This document provides guidance on formatting and structuring technical reports. It recommends numbering sections and paragraphs to make it easy for readers to provide feedback. It also emphasizes including figures, tables, equations and appendices to effectively communicate information, and using consistent formatting of headings, fonts, and styles. Finally, it advises going through multiple revisions to improve accuracy, clarity, organization, conciseness, and correct errors before finalizing the report.

2. Numbering Report Sections
• Expect feedback on your report - this could come in
writing or verbally
• Make it easy for the ‘reader’ to feedback by
numbering important sections of your report
• Not only can you number each section but also
every paragraph in a section
•
1. - Introduction
1.1 - 1st Paragraph of the Introduction
1.2 - 2nd Paragraph of the Introduction
2. - Method
2.1 - 1st Paragraph of the Method 2.2 - 2nd
Paragraph etc.

3. Figures
• A picture tells a thousand words''? There is great
substance in this statement, and nowhere more obvious
than in technical reports.
• Use figures liberally to communicate specific results
(graphs) and show an overview of the system being
described through block diagrams, etc.
• Where possible, put multiple plots on the same axes, so
that comparative conclusions can be drawn. Ensure that
each figure has a number and a title, so that it can be
referenced from the text.

7. • The reconstructed humeral bone compared
with the real bone

8. Tables
• Tables are an excellent means of giving an
overview of numerical results or providing
information in a form which lends itself to
comparison.
• Again, ensure that each table has a
number and a title, so that it can be
referenced from the text.

10. Equations
• Some authors shun the formality of equations, preferring
to describe the required relationships in textual form.
• However, it is generally possible to encapsulate a whole
paragraph of such text in a single equations.
• Use equations in a technical report where possible!
Number all equations consecutively to allow reference
from the text.
• Be careful that all the notation you use is defined .

11. Use equation editor

12. Not all rules of format are constant
Reports
Sandia Laboratories
Figure 1
Table 1
equation 1
Textbooks
Prentice-Hall
Fig. 1
Table 1
equation (1)
Journals
ASME
fig. 1
table 1
Eq. 1

13. Arial
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stuwxyz1234567890
Arial Narrow
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stuwxyz1234567890
Comic Sans
abcdefghijklmnopqr
stuwxyz1234567890
Times New Roman
abcdefghijklmnopqr
stuvwxyz1234567890
Garamond
abcdefghijklmnopqr
stuvwxyz1234567890
Courier
abcdefghijklmnopqr
stuvwxyz1234567890
Each typestyle has its own personality and power
Serif Sans Serif

14. Choose a type size that is easy to read
48 point
36 point
24 point
18 point
14 point
12 point
10 point
8 point
posters
presentation slides
titles
text
footnotes

15. Appendix
• Appendices allow you to add supporting information
to your report. You can attach spreadsheets, forms,
questionnaires, tables, charts, articles – in fact
anything that will support the content of your report
•
• By attaching an Appendix it will allow your report to
flow, without interruption
• Appendices are usually numbered using Roman
Numerals – to get the right effect select the font style
‘Times new Roman’ and use capital letters e.g.
Appendix I, Appendix II, Appendix III etc.

16. Tools
• Make use of the Report Writing tools that
Microsoft Word™ has to offer:
– Spell check
– Grammar check
– Thesaurus
– Report Templates
• Justify the text to ensure a consistent look
throughout
• Check font size, style, colour and headings
are consistent

17. Quality control
• Having completed the major chore of writing the document, you may
consider that your work is complete.
• If there is a higher authority to whom the project/document is done
under the guidance of, you may consider that it is their duty to do the
quality control on it.
• Wrong! While your supervisor may suggest modifications to structure
or provide suggestions on some technical points, it is not their job to
correct spelling, grammar, etc.
• The primary responsibility for the quality of your document lies with
yourself. It is worth taking that extra small amount of time to ensure
that your document is professional and is free from grammatical and
spelling mistakes.

18. The schizophrenic author
• In proof-reading the document yourself, you
should attempt to look at the document in a fresh
light as a reader completely new to the material.
• The capacity to adopt this `schizophrenic'
stance will greatly aid your ability to improve the
document.
• Don't be tempted to gloss over sections or
speed-read the text, happy in the knowledge
that you know what's in there!

19. Phases of Reports revisions
– First revision:
• Check for accuracy and validity of statements,
charts, and equations. Cross misleading or
confusing information.
– Second revision:
• Strive for clarity.
• Use simple non-confusing statements.
• As a rule of thumb, each statement should not be
more than two lines. But avoid too many short
sentences

20. Phases of Reports revisions
• Second revision
– Avoid jargon not known to readers.
– Avoid complicated drawings.
– Match the report to the interest, need, and technical level
of audience.
– Under-estimate the knowledge of the audience.
• Third revision
– Improve the report organization
– Are there enough headings and sub-headings

21. Phases of Reports revisions
• Third revision
– Does the material follow a logical development
• Fourth revision
– Seek conciseness
– Ask yourself how much can be deleted without
disturbing the reader’s comprehension of the report.

22. Phases of Reports revisions
• Fifth revision
– Correct errors in grammar, spelling, and sentence
structure.
• Sixth revision
– Are you satisfied?
– Allow someone to read your report

23. Again:Typical report sections
• Depending on the nature of your document, it
may (optionally) have the following sections:
• Title page
– with name, affiliation, date, etc.
• Dedication
– to a friend, family member, or loved one
• Declaration
– that the material in the report is the author's own work
• Acknowledgement
– to those who have helped or influenced your work

24. Typical report sections
• Contents list
– which lists items from here on with appropriate page references,
• Abstract
– which summarises the report contents
• Introduction
– which introduces the work, provides the motivation and context
and outlines other related work
• Main technical chapters
– which document the core technical work
• Conclusions
– which may also identify appropriate future work,
– References
– see Section
– Appendices

25. Examples
Title Page
• The Title; e.g. 'A Report on ....'
.....................'An Investigation into...'
.....................'An Analysis of ...'
.....................'A Comparison of ... and ...'
• Your Name
• Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement
of the
............................course.
• If you are a HKPU student, your student number.
• The date.

26. Acknowledgments
• "I would like to thank my supervisor, Mr. _______, for the
valuable advice and support he has given me in the
writing of this report.
• I would also like to thank my teachers, Mrs. _______
and Mr. _______ for their encouragement and guidance.
• Thanks also to my typist, Ms. _______, for her
immaculate job and her suggestions. My deepest thanks
go to my wife/husband, for her/his love, understanding
and support."

27. Summary / Abstract
• This study was to ______________________________
• It was requested by ____________________________
• It was requested on (date).
• The investigation was done by ____________________
• The main findings were that ______________________
• It was concluded that __________________________
• The recommendations are that _______should be
______

28. Contents Page
• Section......................................................Page Number
• Introduction.......................................................................1
• Literature Review..............................................................3
• Methodology.....................................................................5
• Findings.............................................................................7
• Conclusions.....................................................................14
• Recommendations............................................................16
• Appendices......................................................................18
• Bibliography.....................................................................25

29. Lists
• List of Figures
• Bar Chart of Answers to Question
1...................................8
• Pie Chart of Socio-economic Status of the
Respondents.....9
•
List of Tables
• Survey Findings by Gender and Age
Group........................10

30. 1. Introduction
• The Introduction contains 2 types of
information:
• 1. information about the report
(background, litrature review)
• 2. an introduction to the content of the
report (objectives, methodelogy)

31. 2. Literature Review
• The area of investigation has been
commented on by Channel (1994), Hoey
(1993), Halliday (1993) and Lesser (1979),
who are in agreement that...
• However, they have different opinions on
....
• Due to the differences highlighted above, it
was decided to investigate

32. 3. Methodology (also called the 'Method'
or 'Procedure')
• ___ respondents, chosen by the method of
_____ were surveyed from (start date) to
(end date). Of these, ______ were invited
for interview on (date).
• The statistics were analysed using a
_______ test because .........
• The significance of the results was
__________

33. 5. Conclusions
• The main conclusion that can be drawn is
therefore that...
• In the light of this, it is recommended
that... (+ a general recommendation; e.g.
that something needs to be changed. The
detailed recommendations should go in
the Recommendations section below.)

34. Discussions