how to write a technical summary report

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Education and Communications
Technical Writing

How to Write a Technical Report

Last Updated: September 28, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Christopher M. Osborne, PhD . Christopher Osborne has been a wikiHow Content Creator since 2015. He is also a historian who holds a PhD from The University of Notre Dame and has taught at universities in and around Pittsburgh, PA. His scholarly publications and presentations focus on his research interests in early American history, but Chris also enjoys the challenges and rewards of writing wikiHow articles on a wide range of subjects. There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 85,388 times. Learn more...

Engineers, scientists, and medical professionals need to be good writers too—and technical reports prove it! A good technical report presents data and analysis on a specified topic in a clear, highly-organized, and effective manner. Before you begin writing, define your message and audience, and make an outline. Then, write the main body of the report and surround it with the other necessary sections, according to your chosen layout.

Technical Report Outline

Planning Your Report

Step 1 Establish the message you want to convey through the report.

For instance, you may want to convey the message that a new technique for extracting a particular chemical compound is both safer and more cost-effective.
The best technical reports remain clear and focused throughout—they have a specific purpose and convey the information in a logical order.
Work with advisors, supervisors, or colleagues to fine-tune the message and/or goal of your report. These can vary widely depending on whether the report is being produced for academic, business, or other purposes.

Step 2 Define your audience before you begin writing.

If others in your field will be reading the report, it can be more “technical” in language and detail. In many cases, though, technical reports are intended for those outside of your particular discipline. If so, cut back on the jargon for non-expert readers.
Consider having a non-expert friend look over your report throughout the process to give you feedback on its accessibility to a broad audience.

Step 3 Create an outline to follow while you write.

Determine which particular sections your report must or may have. Consult the person or organization to whom you’ll be submitting the report for any layout requirements.

Writing the Main Body of the Report

Step 1 Create a thorough but focused introduction to the report.

In most cases, the introduction will likely be 1-3 paragraphs in length.
The end of the introduction should clearly state what the report “does.” It might do so by way of a direct statement (“This report analyzes…”), or by providing a series of questions (which may in some cases be bulleted or numbered) to be addressed.

Step 2 Provide background information and/or a literature review in the next section.

Essentially, you want readers who may be new to the subject matter to feel like they have at least a rudimentary grasp of it after reading this section.

Step 3 Follow up with a clear and detailed project description.

If, for instance, your report is focused on a particular experiment, be specific on the way it was conceived, set up, and conducted.
This is sometimes called a “methods” section, since you are describing the methods used to conduct your research.

Step 4 Present your data and describe what it all means in the next sections.

It can be hard to determine how much data to present. Giving too little can significantly weaken your analysis and the overall report. Giving too much, however, can drown the reader in a sea of tables and figures. Make sure you provide all essential data, and err on the side of providing a bit too much unless otherwise instructed.
Present your data in a logical order, so that each table or figure leads into the next one.

Be as bold in your conclusions as your data and analysis permits you to be. Don’t use terms like “might,” “perhaps,” “could,” and so forth—write something like, “The data shows that…” However, don’t draw conclusions that aren’t supported by your data.

Adding Components in the Proper Layout

Step 1 Check for specific guidelines with your university, employer, etc.

Executive Summary
Table of Contents
List of Figures / List of Tables
Main Report: Introduction; Background / Literature Review; Project Description; Data / Description of Data; Conclusion
Acknowledgements

Step 2 Create a simple title page at the beginning of your report.

Write the abstract after you’ve written the actual report. You want it to be a condensed description of what you have written, not of what you intend to write.
Check to see if there is a specific word limit for your abstract. Even if there isn’t, 300 words is a good word limit to aim for.

Step 4 Create an executive summary that condenses the report by about 90%.

The executive summary should focus on your findings, conclusions, and/or recommendations, and allow the report itself to present the data—although highlights of the data should be provided.
Depending on your situation, you may need to write an abstract, an executive summary, or both.

Step 5 Draw up a table of contents, list of tables, and list of figures.

Check for any formatting guidelines for these sections. If the format is left up to you, keep things simple and straightforward.

Step 6 Follow the main body of the report with an acknowledgments section.

This section typically runs 1-2 paragraphs, and follows a fairly simple “The author would like to thank…” format.

Step 7 Include citations in the references section, using a consistent format.

In some cases, you may also be expected to provide a listing of works you have consulted but not specifically cited in the work. Check with the relevant department, organization, individual, etc., if you’re not sure. [13] X Research source

Use a consistent, easy-to-navigate format when creating appendices. They aren’t meant to be dumping grounds for random snippets of data or information.

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Academic Skills
Reading, writing and referencing

Technical reports

A resource to writing technical reports in Engineering.

The main purpose of an Engineering technical report is to present a solution to a problem in order to prompt action. Technical reports provide a record of your developing expertise and are a legal record of your work and decision making.

What is a technical report?

Technical reports are a central part of your professional success and are usually designed to:

Convince the reader of your position
Persuade them to act, or
Inform them of your findings.

They are an opportunity for you to:

Clearly communicate a solution to a problem
Recommend action, and
Aid decision making.

Technical reports are designed for quick and easy communication of information, and use:

Sections with numbered headings and subheadings, and
Figures and diagrams to convey data.

How do I structure a technical report?

Regardless of the specific purpose of your technical report, the structure and conventions rarely differ. Check your subject requirements and expand the sections below to learn more about each section. Download a Technical Report template here.

Technical reports usually require a title page. To know what to include, follow the conventions required in your subject.

A technical report summary (or abstract) should include a brief overview of your investigation, outcomes and recommendations. It must include all the key information your reader needs to make a decision, without them having to read your full report. Don’t treat your summary as an introduction; it should act as a stand-alone document.

Tip: Write your summary last.

Help your reader quickly and easily find what they are looking for by using informative headings and careful numbering of your sections and sub-sections. For example:

A technical report introduction:

provides context for the problem being addressed,
discusses relevant previous research, and
states your aim or hypothesis.

To help, consider these questions:

What have you investigated?
How does your study fit into the current literature?
What have previous studies found in the area?
Why is it worth investigating?
What was the experiment about?
Why did you do it?
What did you expect to learn from it?

The body of a technical report is structured according to the needs of your reader and the nature of the project. The writer decides how to structure it and what to include.

To help, ask yourself:

What does the reader need to know first?
What is the most logical way to develop the story of the project?

Tip: look at other technical reports in your discipline to see what they’ve included and in what order.

Technical reports include a mixture of text, tables, figures and formulae. Consider how you can present the information best for your reader. Would a table or figure help to convey your ideas more effectively than a paragraph describing the same data?

Figures and tables should:

Be numbered
Be referred to in-text, e.g. In Table 1 …, and
Include a simple descriptive label - above a table and below a figure.

Equations and formulae should be:

Referred to in-text, e.g. See Eq 1 for …
Centred on the page, and
On a separate line.

Your conclusion should mirror your introduction.

Be sure to:

Refer to your aims
Summarise your key findings, and
State your major outcomes and highlight their significance.

If your technical report includes recommendations for action. You could choose to report these as a bullet point list. When giving an answer to your problem, be sure to include any limitations to your findings.

Your recommendations can be presented in two ways:

Action statements e.g. Type approval should be issued for tunnel ventilation fans.
Conditional statements e.g. If fan blades are painted with an anti-corrosion coating system, it is likely that… e.g. The research has found that the fan hub should be constructed from forged steel and the fan housing should be constructed from hot dipped galvanised steel, but future research…

Acknowledge all the information and ideas you’ve incorporated from other sources into your paper using a consistent referencing style. This includes data, tables and figures. Learn more about specific referencing conventions here: https://library.unimelb.edu.au/recite

If you have data that is too detailed or lengthy to include in the report itself, include it in the appendix. Your reader can then choose to refer to it if they are interested. Label your appendix with a number or a letter, a title, and refer to it the text, e.g. For a full list of construction phases, see Appendix A.

Looking for one-on-one advice?

Get tailored advice from an Academic Skills Adviser by booking an Individual appointment, or get quick feedback from one of our Academic Writing Mentors via email through our Writing advice service.

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Technical Report: What is it & How to Write it? (Steps & Structure Included)

A technical report can either act as a cherry on top of your project or can ruin the entire dough.

Everything depends on how you write and present it.

A technical report is a sole medium through which the audience and readers of your project can understand the entire process of your research or experimentation.

So, you basically have to write a report on how you managed to do that research, steps you followed, events that occurred, etc., taking the reader from the ideation of the process and then to the conclusion or findings.

Sounds exhausting, doesn’t it?

Well hopefully after reading this entire article, it won’t.

However, note that there is no specific standard determined to write a technical report. It depends on the type of project and the preference of your project supervisor.

With that in mind, let’s dig right in!

What is a Technical Report? (Definition)

A technical report is described as a written scientific document that conveys information about technical research in an objective and fact-based manner. This technical report consists of the three key features of a research i.e process, progress, and results associated with it.

Some common areas in which technical reports are used are agriculture, engineering, physical, and biomedical science. So, such complicated information must be conveyed by a report that is easily readable and efficient.

Now, how do we decide on the readability level?

The answer is simple – by knowing our target audience.

A technical report is considered as a product that comes with your research, like a guide for it.

You study the target audience of a product before creating it, right?

Similarly, before writing a technical report, you must keep in mind who your reader is going to be.

Whether it is professors, industry professionals, or even customers looking to buy your project – studying the target audience enables you to start structuring your report. It gives you an idea of the existing knowledge level of the reader and how much information you need to put in the report.

Many people tend to put in fewer efforts in the report than what they did in the actual research..which is only fair.

We mean, you’ve already worked so much, why should you go through the entire process again to create a report?

Well then, let’s move to the second section where we talk about why it is absolutely essential to write a technical report accompanying your project.

Read more: What is a Progress Report and How to Write One?

Importance of Writing a Technical Report

1. efficient communication.

Technical reports are used by industries to convey pertinent information to upper management. This information is then used to make crucial decisions that would impact the company in the future.

Technical team communicating with each other

Examples of such technical reports include proposals, regulations, manuals, procedures, requests, progress reports, emails, and memos.

2. Evidence for your work

Most of the technical work is backed by software.

However, graduation projects are not.

So, if you’re a student, your technical report acts as the sole evidence of your work. It shows the steps you took for the research and glorifies your efforts for a better evaluation.

3. Organizes the data

A technical report is a concise, factual piece of information that is aligned and designed in a standard manner. It is the one place where all the data of a project is written in a compact manner that is easily understandable by a reader.

4. Tool for evaluation of your work

Professors and supervisors mainly evaluate your research project based on the technical write-up for it. If your report is accurate, clear, and comprehensible, you will surely bag a good grade.

A technical report to research is like Robin to Batman.

Best results occur when both of them work together.

So, how can you write a technical report that leaves the readers in a ‘wow’ mode? Let’s find out!

How to Write a Technical Report?

When writing a technical report, there are two approaches you can follow, depending on what suits you the best.

Top-down approach- In this, you structure the entire report from title to sub-sections and conclusion and then start putting in the matter in the respective chapters. This allows your thought process to have a defined flow and thus helps in time management as well.
Evolutionary delivery- This approach is suitable if you’re someone who believes in ‘go with the flow’. Here the author writes and decides as and when the work progresses. This gives you a broad thinking horizon. You can even add and edit certain parts when some new idea or inspiration strikes.

A technical report must have a defined structure that is easy to navigate and clearly portrays the objective of the report. Here is a list of pages, set in the order that you should include in your technical report.

Cover page- It is the face of your project. So, it must contain details like title, name of the author, name of the institution with its logo. It should be a simple yet eye-catching page.

Title page- In addition to all the information on the cover page, the title page also informs the reader about the status of the project. For instance, technical report part 1, final report, etc. The name of the mentor or supervisor is also mentioned on this page.

Abstract- Also referred to as the executive summary, this page gives a concise and clear overview of the project. It is written in such a manner that a person only reading the abstract can gain complete information on the project.

Preface – It is an announcement page wherein you specify that you have given due credits to all the sources and that no part of your research is plagiarised. The findings are of your own experimentation and research.

Dedication- This is an optional page when an author wants to dedicate their study to a loved one. It is a small sentence in the middle of a new page. It is mostly used in theses.

Acknowledgment- Here, you acknowledge the people parties, and institutions who helped you in the process or inspired you for the idea of it.

Table of contents – Each chapter and its subchapter is carefully divided into this section for easy navigation in the project. If you have included symbols, then a similar nomenclature page is also made. Similarly, if you’ve used a lot of graphs and tables, you need to create a separate content page for that. Each of these lists begins on a new page.

A lady creating table of contents in a technical report

Introduction- Finally comes the introduction, marking the beginning of your project. On this page, you must clearly specify the context of the report. It includes specifying the purpose, objectives of the project, the questions you have answered in your report, and sometimes an overview of the report is also provided. Note that your conclusion should answer the objective questions.

Central Chapter(s)- Each chapter should be clearly defined with sub and sub-sub sections if needed. Every section should serve a purpose. While writing the central chapter, keep in mind the following factors:

Clearly define the purpose of each chapter in its introduction.
Any assumptions you are taking for this study should be mentioned. For instance, if your report is targeting globally or a specific country. There can be many assumptions in a report. Your work can be disregarded if it is not mentioned every time you talk about the topic.
Results you portray must be verifiable and not based upon your opinion. (Big no to opinions!)
Each conclusion drawn must be connected to some central chapter.

Conclusion- The purpose of the conclusion is to basically conclude any and everything that you talked about in your project. Mention the findings of each chapter, objectives reached, and the extent to which the given objectives were reached. Discuss the implications of the findings and the significant contribution your research made.

Appendices- They are used for complete sets of data, long mathematical formulas, tables, and figures. Items in the appendices should be mentioned in the order they were used in the project.

References- This is a very crucial part of your report. It cites the sources from which the information has been taken from. This may be figures, statistics, graphs, or word-to-word sentences. The absence of this section can pose a legal threat for you. While writing references, give due credit to the sources and show your support to other people who have studied the same genres.

Bibliography- Many people tend to get confused between references and bibliography. Let us clear it out for you. References are the actual material you take into your research, previously published by someone else. Whereas a bibliography is an account of all the data you read, got inspired from, or gained knowledge from, which is not necessarily a direct part of your research.

Style ( Pointers to remember )

Let’s take a look at the writing style you should follow while writing a technical report:

Avoid using slang or informal words. For instance, use ‘cannot’ instead of can’t.
Use a third-person tone and avoid using words like I, Me.
Each sentence should be grammatically complete with an object and subject.
Two sentences should not be linked via a comma.
Avoid the use of passive voice.
Tenses should be carefully employed. Use present for something that is still viable and past for something no longer applicable.
Readers should be kept in mind while writing. Avoid giving them instructions. Your work is to make their work of evaluation easier.
Abbreviations should be avoided and if used, the full form should be mentioned.
Understand the difference between a numbered and bulleted list. Numbering is used when something is explained sequence-wise. Whereas bullets are used to just list out points in which sequence is not important.
All the preliminary pages (title, abstract, preface..) should be named in small roman numerals. ( i, ii, iv..)
All the other pages should be named in Arabic numerals (1,2,3..) thus, your report begins with 1 – on the introduction page.
Separate long texts into small paragraphs to keep the reader engaged. A paragraph should not be more than 10 lines.
Do not incorporate too many fonts. Use standard times new roman 12pt for the text. You can use bold for headlines.

Proofreading

If you think your work ends when the report ends, think again. Proofreading the report is a very important step. While proofreading you see your work from a reader’s point of view and you can correct any small mistakes you might have done while typing. Check everything from content to layout, and style of writing.

Presentation

Finally comes the presentation of the report in which you submit it to an evaluator.

It should be printed single-sided on an A4 size paper. double side printing looks chaotic and messy.
Margins should be equal throughout the report.

You can use single staples on the left side for binding or use binders if the report is long.

AND VOILA! You’re done.

…and don’t worry, if the above process seems like too much for you, Bit.ai is here to help.

Read more: Technical Manual: What, Types & How to Create One? (Steps Included)

Bit.ai : The Ultimate Tool for Writing Technical Reports

Bit.ai: Tool to create technical reports

What if we tell you that the entire structure of a technical report explained in this article is already done and designed for you!

Yes, you read that right.

With Bit.ai’s 70+ templates , all you have to do is insert your text in a pre-formatted document that has been designed to appeal to the creative nerve of the reader.

You can even add collaborators who can proofread or edit your work in real-time. You can also highlight text, @mention collaborators, and make comments!

Wait, there’s more! When you send your document to the evaluators, you can even trace who read it, how much time they spent on it, and more.

Exciting, isn’t it?

Start making your fabulous technical report with Bit.ai today!

Few technical documents templates you might be interested in:

Status Report Template
API Documentation
Product Requirements Document Template
Software Design Document Template
Software Requirements Document Template
UX Research Template
Issue Tracker Template
Release Notes Template
Statement of Work
Scope of Work Template

Wrap up(Conclusion)

A well structured and designed report adds credibility to your research work. You can rely on bit.ai for that part.

However, the content is still yours so remember to make it worth it.

After finishing up your report, ask yourself:

Does the abstract summarize the objectives and methods employed in the paper?

Are the objective questions answered in your conclusion?

What are the implications of the findings and how is your work making a change in the way that particular topic is read and conceived?

If you find logical answers to these, then you have done a good job!

Remember, writing isn’t an overnight process. ideas won’t just arrive. Give yourself space and time for inspiration to strike and then write it down. Good writing has no shortcuts, it takes practice.

But at least now that you’ve bit.ai in the back of your pocket, you don’t have to worry about the design and formatting!

Have you written any technical reports before? If yes, what tools did you use? Do let us know by tweeting us @bit_docs.

Further reads:

How To Create An Effective Status Report?

7 Types of Reports Your Business Certainly Needs!

What is Project Status Report Documentation?

Scientific Paper: What is it & How to Write it? (Steps and Format)

Business Report: What is it & How to Write it? (Steps & Format)

How to Write Project Reports that ‘Wow’ Your Clients? (Template Included)

Business Report: What is it & How to Write it? (Steps & Format)

Internship Cover Letter: How to Write a Perfect one?

Communication plan: what is it & how to create it (steps included), what is swot analysis: the complete guide, 11 smartsheet alternatives & competitors you must check out, why companies need to invest in work-from-home technology, vendor agreement: what is it and how to create it, progress report: what is it & how to write it (steps & format).

About Bit.ai

Bit.ai is the essential next-gen workplace and document collaboration platform. that helps teams share knowledge by connecting any type of digital content. With this intuitive, cloud-based solution, anyone can work visually and collaborate in real-time while creating internal notes, team projects, knowledge bases, client-facing content, and more.

The smartest online Google Docs and Word alternative, Bit.ai is used in over 100 countries by professionals everywhere, from IT teams creating internal documentation and knowledge bases, to sales and marketing teams sharing client materials and client portals.

👉👉Click Here to Check out Bit.ai.

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Guide to Technical Report Writing

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Table of contents

1 Introduction

2 structure, 3 presentation, 4 planning the report, 5 writing the first draft, 6 revising the first draft, 7 diagrams, graphs, tables and mathematics, 8 the report layout, 10 references to diagrams, graphs, tables and equations, 11 originality and plagiarism, 12 finalising the report and proofreading, 13 the summary, 14 proofreading, 15 word processing / desktop publishing, 16 recommended reading.

A technical report is a formal report designed to convey technical information in a clear and easily accessible format. It is divided into sections which allow different readers to access different levels of information. This guide explains the commonly accepted format for a technical report; explains the purposes of the individual sections; and gives hints on how to go about drafting and refining a report in order to produce an accurate, professional document.

A technical report should contain the following sections;

For technical reports required as part of an assessment, the following presentation guidelines are recommended;

There are some excellent textbooks contain advice about the writing process and how to begin (see Section 16 ). Here is a checklist of the main stages;

Collect your information. Sources include laboratory handouts and lecture notes, the University Library, the reference books and journals in the Department office. Keep an accurate record of all the published references which you intend to use in your report, by noting down the following information; Journal article: author(s) title of article name of journal (italic or underlined) year of publication volume number (bold) issue number, if provided (in brackets) page numbers Book: author(s) title of book (italic or underlined) edition, if appropriate publisher year of publication N.B. the listing of recommended textbooks in section 2 contains all this information in the correct format.
Creative phase of planning. Write down topics and ideas from your researched material in random order. Next arrange them into logical groups. Keep note of topics that do not fit into groups in case they come in useful later. Put the groups into a logical sequence which covers the topic of your report.
Structuring the report. Using your logical sequence of grouped ideas, write out a rough outline of the report with headings and subheadings.

N.B. the listing of recommended textbooks in Section 16 contains all this information in the correct format.

Who is going to read the report? For coursework assignments, the readers might be fellow students and/or faculty markers. In professional contexts, the readers might be managers, clients, project team members. The answer will affect the content and technical level, and is a major consideration in the level of detail required in the introduction.

Begin writing with the main text, not the introduction. Follow your outline in terms of headings and subheadings. Let the ideas flow; do not worry at this stage about style, spelling or word processing. If you get stuck, go back to your outline plan and make more detailed preparatory notes to get the writing flowing again.

Make rough sketches of diagrams or graphs. Keep a numbered list of references as they are included in your writing and put any quoted material inside quotation marks (see Section 11 ).

Write the Conclusion next, followed by the Introduction. Do not write the Summary at this stage.

This is the stage at which your report will start to take shape as a professional, technical document. In revising what you have drafted you must bear in mind the following, important principle;

the essence of a successful technical report lies in how accurately and concisely it conveys the intended information to the intended readership.

During year 1, term 1 you will be learning how to write formal English for technical communication. This includes examples of the most common pitfalls in the use of English and how to avoid them. Use what you learn and the recommended books to guide you. Most importantly, when you read through what you have written, you must ask yourself these questions;

Does that sentence/paragraph/section say what I want and mean it to say? If not, write it in a different way.
Are there any words/sentences/paragraphs which could be removed without affecting the information which I am trying to convey? If so, remove them.

It is often the case that technical information is most concisely and clearly conveyed by means other than words. Imagine how you would describe an electrical circuit layout using words rather than a circuit diagram. Here are some simple guidelines;

The appearance of a report is no less important than its content. An attractive, clearly organised report stands a better chance of being read. Use a standard, 12pt, font, such as Times New Roman, for the main text. Use different font sizes, bold, italic and underline where appropriate but not to excess. Too many changes of type style can look very fussy.

Use heading and sub-headings to break up the text and to guide the reader. They should be based on the logical sequence which you identified at the planning stage but with enough sub-headings to break up the material into manageable chunks. The use of numbering and type size and style can clarify the structure as follows;

In the main text you must always refer to any diagram, graph or table which you use.
Label diagrams and graphs as follows; Figure 1.2 Graph of energy output as a function of wave height. In this example, the second diagram in section 1 would be referred to by "...see figure 1.2..."
Label tables in a similar fashion; Table 3.1 Performance specifications of a range of commercially available GaAsFET devices In this example, the first table in section 3 might be referred to by "...with reference to the performance specifications provided in Table 3.1..."
Number equations as follows; F(dB) = 10*log 10 (F) (3.6) In this example, the sixth equation in section 3 might be referred to by "...noise figure in decibels as given by eqn (3.6)..."

Whenever you make use of other people's facts or ideas, you must indicate this in the text with a number which refers to an item in the list of references. Any phrases, sentences or paragraphs which are copied unaltered must be enclosed in quotation marks and referenced by a number. Material which is not reproduced unaltered should not be in quotation marks but must still be referenced. It is not sufficient to list the sources of information at the end of the report; you must indicate the sources of information individually within the report using the reference numbering system.

Information that is not referenced is assumed to be either common knowledge or your own work or ideas; if it is not, then it is assumed to be plagiarised i.e. you have knowingly copied someone else's words, facts or ideas without reference, passing them off as your own. This is a serious offence . If the person copied from is a fellow student, then this offence is known as collusion and is equally serious. Examination boards can, and do, impose penalties for these offences ranging from loss of marks to disqualification from the award of a degree

This warning applies equally to information obtained from the Internet. It is very easy for markers to identify words and images that have been copied directly from web sites. If you do this without acknowledging the source of your information and putting the words in quotation marks then your report will be sent to the Investigating Officer and you may be called before a disciplinary panel.

Your report should now be nearly complete with an introduction, main text in sections, conclusions, properly formatted references and bibliography and any appendices. Now you must add the page numbers, contents and title pages and write the summary.

The summary, with the title, should indicate the scope of the report and give the main results and conclusions. It must be intelligible without the rest of the report. Many people may read, and refer to, a report summary but only a few may read the full report, as often happens in a professional organisation.

Purpose - a short version of the report and a guide to the report.
Length - short, typically not more than 100-300 words
Content - provide information, not just a description of the report.

This refers to the checking of every aspect of a piece of written work from the content to the layout and is an absolutely necessary part of the writing process. You should acquire the habit of never sending or submitting any piece of written work, from email to course work, without at least one and preferably several processes of proofreading. In addition, it is not possible for you, as the author of a long piece of writing, to proofread accurately yourself; you are too familiar with what you have written and will not spot all the mistakes.

When you have finished your report, and before you staple it, you must check it very carefully yourself. You should then give it to someone else, e.g. one of your fellow students, to read carefully and check for any errors in content, style, structure and layout. You should record the name of this person in your acknowledgements.

Two useful tips;

Do not bother with style and formatting of a document until the penultimate or final draft.
Do not try to get graphics finalised until the text content is complete.
Davies J.W. Communication Skills - A Guide for Engineering and Applied Science Students (2nd ed., Prentice Hall, 2001)
van Emden J. Effective communication for Science and Technology (Palgrave 2001)
van Emden J. A Handbook of Writing for Engineers 2nd ed. (Macmillan 1998)
van Emden J. and Easteal J. Technical Writing and Speaking, an Introduction (McGraw-Hill 1996)
Pfeiffer W.S. Pocket Guide to Technical Writing (Prentice Hall 1998)
Eisenberg A. Effective Technical Communication (McGraw-Hill 1992)

Updated and revised by the Department of Engineering & Design, November 2022

School Office: School of Engineering and Informatics, University of Sussex, Chichester 1 Room 002, Falmer, Brighton, BN1 9QJ [email protected] T 01273 (67) 8195 School Office opening hours: School Office open Monday – Friday 09:00-15:00, phone lines open Monday-Friday 09:00-17:00 School Office location [PDF 1.74MB]

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6.1 Writing a Summary

Knowing how to summarize is the first step in being able to use research information in your document ethically. A summary provides an objective, condensed (shortened) description of the content of a piece of writing or presentation. Unlike a review, it does NOT analyze, evaluate, or critique; your opinion of the work is not typically part of the summary (unless you have been asked to add your thoughts afterward). Since summaries usually occur within a context (e.g., part of your report), your thoughts about what you have summarized will probably be relevant to your subsequent analysis. But when writing the actual summary of someone else’s ideas, you must neutrally and accurately describe what you take to be the important ideas in the author’s or presenter’s work in as few words as possible. Occasionally, if the work you are summarizing has an unusual form, style, or tone that affects the content, your summary might describe HOW the author presents those ideas.

What is the purpose of a summary?

( How to Write a Summary , 2012)

A summary is meant to inform your reader—who has not read the text or seen the presentation—of what the text or speech is about. It describes its purpose or main idea, and summarizes the supporting arguments that develop that idea. The summary often forms the foundation upon which a critique or new ideas rely. Following a good summary, a reader will then know if he or she will find the information useful and if reading or viewing the original is worthwhile.

In technical contexts, you will find the following types of summaries, which serve different purposes:

A technical summary of someone else’s ideas, in the context of a report, helps you to support and develop your ideas. You may summarize someone’s ideas because they support your own, or because they differ from yours and allow you to introduce the idea you want to argue. Someone else’s theory may provide a framework for your analysis, so you might summarize the theory before beginning your argument. A summary can act as a springboard to launch your ideas
An executive summary of a long or formal report that you have created informs the reader of the key points of the report. In this case, you will summarize all the main ideas, including the conclusion (and recommendations), of your report. Executive summaries are written by the report authors, and thus do not use signal phrases.
An abstract , written by the author(s) of a technical paper, describes the content and purpose of the report and is included at the beginning of the document. An abstract is pretty formulaic and consists of the following types of statements: problem, purpose, methods, findings, next steps or implications. Abstracts are written by the authors, and thus do not use signal phrases.
Conclusions: Appears at the end of a report; reiterates key ideas discussed and draws inferences based on the discussion or findings.
Briefing notes are often written by government workers to give the busy minister a summary of important information needed for a meeting or for a decision.

Being able to write a clear and useful summary is a valuable skill both in academic and professional contexts.

Knowledge Check

How do you write an effective academic summary?

Before you can summarize anything, you must understand the original text and do some pre-writing. Some of the most common flaws in summaries come from not completing these pre-writing steps. For example, some summary writers get bogged down in the small details and neglect to present the main idea; or they present a series of unconnected thoughts that come directly from the source, but do not coherently indicate what that source was about or how ideas were developed; occasionally, a writer may summarize the structure of a text instead of the ideas in that text. These errors occur because the pre-writing work was done poorly.

A Note About Online Paraphrasing Tools: Online paraphrasing tools are being used by many students to switch up the language of an original text in order to avoid plagiarism. It is highly ill-advised to use such a tool. The text that the machine creates is often nonsensical due to a haphazard use of vocabulary that is devoid of context. You are strongly advised not to use such tools.

Pre-writing Stage

Actively read the article or pay attention to the presentation. Make notes. Make sure you understand what you are summarizing: What is its main purpose? What is the “thesis”? What are the main points that support the thesis? Explain it verbally to someone else or in free writing. Use your own words to make sure you really understand what you have read or seen.
Reread the article (or your notes on the presentation, or the slides if they have been provided) and break it up into sections or “stages of thought.” Briefly summarize each section and indicate how it relates to the main idea. Again, paraphrase. Omit the finer details.
Keep your purpose and intended audience in mind when you design your summary; remember, your intended reader has not read the article or seen the presentation. Why are you summarizing it? Why is your audience reading your summary?

Writing Stage

Now you are ready to begin writing your summary. Follow these steps:

In “Can Ethics be Technologized?” Peter Dombrowski (1995) critiques the idea that …
… the idea that ethics can be reduced to an objective formula or algorithm that can be implemented in any given situation.
Summarize the key points used to develop the main idea.
Leave out details and examples that are not important to the main idea.
Do not quote from the article, or limit quotations to a single keyword or important phrase. Padding your summary with quotations is not an accepted method for summarizing.
Use signal phrases, such as “Dombrowski explains” and “Dombrowski asserts” to show that the ideas are not yours, but that they come from the article you are summarizing. Do not accidentally plagiarize . Do not inadvertently present the author’s ideas as your own .
Cite and document your source using the APA method; e.g., (Dombrowski, 1995).
Keep your summary at about 1/3 the length of the original.
Pay attention to verb tense : summaries of ideas are generally given in the present tense, while results and findings are often given in the past tense.
Dombrowski explains … (present tense)
Hollander’s study found that … (past tense)

Summaries of presentations are generally given in the past tense since the presentation happened only once in the past, while a text can be read and reread several times, making it more “present.” However, a video presentation, such as a TED Talk, would likely be summarized in the present tense, much like an article, because it can be reviewed over and over again. The verb tense you should use is not subject to absolute rules; you will have to use some judgment to determine what sounds best (and what sounds awkward).

Example Reference

Dombrowski, P. M. (1995, September). Can Ethics be Technologized? Lessons from Challenger, Philosophy, and Rhetoric. In IEEE Transactions of Professional Communication, 38.3 , pp. 146-50 . DOI: 10.1109/47.406727

Rewriting Stage

Review and revise your draft using the following steps:

Revise content and organization: Is it complete? Should you add any key ideas? Is it well organized? Is the content accurate? Does it follow the order of ideas of the original text? Can you get rid of any unnecessary content? Have you used your own words and phrasing?
Edit for flow: Do ideas flow smoothly together? Are sentences clear, concise, correct and coherent? Or do they require effort to decode? Do transitions effectively indicate the relationships between ideas? Have you effectively introduced, developed and concluded?
Proofread: Look for mechanical errors (typos, spelling, punctuation), and for grammar and usage errors that may have crept in during revision and editing.

Signal Phrases

Signal phrases allow you to clearly indicate when words, phrases and ideas you include in your writing come from someone else. These include verbs that introduce summaries, paraphrases, and quotations. In general, it is best to avoid verbs like

says (too vague)
writes (too vague)
talks about (too informal)

Instead, use a verb that more precisely and accurately describes the author’s rhetorical intention — describe what the author is DOING in this quotation, or what rhetorical purpose the author is trying to achieve. Chapter 6.2 contains a useful table of Signal Verbs for various purposes.

“I Can’t See the Forest for the Trees”

A summary should move from a statement of the general purpose to the specific ideas used to develop that purpose; it should be neither too vague nor too specific. There is an expression: “you can’t see the forest for the trees.” It means you get too focused on the details so you miss the “big picture.” You don’t want to be too general or too detailed. You want to give an accurate description of the forest as a whole, and quickly go over the main characteristics of the types of trees that comprise it (the key examples used to illustrate the main idea). Don’t let your summary get bogged down in the details, specific examples, and precise data (the species of fungus on the leaves of the trees).

See examples of paraphrases and summaries on the website for the Online Writing Lab at the University of Purdue.

Online Writing Lab (OWL). Paraphrase and summary exercises. University of Purdue. https://owl.purdue.edu/owl_exercises/esl_exercises/paraphrase_and_summary_exercises/index.html

Smrt English. (2012). How to write a summary [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGWO1ldEhtQ

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APPENDICES: Academic Writing Basics

Appendix B: Writing a Summary

An academic summary provides an objective, condensed (shortened) description of the content of a piece of writing or presentation. Unlike a review, it does NOT analyze, evaluate, or critique; your opinion of the work is not typically part of the summary (unless you have been asked to add your thoughts afterward). Since summaries usually occur within a context (eg., part of your essay), your thoughts about what you have summarized will probably be relevant to your subsequent analysis. But when writing the actual summary of someone else’s ideas, you must neutrally and accurately describe what you take to be the important ideas in the author’s or presenter’s work in as few words as possible. Occasionally, if the work you are summarizing has an unusual form, style, or tone that affects the content, your summary might describe HOW the author presents those ideas.

What is the purpose of a summary?

A summary is meant to inform your reader—who has not read the text or seen the presentation—of what the text is about. It describes its purpose or main idea, and summarizes the supporting arguments that develop that idea. Readers will then know if they will find it useful and want to read it.

There are many kinds of summaries that serve different purposes:

An academic summary of someone else’s ideas, in the context of a research essay, helps you to support and develop your ideas. You may summarize someone’s ideas because they support your own, or because they differ from yours and allow you to introduce the idea you want to argue. Someone else’s theory may provide a framework for your analysis, so you might summarize the theory before beginning your argument. A summary can act as a springboard to launch your ideas.
An abstract , written by the author(s) of the paper, describes the content and purpose of an academic paper and is included at the beginning of the article. Abstracts are written by the authors, and thus do not use signal phrases.
Government workers often write briefing notes to give the busy ministers and directors a summary of important information needed for a meeting or for a decision
In business, an executive summary gives the busy executive a quick overview of the contents of a formal report.

Being able to write a clear and useful summary is a valuable skill both in academic and professional contexts.

How do you write an effective summary?

Before you can summarize anything, you must understand the content of what you are summarizing and do some pre-writing. Some of the most common flaws in summaries come from not completing these pre-writing steps. For example, some summary writers get bogged down in the small details and neglect to present the main idea; or they present a series of unconnected thoughts that come directly from the source, but do not coherently indicate what that source was about or how ideas were developed; occasionally, a writer may summarize the structure of a text instead of the ideas in that text. These errors occur because the pre-writing work was done poorly.

Pre-writing Stage

Actively read the article or pay attention to the presentation. Make notes. Make sure you understand what you are summarizing: what is its main purpose? What is the “thesis”? What are the main points that support the thesis? Explain it verbally to someone else based on your notes. Use your own words to make sure you really understand what you have read or seen.
Reread the article (or your notes on the presentation, or the slides if they have been provided) and break it up into sections or “stages of thought.” Briefly summarize each section and indicate how it relates to the main idea. Again, paraphrase using your own words. Except for the occasional key word or phrase, avoid quoting directly.
Keep your purpose and intended audience in mind when you design your summary; remember, your intended reader has not read the article or seen the presentation. Why are you summarizing it? Why is your audience reading your summary?

Writing Stage

Now you are ready to begin writing your summary. Follow these steps:

In “Can Ethics be Technologized?” Peter Dombrowski [1] critiques the idea that …
… the idea that ethics can be reduced to an objective formula or algorithm that can implemented in any given situation.
summarize the key points used to develop the main idea
leave out minor details and examples that are not critical to the main idea
do not quote from the article; or limit quotations to a single key word or important phrase. Padding your summary with quotations does not effectively condense and summarize, so will lower your mark.
use signal phrases, such as “Dombrowski explains” and “Dombrowski asserts” to show that the ideas are not yours, but that they come from the article you are summarizing. Do not accidentally plagiarize . Do not inadvertently present the author’s ideas as your own .
Dombrowski explains … (present tense)
Hollander’s study found that … (past tense)
Summaries of presentations are generally given in the past tense, since the presentation happened only once in the past, while a text can be read and reread several times, making it more “present.” However, a video presentation, such as a TED Talk, would likely be summarized in present tense, much like an article, because it can be reviewed over and over again. Which verb tense you should use is not subject to absolute rules; you will have to use some judgment to determine what sounds best (and avoid what sounds awkward).
Cite and document your source using an IEEE note [1].

Example Reference

[1] P.M. Dombrowski. “Can ethics be technologized? Lessons from Challenger, philosophy, and rhetoric.” In IEEE Transactions of Professional Communication, vol. 38.3, Sept. 1995, pp. 146-50 . DOI: 10.1109/47.406727

Rewriting Stage

Review and revise your draft using the following steps:

Revise content and organization: Is it complete? Should you add any important details? Is it well organized? Does it follow the order of the original text? Can you get rid of any unnecessary content? Have you used your own words and phrasing? Have you used signal verbs to indicate what ideas belong to the summarized source?
Edit for flow: Do ideas flow smoothly together creating a logical sequence of ideas? Are sentences clear, concise, correct and coherent? Or do they require effort to decode? Do transitions effectively indicate the relationships between ideas? Have you effectively introduced, developed and concluded?
Proofread : Look for mechanical errors (typos, spelling, punctuation), and for grammar and usage errors that may have crept in during revision and editing.

Signal Phrases

says (too vague)
writes (too vague)
talks about (too informal)

Instead, use a verb that more precisely and accurately describes the author’s rhetorical intention — describe what the author is DOING in this quotation, or what rhetorical purpose the author is trying to achieve. Appendix C contains a useful table of Signal Verbs for various purposes.

“I Can’t See the Forest for the Trees”

A summary should move from a statement of the general purpose to the specific ideas used to develop that purpose; it should be neither too vague nor too specific. There is an expression: “I can’t see the forest for the trees.” It means you get too focused on the details so you miss the “big picture.” You don’t want to be too general or too detailed. You want to give an accurate description of the forest as a whole, and quickly go over the main characteristics of the types of trees that comprise it (the key examples used to illustrate the main idea). Don’t let your summary get bogged down in the minor details, specific examples, and precise data (the species of fungus on the leaves of the trees).

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How to Summarize a Technical Paper

January 22, 2017
Posted by Kendall Giles
how to , summary , technical paper , Writing

If you are in a technical field, whether in academia, government, or industry, it is important to read technical articles and papers so that you can try to stay current with ever-changing technological progress. One habit that will benefit you over time is writing your own summaries of the papers you read. So, this is a short tutorial on how to summarize a technical paper primarily for your own understanding and research.

There are several benefits to writing paper summaries:

Writing these summaries will help make sure you really understand the topics being discussed in the paper — the process of learning about a topic so that you are able to discuss that topic in your own words is an excellent way to make sure you really understand that topic.
Maintaining a collection of all the summaries you write will help you later if you need to refresh your memory about a paper or topic, since you won’t need to re-read the originals. This collection will also be important for example if you need to give a presentation on a topic, or if you need to compile a survey of relevant or important papers or ideas.
A very valuable skill — especially for technical people — is the ability to communicate technical material to a wider audience, such as, for example, your boss at work, the colleagues on your team, or even those attending a conference.

Note that this short tutorial is not how to write a review of a paper, which is done from a more critical perspective — a summary is more focused on presenting your own understanding of the paper.

Paper Summary Sections

Here are the minimal sections for writing a basic paper summary:

A. Introduction

What is the specific title of the paper, book, or chapter being summarized? Who are authors? Citation/URL? What is a one or two sentence summary of the paper?

This section can usually be done in a couple of sentences or a short paragraph.

B. Description

This is a more detailed summary of the paper. What is the main goal or thesis of the paper? What were the steps the authors used to accomplish this goal or thesis? What is the main description of the paper — what technologies were investigated or discussed? What is the problem the paper is addressing, how did the authors address this problem, and what results did they achieve? What are the main results, findings, or accomplishments detailed in the paper?

It is important to be specific — mention specific examples or points from the paper in your own words.

This can usually be done in one or two paragraphs.

C. Assessment/Analysis

What are your thoughts about the paper? Is what the authors presented new/novel or related to some other work/paper? What were to you the most important takeaways from the paper? What were the most important points you learned from the paper? What do you think are the technical implications of what the authors concluded? What do you think is the impact of what was presented?

Again, be specific, but this is where you provide your own commentary, insight, thoughts, or suggestions.

D. Conclusions

A brief conclusion to summarize the paper and present your recommendations or final thoughts about the paper.

This can usually be done in one or two sentences.

A Few General Points

Your summary should be an electronic file [1] {#fnref:1.footnote} and typically no more than one page in length. It is often best to keep the tone of your summary as neutral or objective as possible. If you need to have a specific audience in mind to help you with the tone, maybe pretend you are writing this as an executive summary for your boss.

Remember to be as specific as possible in your writing. Rather than write overly simplified statements such as, “This paper summarized Topic X, then did an experiment on Topic X, and then concluded Y and Z,” say specifically what was done. Also, rather than just quote large sections of the target paper, use your own words to show your understanding of the material.

Especially in the Assessment/Analysis section, if something was unclear in what the authors said or did, be specific — what was unclear? If you particularly liked a section of the paper, why did you like it? If you didn’t like a particular argument or thought a conclusion was unwarranted, what specific argument or thought? If you thought the authors missed an obvious detail, what did they miss? What specifically might you want to follow-up on, research more, or investigate for your own work?

Paper Summary Summary

A paper summary is not just whether you liked or didn’t like a paper, but is a way for you to condense the important elements of the paper into a form representing your best understanding of the paper, grounded in specific details. Over time, you will accumulate a collection of summaries spanning what you’ve learned in your field; this habit of writing paper summaries can result in many new ideas for your own career or research.

10.7 Body of the report

The body of the report is of course the main text of the report, the sections between the introduction and conclusion. Illustrated below are sample pages.

In all but the shortest reports (two pages or less), use headings to mark off the different topics and subtopics covered. Headings are the titles and subtitles you see within the actual text of much professional scientific, technical, and business writing. Headings are like the parts of an outline that have been pasted into the actual pages of the document.

Headings are an important feature of professional 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, and break up long stretches of straight text.

Headings are also useful for writers. They keep you organized and focused on the topic. When you begin using headings, your impulse may be to slap in the headings after you’ve written the rough draft. Instead, visualize the headings before you start the rough draft, and plug them in as you write.

Your task in this chapter is to learn how to use headings and to learn the style and format of a specific design of headings. Here are a number of helpful tips:

Make the phrasing of headings self-explanatory: instead of “Background” or “Technical Information,” make it more specific, such as “Physics of Fiber Optics.”
Make headings indicate the range of topic coverage in the section. For example, if the section covers the design and operation of a pressurized water reactor, the heading “Pressurized Water Reactor Design” would be incomplete and misleading.
Avoid “stacked” headings—any two consecutive headings without intervening text.
Avoid pronoun reference to headings. For example, if you have a heading “Torque,” don’t begin the sentence following it with something like this: “This is a physics principle…..”
When possible, omit articles from the beginning of headings. For example, “The Pressurized Water Reactor” can easily be changed to “Pressurized Water Reactor” or, better yet, “Pressurized Water Reactors.”
Don’t use headings as lead-ins to lists or as figure titles.
Avoid “widowed” headings: that’s where a heading occurs at the bottom of a page and the text it introduces starts at the top of the next page. Keep at least two lines of body text with the heading, or force it to start the new page.

If you manually format each individual heading using the guidelines presented in the preceding list, you’ll find you’re doing quite a lot of repetitive work. The styles provided by Microsoft Word, OpenOffice Writer, and other software save you this work. You simply select Heading 1, Heading 2, Heading 3, and so on. You’ll notice the format and style are different from what is presented here. However, you can design your own styles for headings.

Bulleted and numbered lists

In the body of a report, also use bulleted, numbered, and two-column lists where appropriate. Lists help by emphasizing key points, by making information easier to follow, and by breaking up solid walls of text. Always introduce the list so that your audience understand the purpose and context of the list. Whenever practical, provide a follow-up comment, too. Here are some additional tips:

Use lists to highlight or emphasize text or to enumerate sequential items.
Use a lead-in to introduce the list items and to indicate the meaning or purpose of the list (and punctuate it with a colon).
Use consistent spacing, indentation, punctuation, and caps style for all lists in a document.
Make list items parallel in phrasing.
Make sure that each item in the list reads grammatically with the lead-in.
Avoid using headings as lead-ins for lists.
Avoid overusing lists; using too many lists destroys their effectiveness.
Use similar types of lists consistently in similar text in the same document.

Following up a list with text helps your reader understand context for the information distilled into list form. The tips above provide a practical guide to formatting lists.

Graphics and figure titles

In technical report, you are likely to need drawings, diagrams, tables, and charts. These not only convey certain kinds of information more efficiently but also give your report an added look of professionalism and authority. If you’ve never put these kinds of graphics into a report, there are some relatively easy ways to do so—you don’t need to be a professional graphic artist. For strategies for adding graphics and tables to reports, see the chapter on Creating and Using Visuals. See the chapter on visuals for more help with the principles for creating visuals.

Conclusions

For most reports, you will need to include a final section. When you plan the final section of your report, think about the functions it can perform in relation to the rest of the report. A conclusion does not necessarily just summarize a report. Instead, use the conclusion to explain the most significant findings you made in relation to your report topic.

Appendixes are those extra sections following the conclusion. What do you put in appendixes? Anything that does not comfortably fit in the main part of the report but cannot be left out of the report altogether. The appendix is commonly used for large tables of data, big chunks of sample code, fold-out maps, background that is too basic or too advanced for the body of the report, or large illustrations that just do not fit in the body of the report. Anything that you feel is too large for the main part of the report or that you think would be distracting and interrupt the flow of the report is a good candidate for an appendix. Notice that each one is given a letter (A, B, C, and so on).

Information sources

Documenting your information sources is all about establishing, maintaining, and protecting your credibility in the profession. You must cite (“document”) borrowed information regardless of the shape or form in which you present it. Whether you directly quote it, paraphrase it, or summarize it—it’s still borrowed information. Whether it comes from a book, article, a diagram, a table, a web page, a product brochure, an expert whom you interview in person—it’s still borrowed information.

Documentation systems vary according to professionals and fields. For a technical writing class in college, you may be using either MLA or APA style. Engineers use the IEEE system, examples of which are shown throughout this chapter. Another commonly used documentation system is provided by the American Psychological Association (APA).

Page numbering

Page-numbering style used in traditional report design differs from contemporary report design primarily in the former’s use of lowercase roman numerals in front matter (everything before the introduction).

All pages in the report (within but excluding the front and back covers) are numbered; but on some pages, the numbers are not displayed.
In the contemporary design, all pages throughout the document use arabic numerals; in the traditional design, all pages before the introduction (first page of the body of the report) use lowercase roman numerals.
On special pages, such as the title page and page one of the introduction, page numbers are not displayed.
Page numbers can be placed in one of several areas on the page. Usually, the best and easiest choice is to place page numbers at the bottom center of the page (remember to hide them on special pages).
If you place page numbers at the top of the page, you must hide them on chapter or section openers where a heading or title is at the top of the page.

Chapter Attribution Information

This chapter was derived by Annemarie Hamlin, Chris Rubio, and Michele DeSilva, Central Oregon Community College, from Online Technical Writing by David McMurrey – CC: BY 4.0

Technical Writing Copyright © 2017 by Allison Gross, Annemarie Hamlin, Billy Merck, Chris Rubio, Jodi Naas, Megan Savage, and Michele DeSilva is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Technical Report Writing

Report generator.

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

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Editable PDF

Size: A4, US

Technical Service Report Example

Free Report Technical Specification

Size: 68 KB

Technical Evaluation Report Letter Example

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Size: 142 KB

Free Letter of Transmittal for Technical Report

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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

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Parts of a Technical Report Writing

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Engineering Technical Report Example

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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

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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

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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

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Technical Report Requirements

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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.

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Types of Technical Reports Writing

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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

1. what is a technical report.

A technical report is a report that describes the development, process or results of scientific/technical research. It includes recommendations, conclusions and other details about a company. Technical reports are an excellent source of technical or scientific information. They can be either written or printed, for both wider and internal audiences.

2. What is the purpose of using a Technical Report?

Technical reports are used to communicate information to customers, colleagues, and managers about what is happening in the company. It is used to document the equipment and procedures used in testing, the results obtained, etc. so that the work can be repeated if deemed necessary.

3. What should a Technical Report include?

A technical report can include the following details:

Abstract and table of contents
List of illustrations
Executive summary
Details you want to share with your client/investors
Glossary and list of symbols
Introduction, body, and conclusion of your observation.

4. Why is it important to use a Technical Report?

In any industry of work and business, technical reports are used to communicate technical information to employees and clients. This information assists in decision making and helps make decisions in favor of everyone. Determining how to report on technical data to others is an essential component of technical studies.

5. How is a Techincal Report written?

Write technical reports with the help of these steps:

Add the title page
Introduction, highlighting the main aim of the report
Experiment details and description of budget, if needed
Results and discussions
The body, which has details of what you want the reader to know
Conclude on a positive note.

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Generate a report on the impact of technology in the classroom on student learning outcomes

Prepare a report analyzing the trends in student participation in sports and arts programs over the last five years at your school.

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How to Write a Research Summary | A Winning Guide for Students

How to Write a Research Summary: Comprehensive Student Guide

With a Juris Bachelor's degree and a decade of legal practice, Darious Davson excels in creating compelling and authoritative academic papers in Law and Ethics. His work is a testament to his profound knowledge of the legal system and commitment to upholding ethical writing practices. So, this experienced paper writer is your top-tier pick!

A research summary is a short version of a long research paper. It stresses the important points of the original work and introduces the reader to the main results of the work. Hence, the reader can quickly grasp the main idea and conclusion without reading the document. We created this guide to simplify writing a well-researched summary. So, let us explain things simply and clearly.

What is a Research Summary, and Why Is It Important?

Let's start with some basic terminology. A research summary is the short form of the research paper that covers the major aspects of a major research project. It covers the research's main ideas, techniques, findings, and conclusions. The summary is central in that it enables other people to effortlessly understand the essentials of your writing in a short time.

So, what is a research summary? Now you know the answer. Abstracts can help decide whether the full research paper is relevant to their needs. Furthermore, these social channels are frequently used to share the research findings with a general audience who may not have time or need to read the full paper.

When to Write a Summary?

Your research summary should be written after you have completed your research. This is critical because you must be able to present your research findings concisely without leaving anything out. Summaries can be needed when academic materials are being assessed, like in college assignments or science periodicals.

They are effective when submitting research grants or presenting your work at conferences. By summarising your research clearly and concisely, you enable your audience to grasp the information more easily and quickly. This way, your readers will be able to perceive the value of your work and engage with it on a deeper level. As you can see, writing a research paper summary is not rocket science.

Formatting Guidelines for Research Paper Summaries

Properly formatting your research summary is a key point of readability and professionalism. It guarantees that the flow of your summary is kept to the standard of academic writing. Just stick to these rules:

Use a clear, readable font like Times New Roman or Arial, size 12.
Set margins to 1 inch on all sides.
Keep the summary to one page, or about 250-300 words.
Use double spacing to enhance readability.
Align your text to the left; this makes it easier to read.
Include a concise title at the top of your summary.

These guidelines help you build a good summary and help your audience understand your writing. A well-formatted summary allows readers to concentrate on the content, not the arrangement, making your research more effective. So, always try to learn how to summarize a research paper correctly.

Types of Research Paper Summaries

How to write a research summary – typical steps.

A research summary comprises several steps to produce an understandable and concise article. The summary systematically breaks down the research into bite-size pieces that allow the audience to grasp the study's core aspects. This helps preserve the authenticity and nature of the original research work in a way that is easy to understand.

Read the Text

Reading a research paper before you can start the summary is very important. Begin by reading the whole document thoroughly to get an understanding of the main issues and the objectives of the document. Look for the introductory and concluding paragraphs, which usually contain the major ideas and conclusions. Following this first reading, try to read through the text two or three more times to take a closer look at the research methods, data analysis, and some of the specific findings.

Here is how to write a research summary. Remembering the authors' key phrases and technical words is crucial – these words are like the foundation for understanding the research context accurately. So, master research paper summary writing every day!

Break the Text Down Into Sections

So, the next step is to split it into the logical parts of the paper. This part of the thesis is built around the main issues of the research: the research problem, the methodology, the findings, and the conclusions. This section should be assessed individually and about the overall research to determine the significance of each part.

Spend some time looking for the main idea in each part and trying to understand how they all come together to tell the research story. This process enables readers to comprehend the text better and organize the research summary meaningfully. Segmenting the text so that all key information is present in the summary and that the summarized work accurately represents the research makes this goal possible. Are you not ready to write on your own? Just say, “Write my essay for me!” We are always ready to assist!

Identify the Key Points in Each Section

The key points in each section are identified to create a powerful summary. This is the process of isolating the key details of utmost significance to the findings and the research objectives. So, stick to this research paper summary structure guide:

By identifying these main ideas, you can be certain that the summary covers the essence of the research, presenting a clear and concise version of the original paper. Now, you know how to write a research summary.

Write the Summary

The research summary is written to combine the main points you selected into a single but comprehensive paragraph. First, the main subject of the research will be set down, as well as its goals. A brief outline of the methodology will follow this to provide an overview of the study results. Last, the crucial results are indicated; only those data directly related to the research purpose.

Discuss the results of this study, and write the final remarks and the summary of the original paper. It is important to stay objective and avoid giving personal views or understanding. So, summarizing a research paper effectively is not that difficult.

Check the Summary Against the Article

Now that you have your summary, you must see if it matches the original article. This comparison makes sure that the summary is in line with the research and that any significant information is not left out or interpretation is not misplaced. Check if the summary keeps the original focus, especially concerning the research aims and outcomes. Here is how to write a research summary correctly.

Writing an effective research paper summary is paramount. Ensure there are no technical term errors and avoid personal interpretations or unnecessary details. This verification might involve reading more than once, concentrating on details such as precision, completeness, and readability. Besides, check out our latest article on mastering the research paper format for students!

Crucial Writing Tips to Follow

To write a good research summary, you must grasp the research content and know the skills that make a summary useful and interesting. Following several writing guidelines will ensure that your conclusion is relevant and brief. As a result, your summary will serve its purpose as a valuable academic tool.

Understand the Assignment

Summarizing research findings is crucial. Before submitting your summary, you should grasp all the assignment requirements. The purpose and the specific requirements are the first steps to figuring out your writing focus and approach. Here is what you should understand:

Length: Check the required length to ensure your summary meets the guidelines.
Format: Understand the formatting requirements, including font type, size, and margin specifications.
Deadline: Know your deadline to manage your time effectively.

Knowledge of these elements helps you firmly establish the basis of your writing. It is a very helpful tool because it structures your work according to the needs of your assignment and ensures that the content of your summary is to the point and at the expected level. Here is how to write a research summary properly.

Identify Key Points

It is important to say that identifying the key points in the research may be the most vital part of writing a research summary. First, scrutinize the original article thoroughly, highlighting the central ideas and major findings. Be meticulous while working on the thesis statement because it is a core part of the paper and represents the essay's main idea. It is also essential to comprehend the methodology since the results are interpreted within the context of the methodology.

Use different research paper summary techniques. While emphasizing the data that directly reinforces the research findings, do not forget to include the results irrelevant to the main conclusion. Ensure you mention the talks about the effects and limitations of the obtained results. A powerful summary focuses on these important aspects.

Paraphrase Succinctly

The skill of paraphrasing is crucial for a research paper. According to the University of Connecticut, this process involves reformulating the original text to create a summary with the same meaning as the original but only in clear and short words. When paraphrasing, try to avoid using too many difficult words and expressions, but at the same time, do not let the main terms of the text and the results escape your attention.

Here is how to write a summary. Use synonyms and reword sentences to produce a text that is not a copy of the original. This prevents plagiarism and makes the content friendly and understandable to audiences of diverse backgrounds.

Focus on Structure

Do you need more research paper summary guidelines? Ok! The structure of a research summarization should allow the reader to read through it effortlessly and easily understand its contents. Begin by presenting an introduction that provides context by mentioning the research subject, purpose, and significance. Besides, you can always start with a proper research summary example. Every part should be presented one after the other, and the story should continue to the end using transitions that will aid the reader in following the summary easily.

Highlight the Significance and Implications

Here is what you should learn before checking research paper summary examples. Research summaries must always be written to highlight the importance of research and its wider implications. This emphasis facilitates readers to perceive how the study is important and related to the field. So, here is what you should do:

Describe how the findings contribute to existing knowledge.
Suggest how the results can be applied in real-world settings.
Indicate potential directions for further investigation.
Discuss how the study advances theoretical frameworks or concepts.

And stick to the research paper summary format. This will ensure that your summary reflects the research's outcomes and gives them a central role. It will also help strengthen your summary and make it more interesting and informative, directly linking the study to the wider field context.

Review and Revise

Last but not least, in writing a research summary is the revision and review of the document. This is a crucial step in summarizing, as it helps avoid inaccuracies, ambiguities, and lengthy sentences. First, read your abstract carefully to determine whether it reflects the original research without too much detail. Proofread for all the grammatical issues or phrases that can be misleading to the reader.

Besides, know all the tips for writing a research paper summary. Complying with the correct use of technical terms and formatting guidelines, if any, is essential. Ask a friend or a mentor to edit your summary; a new set of eyes can bring a new perspective and reveal things you would not have noticed.

Writing a Standout Summary: Things to Avoid

While writing a research summary, it's important to watch out for common pitfalls that can erode its quality and effectiveness. These errors will make your summary clearer and have the desired impact. Therefore, paying attention to them will help you summarize the research work precisely and accurately.

Plagiarism is a vital matter to consider when preparing any academic writing, particularly research summaries. It is the act of copying or taking someone else's ideas and expressions and presenting them as one's work without permission or acknowledgement. To avoid plagiarism, ensure that you paraphrase the original text by expressing the ideas in your own words and that the original sentence is unchanged.

So, find a good research summary example. Correct citation of the direct quotations and key concepts borrowed from the source material is also crucial. Utilizing plagiarism detection software may provide a means to verify that your work is plagiarism-free. Knowing and respecting intellectual property rights can safeguard academic integrity and stimulate in-depth knowledge and the true presentation of results.

Excessive Detail

The most common error while writing a summary is including too many details. In this case, a summary will be the most important part of the research, where the researcher only has to pay attention to the objectives, methodology, key outcomes, and conclusions. Avoid the temptation to wade into the pool of minor details and complex data that do not contribute to an overall understanding of the research's main outcomes.

Rather than mixing the two, it is appropriate to find a balance between economy and fullness by considering the details essential for the reader to grasp the significance and impact of the research. Maintaining the brevity and focus of the summary makes it easier to read. It ensures that it is useful to the audience, who may not need or want a superficial amount of detail. Here is how to write a good summary!

Biased Interpretation

Interpretation may be biased, and this can distort factual comprehension. It is seen as a situation when personal opinion or judgment interferes with the presentation of research results. Here is what you need to do:

Avoid Personal Opinions: Keep interpretations neutral and based on the data.
Stick to the Facts: Refer directly to the research for support.
Use Neutral Language: Avoid emotionally charged or suggestive language.

It is essential to be as objective as possible, concentrating only on what the research data and results demonstrate. This method certifies the accuracy of the summary, which reflects the research without being distorted by personal views or external influences. Just stick to the research summary format.

Misrepresentation of Results

Incorrect misinformation in a research summary can grossly skew the perception of the research and its validity. This mistake could be made if the summary is skewed, important data is omitted, or the results are out of context. So, it is mandatory always to portray the research findings accurately and completely. Ensure that the data mentioned in the summary is the same as the data and conclusions of the research article.

Here is how to write a good summary. We should not jump to conclusions unsupported by the original research or leave out the negative results that are important in inferring the whole study's outcome. Accuracy and fidelity in data reproduction make the summary a trustworthy and credible source for academic and professional settings, thus ensuring the research is an authentic and ethical representation.

Incomplete Coverage

Now, you know how to write a summary. An incomplete summary is worthless because it fails to present all the information crucial to learning about the research. This problem can originate from the lack of detail regarding the important results, the failure to describe the research context, or the omission of the implications and limitations of the study. Besides, find a good research summary template for practicing.

The utmost attention should be paid to systematically presenting all research components, including hypothesis, methodology, results, and conclusions. Also, emphasize any limitations or boundaries of the research that make your topic area more effective. In addition to the above, this detail-oriented approach goes beyond the mere credibility of the summary.

What is the purpose of a research paper summary?

You must concisely overview a research study's main ideas, findings, and implications.

How long should a research paper summary be?

It should be about one page long, between 250 and 300 words. However, ask your professor first.

What are the key differences between summarizing and paraphrasing?

Summarizing involves condensing a large amount of information into a brief overview. Paraphrasing is rewording a specific text or idea without significantly shortening it.

How can I ensure objectivity and conciseness in a research paper summary?

You should stick to the facts, use neutral language, and highlight essential points of your research.

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COMMENTS

PDF A guide to technical report writing
7. make sure your summary gives the whole picture in brief 8. check the report for technical errors, typing errors and inconsistency 9. consider design as well as content 10. produce the report for your reader(s) A Guide to Technical Report Writing was originally written by Joan van
PDF A guide to technical report writing
6. Conclusion. The report is checked, its appearance is pleasing, it is easy to handle, 'interesting' and 'readable', to quote the criteria suggested at the beginning of this Guide. If the technical content is as good as the organisation, writing, illustration and finishing, then the report should delight the reader.
Simple Ways to Write a Technical Report (with Pictures)
5. Round out the report with a conclusion that bookends your introduction. In a technical report, your introduction should raise the "big" questions and your conclusion should provide your answers. If, for instance, you listed several specific questions in your intro, answer them specifically in the conclusion.
Technical reports
A technical report summary (or abstract) should include a brief overview of your investigation, outcomes and recommendations. It must include all the key information your reader needs to make a decision, without them having to read your full report. Don't treat your summary as an introduction; it should act as a stand-alone document.
Technical Report: What is it & How to Write it? (Steps & Structure
Organizes the data. A technical report is a concise, factual piece of information that is aligned and designed in a standard manner. It is the one place where all the data of a project is written in a compact manner that is easily understandable by a reader. 4. Tool for evaluation of your work.
Guide to Technical Reports: What it is and How to Write it
Regardless of whether you hire a writer or write the report yourself, these best practices will help you create a great technical report that provides value to the reader. Step 4: Format. The next step of writing technical reports is formatting. You can either use the company style guide provided to you or follow the general rules of report ...
Guide to Technical Report Writing
12 Finalising the report and proofreading. 13 The Summary. 14 Proofreading. 15 Word processing / desktop publishing. 16 Recommended reading. 1 Introduction. A technical report is a formal report designed to convey technical information in a clear and easily accessible format.
PDF A guide to writing technical reports
To generate an automatic TOC, you need to apply heading styles (found under the Home tab) to format appropriate text in the body of the report as a heading. Apply Heading 1 style to each main section (chapter) in the report, and a Heading 2 or 3. style to the various sub-sections within the report. To add the TOC, go to References tab>Table of ...
6.1 Writing a Summary
Now you are ready to begin writing your summary. Follow these steps: Provide the author's name and title of the text being summarized. If you are summarizing a speaker's presentation, give the presenter's name, the title or topic of the presentation. If the context is important to your summary, give some details about the intended ...
How to Write Technical Report
Here are the elements of a technical report: Title page; Introduction; Summary; Results; Body; Conclusion; Details; Let's examine them in detail. Title Page. The title page comes first in a ...
PDF The Full Technical Report
Components of a Technical Report The technical report is a kind of writing you will engage in throughout your academic and professional career. It should include the following sections. Title Page The title should be brief and meaningful and describe the contents of the report. The title identifies the subject and indicates the purpose of the ...
How to Write a Technical Report (With Benefits and Steps)
How to write technical reports. Writing a report can help you organize your research and share your results. Here are steps to follow for producing a report: 1. Assess your findings. Before you write your report, it's important to conclude your research and assess your results. The research process often involves collecting large amounts of ...
50 Professional Technical Report Examples (+Format Samples)
A technical report example is a written document made by a researcher which contains the details about a project's results. After creating the technical report, the researcher submits it to the project's sponsor. Such a report may contain procedures, design criteria, research history, images or illustrations, and other data relevant to the ...
How to Write an Executive Summary for a Report: Step By Step ...
The purpose of the summary should typically be included in the introduction as an opening statement. Explain what you aim to achieve with the document and communicate the value of your desired objective. This part is supposed to grab your reader's attention, so make sure they pay extra attention when writing it. 2.
PDF Technical Report Writing: How to write a technical report
Table of contents. The table of contents should be detailed to support the reader in finding a specific part of the report. It can also be a support to you in the process of writing so use the automatic function in the word processor already from the start.
Technical Reports, Executive Summaries, and Abstracts
the references on technical writing mentioned at the end of this chapter for thorough ... Place an executive summary at the beginning of a report, soon after the title page. Some Navy labs make sure a reader can immediately locate the summary by printing it on blue or green paper. A tab, of course, would serve the same purpose.
10.3 Abstract and executive summary
10.3 Abstract and executive summary. Most technical reports contain at least one abstract—sometimes two, in which case the abstracts play different roles. Abstracts summarize the contents of a report, but the different types do so in different ways: Descriptive abstract. This type provides an overview of the purpose and contents of the report.
Appendix B: Writing a Summary
Now you are ready to begin writing your summary. Follow these steps: Provide the author's name and title of the text being summarized. If you are are summarizing a speaker's presentation, give the presenter's name, the title or topic of the presentation. If context is important to your summary, give some details about the intended ...
How to Summarize a Technical Paper
Your summary should be an electronic file [1] {#fnref:1.footnote} and typically no more than one page in length. It is often best to keep the tone of your summary as neutral or objective as possible. If you need to have a specific audience in mind to help you with the tone, maybe pretend you are writing this as an executive summary for your boss.
PDF How to Write an Executive Summary
Some basic revision tips to consider are: • As often as possible, rewrite sentences in an active voice. • Revise sentences to b e short and concise for clarity. • Make sure that each paragraph of your executive summary contains one main point. • Spell out acronyms to connect with various stakeholders and readers.
10.7 Body of the report
Bulleted and numbered lists. In the body of a report, also use bulleted, numbered, and two-column lists where appropriate. Lists help by emphasizing key points, by making information easier to follow, and by breaking up solid walls of text. Always introduce the list so that your audience understand the purpose and context of the list.
PDF Writing Technical Reports
The executive summary distills the report's essence and is addressed to a manager. Given its audience, this section offers a sense of the document's scope and foregrounds such information as costs and time involved. Is should be about 5% as long as the document proper (1 page for a 20-page report). Body. The body is the meat of the report.
Technical Report Writing
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.
How to Write a Research Summary
Write the Summary. The research summary is written to combine the main points you selected into a single but comprehensive paragraph. First, the main subject of the research will be set down, as well as its goals. A brief outline of the methodology will follow this to provide an overview of the study results.

How to Write a Technical Report

Technical Report Outline

Planning Your Report

Writing the Main Body of the Report

Adding Components in the Proper Layout

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Technical Report: What is it & How to Write it? (Steps & Structure Included)

What is a Technical Report? (Definition)

Importance of Writing a Technical Report

2. Evidence for your work

3. Organizes the data

4. Tool for evaluation of your work

How to Write a Technical Report?

Style ( Pointers to remember )

Proofreading

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Guide to Technical Report Writing

School of Engineering and Informatics (for staff and students)

1 Introduction

6.1 Writing a Summary

What is the purpose of a summary?

How do you write an effective academic summary?

Pre-writing Stage

Writing Stage

Example Reference

Rewriting Stage

Signal Phrases

“I Can’t See the Forest for the Trees”

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Appendix B: Writing a Summary

What is the purpose of a summary?

How do you write an effective summary?

Pre-writing Stage

Writing Stage

Example Reference

Rewriting Stage

Signal Phrases

“I Can’t See the Forest for the Trees”

Share This Book

How to Summarize a Technical Paper

Paper Summary Sections

A. Introduction

B. Description

C. Assessment/Analysis

D. Conclusions

A Few General Points

Paper Summary Summary

10.7 Body of the report

Bulleted and numbered lists

Graphics and figure titles

Conclusions

Information sources

Page numbering

Chapter Attribution Information

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