Introduction

With this course, you gain the essential skills of producing technical reports of which you can be proud.

Technical reports often present complex information to non-specialists.  Their effectiveness depends as much on the quality of the writer’s ideas as on the accuracy of their information.  An effective technical report displays complicated information in ways that make it easy to understand, and – above all – relevant to the reader.

You will learn how to construct coherent arguments and explanations, and how to present information to support them.  We shall look at how to offer complex material to support managerial and strategic decision-making.  We shall work on how to make language work for us, and how to make reports look as good as they read.

Throughout the course, we shall work directly with participants’ own reports.  Working in English as a second or further language will be a reference theme throughout.

Course  Objectives of Technical Report Writing

You will learn how to:

• write more efficiently;
• understand the functions of different kinds of technical reports, especially evaluations and proposals;
• adapt and focus the writing on the needs of the target audience;
• organise material effectively to support explanations and arguments;
• create effective summaries and introductions – and clearly understand the difference between the two;
• improve your style on three levels: paragraph, sentence, word; and
• make your reports easier to navigate.

Method and Approach

This programme is intensely interactive.  Participants will apply the skills explored on the course directly and immediately to their own reports.  Where possible, participants will submit examples of their reports to the trainer prior to the event, for review during the course.  The course is supported by a comprehensive manual covering all aspects of the writing process and offering a list of resources for further work, including links to web resources.

The use of flip-charts, syndicate workshops and feedback sessions will encourage a fully participative and enjoyable event.

Course Outlines of Technical Report Writing

What makes reports work?

• Functions of reports
• What makes a report effective?
• Overt messages and hidden messages
• Key principles of functional writing
• Three key factors: objectives, audience, structure
• Time management: a structural approach to writing

Practical work: critique of a range of examples of text

Reports as functional documents

• Planning your material
• Making sense of complexity
• Getting to the point: summarising and grouping
• Chunking and sequencing: core planning techniques
• SPQR:  a technique for introductions

Explain or persuade?

• Six modes of explanation
• Persuasion in three dimensions
• Logic: deductive and inductive

Creating an outline

• Key features of an effective outline
• Checking for coherence and sense
• Producing the outline

 Practical work: participants plan, write, critique and rewrite an outline.

From outline to draft

• Essential apparatus of reports
• Summaries, introductions, appendices
• Navigation aids
• Presenting information graphically: tables, charts algorithms…

Practical work: short exercises on key techniques.

Editing on three levels

Constructing effective paragraphs

• Four characteristics of effective paragraphs
• Paragraph structure and sequences

Bringing sentences under control

• Sentence length and structure
• Sentence sequences
• Bringing your sentences to life

Words that work

• Finding and placing key words
• Developing your style
• Managing vocabulary, jargon and specialist terminology
• Attention to detail: typos, spelling, punctuation

The elements of good style

• Composition and the writer’s position
• Bringing your writing to life
• Formal or informal: judging what’s appropriate

Practical work on existing pieces of writing, applying the tools and techniques covered.