ENG 9

• Report writing


  Concepts of report writing
• Fundamental concepts of report writing

  • The K-I-S-S concept
  • Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing
  • Use of graphic organizers
  • Documentation and citation
• 1. K-I-S-S concept

  Keep It Short and Simple
• 1. K-I-S-S concept

  • Use of simple but concise words rather than the use of jargons and complex words
  • Expressing rather than impressing
• Quoting


  Exact copying of a portion of an original text
• Paraphrasing


  Restating author's ideas or words using your own words
• Summarizing


  Recapitulating author's ideas or words in your own words
• Use of graphic organizers

  • Tables
  • Figures (graphs and charts)
• Documentation and citation


  Proper acknowledgment of references or sources used
• Two most used citation styles

  • American Psychological Association (APA) Style
  • Modern Language Association (MLA) Style
• 10 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
• Categories of report

  • Informal reports
  • Formal reports
• Informal reports

  • Can range from a few paragraphs to several pages
  • May function to inform, sell, direct, clarify, or recommend
  • Includes introduction, body, and conclusion/recommendations
• Formal reports

  • Generally lengthy
  • May include title page, executive summary, table of contents, list of figures and tables, list of abbreviations and symbols, body, conclusion or recommendations, appendixes, index
  • May function to inform, document, direct, clarify, examine, analyze, propose, and recommend
• Three levels of reports

  • Information only
  • Information plus analysis
  • Information plus analysis plus a recommendation
• Information only


  • Sales reports
  • Quarterly reports
• Information plus analysis

  • Annual reports
  • Audit reports
  • Make-good or pay-back reports
• Information plus analysis plus recommendation

  • Feasibility reports
  • Justification reports
  • Problem-solving reports
• Classification of technical reports

  • Article Report
  • Laboratory Report
  • Information Report (Periodic report, Annual report)
  • Special Information Report (Preliminary report, Progress Report, Final report)
  • Research Report
  • Field Report
  • Recommendation Report
  • Incidental Report
  • Accomplishment Report
• Article report


  • Simple report which aims to inform the masses
  • Focuses on general interest
• Laboratory report


  • Comprehensive report written to communicate laboratory works and observations to the management
  • Focuses on the question, "How did we do it?"
• Common parts of a laboratory report

  • Abstract
  • Introduction
  • Procedures
  • Results and Discussion
  • References
  • Conclusions
  • Appendices
• Information report


  • Main function is to inform
  • Includes periodic and annual reports
• Periodic report


  Type of information report written by employees/subordinates to submit daily, weekly, or monthly to superiors to note information of interest to the organization to show comparison and tendencies
• Annual report


  • 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
  • Can be classified as public or private
• Special information report


  • Preliminary report
  • Progress report
  • Final report
• Preliminary report


  Type of special information report that collects information about a proposed project which includes the costing, designs, and other elements
• Progress report


  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
• Final report


  Type of special information report submitted after completing a project to show how plans were delivered
• Research report


  • Common report which generates data either in a laboratory or in the field
  • Presents data, conclusions, and information on how the experiment or survey was conducted
• Contents of a research report

  • Introduction
  • Problem
  • Purpose, Objectives, and Scope
  • Review of Literature
  • Materials, Equipment, and Facilities
  • Theory, Methods, Procedures
  • Results, Findings, and Data
  • Discussion, Conclusions, and Recommendations
  • Bibliography
• General format of a research report

  • Transmittal Letter
  • Title Page
  • Table of Contents
  • List of Figures
  • List of Tables
  • Abstract
  • Introduction
  • Problem, Background
  • Purpose, Objective, and Scope
  • Review of Literature
  • Materials, Equipment, and Facilities
  • Theory, Methods, and Procedure
  • Results, Findings, data
  • Discussions, Conclusions, and Recommendations
  • Bibliography
• Field report


  • Intended to improve students' understanding of key theoretical concepts of a course through observation and reflection of real-life practice
  • Facilitates the development of data collection and observation skills and allows students to see how theory applies to real world practice
• When you write a field report, consider these:

  • Systematically observe and accurately record details and information of a certain aspect of a situation; constantly analyze your observation for meaning
  • Keep the report's aim in mind while you are observing; consciously observe, record, and analyze what you hear and see in the context of a theoretical framework
• Recommendation report


  • Written to answer questions which are somehow critical to decide on
  • Shows options or choices so that a good decision can be drafted
• Contents of a recommendation report

  • Introduction
  • Technical Background
  • Make Comparisons
  • Critical Requirements
  • Conclusions
  • Recommendations
• Incident report


  • Written to narrate incidents prior to, during, and after a situation suddenly occurred
  • Presentation of ideas is systematically arranged and organized using appropriate language
  • Uses simple and clear words and avoids using jargons and technical terms
• Things to consider in writing an incident report

  • The context of the incident
  • Details of the incident
  • Thoughts, feelings, and concerns about the incident
  • Demands of the incident
  • Impact of the incident
• Accomplishment report


  Written for the purpose of presenting the company, organization, or institution's activities and achievements and to monitor and check if the plans were successfully carried out
• Steps in writing an accomplishment report

  1. Use the prescribed template of your company

  2. Create tables or charts with the following columns: number, action or activity, initiator, person responsible, remarks (target time, comments)

  3. Add risk factor if needed

  4. Include a list of who will be receiving this report