Module 8

INTRODUCTION TO TECHNICAL REPORTS

Objectives:
At the end of the lesson, the students should be able:

1. Explain the fundamental concepts of report writing

2. Use different concepts in writing technical reports
3. Distinguish the categories of technical reports
4. Write different technical reports

Introduction
Aside from writing business letters, another way to communicate in business or
in organization effectively is writing a report. Every day, there is a tremendous number
of reports written and circulating in the corporate world.
There are two vital questions that every report writer should consider: “Who is the
audience?” and “What is my purpose?”
Before writing any report, we should bear in mind the destination of our report. In
business, the audience might be your boss, supervisor, manager, fellow employee, or
client. Furthermore, written reports may supply a record of work accomplished, record
problems encountered, document schedules, timetables, and milestones, recommend
future actions, document current status, and so on (Gerson, SJ & Gerson, SM 2003).
Your purpose is your reason for writing a report. It may be for the purpose of
informing important details or progress about the company, analyzing the costing or
strengths and weaknesses of the company, or recommending possible actions or
solutions based on certain facts and data.

Fundamental Concepts of Report Writing

In writing a report, language plays a vital role. The language should be concise,
coherent, and precise to smoothly connect the ideas and the sections of a business
report. There are four fundamentals of report writing.
1. The K-I-S-S Concept is an acronym for Keep it Short and Simple. This concept also
emphasizes expressing rather than impressing.
2. Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing. Quoting is the exact copying of a
portion of an original text. In doing this, certain punctuations must be observed. In
paraphrasing, you will need to use your own words in restating author’s ideas or words.
In doing this, the same number of words like the original is observed. Summarizing is
like paraphrasing, but differs on the number of words. Summarizing is recapitulating
author’s ideas or words. This is a shorter restatement of the original text in your own
words. These three need to be properly documented.

3. Use of graphic organizers may be classified as tables

or figures. Tables are a compact summary of data or
information which is systematically presented in columns.
Furthermore, figures may include graphs and charts in
presenting the data or information.
4. Documentation and Citation – These are ethical
practices used in developing your report. These are the
proper acknowledgment of references or sources that you
used. It is composed of the author’s last name and the
date of publication placed within parentheses.

The two most commonly used citation styles are

American Psychological Association (APA) Style and
Modern Language Association (MLA) Style.

There are ten steps in writing a technical report:

1. Determine the problem

2. Identify who your audience is
3. Identify what you need to learn
4. Gather necessary information and data
5. Summarize your findings
6. Design, organize, and write your report
7. Draw possible conclusions and recommendations
8. Cite your references if applicable
9. Review and revise your report
10. Present or submit your report

Moreover, all reports follow particular generic format, development, and style.
Every report follows the four basic components: heading, introduction, discussion, and
conclusion/recommendations.

To make a report come alive, link the various pieces of information together to
create a story or build a case. First, understand the information, then organize it by
checking and revising outline that was created earlier, then write the report. Headings
can organize and synthesize information. Instead of just restating the data, use
headings that interpret the data (Locker, 2006).

Categories of Report

A report should be well-planned and organized, logically sequenced, and easy to

read. There are two main categories of the report, according to Roberts (1999).

1. An Informal report can range from a few paragraphs to several pages. Whether an
informal report is written as a letter, memo, or email message, it generally includes an
introduction, body, and conclusion recommendations. This report may function to
inform, sell, direct, clarify, or recommend.

The introduction elaborates the subjects and procedures of the report, while body
presents the findings from thorough researches. All findings are arranged in order of
priority. Lastly, the conclusion/recommendation tells what the diagnosis is all about. It
also gives the possible actions, solutions or recommendations on what to be done about
the findings of the study.

2. A Formal report is generally lengthy. It may include title page, executive summary,
table of contents, list of figures and tables, list of abbreviations and symbols, body,
conclusions or recommendations, appendixes, index, and more. This report may
function to inform, document, direct, examine, analyze, propose, and recommend.

A report should be long enough to be thorough and short enough to be concise.

To ensure that your report is thorough, cover all the key issues. To ensure that it’s
concise, KISS (keep it short and simple).

Reports can just provide information, both provide information and analyze it, or
provide information and analysis to support the recommendation. Reports can be called
information report if they collect data for reader,analytical reports if they interpret data
but do not recommend action, and recommendation reports if they recommend action or
solution (Locker, 2006)

Three Levels of Reports

Reports can provide the following:

Information Only

● Sales reports (sales figures for the week or month)

● Quarterly reports (figures showing a plant’s productivity and profits for the
quarter)

Information plus analysis

 ● Annual reports (financial data and an organization’s accomplishments during the
past year)
● Audit reports (interpretations of the facts revealed during an audit)
● Make-good or pay-back reports (calculations of the point at which a new capital
investment will pay for itself)

Information plus analysis plus a recommendation

● Feasibility reports (evaluate two or more alternatives and recommend which

alternative the organization should choose)
● Justification reports (justify the need for a purchase, an investment, a new
personnel line, or a change in procedure)
● Problem-solving reports (identify the causes of an organizational problem and
recommend a solution)

Classification of Technical Reports

Business report is broad in scope and covers numerous written documents

necessary in doing business such as incident report, accomplishment report,
recommendation report, financial report, and so on.

The basic classifications of written report:

1. Article report – is simple report which aims to inform the masses. This report
focuses on any general interest. This is like the magazine article we read on regular
days.
2. Laboratory report – is a comprehensive report written to communicate laboratory
works and observations to the management. It also focuses on the questions, “How did
we do it?”

The following are the common parts of a laboratory report experiment.

a) Abstract – this part shows the outline of the entire experiment.

b) Introduction – this part presents the objectives and importance of the
experiment. Sometimes, the background of the report often includes theoretical
predictions for what the results should be.
c) Procedures – this part is sometimes called methods or steps for it presents the
step-by-step methods on how the experiment is done.
d) Results and discussion – this part presents the discussion of the experiment as
well as the results which are composed of tables and figures.
e) References – this part includes the sources and references used in conducting
the experiment.
f) Conclusions – this part summarizes the results of the experiment.
g) Appendices – this part is composed of raw data, calculations,graphs, figures.
3. Information report – the main function of this report is based from the title itself, to
inform. This re report includes periodic and annual reports

a. Periodic report – is a type of information report written by the employees or

subordinates which they submit daily, weekly, or monthly to their superiors to note
information of interest to the organization to show comparison and tendencies.

b. Annual report – is a type of information report which includes the listing of

activities, projects, and events of an organization during the whole year round to
show progress, financial status, and general state of affairs. This report can be
classified as public or private.

4. Special information report – is composed of three subcategories which are

preliminary report, progress report, and final report.

a. Preliminary report – is a type of special information report that collects

information about a proposed project which includes the costing, designs, and
other elements.

b. Progress report – is a type of special information report that records the history of
an activity from the time it has started up to the present date of writing.

Timing and Format of Progress Reports

In a year-long project, there are customarily three progress reports, one after three, six,
and nine months. Depending on the size of the progress report, the length and importance of
the project, and the recipient, the progress report can take the following forms:

Memo—A short, informal report to someone within your organization

Letter—A short, informal report sent to someone outside your organization
Formal report—A formal report sent to someone outside your organization
Time periods. A progress report usually summarizes work within each of the following:

⮚ Work accomplished in the preceding period(s)

⮚ Work currently being performed
⮚ Work planned for the next period(s)

5. Research report – is a common report which generates data either in a laboratory or

in the field. The contents and organization of this type of report have a basic logic: you
present your data and conclusions,but also present information on how you went about
the experiment or survey. The following are the contents of research report:
a) Introduction – this part of a research report provides the reader a background of
the report as well as the purpose of the report
 b) Problem – this includes essential inquiries and situations that led to the writing of
the report.
c) Purpose, objectives, and scope – this section tells the reader what researcher
intends to do. Also, the aims of the research as well as the limits to be covered
are included in this part.
d) Review of literature – this part of report includes related readings from different
literatures such as books, journals, artcles, magazines, encyclopedia, and the
likes.
e) Materials, equipment, and facilities – these include the supplies, resources and
facilities that were utilized in the report.
f) Theory, Methods, Procedures – these tell the reader how the report writer
conducted the research. These include the processes involved in the completion
of the report.
g) Results, Findings, Data – these present the outcome of the research with the use
of tables, figures, and charts. The tables, figures, and charts are interpreted and
explained by the researcher.
h) Discussion, Conclusions, and Recommendations – this section is the last part of
a research report. This includes the conclusions based from the findings and the
recommendations are in turn based on the conclusions.
i) Bibliography – this is the list of all the sources and references used by the report
writer in accomplishment the research report.

Other parts:
i. transmittal letter
ii. title page
iii.table of contents
iv. list of figures
v. list of tables
vi. abstract

6. Field Report – is intended to improve student understanding of key theoretical

concepts of a course through observation and reflection of real life practice. In addition,
this type of report facilitates the development of data collection and observation skills
and allows students see how theory applies to real world practice.

When writing a field report, you need to consider two things:

a. systematically observe and accurately record the details and information of a
certain aspect of a situation: constantly analyze your observation for meaning.

b. keep the report’s aims in mind while you are observing; consciously observe,
record and analyze what you hear and see in the context of a theoretical framework
(Glesne & Peshkin,1992).

7. Recommendation Report – is written to answer questions which are somehow

critical to decide on. It shows options or choices so that a good decision can be drafted.
The following elements are the typical contents of a recommendation report:
 a) Introduction
b) Technical background
c) Make comparisons
d) Critical requirements
e) Conclusions
f) Recommendations

8. Incidental report – is written to narrate incidents prior to, during, and after a situation
suddenly occurred. We should bear in mind that an incident report is definitely different
from the narrative type of essay. The presentation of ideas in an incident:
a) The context of the incident
b) Details of the incident
c) Thoughts, feelings, and concerns about the incident
d) Demands of the incident
e) Impact of the incident

9. Accomplishment report – is written for the purpose of presenting the company,

organization, or institution’s activities and achievements and to monitor and check if he
plans were successfully carried out. Every organization or business entity provides a
format of an accomplishment report.

The following are some steps in writing an accomplishment report:

a) Use the prescribed template of your company;
b) Create tables or charts with the following columns: number, action, or activity,
initiator, person responsible, remarks (target time, comments).
c) Add risk factor if needed; and
d) Include a list of who will be receiving this report
A. Types of Report: Identify the type of report is described in the following.
__________1. This report is like the columns in a magazine.
___________2. This report is presented after completing a certain project.
___________3. This report is submitted to record weekly information of interest.
___________4. The data in this report can be obtained from field or laboratory.
___________5. This report contains the details of the incident.
___________6. This is written to answer queries for the purpose of decision-making.
___________7. This report is written to report certain developments.
___________8. This report has a purpose of completing a project to show how plans were
delivered.
___________9. This report includes periodic and annual reports.
___________10. This report combines theory and practice.

B. Research Paper: Identify the section or part of a research paper as described in the
following statement.

__________11. After spending a great deal of time and energy introducing and arguing the
points in the main body of the paper, this section brings everything together and
underscores what it all means.

__________12. These include the processes involved in the completion of the report.

__________13. For longer, more complex papers, this is particularly useful. Often only 100 to
300 words.

__________14. This is interpreted and explained by the researcher.

__________15. This is a survey of scholarly sources (such as books, journal articles, and
theses) related to a specific topic or research question.
A. Writing a report: Explain the steps in writing a report briefly.

1. Determine the problem.

2. Identify who your audience is.
3. Identify what you need to learn.
4. Gather information and data.
5. Summarize your findings.
6. Design, organize, and write your report.
7. Draw possible conclusions and recommendations.
8. Cite your references if applicable (Use APA Style)
9. Review and revise your report.
10. Present or submit your report.

B. Answer the following questions briefly.

1. What is the importance of writing a laboratory report? Explain your answer.

2. Among the different classifications of the report, which is the most important report in a
company? Why do you think so?
3. Why do we write our accomplishments in an accomplishment report?
4. What is the essence of writing a progress report?

C. Present a sample of accomplishment report.

References

Boston Colleges Library. (2020). Research Paper Section. Retrieved September 28,
2020 from https://libguides.bc.edu/edpaper/sections

Goodwin, J. (2014). Writing a Resignation Letter. Retrieved September 28, 2020 from
https://www.sjsu.edu/writingcenter/docs/handouts/Resignation%20Letters.pdf

Goucher. (2020). Career Education Office. Retrieved September 28, 2020 from
https://www.goucher.edu/career-education-office/

McMurrey, D. (2017). Progress Reports. Retrieved September 28, 2020 from

https://www.prismnet.com/~hcexres/textbook/progrep.html