TECHNICAL REPORT WRITING SKILLS - TED LEARNING

Reports play an important part in the life of many professional people: they are a link between writer, colleagues and clients worldwide. Reading and writing reports occupies a considerable proportion of working time, particularly for senior staff. Yet many professionals (including those in engineering and technology) lack confidence in their report-writing skills, and feel that their credibility suffers because their reports are not a fair reflection of their expertise.

This two-day course analyses report preparation from the earliest stages of identifying the reader and the objectives to the effective presentation of the complete document. It is a highly practical course, giving delegates the opportunity to analyse technical writing in terms of style and grammar and to assess their own and their company’s policy for the revision and checking of documents before they are issued. Methods of structuring report material are suggested and practised.

Learning Outcomes

Participants will also learn how to:

•   Organize material by purpose and audience;
•   Define the elements of writing steps and procedures;
•   Improve the appearance of their technical documents;
•   Use key words and phrases correctly, precisely and concisely for impact.
•   Write clear, effective technical documents and reports to get the desired response fromreaders.
•   Assess target audience and develop documents for the left results.
•   Choose the appropriate writing style to communicate effecively to enable the reader takequicker action.
•   Organise data, logs and journals into readable reports
•   Label diagrams, tables, charts and other graphical tools effectively for ease ofunderstanding
•   Reduce writing time by organising the information quickly.
•   Presenting the report effectively, thus achieving reader goodwill

• Course Content
  Technical Report Writing – The Essentials

  •   Technical Reports – What are they?
  •   Addressing the needs of different readers

  o The technical reader

  o The decision maker
   Bringing technical writing to life

  o The right words o The right style

  •   Setting the tone and style
  •   Demonstrating professional credibility
  •   Making the text readableOrganizing Your Thoughts

  •   Structuring the material – getting the flow right
  •   Developing a route through complex issues
  •   Producing the report outline
  •   Logical and Sequential Thinking Skills Builder
  •   Technical Report Structure, Layout, Format
  •   Components of a Technical Report
  •   The Flow – Presenting Complex Technical Information
  •   Writing Architecture – Paragraph Logic and LinkingThe Report Writing Process

  •   Gathering and sorting material
  •   Presenting information for impact Organize the Sections and Component
  •   Information (including Data) and Details Required
  •   Quality and reliability of Information
  •   Presenting information for impact – organize the Sections and Components
  •   The Numbering System
  •   Content from Existing Documents, Systems and Experts
  •   Where the data is best placed
  •   Tables, charts and illustrations
  •   Numbering and captions
  •   Using appendices and references

  • Technical Report Writing – Generating the Report

    •   Clarity in Reporting – Use of Emphasis, Concise Active and Passive Voice
    •   Abbreviations, Acronyms and Double Meanings
    •   Why Readers Become Confused
    •   One Person’s Jargon Is Another Person’s Vocabulary
    •   Technical Report Tones for Style and Impact
    •   Using Bullet Points and List
    •   The Art of Managing Redundancy
    •   Visual Literacy – Using Images, Charts, Graphs, Pictures, Diagrams, Sketches, Tables
    •   Reducing the Access Time to Critical InformationTechnical Report Writing – Completing the Report

    •   Drafts to Final Copies – Reviewing, Proof-reading and Editing
    •   How Good is Your Proofreading?
    •   Writing Impressive Conclusions
    •   Writing Precise Executive Summaries
    •   Checking Writing Effectively for Spelling, Punctuations, Grammar, Structure, Vocabulary, Homonyms
    •   Producing and presenting a clear, concise and effective report Methodologyof gathering and presenting information to an audience in a clear, easily understandable form.Delegates attending this two-day course are asked to send a sample in advance of a short report or other technical document they have written. The tutor will review these documents and discuss them with delegates individually at some point during the second day. Many have said that this brief ‘tutorial’ has been particularly useful in allowing them to assess their own work and to discuss how it can be improved in the future.Duration : Two days