THE TECHNICAL DEPTH OF THE REPORT

Knowing the level of reader is very important when writing. Engineers often write reports for other engineers, or technically aware readers. As a result an engineer will often write at their own knowledge level. When necessary, appendices can be added to accommodate readers with variable backgrounds. The depth of detail is another common issue. The author should provide enough detail to allow others to follow and reproduce the results. The two questions below should form a good basis for evaluation.

 

 

“What happens if I am hit by a car; could somebody pick up my report and continue?” If the answer to this question is no, the report requires more detail.

 

“Would I skip or skim this sentence/paragraph/section because it is so obvious?”. If the answer is yes, the sentence/paragraph/section can be condensed, or moved to an appendix.