Technical reports are the conventional format for reporting the results of 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 workplace.
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.
Technical 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.
A technical report usually has the following components:
Title page
Summary
Table of Contents
Introduction
Middle sections with numbered headings (i.e., the body of the report)
