Edith Cowan University

Centre for Learning and Teaching

School of Engineering
Learning Support
Senior Learning Adviser: Shalini Watson
Email: shalini.watson@ecu.edu.au
Tel: 6304 6014
Edith Cowan University
Centre for Learning and Teaching

In this session, we will :

• overview the key features of technical report
–Why? What? Who?
• examine the elements of a formal report
• unpack the marking criteria for the A1 draft
Edith Cowan University
Centre for Learning and Teaching

Why write reports?

Why write? Examples
To convince • a government department about the outcome of an action
• a client to accept your solution
• The public of the benefits of your proposed project
To persuade • a council to adopt a course of action
• a client to choose one design over another
• an organisation to collaborate with you on a project
To inform • a government department with information they will base
policy on
• other engineers who will work from your plans
(instructions)
• present the outcome of a project to stakeholders
https://www.monash.edu/rlo/assignment-samples/engineering/eng-writing-technical-reports
Edith Cowan University
Centre for Learning and Teaching

What is a Technical Report?

• A practical working document
• written by engineers and scientists
• to communicate comprehensive information about work
that has been completed, approaches, findings and
implications of results
• for a number of stakeholders including clients, suppliers,
managers, community stakeholders, and peer groups
e.g. other engineers.
Edith Cowan University
Centre for Learning and Teaching

Who is your audience?

Engineer Non technical
e.g. Network rail audience
engineer e.g. developer,
local authority,
councillor

Accountant
Get to know your
audience. You are
not writing the
Anyone else??? report for yourself,
but for them!
Edith Cowan University
Centre for Learning and Teaching

What are the key elements of reports?

Reports are designed for: So they use:

selective reading • sections with numbered

headings and subheadings

quick and easy • figures and tables

communication of information • bullet-point lists

https://www.monash.edu/rlo/assignment-samples/engineering/eng-writing-technical-reports
Edith Cowan University
Centre for Learning and Teaching

Report structure
A report usually has a:
• Title page
• Summary / abstract
• Table of Contents
• Introduction
• Middle sections with numbered headings
• Conclusions
• References
• Appendices
Edith Cowan University
Centre for Learning and Teaching

Title page
The title page gives:
• the course name and number
• the department and university
• the title of the report
• the authors' names, and ID numbers
• the date of submission
• the version number (in industry)
Edith Cowan University
Centre for Learning and Teaching

Titles: Make them informative!

Weak titles Strong titles

Bridge analysis Analysis of a prestressed concrete bridge
Internet based An evaluation of Internet based Automated
ATIS Traveller Information Systems
Edith Cowan University
Centre for Learning and Teaching

Summary/ abstract
• Is read to determine if the reader should read or not
• states the topic of the report
• briefly outlines your approach to the task (if applicable)
• focuses on the results or outcome of the project, the
findings of your investigation: or the key aspects of your
design
• states the significance or implications of the results.

The Summary does NOT:

• provide background information on the topic
• explain the motivation for the project
• refer to figures, tables or references contained in the report.
Edith Cowan University
Centre for Learning and Teaching

Summary: What’s wrong with this?

This report presents the concept design for a sustainable
water supply and purification method for a remote village in
Southern Cambodia. It outlines the local conditions and
considers the natural resources available to be used in the
design. The proposed solution is presented in detail and
discussed in terms of the criteria provided by the local council.
The system is expected to provide safe drinking water for the
community year round.

This does not actually summarise the information

in the report, but describes the type of information
in the report
Edith Cowan University
Centre for Learning and Teaching

Table of contents
• The table of contents sets out the sections and subsections
and their corresponding page numbers.
• Number the sections by the decimal point numbering system:
1.0 Title of first main section (usually Introduction)
1.1 First subheading
1.2 Second subheading
2.0 Title of second main section
2.1 First subheading
2.2 Second subheading
2.2.1 First division in the second subheading
2.2.2 Second division in the second subheading
3.0 Title of third main section
Edith Cowan University
Centre for Learning and Teaching

Introductions
• Answers the question “what is this report
about?”
• Background
– what is the topic in context?
– What is the problem/motivation for the project?
– What is the aim of the project?
• What is the purpose of the report?
• What is the report structure (key sections)?
Edith Cowan University
Centre for Learning and Teaching
Topic motivation context
Introductions Broad
In recent times, desalination has been found to be a means of acquiring
potable water, which has been difficult in the more arid regions of Australia. topic
Under the current climatic conditions, the water stores of Australian cities Problem
have decreased significantly. As a result, droughts are likely to occur more
frequently, leading to regular water shortages.
One method of ensuring a supply of potable water is through solar Narrowing
desalination. Early solar desalination principles worked on the principle of the topic
distillation, while other modes have included membrane filtration, and
electrolysis, ion exchange, freezing and reverse osmosis (RO). problem
RO is capable of producing the purest output and will be the focus of this Specific
project. It is a natural process in which…………………………. topic and
theory
The aim of this project is to establish whether solar water desalination
using RO is feasible in the Australian urban environment, in particular in Aim and
Perth, Western Australia. scope
Thus, the purpose of this report is to provide an assessment of the Purpose
sustainability of the RO process based on availability, economic factors, and and
its impact on the environment. The current technologies for desalination are structure
investigated and the role of engineers in in developing these are further
investigated.
Edith Cowan University
Centre for Learning and Teaching

Introductions: Example
Background

Purpose and
Edith Cowan University
Centre for Learning and Teaching

Report Body
• presents the information from your research,
(empirical and theoretical), or your design
• organises information logically under
appropriate headings
• uses:
– Short paragraphs
– bulleted or numbered lists
– figures and tables
Edith Cowan University
Centre for Learning and Teaching

Headings: Make Them Informative

Uninformative Informative headings

headings
Consumption patterns Changes in water consumption
patterns
Survey results Turning movement survey results
Overview Overview of the organisation
Management Management style and method
Edith Cowan University
Centre for Learning and Teaching

Headings: Consistency
Example of inconsistent headings
Heading Grammatical form
The company structure Noun phrase
What is our management style? Question
How we communicate Noun clause
Working in teams Gerund phrase
How would you convert these into noun phrases?
The company structure The company structure
What is our management style? Management style
How we communicate Communication methods
Working in teams Teamwork
Edith Cowan University
Centre for Learning and Teaching

Bulleted Points: Parallelism

Writing parallel bullet points, ensure that each item in the list
has the same structure. So, each item might:
• start with the same part of speech (e.g., noun, verb)
• use the same verb tense (e.g., present, past, future)
• use the same voice (e.g., active or passive)
• use the same sentence type (e.g., statement, question)

How would you convert these into a parallel form?

• Human life is lost • Loss of human life

• Toxic chemicals caused • Lung disease caused by

lung disease toxic chemicals
• Workers had long term • Psychological effects
psychological effects suffered by workers
Edith Cowan University
Centre for Learning and Teaching

Headings: Correspondence with

the Introduction
1.0 Introduction
Afa; fhoa;sdofsda;ofasdf asdfhsdaf;ohasdf;sodaif sdafiohaspsdfuja’ This report
begins with a detailed description of the system design and operation. Next, the
results of the laboratory and field tests on the prototype are presented and
analysed. Finally, limitations are discussed and recommendations for future work
are made.

Section 2.0 Detailed description of the system design and operation.

Alfkdg;lha;gkds;lkasdgn’asodghsldakgnsdal;kgnsa;ldgknalskgnl

Section 3.0 Results of laboratory and filed tests on the prototype

Alfkdg;lha;gkds;lkasdgn’asodghsldakgnsdal;kgnsa;ldgknalskgnl

Section 4.0 Limitations

Alfkdg;lha;gkds;lkasdgn’asodghsldakgnsdal;kgnsa;ldgknalskgnl

Section 5.0 Recommendations for future work

Alfkdg;lha;gkds;lkasdgn’asodghsldakgnsdal;kgnsa;ldgknalskgnl
Edith Cowan University
Centre for Learning and Teaching

Conclusions
The Conclusion (~1-2 paragraphs) relates directly
back to the aims of the investigation.
The Conclusions section provides an effective ending
to your report.
This section
• states whether you have achieved the aims of your
investigation
• gives a brief summary of the key information in
your report (and sometimes includes
recommendations)
• restates the major findings of your investigation.
Edith Cowan University
Centre for Learning and Teaching

Assignment 1 Task
Instructions
Edith Cowan University
Centre for Learning and Teaching

Assignment question
1. Read the Hurricane Katrina Case Study together
with the Engineers Australia Code of Ethics.
2. Analyse this case in the light of the Code of
Ethics.
3. If such a disaster were to occur in Australia, how
would the EA Code of Ethics be applied to
address such a scenario?
Edith Cowan University
Centre for Learning and Teaching

Assignment 1 Draft Requirement

Provide:
• a draft introduction (properly structured with
full sentences)
• an outline of the rest of the report (bulleted
points are permissible).
• When structuring the draft, see Appendix 2
for the Assignment 1 Final Report Marking
Rubric.
• Your grades will be assigned based on the
Assignment 1 Draft Report Marking Rubric.
Edith Cowan University
Centre for Learning and Teaching

Marking rubric for Assignment 1 Draft

Edith Cowan University
Centre for Learning and Teaching

External support - Studiosity

Free study assistance available for all commencing and
international students and LAP students. Feedback on writing
24/7, 365 days. Live tutors 3pm-12am Sunday – Friday.
Go to Studiosity under ‘My Communities’ on Blackboard
Edith Cowan University
Centre for Learning and Teaching

References
Monash University Engineering (2018) Guidelines for writing
reports in engineering. Retrieved from
http://www.eng.monash.edu.au/current-
students/download/guidelines-writing-reports.pdf