Writing a Technical report

By Jan Bollen

1

Agenda

Aim of reportUse of reportNot for allStructure, logical !!!Cover & title pageForewordSummaryTable of contentsAbbreviation listList of figures

2

Company organisationIntroductionPlan of approachResearchConlusions, your opinionReferencesWhat to avoid, examplesExcuses, Language stylePresentationGraphs, Figures, Tables

Aim of report

Transfer information Project Internship Final Thesis

Connect to knowledge of reader Stimulate the reader for more …

3

Questions to the aim

You have to know clear aboutwhat you tell

What is the subject? What is the assignment? Who is your reader? How long can the report be?

4

Use of report

Not everyone will read the whole report

A summary can be read in a few minutes

Key facts and conclusions should be very accessible

5

Not for all

It will be impossible it to be equally easy for everybody

Understood by decision makers

Short report is better but difficult to make needs a perfect organization likely to be fully red

6

Structure, logical !!!!

Logical, like a joke Good introduction Context and assignment Assignment plan Research Results and conclusions

7

Chapter structure

Cover page Title page Foreword Summary Table of

content Abbreviation

list List of figures

Company descriptionIntroductionPlan of approachMethod of researchResearch activitiesResults / ConclusionsReferences Appendices

8

Cover & title page

Logo’s company and Saxion Title & nice picture (cover page only) Authors' name and ID number Department and Course name Place and date of submission

Title page = cover + extra information Addresses of University and company Copyright / Statement about confidential Signature student, company & Saxion

9

Foreword

Written in 1st person.

Why this report?

For who?

Information about author.

Thanking of people.10

Summary

Accurate representation of the contents in an abbreviated form.

Summarizes the whole report in 100-200 words.

Decision Go /no go Read / no read

11

Summary content

Assignment Method used Results Conclusion Recommendations

Written after the report is complete

12

Table of Contents

Organization of report.

Chapters Sub-chapters

Shows the logical structure

Page numbers

13

Abbreviaton list

Explanation of used abbreviations

14

List of figures tables symbols

15

Company organisation

Type of company

Product range

Structure / organogram

Amount employers

16

Introduction

Represents the subject the purpose the assignment

Introduce readers to the problem that you are setting out to solve in your technical report.

17

Plan of approach

18

Research

Method of research Theory Application of theory Setup of research Test setup or simulation

Executing of research Data Results / Graphs 19

Conclusions; your opinion

Discuss what you Invented Discovered Confirmed

Use Calculated values Visual observations, plots Illustrations, graphs, or

tables. 20

References

Opportunity to follow up your work.

Literature

Websites

Materials

Data / Specifications21

References (examples)

22

What to Avoid

Clichés and stock phrases Useless words Excuses Poems Computer program listings

23

Examples `at the end of the day...', `going forward, we will...' `at this point in time...‘ `in the opinion of the author...‘

These phrases add nothing to the content. They could be replaced by a single word.

So use clear and direct language

24

Excuses !!

Do not use statements about how difficult the work was how the report would have been

better if the author had more time.

People often say these sort of things in reports, and they don't look professional.

25

Language Style Check always grammar and spelling. Make short sentences. Use direct language. Style

Formal, use 3rd person. (not I or you better it )

Switching between formal and informal is not acceptable !

26

Presentation

Your report will be based to a large extent on the first impression made by the presentation.

Consistency good structure Graphs and figures complete Margins and lay-out straight General appeal professional

27

Graphs

28

Figures

Top-down Left right

29

Tables

30