Skilful writing can give you a real business advantage as it allows you to better persuade, influence and communicate often complex ideas to non-specialists. Knowing how to write a clear and concise report will greatly improve the efficiency of both companies and the individuals they employ.
We offer a technical report writing course that is targeted specifically at engineers and based on extensive industry experience at the sharp end. As a taster, set out below in brief are five key things that you need to consider when writing a technical report.
1. What is the Purpose of the Report?
There are numerous types of report, such as feasibility reports for a Client wanting to make an informed decision and reports on investigations that are required to satisfy statutory bodies. The purpose and level of detail required for each report varies so before you start writing make sure you know the purpose, the information needed and any specific requirements for the report.
2. Make Sure it is Clear!
Any report needs to be structured so that the reader can easily find their way around it. Not everyone will want to read every word of that long report that took you so long to write, so think first about your audience and their needs. Only then should you set out an easily navigable report structure that presents your findings simply and logically.
3. Write for Impact
What is the aim of the report and what actions / outcomes do you expect? Knowing this will allow you to identify the key messages that you want to emphasise and balance the report to suit. It will also help you cut out the waffle we can all put in – include only what is needed, not what you find interesting. Use figures and tables judiciously, and use appendices to present secondary data that does not need to clutter up the main text.
4. Use Good English
A well written report depends on clarity of English, so make sure it is grammatically correct, unambiguous and written in an appropriate tone. Remember your report needs to be readable too, so write in plain English. Consider varying the sentence length and phrasing to keep the text fresh. Avoid jargon and abbreviations where possible.
5. Check Your Report
If you originate a report then take ownership of it and make sure you check it before passing it to others for a formal check. Allow plenty of time for checking and any amendments that may be needed.
We cover a lot more on the course, and applying the lessons taught on it could save you a lot of time and money whilst also improving the perception of yourself and your findings. Our next technical report writing course is running on
Wednesday 31 May in Chesterfield. The course includes both pre-course and in-course work for delegates to practice their learning and receive formative feedback.
To book onto the course please call Julie or Andy on 01246 807808, or email us at
enquiries@surepathtraining.co.uk. We look forward to working with you.
