UNIVERSITY OF GONDAR

Institute of Technology
Department of Civil Engineering
Technical Report Writing and Research
Methodology for Engineers
(CEng-3192)
Lecture-1
By: Amsalu A.
 CHAPTER 1
REPORT OVERVIEW
1.1 INTRODUCTION TO TECHNICAL REPORTS
 A Technical Report – Written work product (document) required to present
facts and conclusions of a project.
 describes the progress, process, or results of scientific or technical research.
 Includes technical concepts and visual depictions of designs and data.
 Convey information in an objective, fact-based manner–a style that ensures
technical information and processes that can be relayed from you to
readers in a clear, efficient fashion.
 Great source of technical or scientific information.
 They can be written both for wider or internal distribution.
 In order to establish novelty, technical reports can be considered as a
primary form of scientific paper when researchers don’t want to wait when
academic journals publish their work.
 Cont…
 Should include the steps you followed or the events that occurred;
your opinions should not make their way into the text.
 So, as you see, a technical report is key part of the research that also
should be written according to established rules.
 This means every report has a purpose beyond the simple
presentation of information.
 Some common purposes are:
i. To convince the reader of something. For example:
• to convince a government agency of the effect of a particular course
of action.
• to convince a client that your solution will fulfill their needs.
• to convince the public that a proposed project will bring benefits.
 Cont…
ii. To persuade the reader to do something. For example:
• to persuade a government or council to adopt a particular course of
action.
• to persuade a client to choose one design over another.
• to persuade an organization to partner with your company on a
project.
iii. To inform the reader about something (usually for a
further purpose). For example:
• to provide a government department with information they will
base policy on.
• to instruct other engineers who will work from your plans.
• to present the outcomes of a project to stakeholders.
 When planning an assignment report, your first step is to clarify its
purpose; that is, what you want it to achieve.
 Cont…
 A technical report is meant to convey a specific message or to perform
a particular function, rather than to ‘teach' the reader about the topic.
 While reports vary in purpose and in the type of information they
present (e.g. site visits, environmental impact or assessments,
industrial projects, investigative studies, or design projects), all are
based on a similar structure and follow similar presentation
conventions.

Reports are designed for They use

 selective reading  sections with numbered headings

and subheadings

 quick and easy communication of  figures and tables

information  bullet-point lists
 Cont…
Factors to be considered for writing report
 Who is going to read the report?
 What is the level of their current knowledge?
 How much information is needed?
 What background information to include?
 Why is the reader reading the report?
 Is the document supposed to inform or convince?
 How much time does the reader have to read it?
 BASIC REPORT STRUCTURE
 Most reports contain the sections listed below in slide 8.
 Where each report will differ is in the body; the sections you decide to
include will depend on the type of report and the specific topic.
 You will usually be expected to decide on the structure of the body
yourself.
 The best way is to put yourself in the place of the reader.
What does the reader need to know first?
What is the most logical way to develop the story of the project?
 Remember:
Usually, readers will have a technical / engineering background, but it
is the responsibility of a report writer to explain the specifics of the
subject of the experiment, process, or project.
 Features (Components) of a Technical Writing
 Depending upon its length and purpose a Professional technical reports
should have a scientific approach, typical external structure and formal style.
 Elements (Components) of technical report in Prescribed format
 Cover page  
Table of contents Conclusions
 Title page  
List of tables Tables*
 Preface  
List of figures Figures*
 Executive Summary/  
Nomenclature Appendices
Abstract  Introductory chapter  References**
 Dedication  
Central chapter(s) Bibliography
 Acknowledgements
* Alternatively, the tables and figures may be placed in the main text instead of
at the end (both approaches may not be used in the same report).
** In a report with few, short or no appendices, the list of references can follow
immediately after the conclusion.
 Cont…

 A report is like a story: it must have a beginning, middle and an

end, but the middle is the actual story.
 The external structure does not only relate the sequence of the
elements, but also relate the relationships between the elements and
the importance and size of each.
 The introduction must not be too long.
 Emphasis should be placed on the central chapters.
 Central chapters must not be overpowered by the appendices.
 The conclusions should follow the central chapters in a justifiable
manner.
 Approaches to Writing
The approach of writing
I. Top-Down Approach
II. Evolutionary Delivery
i. Top-Down Approach
 Use Chapter Breakdown Structure to identify the structure of the
report.
 Identify all chapter names, sections and sub-sections.
 Identifying the contents of each chapter, makes writing much easier.
 Concentrate on a certain target in each chapter, and do not misdirect
to another target.
 Helps in time management.
 Approaches to Writing
ii. Evolutionary Delivery
 Write separate parts of the reports as the thoughts come by.
 You can re-write these parts as your project proceeds, and your
information increase.
 So, each part evolves and matures over a period of time as new ideas
immerge.
 These two approaches, Top-Down and Evolutionary Delivery, can be
combined:
by specifying the chapters, sections and sub-sections headings and
contents.
by considering it as road-map, you can start writing these parts, taking into
consideration any probability of re-writing that might be needed while the
project in progress.
Features (Components) of a Technical Writing-details
 Cover Page
 The purpose of the cover page is to identify and protect the report.
 It must contain the title, the initials and surnames of the authors, the date, the
name of the department and institution, the unit name and code and the
emblem (logo) of the institution.
Note : For using Emblem take necessary permission from the authority.
 Title Page: it contains
 All the information given on the cover page (except emblem).
 Status of the report, for example “Technical Report: Part 1” or “Final Report for
Mechatronic Project”.
 If it is done under the guidance of a teacher, the name of the supervisor must
also be indicated.
 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
specific aspect of the topic addressed in the report.
 Compare the following pairs of report titles:

Weak titles Strong titles

Bridge analysis Analysis of a prestressed concrete bridge

Internet based ATIS An evaluation of Internet based Automated

Traveller Information Systems
 Executive Summary / Abstract
 The Summary is usually written last of all.
 It provides a brief overview of the substance of the report.
 It is a stand-alone document generally used by busy managers who might
not have time to read the full report. That’s why it is usually referred to as
the Executive Summary in the workplace.
 The Summary is not an introduction to the topic. It should focus on what
you did, how you did it, and the main outcomes and significance of your
work.
 Engineering professors typically require either an Executive Summary
or an Abstract with technical reports, but not both.
 The executive summary should give a concise and clear overview of the
entire project or topic.
 Readers should be able to gain all necessary information from the
Executive Summary and sometimes will read this part only .
 Cont…
 The Summary:
 states the topic of the report
 briefly outlines your approach to the task (if applicable)
 focuses on the results or outcome of the project, the findings of your
investigation: or the key aspects of your design
 states
 the significance or implications of the results.
 The Summary does NOT:
 provide background information on the topic
 explain the motivation for the project
 refer to figures, tables or references contained in the report.
 Length: ¼ to ½ a page is sufficient for most undergraduate reports.
 How not to Write the Summary
 A common mistake is to describe the type of information in the report, rather than
summarize the information itself.  Read the example below.
 This report presents the concept design for a sustainable water supply and purification
method for a remote village in Southern Ethiopia. It outlines the local conditions and
considers the natural resources available to be used in the design. The proposed
solution is presented in detail and discussed in terms of the criteria provided by the
local council. The system is expected to provide safe drinking water for the community
year round.
 Activity
 What is missing in the Summary above? Select the elements NOT provided.
a. What the report is about.
b. How the project was conducted.
c. The key features of the design solution.
d. The outcome or significance of the project.
 This descriptive style is often used in conference paper abstracts, where the writer wants
people to attend their presentation so does not ‘give away’ too much.
 For university assignments, however, you are expected to write informational Summaries
 preface- its purpose
 to make introductory remarks--a preface is meant to draw readers in by offering
information about the author's experience writing the book, the inspiration behind
the subject matter, the writing process, the purpose of the story, and historical
context for the material.
 To place the report in context of the degree.
 To allow a statement that all the work that has not been attributed to others is
your own.
Dedication
 This is a short sentence, in the middle of a separate page, in which the report
is dedicated to a family member, friend or acquaintance.
 A feeling of very strong support for or loyalty to someone or something :
 The quality or state of being dedicated to a person, group, cause, etc. :
 A message at the beginning of a book, song, etc., saying that it was written or is
being performed in order to honor or express affection for someone.
 It may be left out and is seldom included in short technical reports.
 Acknowledgements
 In major projects you will possibly need assistance or advice from others, such as
industry mentors or laboratory staff, who may have made an extra effort to help
you.
 Here, you can acknowledge other people (technicians, typists) directly involved in
the execution
 Organizations / institutions provided money or facilities
 You may acknowledge such assistance in a short paragraph on the page after the
Summary.
i. Give the person’s full name, position and affiliation.
ii. State their contribution clearly and briefly.
iii. Use formal language.
 Thanks to my supervisor Dr. Hessami for being so patient and to Rod from the
chemical engineering lab for putting me right on how to use the equipment.
Without your help this project might never have got off the ground.
 I would like to thank my supervisor, Dr. Josie Carberry for her encouragement
and guidance throughout the project, and also Mr Rafiq Bakti, Supervisor
Monash University Wind Tunnel for his help setting up my experiments.
 Table of Contents
 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 the sections
and subsections.
 A reader looking for specific information should be able to locate the
appropriate section easily from the table of contents.
 Sections are numbered using the decimal point system.
 Section numbers appear on the left margin, page numbers on the right.
 The table of contents must begin on a new page.
 The page is provided with a heading, such as „Contents‟ or „Table of
Contents‟.
Here is an example from a final year project report
List of Tables and List of Figures
 These lists, arranged according to the table and figure number along with
relevant page number in the right hand column.
 Each list should begin on a new page.
 The titles of tables and figures must be descriptive enough so that a
specific figure or table can be identified in the list.
 Nomenclature
 The list of the symbols used must begin on a new page.
 The list is arranged in the sequence ---
 All the ordinary symbols are to be listed first,
followed by the superscripts and then the subscripts.
 Finally, the auxiliary symbols: overbar and underscore for vectors and
averages or accent marks for time-dependent components, are to be
listed.