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Report

Writing technical reports

In computer modelling, one of the major forms of communication is the technical report.

At university, reports are read by lecturers in order to assess your mastery of the subjects and your ability to apply your knowledge to a practical task. In the workplace, they will be read by managers, clients, and the engineers responsible for your designs.

The ability to produce a clear, concise, and professionally presented report is therefore a skill you will need to develop in order to succeed both at university and in your future career.

Key features of reports

Reports:

are designed for quick and easy communication of information

are designed for selective reading

use sections with numbered headings and subheadings

use figures and diagrams to convey data

Basic structure of a report

A report usually has these components:

Title page

Summary

Table of Contents

Introduction

Middle sections with numbered headings (i.e., the body of the report)

Conclusions

References

Appendices

Summary

The summary (sometimes referred to as the executive summary) provides a brief overview of the substance of the report; usually no more than half a page.

It is not an introduction to the topic.

The summary should outline all the key features of your report, including the topic, what you did and how you did it, and the main outcomes of your work. A busy manager who might not have time to read the full report should be able to get the gist of the whole report by reading the summary.

The summary:

- states the topic of the report

- outlines your approach to the task if applicable

- gives the most important findings of your research or investigation, or the key aspects of your design

- states the main outcomes or conclusions.

Introduction

The introduction provides the background information needed for the rest of your report to be understood.

It is usually half to three-quarters of a page in length.

The purpose of the introduction is to set the context for your report, provide sufficient background information for the reader to be able to follow the information presented, and inform the reader about how that information will be presented.

The introduction includes:

othe background to the topic of your report to set your work in its broad context

oa clear statement of the purpose of the report, usually to present the results of your research, investigation, or design

oa clear statement of the aims of the project

otechnical background necessary to understand the report; e.g. theory or assumptions

oa brief outline of the structure of the report if appropriate (this would not be necessary in a short report)

Body of the report

This is main part of the report, where you present your work.

The introduction and conclusions act as a frame for the body only: therefore all the details of your work (including a summarised version of material in the appendices) must be included here in the appropriate section.

You will need to put some thought into the ordering of the sections; the presentation of information should flow logically so that the reader can follow the development of your project. It is also essential that you choose concise but informative headings and subheadings so that the reader knows exactly what type of information to expect in each section.

The body of the report:

opresents the information from your research, both real world and theoretical, or your design

oorganises information logically under appropriate headings

oconveys information in the most effective way for communication:

uses figures and tables

can use bulleted or numbered lists

can use formatting to break up large slabs of text

Conclusions

The conclusions section provides an effective ending to your report.

The content should relate directly to the aims of the project as stated in the introduction, and sum up the essential features of your work.

This section:

ostates whether you have achieved your aims

ogives a brief summary of the key findings or information in your report

ohighlights the major outcomes of your investigation and their significance.