Writing a Technical report By Jan Bollen

Agenda Aim of report Use of report Not for all Structure, logical !!! Cover & title page Foreword Summary Table of contents Abbreviation list List of figures Company organisation Introduction Plan of approach Research Conlusions, your opinion References What to avoid, examples Excuses, Language style Presentation Graphs, Figures, Tables

Aim of report Transfer information Project Internship Final Thesis Connect to knowledge of reader Stimulate the reader for more …

Questions to the aim You have to know clear about what you tell What is the subject? What is the assignment? Who is your reader? How long can the report be?

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

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

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

Chapter structure Cover page Title page Foreword Company description Summary Table of content Abbreviation list List of figures Company description Introduction Plan of approach Method of research Research activities Results / Conclusions References Appendices

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

Foreword Written in 1st person. Why this report? For who? Information about author. Thanking of people.

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

Summary content Assignment Method used Results Conclusion Recommendations Written after the report is complete

Table of Contents Organization of report. Chapters Sub-chapters Shows the logical structure Page numbers

Abbreviaton list Explanation of used abbreviations

List of figures tables symbols

Company organisation Type of company Product range Structure / organogram Amount employers

Introduction Represents the subject the purpose the assignment Introduce readers to the problem that you are setting out to solve in your technical report.

Plan of approach Main questions Sub questions Plan of approach Planning (Gannt)

Research Method of research Theory Application of theory Setup of research Test setup or simulation Executing of research Data Results / Graphs

Conclusions; your opinion Discuss what you Invented Discovered Confirmed Use Calculated values Visual observations, plots Illustrations, graphs, or tables.

References Opportunity to follow up your work. Literature Websites Materials Data / Specifications

References (examples)

What to Avoid Clichés and stock phrases Useless words Excuses Poems Computer program listings

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

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.

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 !

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

Graphs

Figures Top-down Left right

Tables