1Alessandro TalamelliFluid mechanic and Aerodynamic laboratory

II School of EngineeringUniversit di Bologna

How to write the report

Model

standard model

Based on the style used in the last 50 years

Highly recommended for beginners

It is the way that most professional scientists and engineers choose to write

2Purpose of a report

1 Convey information

2 Stimulate and entertain

The second is just an add-on Better toavoid it especially beginners

Planning

What is the report about ? What are you trying to say ?

Who are you writing for ?

How long can the report be?

3The standard model

The first major section is an introduction; the last is a conclusion The conclusion answers questions posed -- explicitly or otherwise -- in the introduction

Factual material and measurements are kept completely separate from opinion and interpretation, often in different chapters or sections

Formal, and rather impersonal, language is used

The report usually refers quite extensively to the work of other individuals

The sections of the report are numbered

Sections The title Abstract or summary Table of contents List of symbols Acknowledgements Introduction Theory Method or methodology or procedures Results Discussion or interpretation Conclusion Recommendations References and/or bibliography Appendices

4The title (1)

It is very important ! Some people decide if reading or not a report just by the title

Must be logical, accurate, descriptive, and grammatically correct

Titles should be as short as possible They can be made by two parts. (e.g. Hot wire Anemometry Techniques for Turbulence: an Experimental Study using wind tunnels')

The title (2)

Include author name and affiliation, date, your email address, and a URL to your home page

Include a list of appropriate keywords

5Author policy

made a significant intellectual contribution to the theoretical development, system or experimental design, and/or the analysis and interpretation of data

contributed to drafting the article or reviewing and/or revising it for intellectual content

approved the final version of the manuscript, including references.

Abstract or summary

Brief overview of the report, including its conclusions and recommendations

Both languages Specific length (300 words ??) The abstract of a technical paper or report is considered to be capable of standing alone'

Not numbered Write it only after you have completed the report

6Abstract or summary

Must not contain references

Avoid equations and math

Highlight not just the problem, but also the principal results

Since the abstract will be used by search engines, be sure that terms that identify your work are found there

Introduction

what the report is about what its role is in relation to other work in the field (previous experiments)

who will benefit (why you spent so much time to do thisproject ??)

At the end say something about the context of the report

Or finish the introduction with a list of the questions you set out to answer

7Acknowledgements

thanks to those people who have helped directly in the work

In novels, the authors often thank their friends and family. In technical reports ???

It is important acknowledge the grant

Theory

describes any background theory needed for the reader to understand the report

Some literature survey

Do not include unnecessary things

8Method

the way the work was carried out

what equipment you used

any particular problems that had to be overcome

how you analysed the results

Results

Report results plainly as possible, and without any comment

Include enough data to convince the reader that you have done what you said you would do, and that your conclusions will be trustworthy

Try to summarise the results into a few tables and graphs

9Discussion Provide an interpretation of the results Compare them with other published findings

Point out any potential shortcomings in the work

Add some final conclusion of the discussion

Here the author is allowed to be less objective

Discussion

It is acceptable to mention opinions, and speculate

If your findings are unusual you should explain why you think this might be

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Conclusion

Give the overall findings of the study It is not the very last bit of the report'.

The conclusion of a technical paper or report is considered to be capable of standing alone'

A conclusion is not a summary Check if the conclusions follow from the body of the report

Recommendations (future work)

Include any advice to offer the reader

Recommend here the appropriate course of action if the report is about making some sort of business decision

Provide suggestions of further and future work

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References and bibliography (1)

The bibliography is the set of publications that the authors referred to in a general sense in writing the report or carrying out the work it describes. These publications will not usually be cited explicitly in the text

References, on the other hand, are given in support of some specific assertion, and are always mentioned explicitly in the text

References and bibliography (2)

References allow the reader to follow up your work

References are not a method for convincing the reader that you have read a lot

Give enough detail so that the reader can follow up your references

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References and bibliography (3)

Books: authors, year, edition, publisher's name and publisher's location

Articles in journals: authors, year, name of the publication, volume and page numbers

cite a URL that will take the reader directly to the document you cite

References and bibliography (3)

Styles: give the authors and year in the text, e.g, (Bloggs, 1995), and the full details at the end of the report or in a footnote in alphabetic order

Put numbers in brackets e.g. [1] and list the references in appearance order

If you use another person's words directly, you must be clear about this and give a full reference.

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References and bibliography (4)

1. C.K.E. Mees and T.H. James, THE THEORY OF THE PHOTOGRAPHIC PROCESS, 3rd Ed., Macmillan Co., New York, 1966

2. J.R. Manhardt and D.J. Forst, "The Albert Effect: I.Dual Mechanism", PHOTO. SCI. ENG., 8, 265 (1964)

3. Kodak Publication J-1, "Processing Chemicals and Formulas for Black and White Photography", 1963

4. R. Francis, personal communication.

Appendices

Put here any material that is not directly relevant to the report, and will only be read by small number of people. E.g.: mathematical proofs, sections of computer programs, data bases ..

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Numbering and structure

number each section of the report starting (or not) at the introduction and continuing until the references (E.g. 1, 2, 3 .).

usually abstract and references are not numbered

number sub-sections. E.g. 1.2 or 1A, 1B... hierarchical numbering scheme helps to orient the reader

Language, style and presentation

If the message/work is one of profound importance, it will be communicated rapidly even if presented badly

Few scientific and technical reports contain ground-breaking findings

The author must pay attention to language, style and presentation to encourage people to read the report

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Grammar and spelling

Use short sentences. Do not be afraid of repeating words

it is vital that you have your work read by someone else before you decide that it's finished

get a printed copy of your document (not on a computer screen) and check it very thoroughly yourself

Style

You can use formal or informal style

Do not change style !!!

In UK they try to avoid I (be careful)

Try to avoid the double passive

Humour is fine but not for beginners

Do not write like you speak

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Presentation

Important !!. The first impression to the reader is often made by the presentation

The document must be consistent (use of the same typeface for headings and for captions, all lines have the same spacing, if all pictures are centred on the page .)

Binding

Visual material

Try to plot always non dimensional data

Label everything. (E.g. `figure 1'). Check that when you refer to figures in the text, these references are correct

Put only figures that are referenced

Refer to real authors when you add animage

If you prepare graphs in colour, then print them on a monochrome printer, they may become unreadable.

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Things to avoid

Avoid clichs and stock phrases

Avoid poems and other non-technical material

Avoid giving too much data

Avoid computer program listings and long mathematical proofs (put in the appendix)

Do not include excuses