Romblon State University

San Fernando Campus

San Fernando, Romblon RSU-SFC TED FORM NO. 005 COURSE MODULE
Teacher Education Department

MODULE
LESSON 7 - Features of Technical Reports /Qualities of a Technical
Writer

TECHNICAL REPORTS

I. Course Description

This course acquaints the students in writing business letters, technical reports, proposals, feasibility studies,
and other related technical papers.

II. Course Code/Title : ENG1 – TECHNICAL WRITING

III. Course/ Year : BSBA/2
IV. Learning Outcomes

At the end of the course, the students should be able to:

1. Train the students to write well-organized reports through understanding of the mental processes and
techniques involved in report writing
2. Apply the different techniques in presenting a report
3. Make sample of various types of reports
4. Learn how to use proper modifiers to effective sentences

V. Warm Up

Directions: Let’s play Un/Fortunately! Come up with appropriate (or funny) “Fortunate” responses to the
following “Unfortunate” events or vice versa.

Example:
Yesterday, my motorcycle was stolen. Fortunately, I’m the Ghost Rider.

1. I’m alive today!

________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. I lost my only money yesterday.

________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. The food smelled delicious.

________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. The shoes were too big.

________________________________________________________________________________________________

5. I did study for the examination.

________________________________________________________________________________________________

6. I’m so bad at Math.

________________________________________________________________________________________________

7. My crush smiled at me earlier today.

________________________________________________________________________________________________

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 Romblon State University
San Fernando Campus
San Fernando, Romblon RSU-SFC TED FORM NO. 005 COURSE MODULE
Teacher Education Department

VI. Discussion

Technical reports provide useful information either for permanent record, later reference or for immediate use.
Technical writing is essentially an industrial, commercial or military activity and is expensive.

QUALITIES OF A TECHNICAL WRITER

Technical writing demands a great deal from writers.

Technical writers must be honest, thorough, accurate,
objective, positive, constructive and alert against
prejudice.

Technical writers should tackle their topic as

comprehensively as their finances warrant. They must see to
it that their findings are accurate. They must be open-
minded and objective when doing research. They must be
resourceful and systematic in note-taking, and must also be
analytical. When writing, they must present their findings
fairly and objectively. Each statement of their results must
have a tone of certainty and not be shaded by their opinions.
Their suggestions must be based upon sound knowledge and
judgment. Their attitudes should be that of a scientist.

Technical writers should be conscious of the length of their

sentences. Since technical subject matter requires the use of
technical vocabulary and complex ideas, technical writers
must use simple sentence structures and short words to
facilitate readability of their work. They should be extra
careful in their selection of appropriate words, reduce wordy
phrases and omit needless words and ideas. As a rule,
technical writers must use the active or passive voice by
choice, meaning, the verb voice must be appropriate to the
content of the sentence.

In coping with the need for gender empowerment, technical

writers must use both masculine and feminine pronouns.

Click Here to
Download the
Infographic

VII. Exercises

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San Fernando Campus
San Fernando, Romblon RSU-SFC TED FORM NO. 005 COURSE MODULE
Teacher Education Department
Directions: Research on the following topic: “Important Qualities of a Technical Writer”. Write an essay
or create an infographic containing your
learnings from LESSON 8 - Steps in Writing a Technical what you have researched
on.

If you opt to write an essay, ensure to use the following format: MS Word, short bond paper, Times New
Roman, font size 12, 1.5 spacing, and 1” margin on all sides.

Be guided by the rubric below in creating your essay/infographic. 15 Points.

3 POINTS: EXCEEDS 2 POINTS: MEETS 1 POINT: NEEDS

Criteria
EXPECTATIONS EXPECTATIONS WORK
The topic/purpose was
The topic/purpose of the The topic/purpose of
Topic/ somewhat broad and did not
material was clear and the material was not
Purpose allow viewer to understand
concise. clear and concise.
the purpose.
Data of the material
Data of the material was Data of the material was
was not accurate and
Data accurate and relevant to somewhat accurate and
was not relevant to
topic relevant to topic.
topic.
The graphics had
The material had a great The graphics were somewhat nothing to do with the
Layout layout, with applicable applicable to the material, topic and had a poor
graphics. creating an average layout. layout. There was an
overload of text.
The font was not
The font was legible and the The font was somewhat
legible and the color
Color/Font color scheme enhanced the legible and the color scheme
scheme detracted
material. didn't affect the material.
from the material.
No citations of the
Citations for the material’s Citations for some of the
Sourcing material’s sources
sources were included. sources used were included.
were included.

VIII. Synthesis

The objective of technical reports is to provide useful information. Analysis of information serves as basis for
recommendation. In technical writing, ideas are presented in an organized pattern with strong interval
corrections, proper balance and appropriate expression.

Effective technical writers must always consider the easy and clear information flow in their technical writing,
emphasizing objective reporting of their findings with strict adherence to the conventions of Standard English.

I. Discussion

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San Fernando Campus
San Fernando, Romblon RSU-SFC TED FORM NO. 005 COURSE MODULE
Teacher Education Department

Writing a technical report is like cooking - it involves a procedure and it requires the use of "ingredients." Following
the procedure and using the "ingredients" result in a "palatable" and "filling" written work. These include planning,
collecting information and designing.

1. PLANNING

Planning is the first step in writing a technical report. It is in this step that writers determine the scope of their
work, their purpose and their target audience. When these are identified, they may proceed with adding the details
that will substantiate their written work.

This step will serve as the foundation of the work of technical writers. As such, it is wise for them to heed some
guidelines that will serve as reminders, whether they are already adept in writing or are just beginning.

a) Identify the real subject

Technical writers must be sure of what they want to say about the subject they are set to tackle. Also, the
subject should be identified clearly to avoid confusion over written works of other authors with similar subject
matter.

b) Pinpoint your purpose

The purpose of the report should be contained in the statement of purpose. This provides the focus and
explains the thrust of the writer's work.

c) Aim at an audience
The audience or the reader will partly determine the purpose of the report. According to Houp and Pearsall
(1988), there are four types of readers: lay people, executives, experts, and technicians.

d) Prepare a Target Statement

This reiterates the writer's subject, purpose and target audience. It will serve as reminder while one is doing
the preparation for actual work. It will serve as a guide to keep one focused on the details that should be
included in what the writer is doing. It need not be long-winding - just a few chosen words that would help

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San Fernando Campus
San Fernando, Romblon RSU-SFC TED FORM NO. 005 COURSE MODULE
Teacher Education Department
remind what one needs to know. It should be placed somewhere conspicuous so that the information it
contains is drummed into one's head.

e) Plan a Program
An impressive work is only as good as the time and effort spent in its preparation. The program will provide
the vein through which the report will flow. Through it, the report will have nowhere to go but to its intended
subject, purpose and audience.

2. COLLECTING INFORMATION

Information collected by the writer provides the meat of the report. It will substantiate the claims made using
materials analyzed and synthesized. Gathering information involves great care and discernment. Not all
information is factual, objective, accurate or reliable. Information may come from different sources and may take
several forms books, journals, interviews, experiments/tests, and the like.

a) Recording Data involves the use of statistics.

The result of statistical data is interpreted and given meaning to determine how it supports or negates a
claim. Visual representation is required in this activity to better illustrate the relationships among variables.
This consists mostly of tables, charts and graphs whose interpretations are found within the text or the body
of the written work. The type of visual representation to be used depends on the purpose of the information
gathered - the text itself because they help validate each other's claims. In this way, they complement each
other.

b) Library research is a very useful tool once you get the hang of it.
The library is the oasis for information-hungry writers. But, with all the information you are allowed to swim
in, you might find yourself drowning. It is best to determine the kind of information you need before going to
the library. It also saves you time when. You already know what information it is you seek. A word of caution,
though: data lifted from the library should be properly documented so that it would be easier to look for it the
next time you need it, and more importantly, your work becomes more credible when readers know that it is
well-researched (this also gives the readers a chance to avail of the data written there) and proper credit is
given to every person or institution whose work you used in your report. How would you feel if they took your
idea and made it their own? That is intellectual dishonesty and it goes against the integrity you are supposed
to uphold as a writer and as a human being.

c) Note-taking
It is a process of thoroughly examining materials, of separating essential information from secondary details,
and of jotting down notes and organizing these in understandable ways. Note-taking, for the most part, is
really for your convenience so it is better that you avail of it.

d) Direct inquiry relies more on a first-hand data gathering method.

It may be in the form of an interview, a questionnaire or a correspondence. This involves not only the writer's
skill in writing, but also his skill in relating to people. His manners convey what he thinks and feels and this is
what the respondents will react to Therefore, it is important for the writer to acquire some skills in
socialization. He or she must also be attuned to the interviewee's verbal and nonverbal ways of
communicating. It is important that you gain the trust of the interviewee so that he or she will talk freely to
you. In this way, you will be able to get the information you need, and then some.

3. DESIGNING

This entails the overall arrangement or organization of all the elements of report writing. Designing is the process
of organizing all these materials to create a substantial whole. Even if you have all the pertinent information, if they

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 Romblon State University
San Fernando Campus
San Fernando, Romblon RSU-SFC TED FORM NO. 005 COURSE MODULE
Teacher Education Department
are arranged haphazardly, your report will lose the punch it will need to drive your message across. All it will look
like is just a collection of data presented on paper with no focus or stand. It is important to take note of certain
tools that will help catalyze ideas and then bring about a sense of organization into your report. Among these are:

a) Brainstorming involves wracking your brain for ideas you can use as subject for your written work. There
are no hard and fast rules in brainstorming. The important thing to do is to come up with as many ideas as
possible. There is no need to organize these in any particular way, so long as you are able to make sense of
what you wrote. Organization will come later, after you have written all there is to write about your ideas.

b) The Basic Pattern provides the skeletal framework and the flesh of your report. It is organized in such a
way as to hold everything in place to give it form and substance. The skeleton is only as good as the flesh
attached to it. In the same manner, the structure is only as good as its supporting details. If the supporting
details are too heavy, the structure will collapse, but, if these are not substantial, the structure might be
easily blown away.

c) Outlines are very important in technical writing and in other writing activities. These arrange information
into a concise and logical manner, thus, allowing smooth transitions in reading. Outlines also show how
primary/major parts are related to the secondary/minor parts. These are designed to serve as the guide that
will bring focus in the report. Outlines are also reflections on how a writer thinks and how this translates to
his written work.

d) Report Formats refer to the presentation of a written work. Different institutions require different
formats depending on what they need to know.

4. ROUGH DRAFTING

A well-written work is not a product of a spur-of-the-moment effort. It is something that takes time to write and it
may require several tries. Rough drafting provides the writer with an overview of his work. It shows how his ideas
are arranged and brought to life. It is almost like a diary wherein the writer pours out everything he thinks and feels
will contribute to the development of his work without putting much emphasis on superficial errors such as
misspellings and incorrect punctuation marks.

5. REVISING

This allows the writer to review what is written in the rough draft. Revising gives the writer the opportunity to see
his work in its totality and to incorporate corrections. These corrections not only involve superficial errors, but,
more importantly, conceptual ones. This is also the part where the writer reiterates information he wants to
emphasize and his or her stand, if any, regarding the subject. The written work is carefully scrutinized to check for
any inconsistencies or lapses that may adversely affect his or her work.

II. Evaluation:

Directions: Examine and identify the sentence pattern the following sentences. Label each word/phrase
according to its function.

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 Romblon State University
San Fernando Campus
San Fernando, Romblon RSU-SFC TED FORM NO. 005 COURSE MODULE
Teacher Education Department

LESSON 9 - Types of Technical Report

III. Synthesis:

A good technical report presents data and analysis on a specified topic in a clear, highly-organized, and effective
manner. Before you begin writing, define your message and audience, and make an outline. Then, write the
main body of the report and surround it with the other necessary sections, according to your chosen layout.

A technical report must have a defined structure that is easy to navigate and clearly portrays the objective of
the report.

I. Discussion:

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 Romblon State University
San Fernando Campus
San Fernando, Romblon RSU-SFC TED FORM NO. 005 COURSE MODULE
Teacher Education Department
There are four general types of technical report. These include the progress report, the preliminary report, the
periodic report, and the annual report. The use of a particular report depends on the requisite of the company or
organization concerned.

a) The Progress Report

A progress report gives information on the history of a particular project over a limited period of time.
Since it is the nature of a progress report to be partially completed, it is submitted midway through the
project's completion or as the, need arises.

According to Mills and Walter (1980), a progress report is composed of a "transitional" introduction and
a "prophetic" conclusion. Transitional introduction refers to the detailed discussion regarding the completed
work given the present time frame. It can only be surmised that a "prophetic" conclusion refers to the
projected completion of a project and the circumstances surrounding its completion.

b) The Preliminary Report

A preliminary report indicates the validity of a particular. It takes into account the basic requirements
when putting up a project or the considerations the proponent needs to know. It is not as in-depth as a
progress report.

c) The Periodic Report

A periodic report is written for the sole purpose of providing updates for the client who commissioned it.
The report includes details pertinent to the project's status. It primarily uses statistical data that reflect the
dealings made for the subject.

A periodic report has two classifications: the routine report and the annual report. The difference between
the two is that a routine report refers to a report written by an assigned employee or employees to his or
her superiors. It includes the status of the company, the employees, the materials and the like. It is short-
term compared with the annual report. On the other hand, the annual report covers a bigger area than the
routine report. It is the periodic report of the organization as a whole, taking note of transactions made by
the company in general. It involves reports made by the company officials regarding the organization's
performance.

d) The Annual Report

Most private Filipino companies comply with the preparation of annual reports as required by pertinent
government regulatory and monitoring agencies. Even government agencies are mandated to produce their
own annual reports that will be made available for public consumption. This is particularly vital to
Government Financial Institutions (GFIs).

The highlights of an annual report may be encapsulated in a letter form usually signed by the head of the
pertinent company/agency. Or, it may be a printed annual report containing 20-40 pages, even more for
some firms that wish to include substantial documentation of projects in terms of photographs and figures.

Additional types of Technical Report:

e.)Final Report

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 Romblon State University
San Fernando Campus
San Fernando, Romblon RSU-SFC TED FORM NO. 005 COURSE MODULE
Teacher Education Department
A final report is submitted after the completion of a project. It shows how the proposal was carried out. It is
detailed and contains relevant illustrations. It serves as a permanent record of a project.

Below is the outline showing the elements contained in the final report (Vicente, et al., 1997):

I. History of the project

II. Design
A. Factors involved
B. Methods used

III. Results
A. Description of the finished project
B. Illustrations

IV. Costs (actual and estimated)

A. Labor
B. Material

f.) Examination Report

Examination reports are quite powerful written works because they can influence decision-making
strategies and outcomes. The premise tor any examination report is that it is well-rese arched and well-
written. As such, it has the authority to make recommendations based on the report's conclusion.

Examination reports are written primarily by those considered as experts on the subject. The client expresses
the purpose of the report, and then chooses the expert or writer who will make that report. The client makes
what he wants/needs clear to the writer who shall faithfully be guided by it in his/her report.

There are three general classifications of examination reports. These are:

i. Reader – may deal with readers whose line of work involves technical/scientific knowhow.

ii. Contents – may involve groups dealing with persons, processes, structure or materials.

iii. Purpose – the report reflects the type of information target readers would want to know.

Before any actual writing can be done, the research materials would have to be prepared and validated for
accuracy. Preparation entails plenty of brainwork and legwork. Brainwork involves going over literature
related and essential to the subject of the report. This involves trips to several libraries to make sure that
data are factual. On the other hand, legwork involves doing initial assessment of the site included in the
report to see how things have progressed.

II. Evaluation

A. Directions: Read the following statements carefully. Write C if the sentence is correct. If the grammar is
incorrect, rewrite the sentence/s to make them effective and accurate sentences.

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 Romblon State University
San Fernando Campus
San Fernando, Romblon RSU-SFC TED FORM NO. 005 COURSE MODULE
Teacher Education Department

III. Synthesis

Technical reports are a central part of your professional success and are usually designed to:
 Convince the reader of your position
 Persuade them to act, or
 Inform them of your findings.

They are an opportunity for you to:

 Clearly communicate a solution to a problem
 Recommend action, and
 Aid decision making.

Technical reports are designed for quick and easy communication of information, and use:
 Sections with numbered headings and subheadings, and
 Figures and diagrams to convey data.

IV. References

Portillo, R. et.al. (2003). Research and Technical Writing. Trinitas Publishing, Inc.

RA 7079. An Act implementing the Campus Journalism Act of 1991.

Estrada, E. (1987). A primer on feature writing. Lungsod Maynila: Rex Bookstore.

Gunning, R. (1952). The technique of clear writing. New York: McGraw Hill Company.

Khan, R. (2006). Prize journalism. Lungsod Mandaluyong: Anvil Publication.

Ramirez, J.B. (2011). Philippine journalism handbook (Third Edition). Lungsod Mandaluyong: National Book Store.

Tepace, A.I.(2013). A Reviewer for the Licensure Examination for Teachers: Specialization – Filipino. Lungsod
Maynila: Philippine Normal University Press.

Prepared by:

NEIL JOHN BLANCO R. MACATO

Lecturer

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