Technology & Engineering
Technical Report
A technical report is a document that presents detailed information about a specific technical topic, often related to engineering or technology. It typically includes data, analysis, and recommendations, and is used to communicate findings and propose solutions to technical problems. Technical reports are commonly used in industry, research, and academia to share technical knowledge and support decision-making.
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eBook - ePub- Krishina Subramanyam(Author)
- 2020(Publication Date)
- CRC Press(Publisher)
7Technical Reports
7.1 Introduction
The Technical Report may be thought of as an accepted bibliographic format for the dissemination of technical information generated through R&D effort in the same way that the scholarly journal article is the accepted channel for communicating the results of scientific research. The English word “report” is derived from the Latin word reportare which means “to bring back.” This implies that a report contains information produced in response to a specific request or need and submitted to the individual or agency making the request or commissioning an investigation. C. P. Auger offers the following definition of a report [1]:A report is a document which gives the results of or the progress with research and/or development investigation. Where appropriate it draws conclusions and makes recommendations, and is initially submitted to the person or body for whom the work was carried out. Commonly a report bears a number which identifies both the report and the issuing organization.A very large number of Technical Reports are issued each year. Estimates of the annual output of reports have ranged from 50,000 to 500,000 [2,3]. About 80 to 85% of the world output of report literature is produced in the United States.7.2 History of Report Literature
Neil Brearley suggests that Technical Reports predate scientific journals and that “scientists were exchanging reports with one another long before scientific communication was institutionalized” [4]. Copernicus, for example, distributed a preliminary draft of his new cosmology to a few selected scientists two decades prior to publishing his monumental work in 1543 [5]. Industrial research laboratories have always used Technical Reports and memoranda for internal communication. But the history of the Technical Report as a distinct format for disseminating technical information dates back only to the beginning of the 20th century. The Professional Papers of the United States Geological Survey (published from 1902), and the Technologic Papers of the National Bureau of Standards (starting from 1910) may be said to mark the beginning of report literature. Since 1928, the Technologic Papers have been incorporated into the NBS Journal of Research
eBook - PDF- Sidney Passman(Author)
- 2013(Publication Date)
- Pergamon(Publisher)
More often than not, it tells him what to do and how to do it. The Technical Report, then, has this strong element of direction of user behavior. One might think of it as a condition of stimulus control of behavior (Ronco, 1965). Government authorities would stress the highly detailed and complete nature of a report (compared to an abbreviated journal article, for example). Thus, the DoD Glossary (1964) gives this definition: A report concerning the results of a scientific investigation or a technical de- velopment, text or evaluation, presented in a form suitable for dissemination to the technological community. The Technical Report is usually more detailed than an article or paper appearing in a journal or presented at a meeting. It will normally contain sufficient data to enable the qualified reader to evaluate the investigative processes of the original research or development. T o the community responsible for generating, editing and handling the "canonical" journal literature, the Technical Report is frequently seen as a preliminary, unpublished version of a work, not yet passed through the The Technical Report Literature 45 rigorous review process, and unavailable to the scientific community in general; in short, not worthy of consideration as part of the "scientific archive". In view of the wide spectrum of materials that fall into the Technical Report category, generalizations are particularly odious. In order to clarify the characteristics of the different species in this genus we have attempted a taxonomic classification, given below in Appendix A. Regarding the statistics of the report literature, it is difficult to obtain any really significant figures. Comprehensive library archives contain almost a million such reports and the population appears to be growing at a rate o f several hundred thousand a year.
eBook - PDF- Roderick A. Macleod, Jim Corlett, Roderick A. Macleod, Jim Corlett(Authors)
- 2012(Publication Date)
- De Gruyter Saur(Publisher)
They will set out the conclusions and recom-mendations arising from the research, and include coverage of all aspects of the research. This means that the information they contain is very specific, addressing a particular problem, and very rich in experimental detail. King and Griffiths (1991) characterise Technical Reports as containing very specific, very new information, as they are often the first place infor-mation is recorded, before (if ever) being presented to conferences or published as journal articles. They tend to be used over a longer period of time after publication than journal articles; although one-half of readings involve reports under six months old, the average age of Technical Reports read is two years. INFORMATION SOURCES IN ENGINEERING 43^ Most engineering research, technology acquisition and development address a particular need or problem. Generally, Technical Reports are gener-ated as a by-product of the process, rather than the end-product of research. Within many organisations, the report is the primary means of tech-nical communication, as it is cheap and quick to produce. Reports must be detailed enough to satisfy the requirements of the funder or contractor of the research, and their detailed nature is their greatest strength as an infor-mation source. Once the report has been circulated within the organisation, if appropriate, it is then distributed to a wider audience, without peer-review or editing. Of course, some reports will be held in confidence if there are commercial or military restraints. A large amount of valuable information contained in reports is never formally published as a journal article or within a book. Even if refined versions appear later, twelve to eighteen months' delay is common due to the publishing cycle, so reports are frequently at the cutting edge of engi-neering research, design and development.
eBook - PDF- Paul H. Wright(Author)
- 2012(Publication Date)
- Wiley(Publisher)
Some organizations prefer to list the bibliographic sources as footnotes rather than in a separate list at the end of the main body of the report. Detailed technical material such as computer programs, tables of data, and the like are usually placed in one or more appendixes at the end of the report. The writer of a Technical Report usually employs four modes of discourse (8): 1. Narration, in which a series of events are related in an ordered and usu- ally chronological sequence. 2. Description, a verbal representation of something usually expressed in terms such as size, shape, color, texture, and position. 3. Exposition, which sets forth the writer’s meaning or intent for the purpose of clarifying or explaining some matter. 4. Argumentation, which is for the purpose of convincing the reader of the probability that some proposition is correct. 152 CHAPTER 6/ENGINEERING COMMUNICATIONS In order to inform or instruct the reader, the writer of a Technical Report may use examples, definitions, classifications, comparisons, and discussions of cause and effect (8). Journal Papers Engineers often publish the results of their work in technical journals. Journal papers are usually briefer than Technical Reports but are sim- ilar in organization and content. Journals provide a means for widespread dis- semination of technical information. Specifications Technical specifications are used by the engineer to commu- nicate to builders, fabricators, and manufacturers detailed information pre- scribing materials, dimensions, and workmanship for something that is to be built, installed, or manufactured. Specifications must be written with extreme care to ensure completeness and accuracy. Such documents are sometimes made a part of engineering contracts, and they may be used to document the details of a design (9). The language for such documents is therefore precise, and the writing style tends to be legalistic. An example of some technical spec- ifications is shown in Figure 6.4.
eBook - PDF- Atila Ertas(Author)
- 2018(Publication Date)
- Wiley(Publisher)
Engineering reports are prepared for many different purposes. A few of these are listed below: 1) Test programs 2) Finding solutions to technical problems 3) Experiments 4) Purchase of equipment 5) Research investigations 6) Failure analyses 7) To make recommendations to technical supervisors. 13.2 The Formal Engineering Report 737 One must bear in mind that individuals who are not intimately familiar with the work or its author may read the engineering report. Their impressions are thus formulated by the content of the report and their ability to understand what was accomplished as well as its meaning. In some cases, engineering reports are prepared for non-technical customers, which only exacerbates this problem. The challenge is to discuss the work accomplished in terms that are understandable to someone not directly involved in the project, possibly someone who is not an engineer or technical person. It is paramount that the author knows the audience and prepares the report so that they can understand it. Many inexperienced writers struggle to establish a logical content flow in their reports. If the reader is to understand the report, the presentation of information must follow some logical thread. The material presented should be introduced in chronological sequence within each divi-sion of the report, and periodic signposts should be provided so that the reader always knows where they have been and where they are going on their journey through the report. This goal can be achieved by previewing what is coming next in the report in each major sub-division and by beginning each paragraph with a clear topic statement. 1 Formal engineering reports are generally written in the third person, past tense, so personal pronouns should be avoided. The report is prepared in a purely objective, impersonal manner, reflecting the writer’s relationship to the material presented. Results are judged on the criteria of existing, applicable theory, and previous experiments.
eBook - ePub- Joan Giblin, Emily Coolidge Toker(Authors)
- 2018(Publication Date)
- Momentum Press(Publisher)
CHAPTER 2 COMMON TYPES OF TECHNICAL DOCUMENTSEnvironmental engineers write a great deal: to convey information, solicit business, report on problems, communicate investigation findings, propose solutions, and inform others of their work. Engineers use technical documents as the primary method to communicate data and results. Over time, common document templates became popular because of their effectiveness and efficiency. Taking the time to understand the function of each section in a technical document will facilitate the writing process. The goal of the document and the audience will guide the report choice. This chapter covers the most common elements of reports and presents draft outlines of common report types.2.1 WRITING CONSIDERATIONSFocus: What should an engineer consider before writing? What style of writing is expected in a technical document?2.1.1UNDERSTANDING THE READERTechnical writing communicates information to the reader. To communicate effectively, the writer must consider the ability of the reader as part of the communication equation. The reader’s familiarity with the subject and their ability to understand technical information and interpret data will guide the communication. The reader’s abilities will heavily influence how to present test results, discussions, and conclusions in the report. Selecting language that matches the reader’s ability may make the difference between a successful and unsuccessful report.The writer also needs to anticipate the reader’s expectations of the report. Effective writers attempt to understand the reader’s goals for the report. Did the reader request a site analysis to determine whether to move forward with a potential development? Or is the reader concerned about an unexpected pollutant and the cost to remediate the contamination? Appreciating these expectations help the writer decide how to frame the report and communicate results.
eBook - PDF- H. Sales(Author)
- 2006(Publication Date)
- Palgrave Macmillan(Publisher)
The same number mentioned having to write plans, revealing in their answers that they have to write a variety of them. Plans seem to be regarded in much the same way as engineering log entries, in that they are a taken-for-granted aspect of engineers' work. Plans are concerned with plotting or extrapolating work schemes 82 Professional Communication in Engineering mainly in diagrammatic form with accompanying written explanations, and, since engineers find them unproblematic, receive little attention in this book. Technical notes are similarly treated. A small number of engineers (10 per cent) mentioned writing technical notes, which are primarily concerned with capturing a design idea. The small number may be accounted for by the fact that technical notes are not formally linked to any particular product. Since companies usually only calculate the cost of producing documents for particular products, and allocate money for producing these documents, resourcing is not avail- able for technical notes, which may be very brief or an extended tech- nical description of a few thousand words. According to guidelines issued by one organisation, technical notes give 'factual statements of events, calculations and work done' and are intended for an internal readership. But this is only part of the story. From time to time, the thought may occur to an engineer that some idea he is working on may prove useful to later design work, and he sets about describing it using words and diagrams. Its usefulness or relevance to products being developed may be obscure, but the engineer has a hunch it might be needed in the future. Even though it is intended for an internal audience, a technical note is a document that is formally recorded by the company (in the company library, if there is one), indexed, and stored. This formal recording of the idea is necessary for establishing intellectual property rights (see 7.3.4) and for fighting any counter-copyright claim.
eBook - PDF- Adhikary, Manas Mohan(Authors)
- 2021(Publication Date)
- Daya Publishing House(Publisher)
No one expects a doctoral thesis. Use the report project as a chance to learn something new. Of course, its common sense that we often write better about things we know about. If this is a concern for you, look around you in your work, hobbies, or academic studies. The word technical refers to anybody of specialized knowledge. General Characteristics of Technical Reports You’re probably wondering what this Technical Report is supposed to look like. Here is a brief review of some of the chief characteristics of the Technical Report: Graphics: The report should have graphics. Graphics include all kinds ofpossibilities, as a later chapter in this book will show. If you can’t think ofany graphics for your report project, you may not have a good topic. Getin touch with your instructor, who can help you brainstorm for graphics. Factual detail : The report should be very detailed and factual. The point of the report is to go into details, the kind of details your specific audience needs. Information sources: Your report should make use of information sources. These may include not only books and articles that can be found in libraries but also technical brochures, interviews or correspondence with experts, as well as first-hand inspections. If you don’t believe any information sources are necessary for your report project, contact your instructor. Documentation: When you use borrowed information in your Technical Report, be sure to cite your sources. The style of citing your sources (also called “documenting” your sources) used in this course is called the number system. Realistic audience and situation: The report must be defined for a real or realistic group of readers who exist in a real or realistic situation.
- Daniel Adrian Doss, William H. Glover Jr., Rebecca A. Goza, Michael Wigginton Jr.(Authors)
- 2014(Publication Date)
- Routledge(Publisher)
Documenting these processes represents a form of communicating through technical writing. Within the justice domain, communicating with reports may be formal or informal. The scope and magnitude of reporting also varies with respect to the complexity of the situation. Technical documentation may also be formal or informal, and also varies with the complexity of the considered service or product. In any case, expressing either formal or informal concepts through the written word is a salient consideration of the justice sys-tem and of law enforcement organizations. Formal Documents and Reports A formal report is a written document that provides information that may facilitate the rendering of human decisions. In some cases, they may contain “only information” or they may provide some type of quantitative analysis and “make recommendations” (Guffey & Almonte, 2010, p. 253). Formal reports vary in length, and may necessitate only a few pages or more than 200 pages (Guffey & Almonte, 2010, p. 253). Formal reports are also associated with projects and endeavors that exhibit a great amount of complexity (Guffey & Almonte, 2010, p. 253). Formal report documents are written using the third-person perspective. They are also extensively detailed, and incorporate a variety of contents, referencing methods, and sections. Typically, the initial items consist of a cover page, an executive summary, contents and lists of supporting materials, and author credentials and contact information. The primary body of a formal report document consists of introductory materials, posed queries, methodology, findings, conclusion(s), recommendation(s), and considerations of factors that constrain or influence the endeavor. Not all of these sections are contained within all formal documents. Only those sec-tions that are necessary are contained within the formal document.
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