Communication Skills Report Writing

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COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Technical Reports


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Major Reference

Sharma, Sangeeta; Mishra, Binod (2011-04-25).

Communication Skills for Engineers and Scientists. PHI

Learning Private Limited. Kindle Edition.


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Introduction

LATIN

Reportare: re + portare.

It means to carry back the information to someone who was notpresent at the scene of the event.

Reports are:

Systematic Objective

Important tools for decision-making


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Technical vs Literary Reports

Technical

Written on request

Audience identified

Fixed structure

Language: simple, precise, concise

Literary

Written on own initiative

Audience not assured No fixed structure

Use of rhetorical language


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Technical vs Literary Reports

Technical

Objective in approach

No aesthetic pleasure

Facts are presented

Written for a specific purpose

Literary

Subjective in approach

Aesthetic pleasure derived Appeals to the emotions

Not written for any specific purpose


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Technical Report Definition

A Technical Report is a document which is the result of

thorough investigation, written for a specific audience

in a well-defined format, with easy-to-understand

language.It interprets and analyses the data and derives

conclusions and recommendations, where applicable.

A report presents the facts in an economical way. That

is the economy of words.


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Objectives

The primary purpose of a report is to present facts inan organized, ready-to-use form so that decisions maybe made

Update the progress of a companys plans and

activities

Produce the results in written form which could be usedfor future reference

Guide the organization for the corrective path foraction

Record the work done


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Objectives

Disseminate the information and new ideas

Avoid repetition of the work done

Provide platform for cross-fertilization of ideas

Enhance the decision-making process Check the validity of the information

Evaluate and compare the efficiency of new

machinery, product or services Assess the progress of any project

Record findings and recommend action.


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Style

The facts presented should be audience oriented

Twisting of facts may lead to wrong decision-

making

The report should be highly relevant apart from

being precise

Unnecessary details cloud the relevant information,

and, therefore, should be avoided Let the report be sans frills.


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Style

The success of the report lies in clarity and brevity.

A report must be systematic and well-organized

The purpose and objective should be clearly

defined The sources of collection of data mentioned

The report must have proper division andsubdivision

Language should be grammatically correct

Include a title page and table of contents


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Format

Introduction

Review of the Literature

Methods for the Collection of Data

Findings and Analysis

Discussion

Conclusions

Recommendation

Bibliography/References


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Reports

Reports may be:

Long or short

More formal or less formal

Routine or special


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Simplify the Sentence

Put the pressure on the button so that

the machine can be started.


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There is a necessity to satisfy customers

for a business success to occur.


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The board of directors arranged to

organize a meeting and a newpresident was elected.


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There is a cutter that cuts the plate

from the coil, rolling it perfectly andcompleting the process.


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Special features of this machine are more durability,

noise reduction and greater efficiency.

The companies made a comparison of the two piecesof equipment and the deal was finalized.

The concentration by the Training Division of its time,money, and other resources into a new program is not

advisable from our point of view.


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Enclosed herewith please find two copies containing

identical information that must be completed, stamped

and then returned in an envelope to Mendhak

Enterprises

Personnel will take cognizance of the high priority

requisition of fifty pursuit planes. Immediateimplementation of this policy directive is imperative.


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Subject to the above considerations,

and while the larger classes at present

in existence must necessarily lead to anundesirable formalization of contact

between staff and students, the

fixation of a quota is not at presentdesirable.


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Writing Technique

Experience says that since most of the subjects are

new and novel to the readers, they, on most

occasions tend to develop lack of interest in the

content. It is the writers responsibility to bring animation

and spontaneity in the document.

His/her writing may put life into the document,making readable and understandable.


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Writing Technique

An effective writing technique alone can make a

dull piece interesting.

As information of most technical documents is often

factual, the writer has to make it presentablewithout disrupting the flow.

This is possible when he/she follows a technique

which suits his readers.


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Jargon

These are words which may be quite familiar inyour own trade and profession. Such technicalwords are known as jargons.

They are ineffective or even counterproductivewhere the audience consists entirely or partially ofpeople from other professions who are totallyignorant of the meaning of such words

Eg Debit and Credit or Cognizance, Summons andWrit


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Jargon

Words such as refraction, inventory, pedagogy,chauvinism, cerebellum, freeware, synthesis, hybridization,vegetative, etc. may ensure a smooth exchange ofinformation among people for whom these words have

clear meaning.

But such words may confuse people working in otherprofessions, crippling the essence of the text. As

considerate writers, you must save yourself from beinga victim of jargon by discarding their use to themaximum.


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Clichs

Clichs are overused words or phrases that should beavoided in technical writing.

Acid test - A severe or crucial test

Pay through ones nose - Pay unreasonable priceBolt from blueUnexpected

Breathless silenceLull

By leaps and boundsRapidly

Last but not leastFinally

Nip in the bud - Stop something in the beginning


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Clichs

The new policy on education has thrown cold waters onstudents.

Revised: The new education policy has disappointed

students.

The manager smelt the rat in the deal and put it on thebackburner.

Revised: The manager doubted the deal and postponedmaking a decision.


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Foreign Words

Blas - Indifferent because of familiarity

De facto - In fact

Laissez-faire - Non-interference

Per diem - Daily allowance

Modus operandi - Mode of operation

Et cetera - and similar items

Et al - and others


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Abbreviations

The use of many abbreviations may, at times, createconfusion since people will interpret them according totheir own understanding and preferences. Manyabbreviations are still waiting to gain popularity among

the masses. OCR Optical Character Reader

ODBC Open Database Conveyance System

CAD Computer Aided Design

ERP Enterprise Resource Planning

URL Uniform Resource Locator


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Text Speak

One human resource manager recently got a thank younote on her iPhone that said:

Thx 4 the Iview! Wud to wrk 4 u!!!

The manager had liked the candidates interview, butafter getting the note, she put him in the reject pile.

Do you think it was fair for the manager to automaticallyreject the candidate? Should textspeak be consideredacceptable workplace communication? Explain briefly.


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Avoid

Actual experience

Advance warning

All alone

Assemble together

Basic fundamentals

Detailed perusal


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Avoid

Due to the fact that

End result

Final conclusion

Final result

Firm decision


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Avoid

Free choice

Integral part

Last and final

Narrow down

Past history

Personal opinion


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Avoid

Personal opinion

Refer back

Repeat again

Report back

Retreat backwards

True fact

Unexpected surprise


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Passive Construction

To convey an unavoidably negative message, passiveconstructions may be used:

Clearance of past dues authorizes you for all creditapplications in future.

Your application for employment was not acceptedby the committee at this time but would be kept on

file should an appropriate opportunity arise. Your consignment was delivered to us in a damaged

condition

Documents

Communication Skills Report Writing