13 UoG – DELL - Technical Report Writing- for Engineering students Compiled by: Alehegn B.
Use of language

Most reports should avoid the use of subjective language. For example, to report on a change in
colouration from a "stunning green to a beautiful blue" is to project your own values onto a
measurable outcome. What does the term "beautiful" mean to you? What will it mean to your
reader? Such subjective or personal language commonly has no place in the more objective field
of report writing.

Notes on Voice and Tone

Generally, good writing in engineering adheres to the following principles:

 Stay objective. Eliminate opinions and (“I think” or “I feel”) from your writing so that
the emphasis remains on the technical and scientific processes and facts.
 Remain mostly in the third person, passive voice. Doing so keeps your writing
looking/sounding objective and helps you to put emphasis on processes and things,
rather than on yourself as a technician or scientist. (Writing tip: do a search/hunt for
“I,” “me,” and “my” in your report. If you find those words, see if you can rework the
sentences so that the emphasis is not on you, but rather on the science and technology
under discussion.)
 Use past tense and present tense appropriately. Use past tense to describe things that
have already happened, and use present tense to indicate those things that are still
occurring. (Future tense is rarely used in technical reports, because reports focus
mainly on work that has been completed or that is in progress.)
 State clear facts precisely and avoid flowery language.
 For the most part, eliminate adverbs and adjectives, which can interfere with the
precise, clear, and straightforward writing needed to communicate technical and
scientific processes.

Writing Style and Format Requirements

Appearance
1. Word process the body of the report, from the title page through the conclusions. The
appendix material may be neatly handwritten in either ink or pencil.
2. Figures should be embedded in the report, attached with spray adhesive or rubber cement, or
scanned and inserted.
3. Use the 12 point Times or Times New Roman fonts for your text, figure captions, and table
headings. Use a 12 point Arial or Calibri font for text in figures.
4. Use a one-inch margin on all four sides. Do not right justify the text.
5. Double-space all of the text.
6. Put page numbers on all pages, starting with 1 on the title page. Page numbers are placed one-
half inch from the top edge and one inch from the right edge. Use the Header feature of Word to
automatically place your page numbers.
7. A header identifying the lab report immediately precedes the page number on all pages: ME
360 Lab Report 0. Leave five spaces between this header and the page number.
14 UoG – DELL - Technical Report Writing- for Engineering students Compiled by: Alehegn B.
Tense and Voice

1. Write in the passive voice: "Strain gages were used with a Wheatstone bridge to determine the
bending stress in the cantilever beam."
2. Avoid -ing verbs with the passive voice (especially avoid the words “using” and “utilizing”):
RIGHT: With a Wheatstone bridge, . . . or A Wheatstone bridge was used to . . WRONG: Using
a Wheatstone bridge, . . .
3. Use present tense for the Objective, Background, Results and Conclusions section and any
time you state general rules or truths: "The relationship between uniaxial stress and strain is s =
eE."
4. Use past tense for the Experiment section. Tell what was done and what happened in your
particular case.

Spelling, Punctuation, and Word Selection

1. Use a colon only where a period would fit.
2. Put a comma before the conjunction (and, or, but) in lists of three or more.
3. Set off the words “therefore,” “however,” with (a) comma(s).
4. Spell out contractions (cannot, is not, could not, etc.).
5. Use a plural verb for the word “data”: the data are (were); the datum is (was).
6. Do not write in first person [I, me, my]. The report should be objective. In the group reports it
will be acceptable to use third person [we].
7. Second person pronouns are unacceptable--do not use the word “you” as in “You willsee . . .”
8. Avoid non-technical language. Avoid the words “thing” and “stuff” as they relate no
information.
9. Avoid the word “there” everywhere in the report. It does not carry any information.
Choose more specific words.
10. Avoid referring to measurements by their units (“The psi in the cylinder was 34.”).
Instead, use the dimension to refer to the measurement (“The pressure in the cylinder was 34
psi.”).

15 UoG – DELL - Technical Report Writing- for Engineering students Compiled by: Alehegn B.
 TECHNICAL PROPOSAL – REPORT

DEFINITION

Any business organization needs constant concern for renewal, change, growth, improvement
expansion etc. since we are in cut-throat competition, rapid advancement in technology and
globalization of business, sustained improvement is a necessity, not a luxury.
To bring about improvement, it is essential to review constantly the existing situation and to
consider/suggest ways of effecting changes in the form of proposals –any properly conceived
idea, service, project or plan, whether theoretical or practical in nature, put for-ward for action
or implementation. It could be for carrying out research on a specified topic, writing of a book,
manufacturing product, setting up a plant, construction of a building or road, modifying a
procedure or system, providing a facility, etc. we may thus define a proposal as a written offer to
undertake a project for designing, creating something new or for changing or modifying existing
procedure, method, system or structure within a specified period of time.
TYPES OF PROPOSALS
Based on the content and objectives, we do three commonly used proposals. These are:
1. If a proposal deals with any aspect of business, commerce or industry, it is called a
business proposal.
2. If it is concerned with a project requiring scientific enquiry or systematic investigation it
is termed as a research proposal.
3. When the objective of the proposal is to modify or create something requiring technical
knowledge and skills, it is referred to as a technical proposal.
Another way of classifying proposal is:
1. Solicited proposal - prepared in response to a demand or an invitation from an
authorized person within the organization or from an outside agency such as government
department, a research organization or a public or private undertaking.
2. Unsolicited proposal – prepared by a person on his/her own initiative to solve a problem
or to meet a specific need as perceived by him/her.

CHARACTERISTICS

Whatever be the type, every proposal contains some essential information. It must tell the reader
what you plan to do, how you will do it, how much time you will take in completing it and what
that will cost. Since it is persuasive in nature, its presentation is based on what is termed as
AIDA plan:
A= attention is caught towards what is being proposed
I= Interest is created by pointing out how the plan would be executed.
D= Desire is generate to accept by highlighting the benefits or advantages that would accrue to
carryout

16 UoG – DELL - Technical Report Writing- for Engineering students Compiled by: Alehegn B.
A= Action= impulse for action is induced by persuasive reasoning. Persuasion is the art of
influencing people to accept willingly an idea, a position or a course of action.
Some of the factors (criteria) that may help you win the acceptance of your proposal are:
(i) Specify the scope clearly.
(ii) Be realistic in your estimation of time, money, material and personnel required.
(iii) Establish your credentials/qualifications/recommendation/identification
/testimonial for accomplishing the task.
(iv) Highlight the benefits that would accrue/amass/increase to the customer.
(v) Keep the proposal short and precise
(vi) Use plain language.
(vii) Ensure that the presentation and layout are neat and attractive (everything should
be kept beautiful)
STRUCTURE
The person or organization inviting it determines the structure of a solicited proposal. In
unsolicited proposal there is some choice both in respect of elements to be included and in their
sequencing. Below are some elements of proposal usually getting a place in every proposal:
1) Title page
This page acts as a cover of the proposal and contains the following information: title, name &
designation of the proposer, name of the organization to which he belongs and the month and
year of submission. These four items are separated by space and stand out clearly on the page.
2) Table of contents
This is given when the proposal is long, running into 15 or more page.
3. Executive summary
It summarizes purpose and scope of the proposal or the entire proposal. That means, the entire
proposal is condensed and given under the same subheadings as those in the main body. It avoids
technical language- emphasize the main benefits of your proposal. – Self contained - brief
mention of problem, proposed solution and cost.
4. Statement of the Problem
This part defies the need, or the rationale, or states the problem to which the proposal addresses
itself. To establish the need you may sometimes have to give a brief background history in terms
of the work already done and its inadequacy in the present circumstances. An ability to handle
this element successfully is crucial to the acceptance of your proposal because other elements
such as objectives, methodology, etc. would logically flow from your problem statement.

5. Objectives
To what extent your proposal is going to solve the problem or influence the change should be
clearly specified in this part. The objectives may be listed or stated in terms of short term and
long-term goals.

17 UoG – DELL - Technical Report Writing- for Engineering students Compiled by: Alehegn B.
 6. Technical Plan

Here describe in technical terms how the proposal would solve the problem you have stated
earlier. Depending on the nature of your proposal, you may discuss the theoretical principles and
analytical or experimental methods to be followed by you. Specify also the equipment,
instruments and materials that would be needed and how you are going to utilize them o execute
the proposed project. If your proposal is for the production of a new instrument, component, or
part of a machine, justify the requirement clearly indicating the technical or operational
advantages that would accrue from it.

7. Management Plan

This part describes how you will accomplish the proposed task and clearly indicates the plan of
action, facilities required, and the personnel who will execute the project. The plan of action
should specify how the work will be divided, who will be responsible for each division and how
much time would be taken to complete it. You may tabulate the time schedule for the activities
matching it with person responsible for each job or task; most of the proposals are not carried out
alone. You are likely to need organizational support, especially in terms of facilities such as
equipment, instruments, space and technical expertise. These should be stated to assure the
prospective customer, of the backup available.

8. Cost Estimate

This section is the principal in the proposal. It should logically flow from the description you
have given earlier. In a solicited proposal, the cost data required would be indicated. All you
have to do is to supply the information. But in an unsolicited proposal you must show all the
items of anticipated expenditure. Your estimate, should be realistic and complete, and include the
amount required for the following items: materials, equipment, computer time, lab testing,
salaries of personnel, travel, office contingencies, and infrastructure facilities such as land,
building, water, electricity, etc.

9. Conclusion

It is an optional element: it may be given when the situation demands. But if you have to include
it in your proposal, state succinctly the significance of the project and highlight once again the
benefits that would accumulate from it. You may also mention here the implications that may
arise from your work.

18 UoG – DELL - Technical Report Writing- for Engineering students Compiled by: Alehegn B.
 Types of Report
1. PROCESS DESCRIPTION REPORTS

A process is a specific series of actions that bring about a specific result.

It helps the reader understand that process. Process description reports are used to describe the
following:
 how something is made
 how something is done (for information, not instruction)
 how a mechanism works
 how a natural process occurs.
The report is essentially chronological or sequential and it is most commonly used within the
world of business and industry. Almost every such report will include illustrations.

What would be a suitable format?

A suitable format for a process description report would be as follows:

1. Contents page (with a separate list of illustrations)
2. Introduction (identify the process; record its purpose and significance; give an overview of the
steps involved)
3. Main body (discuss each step in turn) Some Common Types of Report
4. Summary (concentrate on the purpose and importance of the actions or the significance of the
facts).

2. RESEARCH REPORTS

The purpose of a research report is to extend our understanding of the world by reducing
uncertainty and increasing our understanding of it.

Results alone are never enough. As you will see from the typical format described below, you
must be able to assess and then evaluate the reliability of the results. You must say precisely how
the work was carried out, what methods were used to collect the data, and how it was analyzed.
Conclusions and recommendations must be drafted with great care.
What would be a suitable format?
This is a typical format for a research report:
1. Contents page
2. Introduction
 Set the scene; give a clear statement of the objectives and scope of the research.
 What was known about the subject at the beginning of the research?
 Put the project into its proper context.
 Give the reason(s) for the research.
 Discuss the events which led up to it.
 Assess the importance of other, related work.

19 UoG – DELL - Technical Report Writing- for Engineering students Compiled by: Alehegn B.
 3. Work carried out
 Describe the overall shape and design of the research.
 Describe the methods used (for example, sampling methods).
 Describe the actual work carried out, probably in chronological order.
 Explain how the results were analyzed (for example, input to a computer).
4. The Results
 an academic report, give full results (with an interpretation in a separate section).
 In a non-academic report, you can omit some results (or at least put them in an appendix) and
emphasize significant results.
 Concentrate on each objective of the research in turn.
 Structure your results around these objectives.
 Discuss the results; form links; build up an overall picture.
 Distinguish 'facts' from interpretations, inferences, predictions or deductions.

5. Conclusions
 Make sure they flow naturally from the results.
 Each one must be supported by your findings and/or other research.
 If no clear picture has emerged, then say so.
 Do not see relationships that do not exist.
6. Recommendations
 These should flow naturally from your conclusions, with no surprises.
7. Appendixes
 Include items which would disturb the flow of the report (for example, survey forms and
questionnaires).
8. Reference

3. SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
A scientific report consists of an account of a test or experiment, of its findings, and of its
conclusions.

Before you can write the report, you must carry out the test or experiment accurately and you
must record your results as you proceed. Here are some points to bear in mind:
 Make sure you understand the purpose of the test or experiment.
 If you are not familiar with the relevant theory, look it up before you start.
 Make sure you select appropriate equipment with reference to its accuracy, sensitivity and
safety. Ensure you know how the equipment works, and then set it up in the most sensible way
for you to make all the required measurements and observations.
 Carry out the test or experiment, recording every observation as you proceed. Ensure you
observe and record accurately.
 Always record the units of measurement. All readings must be consistent, for example to two
decimal places.
 There is no point in giving a reading of, say, 0.2317mm unless you have a good reason to
believe that it lies somewhere between 0.231and 0.232mm. If you do not have good reason to
believe this, the record the result only to the degree of precision to which you have confidence -
perhaps 0.23mm.

20 UoG – DELL - Technical Report Writing- for Engineering students Compiled by: Alehegn B.
 Record the estimated limits of error. If a spring can measure with inaccuracy of plus or minus
O.lmm, you should record this as, say, length of spring = 21.1 ± O.lmm
 If you add a mass to the spring and re-measure, the error could be plus or minus O.lmm on both
figures; so record this as, say,
Change of length of spring = 14.9 ± 0.2mm
 Calculate the results and draw any necessary rough graphs in pencil. If the results are
unreasonable or inconsistent (out of line), then make the tests again.
 Form a conclusion based on your accumulated evidence.
 Write the report.

What would be a suitable format?

This is the usual format for a scientific report:

1. Name of class, group or department; experiment number; reference; date and time
The time is relevant only if it is likely to affect results (for example, was barometric pressure a
factor?).
2. Title of experiment
3. Summary (or Abstract or Synopsis)
-A brief statement about the structure of the report; why the experiment was carried out; what
you found, and the significance of what you found.
4. Contents page
5. Introduction
-Your purpose and scope.
6. Apparatus
- A list of apparatus and details of its arrangements, with diagrams.
7. Circuit theory
- Where applicable. A brief account of the theory underlying the experiment.
8. Method
-A full and clear account of how the experiment was carried out.
Write in the passive (A glass stopper was weighed).
9. Results (or Findings)
-All your readings neatly tabulated with graphs neatly drawn. Give the estimated limits of error
(see above). If necessary, use appendixes.
10. Conclusion (or Discussion)
-The inferences drawn from the results obtained (these results show ...). Interpret results and
explain their significance.
-Could this experiment have been improved in some way? If so, explain why and how.
11. Appendixes
-To support section 9, if necessary.

21 UoG – DELL - Technical Report Writing- for Engineering students Compiled by: Alehegn B.
4. TECHNICAL REPORTS

Technical reports are often written at an early stage in a production process. They are usually
generated internally, either by the technical publications department of an organization or by
staff involved in this production process. Here are some examples of technical reports:
 a technical proposal
 a feasibility study
 design and research reports
 pre-production reports
 evaluation documents
 ad hoc reports.
What would be a suitable format?
Every organization will have its own format requirements. This is a typical layout:
1. Contents page
2. Aims (why it was written, its terms of reference and its general purpose)
3. Summary (the salient facts and a concise summary of conclusions, if any)
4. Main body (main discussion of the subject matter)
5. Conclusions (if necessary)
6. Bibliography (if required)
7. Index (in larger reports only).

5. FEASIBILITY REPORTS

These discuss the practicality, and possibly the suitability and compatibility of a given project,
both in physical and economic terms. They also discuss the desirability of the proposed project
from the viewpoint of those who would be affected by it. Report writers must come to a
conclusion, and must recommend that some action is taken or is not taken and/or that some
choice is adopted or is rejected.

You must be unbiased and your approach must be logical. Be sure that you know the precise
purpose of the proposed project and also its scope. See also Systems Evaluation Reports.

What would be a suitable format?

This is a suitable format for a feasibility report:

1. Abstract
2. Summary
3. Contents list (including a separate list of illustrations)
4. Glossary
5. Introduction (purpose and scope)
6. Discussion (the main body providing the evidence - use appendixes if necessary)
7. Conclusions (flowing naturally from the discussion)
8. Recommendations (flowing naturally from the conclusions)
9. References (if necessary)
10. Appendixes (see section 6).
Sometimes sections 1 and 2 are combined.

22 UoG – DELL - Technical Report Writing- for Engineering students Compiled by: Alehegn B.
6. SYSTEMS EVALUATION REPORTS

A systems evaluation report serves one of these purposes:

 To discover which system out of several alternatives is most suitable for a particular
application.
 To test an apparatus or system which it is intended to employ on a large scale, or with
multiple applications, if the initial operation is deemed worthwhile.
 To enquire into the causes of failures in an existing operational system.
The last of these is considered under Trouble-Shooting Reports.

The purpose of the first two types of report is to inform those concerned with selection,
implementation and utilization about:
 the requirements of the application
 the criteria by which the systems should be judged
 the features of available systems
 data on their performance in the field and recommendations or conclusions about the best
course of action.
These reports are important - mistakes are costly. You must be independent; do not rely on the
word of manufacturers or suppliers. You probably will need to use supplementary text, footnotes,
a glossary and illustrations (diagrams, flow charts and perhaps photographs).

What would be a suitable format?

A suitable format for a report with the purpose of discovering which system out of several
alternatives is most suitable for a particular application is as follows:
1. Contents page
2. Preface (personal background: why have you written the report?)
3. System Requirements
4. Systems Available
5. Criteria for Selection
6. The Final Choice
7. Appendixes (System Data Sheets).
A report on the initial performance of an apparatus or a system could follow this format:
1. Contents page
2. Preface (personal background: why have you written the report?)
3. Apparatus/System Requirements
4. Apparatus/System Performance (use appendixes, if necessary)
5. Conclusions
6. Recommendation
7. Appendixes (to support section 4, if necessary).

23 UoG – DELL - Technical Report Writing- for Engineering students Compiled by: Alehegn B.
7. TECHNOLOGICAL REPORTS

A technological report is concerned with the application of practical or mechanical sciences in

order to achieve a desired aim.

A good technological report should combine and demonstrate these qualities:

 planning
 communication
 ability to reason
 ability to evaluate
 a logical and realistic solution.
Show the 'thinking' that has gone into the report. Make sure it is well organized and well-
presented. Present it logically to show a well-constructed development of the problem-solving
process. Reach a solution which achieves your objective. Evaluate your work: are you satisfied
with it? Is it economically viable?
What would be a suitable format?
Here are three formats. As always, select the one that best suits your needs:
Format A
1. Contents page
2. Brief (what you were attempting to do)
3. Analysis (your analysis of the problem - include the research material you have gathered)
4. Thinking (your initial thinking and your evaluation of it)
5. Solution (explain how you developed your solution)
6. Evidence (include drawings, photographs and other evidence of your solution - the artifact)
7. Evaluation (an objective evaluation of your solution).
This format would be suitable for a Student Project Report about the production of an artefact
(a physical thing created by one or more human beings, such as a working model or a piece of
woodwork).
Format B
1. Contents page
2. Purpose
-why was the work undertaken?
3. Methods Used
-the apparatus and equipment used (with illustrations)
- a step-by-step account of the procedure
- observations taken (tabulated) - use appendixes, if necessary
- calculations necessary to give meaning to the observations
4. Results
- use tables and illustrations (and appendixes, if necessary)
5. Conclusions
- a survey of the work undertaken:
 compare actual results with theoretical results
 compare actual results with others obtained elsewhere
 give reasons for such discrepancies or variations
 assess the relevance of the methods used
 assess the efficiency of the equipment used
24 UoG – DELL - Technical Report Writing- for Engineering students Compiled by: Alehegn B.
  discuss any human errors and/or any relevant environmental factors
6. Recommendations
- flowing naturally from your conclusions
7. Appendixes
- to support sections 3 and/or 4, if necessary.

Format C
1. Contents page
2. Summary
- concentrate on your findings
3. Object
- A brief statement of your aim
4. Introduction
- Why was the work undertaken?
- provide any relevant background information
- discuss any limitations/conditions you faced (for example: cost, time, or environmental)
5. Apparatus
- describe it (with illustrations)
- Why was it chosen?
6. Procedures
- A step-by-step account of what was done
7. Observations
- give details of components, specimens, equipment or machinery during and after the test
- Record the readings made during the investigation in tablesand/or illustrations - use
appendixes, if necessary
8. Calculations
- based on your observations
- based on theoretical considerations
- analyze errors
- summarize your results
9. Results
- use a separate section or appendix, if necessary
10. Comments
- discuss the degree of accuracy achieved
- compare your results with those from other sources
- comment on quality of the materials and workmanship of the item tested
- what alternative method(s) of presenting your findings could you have used?
- why did you present your findings as you have? make your acknowledgements
11. Conclusions
- flowing from your results and, where appropriate, your comments
12. Recommendations
- flowing from your conclusions
13. Appendixes
- to support sections 7 and/or 9, if necessary
14. Index
- in larger reports only.

25 UoG – DELL - Technical Report Writing- for Engineering students Compiled by: Alehegn B.
8. Inspection Reports

An inspection report is similar to a field trip report in that its writer has usually gone somewhere
to inspect something.
Typical situations that would require you to write an inspection report include
• examination of a building to determine its suitability as a storage facility,
• inspection of construction work, such as a bridge, building, or road,
• checks of manufactured items, to assure they are of the required quality, and
• inspection of goods ordered for a job, to check that the correct items and quantities have been
received.
Figure: Writing compartments for an inspection report.

9. Progress Reports
Progress reports keep management informed of work progress on projects that span a lengthy period, which
can vary from a few weeks for a small manufacturing contract to several years for construction of a
hydroelectric power station and transmission system.

Figure: Writing compartments for a progress report.

26 UoG – DELL - Technical Report Writing- for Engineering students Compiled by: Alehegn B.
There are two types of progress reports:
1. Occasional progress reports are written at random intervals and usually concern shorter-length
projects.
2. Periodic progress reports are written at regular intervals (usually weekly, biweekly, or
monthly) and concern projects spanning several months or years.

• Progress replaces the basic Facts &Events compartment and is subdivided into four smaller
compartments, which describe
1. planned work,
2. work done,
3. problems encountered, and
4. adherence to schedule.
• Plans replaces the original Outcome compartment. There is also an optional Evidence
compartment, for assembling forms and statistical data pertinent to the project .

9.1 Occasional Progress Report

Occasional progress reports apply to short projects during which probably only one progress
report will be necessary. Sometimes they are written near the project's midpoint. Occasionally
they are written to forewarn management that problems have occurred and delays can be
expected. But most often they are written as soon as the project leader has a sufficiently clear
picture of work progress to confidently predict a firm project completion date.

27 UoG – DELL - Technical Report Writing- for Engineering students Compiled by: Alehegn B.
The report writing compartments for an occasional progress report are shown above and are
discussed here in more detail.
• The Summary Statement should comment briefly on the progress achieved and whether the
project is on schedule; it may also predict a project completion date. Its information is drawn
from the Work Done, Schedule, and Plans compartments.
• The Background compartment should describe briefly the people involved in the project, and
the location and dates (i.e. it should answer the questions Who?, Where?, Why?, and When?). If
only people familiar with the project will read the report, then only minimum background
information is necessary.
• The Progress compartment contains information from the four sub compartments illustrated
in the above figure, which are normally arranged in the order shown (although it is not
uncommon for some of these sub compartments to overlap or be omitted).
1. The Planned Work sub compartment outlines what work should have been completed by the
reporting date. Normally only a brief statement, it can refer to an attached schedule or work plan.
2. The Work Done sub compartment describes how much work has been completed. Only brief
comments are necessary for work that has gone smoothly and has progressed as planned. If
lengthy numerical data has to be included, it should be placed in an attachment rather than
inserted in the report narrative. More detailed comments should be provided if there have been
variances from the work plan. They should explain why the variances were necessary and any
unusual action that was taken.
3. The Problems sub compartment comprises events or situations that affected the doing of the
job (e.g. a blizzard that stopped work for two days, late delivery of essential parts, or a strike that
prevented access to necessary data). These problems should be described in detail, and the
explanation should include what action was taken to overcome each problem and how successful
the action was.
4. The Schedule sub compartment states whether the project is ahead of, on, or behind schedule.
If ahead of or behind schedule, the difference should be quoted in hours, days, or weeks.
• The Plans compartment is usually short and describes the report writer's plans and expectations
for the remainder of the project. It should indicate whether the project will finish on schedule
and, if not, predict a revised completion date. There should be an obvious link between this
compartment and the previous sub compartment (Schedule).
• The optional Evidence compartment contains data such as drawings, statistics, specifications,
and results of tests, which if included with the earlier parts of the report would clutter the report
narrative. This supporting information is grouped and placed in attachments. Each attachment
must be referred to in the Background or Progress section of the report, so that the reader will
know it is there. These compartments are identified in Progress Report No. 1, on the following
two pages.

9.2. Periodic Progress Report

The compartments for a periodic progress report contain similar information to those for an
occasional progress report, but there is some shift in content and emphasis. The format of a
periodic progress report also appears to be more rigid than that of an occasional report. This
rigidity is imposed not so much by established rules as by the content and shape of the initial
report in a series. The implication is important: report writers should take great care in planning a
28 UoG – DELL - Technical Report Writing- for Engineering students Compiled by: Alehegn B.
progress report that is to be the first of a series because they will be expected to conform to the
same shape in successive reports.
• The Summary should comment briefly on the work accomplished during the reporting period.
It may also mention whether the project is on schedule. This information can be drawn from the
Work Done and Schedule compartments.
• Except for the first report in a series, which will be fairly detailed, the Background
compartment probably will refer only to
• the project number or identification code,
• the dates encompassing the specific reporting period, and
• the situation at the end of the previous reporting period, with particular reference to the
project's position relative to the established schedule.
• The Progress compartment is divided into four sub compartments. In short reports these sub
compartments may interlock or overlap, but in longer reports they are more likely to be
independent units. If there is no information for a particular compartment, then the compartment
is omitted.
1. The Planned Work sub compartment outlines what should have been accomplished during
the reporting period. It may refer to either the original schedule or a revised schedule defined in a
previous progress report. Normally it is short, sometimes it is combined with Work Done, and
occasionally it can be omitted.
2. The Work done sub compartment describes what has been achieved during the reporting
period. Ideally, this sub compartment will
• open with a brief overview statement that sums up in general terms what has been
accomplished,
• continue with a series of subparagraphs each describing in more detail what has been done on a
specific aspect of the project,
• refer to attachments containing comprehensive numerical data, statistics, or tables (see the
Evidence compartment), and
• explain variations from the planned work, or unusual activities affecting work progress (this
may be linked with the Problems sub compartment).
3. Problems are factors that have caused changes in plans or in the schedule. The report should
describe what action has been taken to overcome the problems, whether the action was

29 UoG – DELL - Technical Report Writing- for Engineering students Compiled by: Alehegn B.
successful, if the problems still exist, and what action will continue to be taken, either to avert
the problems or to make up lost project time.
4. The Schedule sub compartment states whether the project was ahead of, on, or behind
schedule on the last day of the reporting period. (There may be a convenient link between this
compartment and the end of the previous compartment.) If ahead of or behind schedule, it
should state the number of hours, days, or weeks involved. It may also predict when the project
will be back on schedule and recommend a revised schedule for the next reporting period.
• The Plans compartment is very short if the project is running smoothly and is on schedule. But
if there are problems affecting the work, it should outline the report writer's expectations for the
next reporting period or even suggest a revised schedule for the whole project.

9.3. Project Completion Report

A project completion report is equivalent to the very last of a series of progress reports.
This is a very useful report that often does not get written because people are reassigned quickly
to new projects. It may be a short one- to three-page report and should contain the project
highlights and any unexpected conditions or work. It may also contain a compartment with
suggestions of what to do if the project is to be repeated. In some industries this is what is called
a "lessons learned" report. Like a progress report, a project completion report has five writing
compartments:

• The Summary identifies that the project is complete and states whether there is any special
information the reader needs to know.
• The Background compartment states who authorized the project, its starting date and planned
completion date, and who was involved in implementing it.
• The Highlights compartment describes the most important aspects of the project.
• The Exceptions compartment identifies any variances that occurred from the original project
plan and, for each variance, discusses why it was necessary, how it affected the project, what
action was taken to lessen its effect, and whether any further action is necessary.
The final compartment can be
• An Outcome if the project is complete and no further work needs to be done, or

30 UoG – DELL - Technical Report Writing- for Engineering students Compiled by: Alehegn B.
• An Action Statement if further work is necessary (in which case it identifies what needs to be
done, and when and by whom it must be carried out).

10. Short Investigation Reports

Most investigation reports are longer reports that examine a problem or situation, identify its
cause, suggest corrective measures or ways to improve the situation, evaluate the feasibility of
each, and select which is most suitable. There are occasions, however, when only a minor or
local problem is examined and only a short, informal investigation report is needed to describe it.
The short investigation report has the four basic compartments described in the following figure:

• A Summary Statement briefly identifies the problem and how it was or can be resolved.
• A Background compartment outlines what caused the investigation to be carried out.
• The Investigation compartment describes the steps taken to establish the cause of the problem
and find a remedy.
• The Outcome compartment describes what has been done to resolve the problem or, if other
people have to take the necessary action, recommends what should be done and sometimes who
should do it.
• The optional Evidence compartment stores detailed supporting data evolving from the previous
three compartments.

31 UoG – DELL - Technical Report Writing- for Engineering students Compiled by: Alehegn B.
11. Test and Laboratory Reports

Considerable variation exists in the presentation of test and laboratory reports (often called lab
reports). Some laboratory reports simply describe the tests performed and the results obtained,
and comment briefly on what the results mean. Others are much more comprehensive: they open
with a synopsis of the tests and results; they continue by presenting full details of the
background, purpose, equipment, methods, and results; and they finish with an analysis from
which their authors draw conclusions.

A another form of laboratory report is used in universities and colleges, where students are asked
to perform tests and then write a lab report to describe their findings.

12.1 Industrial Laboratory Reports

Industrial laboratory reports of the Facts compartment are expanded to encompass the following
four sub-compartments:
1. Equipment & Materials
2. Test Method
3. Test Results
4. Analysis

32 UoG – DELL - Technical Report Writing- for Engineering students Compiled by: Alehegn B.
1. The "title block" contains the report's title, number, and date. Some organizations use a
prepared form for the first page of their laboratory reports. The form has spaces for entering
predetermined information, such as
• title and purpose of test,
• name of client,
• authority for test (i.e. purchase order, letter, etc.),
• summary of test results,
• signature and typed name of person performing test,
• signature of manager or supervisor approving test results, and
• date tests were completed.

2. The Summary establishes what test was undertaken, sometimes why it was necessary, the
main finding(s), and the result.
3. The Background compartment starts here. Carole Winterton (the laboratory technician who
performed the tests and wrote the report) has chosen to divide the compartment into two
parts, each with its own heading: History and Purpose of Test.
4. This is the start of both the large Tests compartment and the Equipment and Materials sub
compartment. The amount of information provided under Equipment and Materials depends
on several factors. A full description is provided if the client wants to replicate the tests or
know more about how they were undertaken, or if the person performing the tests needs to
demonstrate the extent of the testing. Only essential details are included if the client will be
more interested in results and less concerned with how the tests were run. (The same
guideline applies to the Test Method sub compartment.) If the equipment setup and list of
materials are complex or lengthy, they can be placed in an attachment.
5. A simple diagram showing how the test equipment is connected can help a reader visualize
the test setup. If the illustration of a test setup is too large to fit on a standard page, it can be
placed at the back of the report as an attachment and referred to at appropriate places within
the report.

If several tests are performed, each with a varying arrangement of test equipment, it is better to
insert a series of diagrams in the report, each positioned immediately ahead of or beside the
appropriate test description.

6. The Test Method sub compartment describes how the tests were carried out. It can range
from a brief outline of the test method used (for a nontechnical reader interested primarily in
results) to a step-by-step description of the procedure (for a reader who wants to know how
comprehensive the test was). Carole has used a fairly detailed step-by-step description for her
report, because her analysis of the results will depend on the reader fully understanding what
was done during the tests.
7. This initial paragraph is an internal summary statement that introduces a lengthy segment of
the report. Preparing readers to expect a certain arrangement of information helps them
accept more readily the facts a report writer presents. By numbering and naming the three
tests, Carole is implying: "These are the tests you will read about next, and this is the
sequence in which I will be presenting them to you." She must now take care to describe
them in the same sequence.
8. Each test is numbered and given a subheading similar to that used in the section summary
statement 7.
33 UoG – DELL - Technical Report Writing- for Engineering students Compiled by: Alehegn B.
9. When a process or procedure is lengthy, or is not essential to a full understanding of the
report, the steps may be printed in an attachment and simply referred to in the report. (See
also comment16)
10. Carole has chosen to place these five steps within the report, rather than in an attachment,
because she wants readers to be fully aware that the first and fifth steps were performed
before they read the test results and her analysis. They support her contention that the fault is
unidentifiable and lies within the instrument she is testing.

In most instances, she introduces the steps in the active voice and then continues in the passive
voice.

11. The Test Method sub compartment of a report must be written in clear, direct language which
is entirely objective (unbiased, without opinions). This is one of the few occasions when the
passive voice may be used in preference to the active voice. In the fourth bullet, for example,
it would have been less comfortable for Carole Winterton to have asserted her presence by
writing: "We removed and cleaned the constant differential pressure regulator ... ." She also
would have had to adopt the same construction for all the steps.
12. The pumping in and out of water has a direct bearing on, and is referenced in, the Results sub
compartment. Consequently it must be described thoroughly here.
13. The Test Results sub compartment describes the major finding evolving from the tests. Like
the tests described in the Test Method sub compartment, the test results must be written
objectively.
14. In the Analysis sub compartment a report writer is expected to examine and interpret the test
results and to comment on their implications. The analysis should discuss various aspects
influencing or evolving from the tests and show how they lead to either a logical conclusion
or an unanticipated outcome. This helps readers to understand and accept more readily the
conclusions that follow.
15. This is the Outcome compartment. It should answer the question, resolve the problem, or
respond to the request identified in the Background compartment (titled "Purpose of Test" in
Carole's report). It must never introduce new data or present information that will surprise the
reader. Carole does not make a recommendation, because her mandate was only to test the
system and identify the cause of the problem.
16. Attachments form the Evidence compartment. Their purpose is to provide a place for storing
data that a reader does not need while reading the report but may want to inspect later. They
may comprise a detailed procedure used during the tests, a lengthy table of test results
containing measurements and dial readings, or photographs, sketches, and drawings.

12.2 Academic Laboratory Reports

Laboratory reports written in an academic setting use the same writing compartments as those
written in industry, but there is a shift in purpose and emphasis. An industrial laboratory report
responds to a specific request or demand and so answers a question or meets a stated need. An
academic laboratory report is used by students to prove a hypothesis or test a theory, or as a
vehicle for helping them learn how to perform a particular test or understand a process or
procedure. Normally it does not respond to a tangible demand (other than a professor's request)
or meet a specific need. It may, however, answer a question.

34 UoG – DELL - Technical Report Writing- for Engineering students Compiled by: Alehegn B.
 The science and engineering departments at each university or college often specify differing
requirements for lab reports, which makes it difficult for us to specify exact writing
compartments. Those described here offer the most generally accepted approach.
• A Summary (sometimes called an Abstract), which includes a brief statement of the purpose or
objective of the tests, the major findings, and what was deduced from them.
• A more detailed statement of Purpose or Objective, plus other pertinent background data. (This
writing compartment may be combined with the Summary if there is little background
information.)
• An Equipment Setup compartment, which provides a list of the equipment and materials used
for the tests and a description and illustration of how the equipment was interconnected. (If
there is a series of tests requiring different equipment configurations, a full list of equipment
and materials should appear here. A description and illustration of each setup should then be
inserted at the beginning of each test description.)
• A Method compartment, containing a step-by-step detailed description of each test, similar to
the Test Method section of an industrial laboratory report. Attachments may be used for lengthy
procedures or process information.
• A Results compartment, giving a statement of the test results, or findings evolving from the
tests.
• A detailed Analysis of the results or findings, their implications, and what can be learned or
interpreted from them.
• A Conclusions compartment, comprising a brief statement describing how the tests, findings,
and resulting analysis have met the objective stated in the Objective or Purpose compartment.
• A Data (Attachments) compartment, which is placed on a separate sheet (or sheets).
It contains data derived during the tests, such as detailed calculations, measurements, weights,
stresses, and sound levels. Lengthy procedures or process descriptions are sometimes included
as attachments.

If several tests were performed, and there were results from each, it may be better to have
separate Equipment Setup, Method, and Results compartments for each test. The organization
plan would then be:

Summary Method
Objective or Purpose Results
Equipment and Materials Test No. 3:
Equipment Setup
Test No. 1: Method
Equipment Setup Results
Method Analysis
Results Conclusions
Test No. 2: Data (Attachments)
Equipment Setup
In particularly comprehensive lab reports, there may be analyses at the end of each test.

35 UoG – DELL - Technical Report Writing- for Engineering students Compiled by: Alehegn B.