Report Writing

1
Report Writing

• Three phases of report writing
• Exploratory phase
• Implementation phase
• Improvement phase
• Exploratory phase (MAPS)
• Message
• Design for ergonomics is important
• Simple design guidelines exist for ergonomic
  design. Here are some good and bad examples.

2
Report Writing

• Audience
• Engineers with no knowledge of ergonomics.
• Purpose
• Exercise good report writing skills. Learn about
  ergonomics in design.
• Scope
• Introductory with focus on design aspects rather
  than anatomy.
• Collect information
• Library, catalogs, professional experts, original
  research.
• In the case of ergonomics mostly library search

3
Report Writing

• Implementation (PWRR)
• Plan!
• Spend as much time planning as writing!
• Planning prevents wondering what to do next.
• Revise plans as necessary but keep planning.
• Select the concepts to be presented from
  information gathering stage.
• Make an outline to organize and give order to
  your presentation report

4
Reports

• Plan
• Make a list of most important points and separate
  them from supporting material.
• The supporting material should be enough to
  assure the subject comprehension, not
  overwhelming the reader.
• Write
• Use the outline to write a rough draft.
• Just get the ideas on paper - dont bother with
  grammar.
• Relax
• Rest or do something else for a day or two.
• Allow your mind to become more objective in
  critically reviewing the work.

5
Reports

• Revise
• 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

6
Reports

• 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

7
Reports

• Third revision
• Does the material follow a logical development
• Fourth revision
• Seek conciseness
• Ask yourself how much can be deleted without
  disturbing the readers comprehension of the
  report.

8
Reports

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

9
Report writing guidelines

• Format of Technical Reports
• Front material
• Main Text
• Back matter
• Front matter
• Letter of transmittal Per company guidelines
• Title page
• Title, team members, report date
• Preface
• Briefly introduces the reader to the report.
  Includes subject, purpose, acknowledgements.

10
Report writing guidelines

• Table of contents
• List of figures
• Abstract or summary A mini-report
• Summary is written last
• Excludes all the supporting materials
• Includes the objective, the approach, the
  results, and the conclusions and recommendations.

11
Report-Writing Guidelines

• Main text
• Introduction
• Prepares the reader for easier comprehension.
• Helps the reader understand the purpose of the
  project, and should include
• The subject
• Background information
• Purpose of the report
• Is this project relevant and informative to me?
• The scope of the project
• Plan of the development (organization)
• Body
• Conclusions and Recommendations

12
Report writing guidelines

• Body Design work - Final design report
• Product design specifications.
• Introduce the final design.
• Divide based on product functionally.
• Divide into assemblies and components.
• Show how components work together.
• Describe each component in detail
• Describe assembly, operations, safety,
  maintenance, and disposal procedures.
• Describe product development decisions in
  attachments.

13
Report writing guidelines

• Conclusions
• Summarize the entire work
• State your conclusions
• strong and weak features of the design
• Make recommendations if any
• What did not work and what to do about it
• What aspects of design may need improvement
• Back matter Bibliography, appendix