section five writing technical...

Vocational Education and Training Training Toolbox Series

Student Manual ICA11v1.0 Information, Digital Media & Technology

Cert. 1, 2 & 3 ICA10111, ICA20111, ICA30111

Workplace Communication Section Five

Writing Technical Reports

Copyright 2011 EdSonic Publications Pty Ltd PO Box 975 COWES VICTORIA 3922 All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the written permission of EdSonic or an authorised representative.

Authored by Robin Lick

PUBLISHED IN AUSTRALIA

INTRODUCTION This manual is designed to be used by the student as further learning materials in conjunction with any classroom presentation and supplemented by the classroom presentation handouts. The materials in this manual is cross referenced in the classroom presentation handouts by page numbers. This allows the student to source additional information to that which was presented in the classroom. Alternatively, the teacher may instruct the student during any presentation to review the materials in this manual by referring the relevant page numbers

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SELF ASSESSMENT

At the end of each section you, the student, will be asked a series of YES and NO questions. If any question is unclear our you have answered NO, then you are encouraged to review the materials in that section again. The Self Assessment section is indicated with an icon.

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s SECTION FIVE WRITING TECHNICAL REPORTS Section Learning Objectives Page 6 Section Introduction Page 6 Overview of the Technical Report Page 7 Report Writing Process Overview Page 8 Structuring a Report Page 13 Formatting a Report - Headings Page 20 Formatting a Report – Numbering Systems Page 22 Formatting a Report - Body Page 24 Formatting a Report - Highlighting Page 25 Formatting a Report – Numbers/Measurements/Formulas Page 26 Formatting a Report – Lists Page 29 Formatting a Report – Visual Information Page 33 Report Style Page 36 Section Summary Page 43

SECTION 5—WRITING TECHNICAL REPORTS

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6 SECTION 5 – WRITING TECHNICAL REPORTS

WHAT OUTCOME CAN YOU EXPECT FROM THIS SECTION? In this section you will learn the basics of technical report writing.

SECTION LEARNING OBJECTIVES On completion of this section you will learn:

What a technical report is, and what processes are used to write a technical report How to structure a technical report How to format a technical report What a technical report style is

SECTION INTRODUCTION A report is a form of written communication used within a wide range of industries. Reports can be used to record information, to provide a factual account of an activity, or results of an investigation. Quite often a report will also include some analysis, evaluations, conclusion and/or recommendations. As well as being used as a means of recording information, reports can be used to outline options or present an argument intended to influence a decision making process. The effectiveness of a report is dependent on:

quality or value of the information being presented in the report how persuasive the information in the report is how well the report is laid out and presented to the reader

It is without a doubt a probable requirement that numerous times during your career you will be asked to prepare reports. This section will present some of the basic principles of writing a technical report.


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7 OVERVIEW OF THE TECHNICAL REPORT The structure of a report allows different forms of information to be compiled within the one document. This information could include:

design drawings analysis, calculations, spreadsheets models graphs, charts, photos, illustrations descriptive narrative, summaries, minutes conclusions, recommendations, proposals

Although the range of information dealt with in reports and its objectives will vary, there is a basic layout to a technical report. The report’s reader may be anyone from a manager, team member or fellow employee to an outside customer, consultant or interested party. Whatever the purpose and whoever the audience, the primary aim is to gain acceptance of the information contained in the report and the message or argument it is intended to convey. Hence the mode of communication contributes to the effectiveness of the communication. As with most types of writing, report writing has some common elements used in industry today. This common structure, format and style for reports is intended to improve the communication process by minimising the clutter or irrelevant statements that sometimes happens when writing and that might otherwise confuse and distract the reader. Despite this common structure to report writing, there is still sufficient flexibility that reports can be adapted to the needs of different audiences and objectives. In addition to the mechanics of written communication, other aspects of a report that can influence the success in achieving the objectives of the report include:

clarity of thought logical development of the written concepts evidence and/or support for ideas conclusions and/or recommendations


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8 REPORT WRITING PROCESS OVERVIEW There are four main steps in the report writing process:

Clarification Investigation Planning Drafting and Editing


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9 CLARIFICATION To write a good report the writer needs to determine the objective of the report. A common method to determine objectives is to simply ask the ‘who’, ‘what’, ‘where’, ‘how’, ‘when’ and ‘why’ questions:

Who is the report’s audience? What is the topic of the report? When is the report needed? Where are the resources to be used in preparing the report? How will the report be distributed? Why are you doing the report?


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10 INVESTIGATION Investigation or research begins with asking some basic questions:

What are the questions the report needs to answer? What type of information needs to be collected? Where can this information be found? How will the information be recorded? How will the information be verified and analysed? How will the information be presented?

Researching and investigating information can be performed in numerous ways:

Observations Interviews Experimental Reading and dissecting

A person can spend some time on a location and observe systems, processes, etc. as part of the information gathering process. In could include interviews with internal and/or external parties as well as reading journals, other reports and documented information sources. There may be times when a proposal or a solution the report is presenting is supported by ‘modelling’, or results of some sort of experimental activity.


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11 PLANNING This is where the writer decides how the report will be organised. This usually includes a simple outline comprising of main headings, followed by sub headings generally showing a series of steps on how the report achieves the objectives of the report. Creating an outline is a method of determining what information is needed and in what sequence the information will be presented. This outline is usually the basis of the final contents page.


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12 DRAFTING AND EDITING Writing a report usually requires a number of drafts to ensure a consistent high standard and that the report's objectives are being met. Drafting and editing include the following steps: Revisions – There will be many revisions to ensure that the reader’s needs and the report’s objectives are being met. Revisions are an ongoing process, happening while the information is being gathered, as well as when the report is being finalised. Selective – Only the essential information should be used in a report. The information should be constantly checked for relevance, accuracy, currency and usefulness. Structural – The information should be developed at several levels – sections, paragraphs and sentences. Professional reports usually have a summary or overview statement at the beginning of each section. Well written paragraphs start with a ‘topic’ sentence and deal with only a single idea. Bullet points are widely used in reports for highlighting and/or emphasising information. Editing – There are some professional tricks to editing technical reports. First a systematic editing process should be used. The report should be set aside for at least 24 hours before editing. It has been proven that fresh eyes find more errors. Have someone else review the report, preferably with some knowledge of the subject matter. Ask them for comments and criticism. Go back and review the requirements and objectives of the report and ensure these have been met. Look at other reports written by professionals and compare their writing style with yours. Ensure that the timetable for writing and presenting the report includes adequate amount of time for editing.


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13 STRUCTURING A REPORT A technical report is quite different from other types of writing. As earlier mentioned a report is likely to be read by a diverse audience. For example a novel develops a story from the beginning to the end. The reader must read the novel from the beginning to the end to receive the full appreciation of the story. However in a report, an executive of a company may read the last part of the report that summarises the information and states conclusions or offers a solution or a proposal. Whereas, an engineer will likely be interested in other parts of the report, such as how the research was done, or look for any detailed analysis, assumptions, modelling or experimental results. A report commonly has the following elements:

Title page Summary Acknowledgement Table of Contents Listing of tables, illustrations, etc. Definitions Introduction Body – sections, subsections Conclusion References Appendices


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14 TITLE PAGE As the name suggests this is the lead into the report that provides the reader simple and concise information about the document. It would include:

The name of the company and the department, if applicable The name of the report The author The intended audience/readership Date of report


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15 SUMMARY This is a page that briefly summarises the most important aspects of the report. It is also often referred to as the ‘Executive Summary, Synopsis or Abstract. The summary is never more than a page long and suggested to 250 words or less. The summary will clearly state the reason for the report; a summary of any research, information sources and recommendations, solutions, conclusions or proposals. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This briefly summarises those that have assisted in the preparation of the report and thanks them for their assistance. It could be person/persons, or organisations.


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16 TABLE OF CONTENTS This outlines the structure of the report showing main sections, headings and subheadings. The pages are numbered using standard numbering conventions, except where a section has preceded the table of contents. These pages are numbered with ‘Roman Numerals’. The table of contents assists the reader to locate information in the report or navigate through the various sections of the report. In larger reports, each section would be highlighted in the table of contents, as well as major headings and sometimes even sub headings. A decimal system of numbering is the preferred system in these cases. LIST OF TABLES, ILLUSTRATIONS, ETC. In very large reports a list and description of any tables, illustrations and so on may be included after the table of contents. It would be laid out the same as the table of contents. DEFINITIONS In technical reports there is likely the need to provide a definitions section. This assists the less technically minded readers to understand some of the more technical terminology as well as the definition of any symbols, unique names or abbreviations that may be used. This page is sometimes called the ‘Glossary’.


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17 INTRODUCTION The introduction is different to the summary as it is the first section in the main body of the report and provides more detail about the report, its background, its purpose and outlines what information will be presented but does not include the recommendations, conclusions, etc. that the summary did. It can be anywhere from a single paragraph long, to several pages. BODY OF THE REPORT This is the main sections and subsections of the report that provides the reader the required information as laid out in the table of contents. The structure of the sections is wholly dependent on the purpose of the report. Types of reports could include:

A record and the outcome of a specific project – could be researching material waste, outcomes and recommendations/solutions Experimental report – could be trying a new production process, objectives, methods used, results and conclusions Observational – could be reviewing production processes, description of process, and recommendations/proposals


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18 CONCLUSIONS This is the section where the author provides concluding statements on the subject matter. It would include how the processes associated with the report can affect the organisation, how this new information can be used, and possibly what further action is required as a result of the finding outlined in the report. The conclusion section would further detail any recommendations, proposals, assessments, and/or alternative actions required or suggested. REFERENCES This is a listing of what information sources were used including other reports, textbooks, journals, technical papers, industry publications, and so on.


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19 APPENDICES This is the section where additional or supporting information is placed that was not used or crucial in the main body of the report but may be of interest to the reader. The main body of the report should only contain information that is directly relevant to the report. Information that is not directly relevant but can support the main body of information would be placed in the ‘Appendices’ section and the main body would refer the reader to the information in the appendices. Appendices usually include:

Drawings Excerpts Surveys Tables Graphs Photographs


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20 FORMATTING A REPORT - HEADINGS Layout and format of a technical report is usually a matter of preference. There are however, some conventions that should be the basis of any report’s layout and format. The first and most important factor of any report is that the report should be easy and pleasant to read, and the layout/format is consistent throughout the entire document. The first formatting element we look at is the headings. Headings are the titles and subtitles you see within the actual text of a report. Headings are like the parts of an outline that have been inserted into the actual pages of a report or other document. Headings are an important feature of technical writing: they alert readers to upcoming topics and subtopics, help readers find their way around in long reports and skip what they are not interested in, as well as break up long stretches of straight text. Headings are also useful for writers. They keep you organised and focused on the topic.


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21 GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR HEADINGS There are three types of headings – first level, second level and third level. First Level First level headings are always those that start off a new page of a report. They should be larger, capitalised and aligned to the left (although some prefer to centre first level headings). The suggested font is Arial bold or Arial Black - 18 point. Begin first-levels on the standard first text line of a page. Leave 3 blank lines between first levels and the first line of text. Second Level Second level headings suggested font is Arial bold or Arial Black - 16 point, capitalised and are aligned to the left. Leave 2 blank lines between previous text and second-levels. Leave 1 blank line between second-levels and the following text. Third Level Third level is sentence style bold and italicised. Suggested font is Times New Roman 12 point and are aligned to the left. End third-levels with a period. Use the standard spacing between paragraphs for paragraphs that contain third-levels. Although these are common heading formats, a person can design their own headings as long as the style is consistent, easy to read and does not distract the reader from the text. Also one should avoid ‘heading stacks’. This is where there are two or three headings without any text between the headings.

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22 FORMATTING A REPORT – NUMBERING SYSTEMS The normal ‘section’ numbering system uses technical reports starting with the ‘Introduction’ section as being number ‘1’ and ending with the ‘Conclusion’ section. The section and heading numbering system is based on a hierarchy style with three levels considered as the acceptable limit. Example:

1. HEADING LEVEL ONE 1.1 HEADING LEVEL TWO 1.2 Heading Level Three Any more than three levels makes the numbering system too cumbersome, hard to navigate, and confusing.


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23 APPENDICES Where there are two or more appendices these should be numbered using ‘letters’ to avoid being confused with section headings. Example

Appendix A

Appendix B

Appendix C

Appendix D PAGE NUMBERING All pages of a report must be numbered with the exception of the title page. The standard numbering convention is to have the Summary page, Table of Contents and Acknowledgement page numbered using Roman Numerals (i, ii, iii, iv....) and the rest of the pages using ‘Arabic’ numerals (1,2,3...). The most common area for the placement of page numbers is on the top right hand corner of the page.


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24 FORMATTING A REPORT – BODY The suggested font for technical reports is Times New Roman 12 point. Spacing between sentences should be a single space after a full stop. Line spacing is a single line. Spacing between paragraphs is generally two line spaces. The page margins are shown in the diagram to the left. The wider margin on the left of the page is to cater for hole punching or binding.


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25 FORMATTING A REPORT – HIGHLIGHTING There are three main methods of highlighting:

Bold face Italicising Bold and italics

Bold is the main method of emphasising headings however can be used to highlight one or two words in the body of text. Italics are less striking and often used to highlight phrases, entire sentences, quotes and titles. Bold and italics in combination are generally reserved for third level headings but can be used to highlight one or two words. UNDERLINING AND CAPITALISATION Underlining was often used when reports were being typed out using an old fashion typewriter that could not provide bold or italic type face. Since the introduction of computerised word processing and desk top publishing, underlining for emphasis is rarely used. Also the use of capital letters to emphasis a word is discouraged. The use of capital letters is to be reserved for headings and the given names or titles of products, persons, places, etc. USE OF COLOUR It is uncommon to use coloured text in a technical report. It is only used when it is required as part of a drawing, diagram or illustration, and not part of the body of text. There are times when colour is used to highlight headings or tiles, but in these cases the colour is used sparingly.


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26 FORMATTING A REPORT – NUMBERS/MEASUREMENTS/FORMULAS It is likely that a technical report will contain a reasonable amount of numerical content in the body. These could be in the form of:

Calculations Measurements Formulas Summaries of surveys Financial information

All measurements would be stated in metric form. Currency that is being presented in a report would be by default in Australian dollars, and only if the report was describing a currency from another country would it be distinguished. The standard method of distinguishing a foreign currency in a report is to precede the amount with the appropriate abbreviation. Example USD $14M (US dollar) EUR $14M (Euros) GBP $14M (British pound) CAD $14M (Canadian dollar) The writer would spell out the numbers if they were at the beginning of a sentence. Example ‘Thirty three steel columns were used in the construction of ..........’ Figures are always used for all measurements. Example 15 km, 105 mm


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27 Figures from one to eleven that are not units of measurement should be spelled out, and for 12 or more a figure then used. Example ‘The truck delivered nine sheets of steel along with 22 angle bars of stainless......’ No commas or spaces used for numbers under 10,000. Example 1000 9999 234 All figures 10,000 above have a comma, break (space) Example 1 234 456 or 1,234,456 12 345 or 12,345 Measurements can also be condensed as per the example below. Example 10 200 kg or 10.2 t 5 600 m or 5.6 km 6 750 mm or 6.75 m All numerical fractions would be in decimals. Example 1 ¾ would be 1.75 6 ½ would be 6.5 10 ¼ would be 10.25


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28 Equations not part of a table or graphics would be centred on the page with the ‘equal signs’ aligned. Sequential equations should be numbered in brackets and placed at the right hand margin. Example w = ms + b/tb (1) m = 16/(n+y) (2) Other numerical conventions may apply depending on the type of industry the report is being developed within.


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29 FORMATTING A REPORT – LISTS Lists are useful because they emphasise certain information in regular text. When you see a list of three or four items presented vertically on the page, rather than in normal paragraph format, you naturally notice it more and are likely to pay more attention to it. Certain types of lists also make for easier reading. For example, in instructions, it is a big help for each step to be numbered and separate from the preceding or following steps. Lists also create more white space and spread out the text so that pages do not seem like solid walls of words. Like headings, the various types of lists are an important feature of professional technical writing: they help readers understand, remember, and review key points; they help readers follow a sequence of actions or events; and they break up long stretches of straight text. There are three basic types of lists: 1. In – sentence lists 2. Numbered lists 3. Bulleted lists

IN-SENTENCE LISTS This type of list is used when there are three or less items to list, and the items on the list do not need emphasising. Example

The steel storage area has types of two storage racks: 1) vertical stands, 2) horizontal side rack.

Before the new lathe is installed the old lathe must be: a) discounted b) moved c) stored


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NUMBERED LISTS These lists are used when items are mentioned in specific qualities, sequential steps or instructions. Here are some guidelines for numbered lists:

Introduce the list with a lead-in sentence (the lead-in need not be a complete sentence; the list items can complete the lead-in). Punctuate the lead-in sentence with a colon.

Use numbered lists when the list items are in a required order (for example, chronological).

Type the number followed by a period; do not use parentheses on the number.

Use sentence-style capitalisation on list items.

Indent the list items 3 to 5 spaces (start the number on the third or fifth column). Leave 1 space between the period after the

number and the start of the list item. (Word processing applications will automatically set indentation)

When possible, omit articles (a, an, the) from the beginning of list items. Example The purchasing procedure included:

Requisition preparation

Requisition approval

Purchase order preparation

Purchase order sent to supplier


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BULLETED LISTS Bulleted lists are used to list items that require no particular order, and the list is presented in a vertical format. Here are some guidelines for bulleted lists:

Introduce the list with a lead-in sentence (the lead-in need not be a complete sentence; the list items can complete the lead-in). Punctuate the lead-in sentence with a colon.

Use bulleted lists when the list items are not in any particular order, and when you want to emphasise the items in the list.

Use sentence-style capitalisation on list items.

Indent the list items 3 to 5 spaces (start the number on the third or fifth column). Leave 1 space between the period after the

number, and the start of the list item. (Word processing applications will automatically set indentation)

When possible, omit articles (a, an, the) from the beginning of list items. The above is an example of a bulleted list.


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VARIATIONS Other variations of the previous lists include:

Double column lists Run in heading lists

Example Double Column Lathe Tools Bits, drills, chuck, headstock Flame Cutting Tools Cutting tips, gas valves, igniters Welding Tools Masks, chipping hammer, stick holder, cable Run in Heading Lists Lathe Tools – these would include bits, drills, chuck, headstock Flame Cutting Tools - these would include cutting tips, gas valves, igniters Welding Tools - these would include masks, chipping hammer, stick holder, cable


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33 FORMATTING A REPORT – VISUAL INFORMATION A technical report generally has numerous supporting graphics, tables, illustrations, drawing and so on. You can use graphics to represent the following elements in your technical report: Objects — If you are describing a new CNC lathe, you'll probably need a drawing or diagram of the lathe. If you are explaining how to assemble a new product, you would need some illustrations of how that task is done. Photographs, drawings, diagrams, and schematics are the types of graphics that show objects. Numbers — If you are discussing the material costs of a certain production line, you could use a table with the columns for various materials over a specific period and product; the rows could be for different types of materials. You could show the same data in the form of bar charts, pie charts, or line graphs. Tables, bar charts, pie charts, and line graphs are some of the principal ways to show numerical data. Concepts — If you want to show how a production facility is organised, the relationships of the different departments and processes, you could set up an organisation of chart-boxes and circles connected with lines that show how everything is hierarchically arranged and related. This would be an example of a graphic for a concept: this type depicts nonphysical, conceptual things and their relationships. Words — And finally, graphics can be used to depict words. Many reports put key definitions in a box or shape, maybe with different colour. The same can be done with key points or extended examples.


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34 TABLES AND FIGURES When designing visual information such as tables or figures ensure that they are easy to read and contain sufficient headings and labels. Use of highlighting is often encouraged to direct the reader to pertinent information contained in the figure or table. A figure is a graphic, illustration, drawing etc. that visually describes textual material. It is important to remember that tables and figures are to be used to support the report’s text and not replace it. Hence the table and/or figure must be referred to in the text and if the table or figure cannot be connected to the text then it should not be used in the report. Figures and tables should be number sequentially as they appear in the report (Table 1, Table 2, Table 3, Figure 1, Figure 2, Figure 3). Any abbreviations or symbols used in the table or figure must be explained in the text. Any additional explanatory notes are generally placed under the figure or table in smaller font. If the figure or table was obtained from another source, the reference to this source would be placed directly under the table. Example – Source: ABC Research 2008. It is always suggested that any table or figure be placed directly after the text in which the table or figure is being referred to, and it is suggested that the table or figure be centred on the page. With a table, the table number would be the first line, after which comes the title of the table and then the table. With a figure, the number of the figure appears below the image along with a brief description.


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35 USE OF COLOUR Colour can be used to highlight certain information within a table, however overuse can distract from the purpose of the table, so colour should be used sparingly. Many design drawings, illustrations maps, etc. from other sources may have colour, and in these cases the colour should not, if possible, be changed. SIZE AND PLACEMENT Ideally, you want figures (and tables) to be between one-half to one-quarter of the vertical size of the page. You want them to fit on the page with other text. If the original illustration is large, attempt to reduce it by scanning it to a size that fits the page with the text and is still clearly readable. Make sure that the figures and tables fit neatly and comfortably within standard margins. It is suggested to allow the equivalent of at least two blank lines above and below the illustration. It is very important to present the tables and figures at the appropriate technical level for your readers.


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36 REPORT STYLE Technical report writing style is a formal method of presenting information. The writing style is very different from other types of writing. The purpose of technical report writing is to inform, and not entertain, so it is generally simple and concise in its delivery of information. A sentence in a novel may say:

The car was caught by the cops travelling at dangerously high speed through the quiet neighbourhood. The technical report version would likely read:

The police stopped an automobile travelling at 140 kph in a 60 kph zone in the suburb of Brighton. You will notice that the technical report writer just stated the facts, thereby avoiding any emotive language or terms.


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37 CLEAR AND CONCISE Technical report writers aim to be as ‘concise’ as possible. The term concise means to express something in writing using the least amount of words as possible. In other words, they get to the point quickly. Example Non concise The lathe the company has been looking for was found and purchased from ABC Pty Ltd because it had the all the features that the company was looking for. Concise A lathe that had the required features was purchase from ABC Pty Ltd. Report writers avoid using long sentences, especially when the message can be explained in far fewer words. They also avoid long paragraphs. The simple rule is to have a paragraph address a single topic. The topic is introduced by the leading sentence of the paragraph and with a concluding comment made in the last sentence of the paragraph. Because a technical report is to inform, it must be clearly written. It cannot be vague or ambiguous (words that have more than one meaning). Example Not clear The trial revealed new ways of saving material on the cutting line. Clear The trial revealed a method of reducing stainless steel waste on the cutting line. The word ‘way’ is vague and was replaced with ‘method’. ‘Saving’ was replaced with a more precise word ‘reducing’, and ‘materials’ was replaced with the actual name of the material in question.


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38 CORRECTNESS Proof reading the report is highly suggested. This will reveal any spelling mistakes, punctuation errors, and grammar problems. Many writers will leave the proof reading until the next day. Fresh eyes seem to pickup more mistakes. Also it is recommended that another person read the report. They are able to find areas where the text may be unclear, or confusing as well as other spelling, grammar and punctuation errors. There are numerous websites that offer proof reading hints and tips. One is at:

http://ualr.edu/owl/proofreading.htm


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39 NON-DISCRIMINATORY LANGUAGE A technical report must at all costs avoid any possible discriminatory language. Words used in the report must not:

Stereotype Patronise Discriminate because of gender, race religion or status

Some examples of discriminatory terms/words and suggested neutral replacements include: Workman Worker/employee/operator Man hours Operating hours/working hours Tradesmen Tradesperson/welder/carpenter Workmanship Quality of work/skill/ Foreman Supervisor/ lead hand Businessman Executive/business owner/business person


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40 TERMINOLOGY The report loses its effectiveness when its terminology is beyond the reader’s comprehension. Many times the writer will use industry terminology or ‘jargon’ that is well understood by persons in the industry, but forgets that the audience may not be from within the industry. Some terms or words can have very different meanings in one industry compared to another. Example ‘Stress’ and ‘strain’ to a mechanical engineer has completely different meaning than it would to a medical professional. This is why it is so important to know your audience and write the report for that particular audience. Instead of technical terms or jargon, it may be more appropriate rather to use simple and clear descriptions.


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41 THIRD PERSON It is the norm to have a technical report written in the ‘third person’. The third person separates the writer from the audience. Any person, place, or thing other than the writer and the audience, is referred to in the third person (he, she, they, it). Writing in the third person creates the tone of being formal and objective. There are times however where the first person (I, we, he, she) is required. Example It was observed that the production line generated a large amount of waste. (passive and the person not identified) The production line generated a large amount of waste. (person unknown) I observed a large amount of waste being generated by the production line. (active and person known) The first sentence is vague. The second sentence is concise, but does not reveal who observed the waste being generated. The third sentence is clear as to who did what. If it is important for the reader to know who performed which particular action, then the writer would need to use the first person in an active clause.


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42 USE OF ABBREVIATIONS Abbreviations and acronyms are commonly used in technical reports. Abbreviations are read out as letters, whereas acronyms are pronounced as words. Example Acronyms LASER (light amplification by simulated emission of radiation) CAD (computer aided design) MODEM (Modulator – Demodulator) SCUBA - self-contained underwater breathing apparatus Abbreviations KM – Kilometre LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) CNC (computer numerical controlled) The first time an abbreviation is used in a report, the full term must be spelled out, then followed by the abbreviation in brackets. Thereafter the abbreviation can be used in isolation. Example The new computer numerically controlled (CNC) lathe was installed in the existing production system. The old CNC lathe was sold to a used machine tool dealer.


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43 SECTION SUMMARY Technical writing is writing about any technical topic. The term ‘technical’ refers to knowledge that is not widespread, that is generally the territory of experts and specialists. Therefore, the writer is considering you a specialist in a particular technical area. Anytime a person writes or says anything about their industry or field, they are engaged in technical communications. Another key part of the definition of technical communications, is the receiver of the information—the audience. Technical writing is the delivery of technical information to readers in a manner that is adapted to their needs, level of understanding, and background. In fact, this audience element is so important that it is one of the most important elements in technical report writing. It is sometimes a challenge to write about highly technical subjects but in a way that a beginner—a non specialist—could understand. The purpose of this section was to review the basic ability of presenting technical information to non specialists in a written form.


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SECTION FIVE OVERVIEW OF THE TECHNICAL REPORT Do you know what types of information may be compiled in a technical report? REPORT WRITING PROCESS OVERVIEW Can you recall what is involved in the following four steps of a report writing process: Clarification? Investigation? Planning? Drafting and Editing? STRUCTURING A REPORT Are you able to explain what is included in the following elements of a report: Title Page? Acknowledgement? Definitions? Appendices?

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DID YOU LEARN? THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS ARE YES AND NO QUESTIONS. IF YOU CANNOT ANSWER YES TO EACH QUESTION IT IS SUGGESTED YOU REVIEW THE MATERIAL AGAIN.


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FORMATTING A REPORT – HEADINGS Do you remember the difference in formatting the three types of headings; First Level? Second Level? Third Level? FORMATTING A REPORT – NUMBERING SYSTEMS Can you recall when using the section and heading numbering system, how many levels are the acceptable limit to use? FORMATTING A REPORT – BODY Are you able to understand how many spaces to put after a sentence, and how many line spaces between paragraphs? FORMATTING A REPORT – HIGHLIGHTING Do you know what the three main methods of highlighting are when making a report? FORMATTING A REPORT – NUMBERS/MEASUREMENTS/FORMULAS Can you recall how currency of a foreign country can be distinguished in a report? FORMATTING A REPORT – LISTS Are you able to explain when the following types of lists should be used: In-sentence lists? Numbered Lists? Bulleted Lists?


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FORMATTING A REPORT – VISUAL INFORMATION Do you remember some suggestions regarding the appropriate use of colour, size and placement of visual information in a report? REPORT STYLE Can you recall when a report may need to make use of abbreviations, and when should the use of the ‘third person’ be avoided?

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