Work report format
This section illustrates a commonly used
format.
Reports:
Memo & Formal Reports
Memo Reports: The memo report is the most
common and prevalent type of technical writing found in industry today. It is
an informal report and is strictly an internal type of communication. It is
called a memo report because the word memo is derived from the word memorandum.
A memo report is not a long report.
1. Heading
Information
2. Statement
of purpose
3. Background
statement
4. Discussion
5. Conclusion
6. Recommendation
•
Heading information: It tells to whom the report
is being written. It includes the following ;
1. Date
2. To
3. From
4. Subject
•
Statement of purpose: tells the reader why the
report has been written. Purpose is always direct and concise.
•
Background Statement: it must be brief and
concise.
•
Discussion:
It is a detailed and complete message about the subject. The discussion
is where the basic organizational pattern and outline of your ideas are put
into written form.
•
Conclusion: your finding or whatever you are
writing for
•
Recommendation: your suggestion based on your
conclusion..
Formal Reports: Formal reports are the
comprehensive documentation of major technical projects. By the nature of their
scope and importance, they tend to be long and detailed. The actual scope and
complexity of any particular formal report will depend on the substance of the
report itself. Most formal reports are outside reports from one company to
another. They cover many of the same subjects as inside memo-reports. Parts of
the formal reports are:
Preliminary Pages
•
Front cover
- The
title of the report
- Your
name
- Your
previous academic term and department/program
•
Letter of submittal:
•
Table of contents
•
List of figures and tables
•
Summary/ abstract
•
Introduction
•
Main body
•
Conclusion
•
Recommendations
•
Bibliography
•
Appendix
•
Glossary
•
Index
•
Title page:
Full title of the report
Name of the writer
Writer's company
Person or company receiving the report Date of the report
•
Table of content: table of contents contains all
the primary and secondary heading of your report. Tables and figures are also
included on table of content.
•
Executive summary: it provides the overview of the report to the
audiences. It should be limited to one to two pages only. It must include;
opportunity or problem, cost implication, finding or conclusion and
recommendation.
•
Main body:
it is a complete account
•
Conclusion: in this section you have to put the
results and findings of your discussion.
The emphasis here is on what is purpose
of the report and its implications.
•
Recommendations: is your opinion based on
technical evidence and your expertise as a professional.
•
References: if you have quote from other then
you must document references. These references are placed at separate
section.
•
Bibliography: alphabetical list of all secondary
sources which you have used.
•
Appendixes: it is pertinent but not crucial to
the report. Appendix includes charts, graphs, tables etc.
•
Glossary: contains selected technical terms and
their definitions.
•
Index: an alphabetical, cross-referenced list of
all topics and subjects of import contained in the report.
Feasibility
Report: The
purpose of a feasibility report is to show whether undertaking a certain
project will be success or fail. The likelihood of success must be weighed
against the odds for failure. The report presents the evidence for that set of
odds for or against the success of the project.
Part of feasibility report:
•
Memo report heading - Feasibility report - Date:
-
To:
-
From:
-
Subject:
•
Purpose:
•
Background
-
Procedures and methods
-
Alternatives
•
Discussion
•
Conclusion
•
Recommendations
Progress
Report: Periodic reports, sometimes called activity
reports, allow management to stay informed on staff progress with ongoing
technical work and projects. The most common types of periodic reports are
weekly, monthly, and quarterly reports. Remember that these reports are
primarily to keep management informed on technical work in progress. Because
the report will contain information about ongoing work familiar to all
concerned, there is no need for purpose, conclusions, or recommendations
sections.
Parts of progress report:
•
Memo report headings
•
Status of project
•
Status report
Subject: ……………………………………..
Trip Reports: A trip report provides a
permanent record of the trip for future reference. It records the actions taken
and accomplishments during the trip. The experience of one employee on the trip
becomes available for other personnel in the future. The structure of a trip
report is as follows:
•
Memo-report headings
•
Purpose of the trip
•
Conclusions
•
Actions taken
•
Recommendations
•
Trip Report Date: __________
•
To: __________,Quality Control Director
•
From: __________, Product Manager
Proposal: A proposal is a selling
document that advocates the purchase of a company's products or services. It
can also come from within a single company and advocate the purchase of
equipment or hiring of additional personnel. Proposals from one company to
another generally tend to be lengthy and complex. Proposals that are generated
within a single company tend to be brief and simple.
It is very important to keep in mind that a proposal is a selling
document. It must persuade the receiving company to buy the goods or services.
Unlike a feasibility report, a proposal is biased in favor of the project.
The following is a typical format for a proposal:
•
Title page
•
Abstract
•
Statement of problem
•
Proposed program
•
Cost estimate
•
Time management/ schedule
•
Conclusion
•
Evaluation
•
Work cited
Minutes: Minutes are the written or recorded
documentation that is used to inform attendees and non-attendees about what was
discussed and what happened during a meeting. The minutes serve as a reminder
of the commitments made during the meeting. Minutes
include:
the name of
participants the agenda items covered
decisions made by the
participants to follow up actions committed
Meeting minutes are disseminated to
meeting participants within 24 hours of meeting.
The report must be bound with firm covers and held
together at the spine with a two or three-holed binding mechanism or spiral
plastic binding. Individual rings or spring clips are unacceptable.
Use a 12-point serif font (e.g., Times Roman) and
double-space the pages of your report, except the letter of submittal (which is
single spaced) and perhaps your table of contents and list of figures and
tables (which may be single spaced if they are long, but are otherwise double
spaced). Include 3.8 cm (1.5 in) margins. Number your pages, starting with the
table of contents (ii). Your introductory page will be page 1.
Preliminary pages
The first part of the report must be organized in
the following sequence:
- Front cover
- Title page
- Letter of submittal including
statement of confidentiality (where required)
- Table of contents
- List of figures and tables
Preliminary pages should create a good first
impression for the reader.
Front cover
The front cover must contain:
- The title of the report
- Your name
- Your previous academic term and
department/program.
Keep the report title shorter than 50 characters,
including spaces. Use photographs or graphic design to improve the appearance
of your cover.
If you use a transparent cover you do not need to
list any of the above information, since your title page is visible.
Title page
The title page presents an expanded version of the
information contained on the front cover. Beginning at the top of the page,
list the following:
- University
- Your faculty
- Title of report
- Name and location of your employer
- Your name, ID number, previous
academic term and program, and date when the report was prepared
Letter of submittal
The letter of submittal must follow the format of a
standard business letter. If you are submitting a PD 2 report, address your
letter to the course instructor(s). Most programs want you to address your
letter to the person who is the Department Chair. In other programs it may be
to the person who is the School Director or to the Associate Dean of your
faculty. Check with your undergraduate office to determine which name you are
to use. Check that all names are spelled correctly. Use your employer's
letterhead or use your home address on plain paper.
Your letter must contain:
- report title and number (your first,
second, and so on)
- employer (or "PD # - <title of
course>)
- previous academic term
- supervisor(s) (not required for PD
courses)
- department(s) (not required for PD
courses)
- main activity of employer and
department (or of PD courses)
- purpose of report
- acknowledgments and explanation of
assistance received
- statement of endorsement (shown below)
- statement of confidentiality, if
required
- your name, ID number, and signature
The statement of endorsement shall read:
"This report was written entirely by me and has not received any previous
academic credit at this or any other institution."
In the sample below, required items are shown in
bold face for your convenience. These items should not be
in bold face in your own letter of submittal. Although you will include the
letter of submittal with your report, it is not a component of report.
Consequently, do not assign a page number to your letter of submittal and do
not include it in your table of contents.
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491 Birchmount Cres.
Winnipeg, Manitoba R4V 1S5 (current date) (name of your department chairperson) (name of your department) University of Waterloo Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1 Dear (name of your department chairperson): This report, entitled "The Health Effects of Chlorine in our Water Supply" was prepared as my 1B Work Report for Dynamic Engineering Consultants . This is my first work term report. The purpose of this report is to evaluate the benefits and negative consequences of chlorine content in public water supplies. Dynamic Engineering Consultants provide customers with top-of-the-line engineering consulting on a large number of topics, ranging from environmental impact to municipal design in Southwestern Ontario. The Environmental Consulting section, in which I was employed, is managed by Jennifer Wong and is primarily involved with providing clients with consultation on large projects that may have adverse environmental effects. This report was written entirely by me and has not received any previous academic credit at this or any other institution. I would like to thank Ms. Jennifer Wong for providing me with valuable advice and resources, including documentation and leads to informative web sites. I also wish to thank Mr. Ken Smith for proofreading my report and improving its appearance. I received no other assistance. Sincerely, (Signature) (Your name) (your Waterloo ID) |
Table of contents
The table of contents lists all main sections in
your report and any subsections with headings. Ensure that each entry in the
table of contents refers to the correct page number. Connect each entry to its
page number with a dotted line. Align the page numbers on the right side of
your page. Do not include the letter of submittal in your table of contents.
Note the use of lowercase Roman numerals (ii, iii, iv) for the table of
contents, list of figures and tables, and summary.
List of figures and tables
If you use figures or tables in your report, you
must list them in the preliminary pages of your report, immediately after your
table of contents page.
If you use only tables, you will provide a list of
tables. If you use only figures, your report will have a List of Figures. If
you use both figures and tables, you will have a List of Figures and Tables.
However, if your report includes ten or more figures and/or tables, you should
provide a List of Tables and a separate List of Figures, each on its own page.
Each list identifies its components by number, title, and page number. Do not list any tables or figures that appear in the appendices.
Each list identifies its components by number, title, and page number. Do not list any tables or figures that appear in the appendices.
Summary or abstract
Normally a technical report contains a summary,
while a scientific report contains an abstract. The faculties of Engineering,
Environment, Mathematics and Science require a technical report with a summary.
Other faculties may allow an abstract in their reports.
Summary
The summary should be written after you complete
the rest of the report. It should be able to stand alone. Frequently, it is the
only part read by management. It should answer, "What does this report
contain?"
Keep your summary concise (preferably one page).
You may use lists, but easy-to-read sentences are best. The summary should
present the:
- purpose of the report
- scope of the report
- major points, including a summary of
your research methodology
- highlights of the conclusions and
recommendations
Following such an organizational pattern does not
mean, however, that the conclusions and recommendations are simply restated.
The summary, instead, highlights significant or key items. It should not refer
explicitly to particular components of the report. For example, the following
statement is unacceptable in a summary:
"Five alternative shaft sizes were considered
and the stress magnitudes calculated for each shaft are shown in Table 6. The
final shaft design is shown in Figure 3."
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Summary
This report concentrates on the design of a digital circuit that is a
portion of an interface between a command generator and a satellite
simulator.
The circuit demodulates an incoming recovered subcarrier signal and converts commands to a parallel format that is introduced to a data converter. The purpose of this investigation is to provide an analysis for this circuit, with considerations given to the entire interface setup. Demodulation is achieved through the use of a missing pulse detector that checks for phase changes. A clock is generated by detecting the edges on the carrier. The tone decoder uses the data and clock to recognize command bits, and converts the data into a parallel signal with shift registers. It is concluded that the digital solution implemented is completely effective for this application, except during the presence of an unclean incoming signal or the absence of all wave input. A method of eliminating this inconsistency involving the use of an LM567 chip is discussed, and it is also concluded that this method is entirely practical. The removal of unexpected signal distortions and the use of the proposed circuit addition are recommended.
Iv
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Abstract
The abstract is a short, self-contained paragraph,
usually no more than 200 words, at the beginning of your report. It is a
synopsis of information contained in the report. An abstract states the problem
and gives a summary of your main discoveries and conclusions. Your statements
should be clear and concise so that a reader can identify the contents of the
report and decide whether or not to read the rest of it.
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Abstract
The hypothesis that hostile
and nonhostile individuals would differ in both magnitude and duration of
cardiovascular reactivity to relieved anger was tested.
Participants were 66 older adults (mean age, 62; 38 women and 28 men; 70% Caucasian American, 30% African American). Each took part in a structured interview scored using the Interpersonal Hostility Assessment Technique. Later each relived a self-chosen anger memory while heart rate and systolic and diastolic blood pressures were measured continuously using an Ohmeda Finapres monitor. Hostile participants had larger and longer-lasting blood pressure responses to anger. African Americans also showed longer-lasting blood pressure reactivity to anger. Health and measurement implications are discussed. Key words: anger; cardiovascular reactivity; cardiovascular recovery; hostility; Ohmeda Finapres monitor; older adults. |
Taken from:
Fredrickson B.L., Maynard, K.E., Helms, M.J., Haney, T.L., Siegler, I.C. & Barefoot, J.C. (2000) Hostility predicts magnitude and duration of blood pressure response to anger. .Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 23 (3), 229 - 243.
Fredrickson B.L., Maynard, K.E., Helms, M.J., Haney, T.L., Siegler, I.C. & Barefoot, J.C. (2000) Hostility predicts magnitude and duration of blood pressure response to anger. .Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 23 (3), 229 - 243.
What are the
differences between the Abstract and the Summary?
The summary condenses the entire report into a few
short paragraphs, at the front of the report. The summary does not describe the
report: it is the report in miniature. Saying that recommendations and
conclusions are made is not specific enough; you need to say what the
recommendations and conclusions are. It answers the questions "what is the
problem?", "how can it be solved?", and "what should I do
about it?"
An abstract is more common in research papers than
in reports. It ranges in length from 50 to 200 words and is a highly condensed
summary. The abstract states a problem, the method of approach, and the
results. The abstract is separate from the report and is often inserted in an
information retrieval system. For example, an abstract is included in such
things as magazine listings of report topics, or a computer database listing of
report topics, whereas a summary is included in the report.
Report
Introduction
The introduction is always the first section in
the body of your report. It presents your work and defines the problem or
project. It should supply enough background information to help the reader
understand why your report was written and how it relates to similar work. Your
objectives should be written clearly and concisely. However, the introduction
should deliver a sufficient impact to encourage continued reading.
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1.0
Introduction
Texts regarding politics and administration guide one's attention to
the actions of leaders who specialize in decision-making: presidents,
senators, generals, and managers.
The study of preparation, on the other hand, concerns the general public who is actively seeking to be more than pawns for others to direct and manipulate; striving instead to shape policies and organizations according to our own desires (Nagel, 1987). Toffer (1970) predicted an increasing emphasis on temporary groups brought together for a specific task and a decreasing emphasis on permanent states in bureaucratic administration. This prediction has proven true, and we now envision a world with greater opportunities for people to play a role in decisions affecting their lives, a greater diffusion of relevant and useful information and a profound need for all citizens within a democracy to be effective decision makers. Although the most common form of participation known to man is voting and campaigning, it does, in fact, include much more. In recent decades, the democratic ideal has intensified, inspiring a search for richer, and less perfunctory forms of self-government. The focus of this report is how effective a citizen participation program can be applied effectively to the case of Corporation of the Town of Milton. The study includes an evaluation of what participation is and why it should be promoted, the principles involved in creating a trusting relationship with the public, and an application of these principles in the aforementioned case. |
Body
You state the problem (or project) in your
introduction. The main section analyzes the problem, then summarizes and
explains your findings. Organize the report into sections; use a clear and
consistent system of headings. You may be able to follow the commonly used
system of "Materials and Methods," "Results,"
"Discussion and Interpretations," with appropriate subheadings. If
your topic dictates its own system of headings and subheadings, ensure that the
reader is able to follow them easily.
Consider using the numbering system employed in
this document. Do not use more than three levels of numbers: use bullets or
dashes instead of a fourth level. Where you indent for a subheading, the entire
subsection below must follow that new margin. Remember that capitalization and
bolding makes your headings stand out more.
When citing sources, follow the standard accepted
by your faculty. If your faculty has not recommended or prepared a style
manual, adopt a style used by some of the reference books or journals in your
discipline. A good source is the Modern Languages Association's style guide.
The body of the report, including the
introduction, should be between 2,000 and 4,000 words. If you find it necessary
to exceed this length, discuss your report with your field co-ordinator or a
faculty member before you complete it. The "body" is defined as the
main section of the report which follows the introduction and precedes the
conclusions.
Figures and tables
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Table 13. The crop nectar
amounts found among females nectar feeding,
resting and blood seeking.
The crop nectar amounts
were classified being great (3) (>2.0 , moderate (2) (0.52.0 , little (1)
(<0.5 or as having no apparent nectar.
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Table 1. Per Capita
Residential Consumption of Airdrie and Calgary 1994-1999 (Cubic
Meters/Month).
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Figures and tables
help clarify your work for the reader. Any figure or table, however, must serve
a specific purpose. Consider whether the information is better presented
graphically or in a table. Figures and tables must be cited in the text, and
should be placed as soon as is practical after the reference. You should
present large volumes of figures and tables in an appendix.
Captions may be typed above or below the table or
figure (use either convention, not both). Captions for both figures and table
must be concise, but must also be inclusive and comprehensive. The caption and
its table are inseparable; either is usually meaningless alone. Remember you
must refer in the main body of your report to the data shown in figures and
tables.
- Tables : Use a
table only when you need to present complex or voluminous data that
contain several variables. If the data set is small or has few variables,
consider putting the information into the text rather than into a table.
If you do use tables, check in journals or reference books in your
discipline for layout and design examples. Generally, the static elements
are listed vertically and variables are listed horizontally. Do not
separate the vertical columns with lines. Use the standard rules for SI
Units. These are often summarized in reference books on writing reports
and can be found in the metric practice guide. Place large tables on
separate pages. Short tables should be placed in the text.
- Figures : Figures
include line drawings (diagrams, histograms, graphs) and photographs.
Figures are an excellent way to relate various aspects of your data that
are often difficult to present in words. Use photographs only if they are
exceptionally clear and serve a better purpose than a hand-drawn diagram.
Again, check the professional journals for your discipline in the
university library or a local library for examples of effective use of
figures. Large figures should appear on separate pages. Small figures should
be placed in the text.
Conclusions and recommendations
Conclusions and recommendations are very important
to your report, and these sections sometimes cause confusion. A simple rule is
to place any statements that you can derive from the main body's investigation
in the conclusions section of your report. Include in the recommendations any
comments that you feel might assist in future activities. These future
activities are probably not your responsibility and you should attempt to give
the reader the benefit of your experience from working on the problem.
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5.0 Conclusions
Hybrid-electric
vehicles outperform electric vehicles.
Electric cars
are well suited to city traffic but lack the performance needed for highway
use. The hybrid vehicle's additional combustion engine helps to
outperform the electric vehicle on the highway.
The cars must
be priced lower to become more popular.
Government
subsidies in some states and provinces significantly reduce the prices of
low-emissions vehicles. Hybrids will be popular because many consumers
cannot afford separate highway and city vehicles.
The cars damage
the environment.
All the cars
generally use less energy but at reduced performance. This will always
be a tradeoff area. Hybrids have low emissions, electrics have zero
emissions, and both are a sound solution to urban smog.
Gasoline
improvements, fuel cells and alternative fuels are future prospects.
Gasoline
engines and exhaust systems have experienced major technical< advances
that make hybrid vehicles more promising. Fuel cells will provide clean
power to the cars of the future. Alternative fuels will remain a major
area of research because of widespread dependency upon fossil fuels.
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Just like the summary, conclusions should be brief
(preferably one page), but complete and understandable. You may use lists, but
easy-to-read sentences are best. Each paragraph should deal with only one
aspect of the study. Conclusions may only be drawn if they are supported fully
by the analyses described in the body of your report. Three or more conclusions
are expected.
Recommendations should be organized in the same
manner as conclusions and should follow them on a separate page.
Recommendations are essentially speculative, but they should follow logically
from your conclusions. Recommendations should be specific, measurable, and
attainable. Two or more recommendations are expected.
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6.0 Recommendations
An
extensive analysis should be conducted into the painting processes of all
other parts on the MS2000. The paint racks should be examined for their
allowance of flexibility and constraint on the parts they hold. A study
should also be done on the effects of the immense heat on the plastic parts,
and of the defects that can be attributed to it.
1. Continued Sampling
Limited
capability studies (50 samples) should be conducted on an average of two
times per month on the switch bezels and other parts to ensure that they
continue to be produced defect-free.
2. Better Supervision
A
full-time operator should be hired in order to ensure that SPC data is being
correctly entered consistently. This person should also bring to the
attention of the engineers any fluctuation on the data that may indicate a
problem in the production process.
3. Engineering Advice
During
a 100% sort, an engineer should always be present in order to answer any
questions the operators may have about the parts, or to offer advice if early
warning signs of new defects should arise.
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It
might help to think of your report in this way: management likely reads only
the summary, conclusions, and recommendations; technical staff and your boss
may read to the end of the main text; successors read the whole report.
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References
This section can also be named Works
Cited or Bibliography according to the preference of your
faculty. List all sources referred to in the report. Do not try to impress the
reader by listing publications that you have not used. If you use personal
conversations as a source, list the participants' positions and the
conversation's theme, time, and place.
Here is a link to help you with the creation of
your bibliography/reference list. Please review the various style guides at the
link below to decide which one to use (if you are uncertain, be sure to inquire
at your undergraduate office to determine which one you should follow):
- University of Waterloo compiled
list of
style citation and style guides
Citing electronic sources can be a challenge. If
one or more of your references are taken from the Internet, e-mail, online
newspapers, etc., you may find the style guides available from these links
beneficial:
- Online a
reference guide to using Internet sources
- Library
of Congress, How to Cite Electronic Sources
Glossary
Add a glossary only if the text is heavy with
specialized terms, mathematical symbols, or technical jargon. If you have only
the occasional term in your report, define it as part of the text:
"...that pressure (P) is a function of
temperature (T)..."
"...the snout area contains a pair of
nasolabial grooves (NLG; Fig. 4C)..."
Appendix
Not all reports have or need an appendix.
Appendices can be considered stand-alone documents, and thus could have their
own table of contents. The appendix should contain any information that
substantiates the report, but that is not required for a comprehensive understanding
of your work. The appendix may contain bulky data such as lengthy tables,
computer printouts, descriptions of processes or operations, analytical
procedures, or maps. Assign consecutive letters or numbers along with names to
each, for example: "Appendix A -- Detailed Street Calculations,"
"Appendix B -- Bearing Plate Calculations," or "Appendix 1
--Site Maps."
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