Writing an Engineering Report �(Formal Reports)

Reports are the most important and common documents that the students or engineers write in their life.

​

You need to organize the report in a way that the readers can get what they want from it directly and easily.

Standard Components of Typical �Engineering Reports

• Transmittal Letter
• Covers and Label
• Table of Contents
• List of Tables (if any)
• List of Figures (if any)
• Abstracts and Executive Summary
• Introduction (could be divided to subsections)
• Body of the Report (divided to sections and subsections)
• Appendices and References

1. Transmitter or Cover Letter

• It is bounded with the report or attached with clip to the outside cover of the report
• It has the format of the business letter (external) or memo (internal)
• It is a communication from you to the recipient. Essentially it says, “Ok, here’s the report that we agreed I’d complete by such-and-such a date. Briefly it contains this and that, but does not cover this or that. Let me know if it meets your needs

It contains in order:

• First paragraph: Name of the report (Italic font) and date of agreement to write the report
• Second Paragraph: Focuses on the Purpose of the report and gives a brief overview of the report’s contents
• Final Paragraph: Encourage the recipient to contact you if there are any suggestions, or concerns. It closes with a gesture of good will, expressing hope that the reader finds the report satisfactory

Transmitter or Cover Letter

• As with any other element in an engineering report, you may have to modify the contents of this letter for specific situations. For example, you might want to add another paragraph, listing questions you’d like readers to consider as they review the report.

2. Cover and Label

• If the report is more than 10 pages, bind it and place a label on the cover. (the cover protects the report and makes it look more professional)

​

• The label usually contains: the report title, your name, your organization’s name, report tracking number (if any), and date. (It may also include the Recipient’s organization name). There is no standard way, however it may exist within your organization.

3. Page Numbering

• All pages (except front and back covers, and transmittal letter) should be numbered. However on some pages the numbers may not be displayed.

​

• All pages before the introduction page are numbered with lower case roman numerals (i, ii, iii, iv, …..xi, xii), while the other pages are numbered by Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3,….).

​

• Usually page numbers are placed bottom center of the page.

4. Abstract and Executive Summary

Most engineering reports contain at least one abstract. It summarizes the contents of the report

​

• Descriptive abstract: Overviews the purpose and contents of the report.
• Executive Summary: Overviews the purpose and contents of the report, and summarize the key facts, findings, and conclusions contained in the report. Usually it is 1/10 to 1/20 of the length of the report. however should not exceed 3 pages with long reports (over 50 pages)

5. Table of Contents – TOC

Tells the readers about the topics that are covered in the report and the page numbering of the covered sections. Four levels of heading, indentation, spacing and capitalization:

​

• Don’t include the very low level of heading ( boring if you go like 4.2.5.1.6.2).

​

• Notice that in figure 6.2 that each of the three levels of headings are aligned with each other. Page numbers are aligned with each other.

Table of Contents – TOC

Table of Contents – TOC

• Main chapters or sections are all caps; First level headings use initial caps on each main word, Lower level sections use initial caps on the first word only, Finally always remember if you change anything in the text go and do the same with the TOC.

​

• They are used to easily find the illustrations such as diagrams, figures, drawings, photographs, tables, and charts. Tables are not considered figures.

​

• For longer reports (contain dozens of figures and tables), create separate lists of figures and tables

Table of Contents – TOC

6. Introduction

The introduction indicates the following:

• Purpose and topic of the report (at the beginning)

​

• Situation that brought about the need for the report

​

• Background of the report (e.g., concepts, history, definitions) is to get readers interested and to enable them to understand the context
• Scope of the report are the topics or issues that are covered and ones that are not covered (specifically, ones that some readers might expect)

7. Report Body

• Body of the report is the main text between introduction and conclusions
• Use headings to indicate the topics and subtopics (sections and subsections)
• You may use bulleted or numbered and two column lists to indicate the key points or other information to make them easier to follow
• When you get or borrow information from other resources (reports, papers, studies, internet…) you have to indicate the source (documentation).

• Including figures, and tables makes the report professional and easy to explore the information.

​

• Be clear when you write. Don’t use unnecessary words, use direct and correct sentences, and use proper punctuation. (be aware of noise).
• Point readers to closely related information within your report.

​

• Remember to always use the correct format and always define at the beginning any abbreviations or symbols used

Report Body

8. Conclusions

• Draw logical conclusions from the discussion that has preceded; it makes inferences on the data that has been presented

​

• The summary reviews the key points and facts from what has preceded. Summaries present nothing new but leave readers with a perspective that the writer wants them to have

• The summary moves away from the specific topic of the report to a general discussion of implication, applications and future development

Conclusions and References

9. Recommendations

You may recommend certain things based on the results and discussion (like more investigation on certain things, Recommend using certain procedures or methods…etc.)

10. Documentation

You have to refer to any sources of information you borrowed from the others. Citation in the text, and use reference list

Conclusions and References

11. Appendices

Extra sections attached to the end of the report.

​

They include any information that are too large or do not fit inside the body of the report such as:

1) folded Maps

2) Huge data (like output runs from computer)

3) Derivations of formulas

4) Basic backgrounds

5) Huge results of tests