Technical Report

Writing
The 14 session
th
 The Session Schedule
• 1. Technical Report Writing
• a. revising and rewriting (part 3)
• (1) rhetorical purpose
• (2) organization
• (3) footnoting
 Rhetorical Purpose
• - The purpose of the discussion section of the
report:
• 1. describing
• 2. defining
• 3. reviewing
• - Sometimes there is a combination of two or all of
these.
• -Although the requirement of language mechanics,
style, and tone are the same in each case, the
technique of development is somewhat different.
 Description
• - In technical reports, this is a description of:
• 1. a thing: part, device, machine, instrument, etc
• 2. place
• 3. process
• - Effective description consists of verbally picturing
the subject so clearly that the reader has little or no
trouble visualizing it.
• - Examine your descriptions for a logical
development of ideas and sequence of elements.
 Description
• - the elements of a device description (outline):
• 1. Name of device
• 2. Purpose
• 3. Over-all characteristics
• a. Size
• b. Weight
• c. Shape
• 4. Names and functions of parts (steps for process description)
• a. Part 1
• b. Part 2
• c. Part n
• 5. Performance (procedure for process description)
• a. Manipulation (method for process description)
• b. Operation
• c. Maintenance
 Definition
• - the act of explaining the meaning of sth (thing, process or idea).
• - Unfamiliar items should be defined in terms of familiar ones.
• - The technical writer must avoid vagueness and abstraction.
• - S/he must also avoid circular definitions.
• The X-Y recorder is a kind of recorder.
• The X-Y recorder is an instrument for … .
• - A brief description often reinforces a definition.
• TRANSDUCERS. Any device which converts one form of energy
into another form is called a transducer. For example, a
thermocouple transforms heat energy into electrical energy and is,
therefore, called a transducer. Other familiar transducers include:
microphones, which convert sound into electrical energy; strain
gauges to convert tension or stress into electrical energy; and
accelerometers, which convert acceleration into electrical energy.
 Definition
• - When the report contains a number of special
terms, or familiar words used in a special way, a
glossary of such terms should be included in the
report.
• - Any new or unusual term must be defined, usually
in parentheses, when it first appears in the report.
• Better impact strength is provided by Oleform TD-
228 ( a reinforced polypropylene plastic)
 Review
• - Progress reports generally review work that has been performed.
• - The work may be any form of physical or mental activity from building
hardware to searching literature.
• - The technique for reviewing is affected by the demands of the
reporting situation.
• - A review of progress on a work project commonly uses the past tense
of verbs, since it recounts activities that occurred at an earlier time.
• - It is generally arranged chronologically.
• - This type of review is one of the few instances of narration to be found
in a technical report.
• - A review of the findings from a literature search, investigation, or
survey is usually presented in the present tense.
• - Only when the researcher must discuss the act of investigation is the
past tense required.
 Organization
• - The various drafts of the report need to be checked against the
outline, the skeleton of organization, for agreement.
• - In case of a stylebook or report specification, the organization of the
report must be checked against the format prescribed by that source.
• - The parts of the report, along with their supporting material, should
be identified by headings and subheads.
• - The main headings and most of the subheads can come directly
from the list of the report parts or from the outline.
• - Sometimes, special ones must be written.
• - The heading and subhead must be a brief title of the passage they
identify.
• - There is no set format for the organization of main and subordinate
material and for the headings and subheads designating this
material.
 Organization
• - Some writers follow a format in a stylebook;
others have a plan of their own in collaboration
with their editors.
• - At the time of printing, a suitable style may be
planned in consultation with the printer.
• - Capitals, lower case, and different type faces may
be used to express the various degrees of
coordination and subordination.
 Organization
• FIRST-ORDER HEADING (centered)
• SECOND-ORDER HEADING (flush, hanging)
•
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• SECOND-ORDER HEADING (flush, hanging)
•
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• First-Order Subhead (flush, hanging)
•
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• SECOND-ORDER SUBHEAD. (indented, run-in)
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• Third-Order Subhead. (indented, run-in)
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• FOURTH-ORDER SUBHEAD. (flush, run-in)
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• Fifth-Order Subhead. (flush, run-in)
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 Organization
• - Headings and subheads are numbered or lettered
or both in some reports, but not in others.
• - This is a matter of preference, but the usage must
be consistent.
• - Considerable rewriting time can be saved
whenever material is found to be in the wrong place
but in no need of revision, simply by cutting the
entire passage and pasting it where it belongs.
 Footnoting
• - Footnotes are usually found only in a few formal reports.
• - They are more common in articles, books, and scholarly
papers.
• - Though invaluable, they should never be used for mere
padding.
• - A footnote gives information, such as an explanatory note
or reference to a supporting article or book, that would
obstruct the reading if it appeared in the text.
• - A footnote should:
• 1. appear at the bottom of the page
• 2. be separated from the last line of the text by a single line
• - Some printed works use a smaller type face in the footnote.
 Footnoting
• - Try not to place all footnotes in the back of the report; this forces
the reader to move back and forth between text and back matter,
which seriously slows the reading and interpretation.
• - Attention is called to a footnote by a superscript (exponent),
usually placed at the end of the sentence.
• - Number the footnote with the same superscript, and use the
numbers consecutively.
• - The footnote referring to an article or book must contain:
• 1. name of author(s)
• 2. name of publication
• 3. facts of publication (city of publication & name of publisher for a
book; name of journal or magazine and sometimes its volume
number, and date of publication)
•
 Footnoting
• - An informational footnote simply contains a brief
statement of the supplementary information.
• - When reference is later made to footnote, the latter need
not be completely rewritten in the new place.
• - If new footnote appears on the same page and no other
footnotes come between, you can use the following format:
• Ibid., p. number.
• Ibid., p. 207
• - If there are intervening footnotes or pages, the following
format is possible:
• name of author(s), op. cit., p. number.
• Ruiter and Murphy, op. cit., p. 207.
 Footnoting
• - The abbreviation for a full repetition of the footnote (author,
publication, page number, and passage on the page) is:
• name of author(s), loc. cit.
• Ruiter and Murphy, loc. cit.
• - If this footnote comes right after the original one, it may be
simplified to: Loc. cit.
• - Writers who do not favor the Latin terms use shortened English
footnotes:
• name of author(s), p. number.
• Ruiter and Murphy, p. 207.
• name of publication, p. number.
• Basic Industrial Electronic Controls, p. 207.