1. Writing a Technical report
By Jan Bollen

2. 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

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

4. 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?

5. 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

6. 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

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

8. 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

9. 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

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

11. Summary
Accurate representation of the contents in an abbreviated form.
Summarizes the whole report in words.
Decision
Go /no go
Read / no read

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

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

14. Abbreviaton list
Explanation of used abbreviations

15. List of figures tables symbols

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

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

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

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

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

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

22. References (examples)

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

24. 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

25. 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.

26. 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 !

27. 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

28. Graphs

29. Figures
Top-down
Left right

30. Tables