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VU College VEN1104 2016 Writing technical reports In Engineering, one of the major forms of communication is the technical report. This is the conventional format for reporting the results of your research, investigations, and design projects. At university, reports are read by lecturers and tutors in order to assess your mastery of the subjects and your ability to apply your knowledge to a practical task. In the workplace, they will be read by managers, clients, and the construction engineers responsible for building from your designs. The ability to produce a clear, concise, and professionally presented report is therefore a skill you will need to develop in order to succeed both at university and in your future career. While reports vary in the type of information they present (for example, original research, the results of an investigative study, or the solution to a design problem), all share similar features and are based on a similar structure. Note: This document contains general engineering report-writing guidelines only. For specific departmental requirements, see your unit or study guide. Key features of reports Reports: are designed for quick and easy communication of information are designed for selective reading use sections with numbered headings and subheadings use figures and diagrams to convey data. Basic structure of a report A report usually has these components: Title page Summary Table of Contents Introduction Middle sections with numbered headings (i.e., the body of the report) The middle section may contain: Research findings Equipment and Materials Procedure Results Analysis of results Conclusions References Appendices VU College VEN1104 2016 Title page This page gives: the title of the report the authors' names and ID numbers the course name and number, the department, and university the date of submission. The title of the report should indicate exactly what the report is about. The reader should know not only the general topic, but also the aspect of the topic contained in the report. Compare the following pairs of titles: Bridge Analysis vs. Analysis of a Prestressed Concrete Bridge Internet-based ATIS vs. An Evaluation of Internet-based Automated Traveller Information Systems Most of the reports you write at university will form part of the assessment for particular subjects. You will therefore often talk about Assignment 1 or the Water Project, for example, especially where several reports will be submitted in the course of the semester or as part of an ongoing project. These terms form part of the title, but the report will usually need a more specific title also. Compare the following examples: Assignment 1 vs. Assignment 1: Water Consumption Data Collection ATIS Project vs. ATIS Project: An Investigation of ATIS on the Monash Freeway VU College VEN1104 2016 Summary The summary (sometimes referred to as the executive summary/abstract) provides a brief overview of the substance of the report; usually no more than half a page. It is not an introduction to the topic. The summary should outline all the key features of your report, including the topic, what you did and how you did it, and the main outcomes of your work. A busy manager who might not have time to read the full report should be able to get the gist of the whole report by reading the summary. The summary: states the topic of the report outlines your approach to the task if applicable gives the most important findings of your research or investigation, or the key aspects of your design states the main outcomes or conclusions. The summary does NOT: provide general background information explain why you are doing the research, investigation or design refer to later diagrams or references. This summary is from a report entitled Preliminary Design of a Bridge. This summary is from a report entitled Preliminary Design of a Bridge. Sample summary This report presents a design for a bridge to be constructed on the Calder Freeway crossing Slaty Creek in the Shire of Macedon Ranges. Two designs for the bridge were devised and then compared by considering the cost, construction and maintenance of each bridge. Design 1 is a super-T beam bridge while Design 2 is a simple composite I girder bridge. It is concluded that Design 1 is the better design. This design is cheaper, easier to construct, more durable and easier to maintain. Summary This report Comments Topic presents a design for a bridge to be constructed on the Calder Freeway crossing Slaty Creek in the Shire of Macedon Ranges. Two designs Comments Approach VU College VEN1104 2016 for the bridge were devised and then compared by considering the cost, construction and maintenance of each bridge. Design 1 Comments Key features is a super-T beam bridge while Design 2 is a simple composite I girder bridge. It is concluded Comments Conclusions that Design 1 is the better design. This design is cheaper, easier to construct, more durable and easier to maintain. Table of contents The contents page sets out the sections and subsections of the report and their corresponding page numbers. It should clearly show the structural relationship between the sections and subsections. A reader looking for specific information should be able to locate the appropriate section easily from the table of contents. The conventions for section and page numbering are as follows: 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 Number all the preliminary pages in lower-case Roman numerals (i, ii, iii, iv, ...). You don't have to place the number i on the title page. Just count it and put ii on the second page of your report. Preliminary pages are any which come before the introduction, including the summary and, where applicable, acknowledgements. Number all the remaining pages of your report with Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, 4, ...). Thus the report proper begins on page 1 with your introduction, which is usually Section 1. Provide a title in your table of contents to describe the contents of each appendix (Note: one appendix, two or more appendices). Don't just call them Appendix 1 or Appendix 2. Example: Appendix 1: Sample Calculations Example contents page This contents page is from a report entitled Preliminary Design of a Bridge. Contents Summary ii VU College VEN1104 2016 2016 1.0 Introduction 1 2.0 Design 1: 33m Steel I-girder bridge 2 2.1 Superstructure 2 2.2 Abutments 3 2.3 Construction method 3 3.0 Design 2: 25m Super T-girder bridge 4 3.1 Superstructure 4 3.2 Abutments 5 3.3 Construction method 6 4.0 Comparison of designs 7 4.1 Economics 7 4.1.2 Construction costs 7 4.1.1 Long-term maintenance 8 4.2 Safety 8 4.3 Aesthetics 9 5.0 Conclusions and recommendations 9 6.0 References 10 Appendices: Appendix 1 Design 1 scale drawings Appendix 2 Design 2 scale drawings VU College VEN1104 VU College VEN1104 2016 1 Introduction The introduction provides the background information needed for the rest of your report to be understood. It is usually half to three-quarters of a page in length. The purpose of the introduction is to set the context for your report, provide sufficient background information for the reader to be able to follow the information presented, and inform the reader about how that information will be presented. The introduction includes: the background to the topic of your report to set your work in its broad context a clear statement of the purpose of the report, usually to present the results of your research, investigation, or design a clear statement of the aims of the project technical background necessary to understand the report; e.g. theory or assumptions a brief outline of the structure of the report if appropriate (this would not be necessary in a short report) 1.1 Example introduction 1 Introduction from a report entitled "A Review of Greenhouse Gas Reduction Actions and Opportunities: the Current Status of the Kyoto Protocol". 1. Introduction The greenhouse effect is a natural phenomenon that keeps the earth's surface warm. Greenhouse gases trap heat from solar radiation, analogous to the way glass panes trap heat in a greenhouse. Due to increasing greenhouse gas emissions from human activities, the greenhouse effect has been significantly augmented, causing a rise in the earth's surface temperature. This temperature rise has led to climate change, causing frequent natural disasters. This has generated increasing awareness of the importance of reducing greenhouse gas emissions through international and domestic initiatives. 1.1.1.1 Comments Contextual background The aims of this project are to examine the Kyoto Protocol and the effect it would have on participating countries. Another aim is to investigate actions already taken by three industrialized countries, namely Australia, the United States, and Canada. 1.1.1.2 Comments Aims VU College VEN1104 2016 1.2 Example introduction 2 Introduction from a report entitled "Preliminary Design of a Bridge". In this report, two alternative designs are presented and evaluated according to the given criteria, and then the better design selected. 1. Introduction A dual carriageway bridge with two traffic lanes in each direction is to be constructed on the Calder Freeway crossing Slaty Creek in the Shire of Macedon Ranges in Victoria. The bridge is to span 125 metres between man-made compacted fill embankments, and is approximately 15 metres above the river surface, with a grade of 0.056 m/m. 1.2.1.1 Comments Technical background (assumptions) 1.2.1.2 Comments Contextual background This report presents two possible concept designs for the bridge. In evaluating these designs, the following criteria are considered: construction method, construction and maintenance costs, possible disruption to traffic during construction, the durability and the aesthetics