How to Write a Report

Eng. Yasser Abuauf

ContentsHow to get data?StructureFigures and Tables Spelling and grammarConclusions

The purpose....The report exists to provide the reader with

useful informationResearchResults of an experiment

It succeeds if it effectively communicates the information to the intended audience

It fails otherwise!!

Getting dataThere are 2 main sources:

1. Internet 2. Books

Searching for data needs patience Wikipedia helps you, it is not the report Don’t stick to the same searching words

Structure: detailsA good report has the following parts

TitleTable of ContentsAbstractIntroductionMain sectionsConclusionsReferencesTechnical appendix

TitleShould be informative Good

Buoyancy Force (punchy)Drag Force: how to test, where to test (dramatic,

informative)

BadSome factors that have effect on the forces acting

on a moving object in a fluid flow (boring, vague)Performing round off analyses of statistical

algorithms (boring, vague غامض ) Left & Drag (wrong spelling)

Table of ContentsShows the structure of the document and lets

the reader navigate through the sections

Include for documents more than a few pages long.

AbstractDescribes the problem and the solution in a

few sentences. It will be all the big boss reads!

Remember the 2 rulesKeep it shortState problem and solution

The IntroductionYou should inform your reader of the

background to your investigation. Outline the approachDescribe the contents of the rest of the

reportin Section 2 we ...in Section 3 we ...

Further sectionsDescribe

DataMethodsAnalyses

Divide up into sections, subsections Numbering is very important for sections and

subsections

ConclusionsSummarize what has been discovered

Repeat the question

Give the answer

AppendixThis is where the technical details goBe as technical as you likeDocument your analysis so it can be

reproduced by othersInclude the data set if feasible

ReferencesAlways give a reference to other related work

or facts that you quote

Never pass off the work of others as your own – this is a very big crime!!

Writing clearlyStructure alone is not enough for clarity –

you must also write clear sentences.Rules:

Write complete short sentencesUse one theme If a sentence contains maths, it still must make

sense!Use no more than 4 fonts.Use no more than 4 colors.

FiguresAlways label and give a caption under

the figure

Be aware of good graphics principles: avoidunlabelled axesbroken axesMisleading scales

TablesAlways label and give a caption over the

table

Be aware of rules for good tables:

avoid vertical linesdon’t have too many decimal places compare columns not rows

Multiple Prefix Symbol

1012 tera T

109 giga G

106 mega M

103 kilo K

10-1 deci d

Multiple Prefix Symbol

1012 tera T

109 giga G

106 mega M

103 kilo K

10-1 deci d

Too busy

Better

Busy – too many DP’s

Better

Number ofProcessors Time (secs)

1 28.35221

4 7.218812

8 3.634951

16 1.929347

Number of Processors Time (secs)

1 28.35

4 7.22

8 3.63

16 1.93

Spelling and Grammar Use a dictionary if in doubt Spell check!!!! Proofread!!!!

He meant… This technique can also be applied to the

analysis of golf balls

He typed…. This technique cam also by applies to the

analysis or gold bills

ConclusionsStructure is vitalWrite clearlyGood clear simple illustrationsSpellcheck and proofreadReference all material used or quoted

Reference

How to write a good report by Alan Lee

Thank You