Assignment Description:

Working alone, you will create a technical report related to an approved technical communication topic.

*Note – Technical Report topics must be selected from the list provided in the Technical Report Proposal.

Assignment Purpose:

The purpose of this assignment is to understand the basic features of a technical report and gain practical experience in constructing a large research report.

Assignment Guidelines:

After reading Chapter 10: Analytical Reports in Technical Communication Today (5th edition), create a formal research report on a technical communication topic.

Technical Reports should have at least one research question that guides the purpose of the report.

All reports should include the following sections along with additional research:

• Historical background on topic
• Current evaluation of topic
• Future assessment of topic
• How your topic relates to technical communication

(You can decide how to fit the required sections into your report).

Reports should have the following features:

• Front Matter: Cover page, table of contents, list of illustrations (optional), and executive summary.
• Introduction: State the subject and purpose of the report, identify your research question, identify the audience of the report, and provide background information on the subject.
• Methodology: Explain step-by-step how the research was conducted.
• Results: Present facts, data, and evidence collected.
• Discussion: Explain the results found and relate the result to the research question.
• Conclusion: Restate the report’s main point and conclude report.
• Back Matter: Reference page and supporting information.

Reports must be written in 3rd person pronoun, information should be cited and referenced in APA style, font must be Times New Roman 12 point, and reports should be double-spaced. Also, listed below are the minimum (and maximum) page length requirements for each part of the report:

• Cover Page – 1 page
• Table of Contents – 1 page
• List of Illustrations and Glossary – 1 page (optional)
• Executive Summary – 1 full page (maximum 2 pages)
• Introduction– 1 full page (maximum 2 pages)
• Methodology – 1 full page (maximum 2 pages)
• Results – 6 pages (maximum 8 pages)
• Conclusion – 1 full page (maximum 2 pages)
• References – 1 page (or more – no maximum limit)
• Appendix or Support Research – no limit (optional)

Illustrations are NOT required for reports; however, if you use visuals, illustrations are limited to three visuals total for the entire report. Each visual must be smaller than one quarter of the page. If you feel the report needs additional visuals to enhance the content, please place additional visuals in the Appendix.