Technical Report Writing

Being able to write with finesse and conciseness is an advantageous skill to anyone who has it. Whether they are a student or a professional, writing is a communication medium that they will have to master to be able to effectively answer the many needs that their current position asks them to perform. When writing, you will be asked to use different writing techniques, tones, and diction depending on the topic that you are writing about and the people you are writing it for.

Technical Report Example

Technical Service Report Example

Free Report Technical Specification

Technical Evaluation Report Letter Example

Free Letter of Transmittal for Technical Report

Report Examples:

The way you would write an essay or a piece of fiction is completely different from how you should write a technical report.

For starters, the main purpose of this type of writing is to create an in-depth view of technical work that has been conducted. You may also like project report examples. It will discuss in detail the many aspects of a technical report such as the purpose for its execution, the results that have been gathered from the process, and the importance and implications that these results may bring.

A thoroughly written report can help a reader tread effortlessly and easily through the complex processes that may have been involved in the technical process. It will allow the reader to understand the work more easily, and duplicate the process and recreate the results should he wish. Check out English report writing examples too.

A technical report is simply defined as formal and organized documentation of the process that was performed which is created to communicate to a certain audience important information about the work. You might be interested in status report examples.

Technical Report Writing Example

Parts of a Technical Report Writing

Engineering Technical Report Example

What is a Report used for?

The presentation of facts and data about a work or a project is just as important as showcasing the results. This is why a technical report is a vital aspect of a study.

The numbers and graphs your study contains will be incomprehensible to outsiders, especially those who are not experts in your field. You may also see investigation report examples. A written explanation must follow your data because this is how your audience will understand your findings. This will be the content of your technical report.

The secret to an effective technical report is organization. Since you are trying to exhibit facts or at least numerical data, it is important that you arrange them in a logical sequence, one where the information is not thrown haphazardly but positioned intentionally. This format can help the reader create an overview of your general report’s contents and locate specific parts they want to focus on.

Technical Report Example Format

Universal Qualities of Technical Report

1. The simple report should be written in the active voice and should utilize the third person speaker in much of the writing. This is not just a rule for technical reports. It should be observed in any formal writing. Personal pronouns should also be avoided because they create the impression of being subjective, and, since we are trying to relay facts as a product of a systematic study, we want to make the technical report as objective as possible.

Proper grammar, punctuation, and spelling should also be observed because paying attention to these details, no matter how small and inconsequential they may seem, can add to the professional tone that your technical report is aiming for. You may also see academic report examples.

2. Your diagrams, graphs, and other images you may want to include in your technical report should be neatly presented and computer-generated. A one-inch margin on all sides of a full-page diagram should also be observed. The titles of your figures should also be numbered and titled properly. You may also like examples of a short report.

3. The proper page number should be maintained. Report writing formality dictates that all pages after the Table of Contents must include a page number.

4. The proper citation must be heeded. This is not just a technical report writing guideline. This applies to any and every writing that makes use of a citation. The sources cited should be properly acknowledged with the proper notation.

5. Proper citation is also mandated for any line or paragraph that has been directly paraphrased from a source. Even if you have changed the words used in the original reference, the idea is not yours. This means that to avoid committing the greatest crime a writer or author can commit, the citation should be kept. You may also check out quality report examples.

6. Sources that are cited in technical reports, or any type of writing, should come from a credible and trustworthy origin. This guideline is best applicable to online or Web sources.

Before citing one, a researcher must conduct a thorough general analysis of it to make sure that the information stated on it is true. The author must be of a sound reputation with, preferably, a professional and educational background. This is important because we are aiming for a factual technical report and fraud websites will not help with this endeavor.

7. 8.5″ by 11″ is the standard size of a formal paper and a technical report. If your pages are longer, they should be folded until they fit the proportions specified.

Report Format Example

The Proper Format of a Technical Report

The report writing format that will be discussed and provided below is the standard format. However, depending on the needs of a technical report, this can be readjusted in accordance to it.

1. The Title Page.

The contents of a title page may vary depending on the author’s preference. However, it should always contain these important pieces of information: the report title, the person for whom the formal report was written for, the person who created the report, and the date of the report’s submission. The title page may also contain the name of the institution or office which the report’s author is a part of.

2. Abstract.

An abstract is a one-paged introductory entry that condenses the report’s purpose and its most important results. It should not be more than half of a page, and must not include any figure in the study or make any reference to them. An abstract may also provide a qualitative summary of the results of the study. It should not contain jargon, abbreviations, or acronyms. You may also see management report examples.

3. Table of Contents.

As all table of contents goes, this one on your technical report should include the parts, sections, subsections, and even the appendices of your paper and the page where your reader can find them.

4. Introduction.

The objective of your study should be stated in the introduction. A brief discussion of the problem your study is trying to answer and the approach you have used to remedy it should also be properly discussed in this section to give your readers a general grasp on what the rest of the study will have in store for them. You may also like marketing report examples.

It should also provide an overview of the works that have been performed and the results that it has produced. This task will not be difficult if the project has clear objectives that its author/s understand.

An introduction does not have a specific length unlike the abstract. But when writing this part, the author must always aim for conciseness and brevity so as not to bore readers with too many introductory details. Jargon and abbreviation should also be avoided, while acronyms should be properly defined before they are used. This should be maintained and carefully observed throughout the rest of the basic report.

5. Background Theory.

Include necessary discussions of the theories you have used before starting the study, and those you have utilized during it. A background theory must be brief and concise, discussing only the most relevant details. The author may also refer the readers to an outside source for further research on the subject. Check the consulting report examples for more

6. Theoretical Analysis.

This is the part of your sample report where you will have to introduce and describe the details and designs of your work. Sentences are the most effective tool in this task since equations may not be elaborate enough. This section of your report should be as general as possible. This is not where the beans are spilled just yet.

7. Works Cited.

It is rare for a technical report to be written without containing external references and sources. Every work that was cited in the technical report must be listed here, with all the important bibliographical information.

8. Appendices.

This part of a technical report may not always be present. However, if it does, it will contain every graph and table you have used, your calculations, diagrams, lab sheets, and parts list. It will contain every material you have used for your project. You might be interested in debate report writing examples.

School Technical Report Format

Technical Report Requirements

Tips in Writing Technical Reports

Here are a few tips in writing the best technical reports you need:

1. Your technical report, above everything else, should convey information. This means that your main job as the author is to make sure that there will be no hindrance between your mind, your report’s contents, and your reader’s understanding. Every detail you incorporate into your report, every terminology you choose to use, should help you in your aim to make your readers comprehend. You may also see sample activity reports.

2. Your technical report should also be stimulating and entertaining. This means that, as the author, your main antagonists are boredom and disinterest. These are two things you must overcome by keeping your tone lively yet factual, and your information fascinating.

However, if you were to choose between information and entertainment, you should always choose the former because, about the first guideline, this is your main job as the author.

3. Plan your technical report. Get a clear picture of what you want to say through it, and how you are going to say it in a way that will make your readers grasp the idea easier. It would also make things easier for you if you create a draft of your content first before you proceed to write it. You may also check out incident report letter examples.

Structure your data so that it will be easier for your audience to locate them. It is also best to remember that very few people will read your technical report from start to finish.

Most of them will simply skim through the contents and decide whether they like it or not. This gives you about 4 minutes to get your point across. So when you are writing your technical report, arrange it in a way that your reader will easily understand the important parts in just 4 minutes. Take a look at the service report examples for more.

4. Decide who your audience is. Are you writing for an academic professor? Are you writing for managers or businessmen?

Are you writing your technical report for investors, or simply for the general crowd? You must decide beforehand who you are addressing in your technical report. This is because different crowds have different levels of understanding, which means that you can’t talk to them the same way.

A set of professionals in the field of your study will have an easier time understanding your report in comparison to those who are not. Identify, first, your potential group of the audience so that you can write your technical report especially for them.

5. The length of your report should also be decided beforehand. Are you going to write 3,000 words or 30,000? Shorter reports tend to be more difficult to write since you would have to structure and organize it better to fit your information within a limited space. In academic settings, there is a definite number of words required for every technical report, so make sure you are made aware of them.

Technical Report Writing Example

Types of Technical Reports Writing

Conclusion

Writing a technical report will only be difficult if you don’t know your project very well. But if you do, the data you will have to include into your report are information you already know, and probably memorized, because you have come up with them yourself. There are no rigid rules you will have to follow if you will write a technical report.

The narrative report examples that are available online can be of great use to you in making the right report you need of any kind. However, there are guidelines, as we have discussed earlier. But they don’t exist to restrict your writing. Instead, they are there to make the writing easier for you.

General FAQs