Layout of Engineering Report

1.0 Introduction to engineering reports

The technical report is one of the key ways of correspondence in engineering. The paper is a detailed working document produced by engineers for clients, supervisors, and other engineers on the job site (Raus et al., 2019).

This implies that each report has an objective, which goes beyond merely presenting facts. Some popular aims are:

• To update the readers about something
• To motivate the consumers to take action
• To remind the listeners about something

2.0 Basic report structure

The parts that you want to add in a report will rely on the topic and the specific issue. Typically, you are supposed to know for yourself on the body’s composition. The simplest solution is to position you in the reader’s spot. Ask yourself:

• First, what does the listener need to know?
• Which is the most rational method of forming the project story?

In addition, a study includes the following elements.

• Title page
• Abstract
• Table of contents
• Introduction
• Body of the report
• Conclusions and recommendations
• References and appendices

2.1 Title page

This page provides:

• Report title
• The names of the authors and student IDs
• Name and code of the unit, the university and department
• Date of submission.

The report title should point out exactly what the report is about (Person, 2020). The audience should know the basic topic and the particular element of the subject discussed in the report.

2.2 Abstract

The Summary is generally composed at the end. It gives a concise outline of the substance of the report. It is an independent archive commonly utilized by occupied managers who probably won’t have the opportunity to peruse the full report. That is the reason it is typically alluded to as the Executive Summary.

The Summary is not a prologue to the point. It should concentrate on what you did, how you did it, and the primary results and importance of your work (Hurria et al., 2019).

The Summary

• States the subject of the report

• Briefly traces your way to deal with the job

• Focuses on the project outcomes or result, the discoveries of your examination: or the    key parts of your structure

• states the noteworthiness or ramifications of the outcomes

Length:  ¼ to ½ a page is adequate for most undergrad reports.

2.3 Table of contents

The Table of Contents lays out the summary divisions and subsections and their accompanying paragraph numbers. The conceptual interaction between the divisions and subsections should be clearly seen there. A reader requesting certain details should be able to find the right segment quickly from the content list.

Decimal points are used to number the sections and they appear in the left while page numbers appear on the right side (Guo et al., 2019).

2.4 Introduction

The introduction informs the theme of the report. It places the project within its wider framework, and offers the background material that the reader wants to know.

Introduction does:

• present the research subject in detail
  • describe the project’s issue and inspiration
  • specify the project’s goals
  • suggest the study’s intent
  • summarize the process framework briefly

Length: with most undergraduate studies, 1⁄2 to 3⁄4 of a page is enough.

2.5 Body of the report

The body of the report is the place you present your own work. The data ought to be sorted out with the goal that readers can follow the improvement of your task. You will need to place some idea into requesting the areas and picking brief yet enlightening headings and subheadings (McMurrey & Arnett, 2019).

The body of the report:

• presents the data from your examination, both genuine world and hypothetical, or your plan
• organizes data sensibly under suitable headings
• conveys data in the best path for correspondence by methods for:
• Figures and tables
• Bulleted or numbered records
• Formatting to separate enormous pieces of content
• Provide useful headings

2.5.1 Figures and tables

Figures include:

• diagrams
• graphs
• sketches
• photographs
• maps

Tables represent data in columns.

All figures and tables should labeled and numbered . Each should include precise and clear descriptions explaining the tables or figures. The symbols or acronyms used in the figures or tables must carry textual explanations. You must give references for the figures or tables that you include in your report.

2.5.2 Equations and formulae

Equations should have numbering as per they appear in the document, with numbers on the right side inside parentheses. These numbers will then be used for identification in the rest of the report.

Equations are normally centered, with successive equations on distinct lines and with vertical alignment of the equal sign (=).

y = mx + b (1)

x = l(h + f) (2) 

2.6 Conclusions and recommendations

The Conclusions and Recommendations might be joined or, in long reports, introduced in isolated segments. There may be occasions where no recommendations to be made, simply call this segment of the report as conclusions (Boiral et al., 2019).

The Conclusions summarize the key purposes of your conversation, the basic highlights of your structure, or the critical results of your examination. As its capacity is to adjust the narrative of your venture, it should:

• be written to relate legitimately to the points of the task as expressed in the Introduction
  • indicate the degree to which the points have been accomplished
  • summaries the key discoveries, results or data in your report
  • highlight the importance or helpfulness of your work.

2.7 References and appendices

2.7.1 References

All facts, processes, documents, diagrams and maps, whether acquired or based on other people’s research, must be accepted using one of the acknowledged engineering referencing types. You can go for Engineering & Computer Science Coursework Writing Service/Help for Citing and Referencing guidance.

2.7.2 Appendices

The appendix includes information that is too extensive to be used in the main document, such as lengthy logical derivations or equations, precise scientific sketches or raw data tables. The content needs summarization and to be referred in the body of the report at the appropriate point (Howell, 2020).

Appendix conventions are as follows:

• Each appendix must be numbered with a number (or letter) and title
  • Appendix numbers and titles must be mentioned on the information page under the heading Appendices or Appendix
  • Each appendix must be referred to by number (or letter) at the correct point in the document

References

1. Boiral, O., Heras-Saizarbitoria, I. & Brotherton, M.-C. (2019). Assessing and improving the quality of sustainability reports: The auditors perspective. Journal of Business Ethics. [Online]. 155 (3). p.pp. 703–721. Available from: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10551-017-3516-4.
2. Guo, L., Zhang, K., Han, X., Zhao, Q., Wang, D., Fu, F. & Liang, Y. (2019). Entry for the Table of Contents. [Online]. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Yucang_Liang/publication/336262951_Highly_efficient_visible-light-driven_photo-Fenton_catalytic_performance_over_FeOOHBi2WO6_composite_for_organic_pollutant_degradation/links/5dd1a74592851c382f46a372/Highly-efficient-visible-light-driven-photo-Fenton-catalytic-performance-over-FeOOH-Bi2WO6-composite-for-organic-pollutant-degradation.pdf.
3. Howell, P.A. (2020). Nondestructive Evaluation (NDE) Methods and Capabilities Handbook-Volume II Appendices-Appendix E Volume 4. [Online]. Available from: https://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/20200002028.pdf.
4. Hurria, A., Carpenter, C.R., McFarland, F., Lundebjerg, N.E., de Cabo, R., Ferrucci, L., Studenski, S.A., Barzilai, N., Briggs, J.P., Ix, J.H., Kitzman, D.W., Kuchel, G.A., Musi, N., Newman, J.C., Rando, T.A., Smith, A.K., Walston, J.D., Kirkland, J.L. & Yung, R. (2019). Models and Studies of Aging: Executive Summary of a Report from the U13 Conference Series. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. [Online]. 67 (3). p.pp. 428–433. Available from: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/jgs.15788.
5. McMurrey, D. & Arnett, J. (2019). 04.01: Report Design. [Online]. Available from: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10551-017-3516-4.
6. Raus, T.Z.M., Yusoff, M. & Subatira, B. (2019). Technical Report Writing in Engineering Studies. LSP International Journal. [Online]. 6 (2). Available from: https://lspinternationaljournal.utm.my/index.php/lspij/article/view/91.