Inspection Reports

Laboratory and Field Reports

Specifications Reports
Proposals
Progress Reports
Instructions
Recommendation Reports
Ch5-A
1
Writing Common Engineering Documents
(Informal Reports)
Briefly report on the inspection of a site
(Facility or property)

These reports contain lots of description,
narration, and discussion of related causes
and effects. It may also contain evaluation

These reports include:
1. Trip Reports
2. Investigation or an accident reports
Ch5-A
2
Writing Common Engineering Documents
(Inspection Reports)
1. Trip Reports: summarize a business trip,
discuss the events, findings and other
aspects of a business trip. This type
documents observations so that people in
your organization can share them
2. Investigation or accident reports: describe
your findings concerning a problem, explore
its causes, its consequences, and
explaining how it can be avoided
Ch5-A
3
Writing Common Engineering Documents
(Inspection Reports)
Introduction: Indicate purpose of the report
and provide a brief overview of its contents
Background: To explain the context of the
report. why inspect the site? Who sent you?
what are the basic facts of the situation the
time, date, place, and so on?
Accurate Discussion: describe the accident,
facility, property, or the proposed equipment.
what happened in the trip? where did you
go? whom you metetc?
Ch5-A
4
Writing Common Engineering Documents
(Content and Organization of Inspection Reports)
Action Taken: If you are investigating a
problem, and you are suggesting solutions,
your report should contain a step-by-step
discussion of how you determined the
problem and corrected it
Interpretative, Evaluative, or Advisory
Discussion: Evaluate the property or
equipment, explain what caused the
accident, interpret the findings, suggest
further action, or recommend ways to
prevent the problem in the future
Ch5-A
5
Writing Common Engineering Documents
(Content and Organization of Inspection Reports)
Ch5-A
6
Writing Common Engineering Documents
(Inspection Reports)
Report on an experiment, test, or survey
Present the data collected and discuss and
analyze it
The report also include the method of
testing, theory, procedures, equipments (if
any), and conclusions
it may explore the applications of the
findings, and any recommended further
investigation
Ch5-A
7
Writing Common Engineering Documents
(Laboratory and Field Reports)
Introduction: Indicate purpose of the report
and provide a brief overview of its contents

Background: Provide a discussion of the
background leading up to the project.
Typically this involves discussing a research
question or conflicting theories in the
research literature. Explore the background
to enable readers to understand why you are
doing this work. Provide citations for the
sources of information you use
Ch5-A
8
Writing Common Engineering Documents
(Content and Organization of Laboratory and
Field Reports)
Literature Review: Often, a discussion of the
research literature related to your project is
included in the lab or field report. You
summarize the findings of other researchers
that have a bearing on your work

Depending on the length and complexity of
the report, all three elements just discussed:
introduction, background, literature review
may all be combined in one paragraph
without subheadings
Ch5-A
9
Writing Common Engineering Documents
(Content and Organization of Laboratory and
Field Reports)
Theory, Methods, Procedures, and
equipments: The next major section in the
laboratory or field report presents your
theory or approach to your project
Observations, Data, Findings, or Results:
You collect data then organize and present it
in a section of its own. The common
approach is to present the data, often
formatted into tables, graphs, or charts,
without interpretive discussion. The
discussion and analyzing of results comes in
a section by it self
Ch5-A
10
Writing Common Engineering Documents
(Content and Organization of Laboratory and
Field Reports)
Conclusions: derive conclusions based on
the data gathered, and explain why you think
those conclusions are valid

Implications and Further Research:
Laboratory and field reports typically explore
the implications of conclusions, considering
how they can be applied and outlining further
research possibilities
Ch5-A
11
Writing Common Engineering Documents
(Content and Organization of Laboratory and
Field Reports)

Format
Lab or Field trip reports can be presented in
memo format if it is short and presented
within the organization. Otherwise, use the
formal format as will be discussed in Chapter
six
Ch5-A
12
Writing Common Engineering Documents
(Content and Organization of Laboratory and
Field Reports)
Ch5-A
13
Writing Common Engineering Documents
(Laboratory and Field Reports)
Provide detailed requirements for a product
to be developed or detailed descriptions of
an existing product
provide specifics on design, function,
operation, and construction
Such documents may come with certain
kinds of products such as DVD players or
Computers
These describe the key technical
characteristics of those items.
Ch5-A
14
Writing Common Engineering Documents
(Specifications Reports)
Ch5-A
15
Writing Common Engineering Documents
(Specifications Reports)
General Description:
Describe the product, component or program
first in general terms. Anything general in
nature that does not fit in the part-by-part
description comes here.

PartbyPart Description:
Present specifications part by part, element
by element, trade by trade, what ever is the
logical, natural or conventional way of doing
it
Ch5-A
16
Writing Common Engineering Documents
(Content and Organization of Specifications
Reports)
Ch5-A
17
Writing Common Engineering Documents
(Specifications Reports)
The proposal is one of the most important
tools for engineers, particularly consulting
engineers.
With it, you get work, either for the company
that employs you or for yourself
Proposals seek a contract, approval, or
funding to do a project; function as a
competitive bid to get hired to do a project
Promote yourself and your organization as a
candidate for a project, promote the project
itself, showing why it is needed
Ch5-A
18
Writing Common Engineering Documents
(Proposals)
Solicited: If an organization issues a request
for proposals, the proposals said to be
solicited they have been requested
Unsolicited: Individuals and companies often
initiate proposals without formal requests
from the recipients. They may see that an
individual or organization has a problem or
opportunity. This type of proposal requires
harder work in order to convince the
individual or organization
Ch5-A
19
Writing Common Engineering Documents
(Types of Proposals)
Internal: If you address your proposal to
someone within your organization, the
format and contents change significantly.
The memo format is usually appropriate, and
sections such as qualifications and costs
may not be necessary
External: For organizations or individuals
outside your company, you must present
your qualifications and use some
combination of the business-letter and
formal-report formats
Ch5-A
20
Writing Common Engineering Documents
(Types of Proposals)
Introduction: Make reference to some prior
contact with the recipient of the proposal or
your source of information about the project.
Also give a brief overview of the contents of
the proposal
Background: In unsolicited proposal, you
should discuss the reason for writing the
proposal. In solicited proposals, the party
requesting the proposal know the reasons
well. However little background can be useful
as it demonstrates that you fully understand
the situation
Ch5-A
21
Writing Common Engineering Documents
(Content and Organization of Proposals)
Actual Proposal Statement: Include a short
section in which you state explicitly what you
are proposing to do. Proposals often refer to
many possibilities, which can create some
vagueness about whats actually being
offered. Sometimes an explicit statement
about what you are not offering may be
needed
Description of the Work Product: Some times
you may need a section explaining actually
what the results of your project are going to
be, and what the recipient is going to end up
with
Ch5-A
22
Writing Common Engineering Documents
(Content and Organization of Proposals)
Benefits and Feasibility of the Project: To
promote the project to the recipient, some
proposals discuss the benefits of doing the
project. Others discuss the likelihood of
those benefits. This is particularly true in
unsolicited proposals
Methods or Approach: Some proposals need
a section that explains how you plan to go
about the project and justification of the
approach, even the theory relating to your
approach
Ch5-A
23
Writing Common Engineering Documents
(Content and Organization of Proposals)
Qualifications and References: This may
include previous work, full resumes of who
will work on the project. For internal projects
where people know each other, this section
may be omitted
Schedule: including dates or a timeline for
the major milestones. This may be included
in the methods and procedure section or in a
section on its own. This gives the recipient
an idea of what lies ahead and a chance to
ask for changes; it also enables you to show
how systematic, organized, and professional
you are
Ch5-A
24
Writing Common Engineering Documents
(Content and Organization of Proposals)
Costs: break it down to detailed cost, labor,
equipment, components,etc

Conclusions: Normally, the final paragraphs
of your proposal urge the recipient to
consider your proposal, contact you with
questions, and of course accept your bid or
request. This is also good spot to allude
once more to the benefits of doing the
project
Ch5-A
25
Writing Common Engineering Documents
(Content and Organization of Proposals)
Format

Memorandum format: If your proposal is
short (less than three pages) and internal,
use simple memo format and include
headings as you would for any other
document (see Figure 5.5)

Business-letter format: If your proposal is
short but external use business letter format
and include headings as you normally would
(see Figure 5.5)
Ch5-A
26
Writing Common Engineering Documents
(Content and Organization of Proposals)
Ch5-A
27
Writing Common Engineering Documents
(Proposals)
Format
Separate proposal with cover memo: If your
proposal is long (over 4 pages) and internal
or external and it is being passed around
among reviewers, make it a separate
document with its own title and attach a
cover memo or letter (memo for internal and
business letter for external) to the front

In the memo or business letter, restate the
key elements of the introduction and the
conclusion (see Figure 5.6)
Ch5-A
28
Writing Common Engineering Documents
(Content and Organization of Proposals)
Ch5-A
29
Writing Common Engineering Documents
(Proposals)
Inspection Reports
Laboratory and Field Reports
Specifications Reports
Proposals
Progress Reports
Instructions
Recommendation Reports
Ch5-B
30
Writing Common Engineering Documents
(Informal Reports)
These reports summarize the
progress in your project, what has
been accomplished, what still need
to be done, what resources have
been used, what problems have
arisen
This report could be weekly, monthly,
every three or six months, and yearly
Ch5-B
31
Writing Common Engineering Documents
(Progress Reports)
Introduction: Indicate purpose of the report
and provide a brief overview of its contents
Project Description: Give a short description
of the project, the purpose of the project,
starting and completion dates, names of the
companies involved in the project
Problems Encountered: Discuss the
problems you encountered and the expected
problems which may jeopardize the quality,
cost or schedule of the project
Ch5-B
32
Writing Common Engineering Documents
(Content and Organization of Progress Reports)
Progress Summary: Summarize work
completed in the previous period, work
underway in the current period, and work
planned for future periods, this is called
(Timeperiods approach). Summarize which
tasks in the project have been completed,
which tasks are currently underway, and
which tasks are planned for future work
(Project-task approach)
Overall Assessment of the project: General
opinion on how the project is going
Ch5-B
33
Writing Common Engineering Documents
(Content and Organization of Progress Reports)
Changes in Requirements: Include any
changes in the work such as time schedule,
changing design, changes in equipments

Format
For large projects, the progress report could
be very long which means that it should be in
formal format (with title page, table of
contents, abstract, and appendices)
bounded, and attached with covering letter
Ch5-B
34
Writing Common Engineering Documents
(Content and Organization of Progress Reports)
Ch5-B
35
Writing Common Engineering Documents
(Progress Reports)
This kind of writing include stepbystep
instructions and procedures for employees,
colleagues, customers, or clients.
Instructions explain how to assemble,
operate, or troubleshoot some new product.
The critical issue in instructions writing is to
put yourself in your readers place, making
no unwarranted assumptions about their
background or knowledge, and providing
them everything they need to successfully
complete the procedure or instruction.
Ch5-B
36
Writing Common Engineering Documents
(Instructions)
Introduction: Include some combination of
the following:
1. Subject: Indicate the procedure youll
explain
2. Product: If you are providing instructions
for a product, identify it
3. Audience: Indicate the knowledge or
background your readers need in order to
understand your instructions. If no special
background is needed, indicate that as well
4. Overview:
Ch5-B
37
Writing Common Engineering Documents
(Content and Organization of Instructions)
Special Notices

Most instructions contain special formatted
notices for warnings, cautions, and dangers
Often these comments appear in the
introduction as well as in the body of the
instructions at those points where they apply
If you neglect to include these special
notices, You may find yourself in a lawsuit if
readers injure themselves
Ch5-B
38
Writing Common Engineering Documents
(Content and Organization of Instructions)
Special Notices Style and Format
Note: To emphasize special points or
exceptions that might otherwise be
overlooked
Caution: To alert readers to the possibilities
of minor injury because of some existing
condition as well as possibilities of
developed dangerous situation because of
some unsafe practice (see Figure 5.8)
Attention: To alert readers to a potential for
ruining the outcome of the procedure or
damaging the equipment (see Figure 5.9)
Ch5-B
39
Writing Common Engineering Documents
(Content and Organization of Instructions)
Special Notices Style and Format
Danger: To call attention to a situation that is
potentially lethal or extremely hazardous to
people (exposed high voltage wires as a
result of removing a computer side panel)

Use this notice with discretion, reserving it
for situations where irreparable injury or loss
of life could occur unless extreme care is
used
Ch5-B
40
Writing Common Engineering Documents
(Content and Organization of Instructions)
Ch5-B
41
Writing Common Engineering Documents
(Instructions Special Notices)
Ch5-B
42
Writing Common Engineering Documents
(Instructions Special Notices)
A recommendation report evaluates or
promotes an idea (an endorsement of
telecommuting for fellow employees)
The context can vary: Management might
direct you to study the feasibility of
telecommuting
To make recommendations, management
might direct you to compare telecommuting
products and then recommend one
Ch5-B
43
Writing Common Engineering Documents
(Recommendation Reports)
A recommendation report, as its name indicates,
makes a recommendation about plans,
products, or people
In its simplest form:
it establishes certain requirements (often
called criteria),
compares two or more options,
and recommends one
Other elements may be involved (background on
the technology; descriptions of the options; an
explanation of how the field was narrowed)
Ch5-B
44
Writing Common Engineering Documents
(Recommendation Reports)
Introduction: Indicate the purpose of the
report which is to recommend something for
a certain situation. Also, indicate briefly the
content of the report.
Background on the Situation: You may
discuss the circumstance that led to the
need of such a report
Requirements: Indicate the requirements
needed (cost, capabilities, operational
features, software-specifications, ease of
use, file transfer capabilityetc)
Ch5-B
45
Writing Common Engineering Documents
(Content and Organization of Recommendation
Reports)
Technical Background:
For certain situations, you may need to do a
brief technical discussion on certain items,
or components especially if new technology
is involved
Description:
You may need to describe the options that
you are comparing (without evaluation or
showing any advantages of any option, do
not be biased)
Ch5-B
46
Writing Common Engineering Documents
(Content and Organization of Recommendation
Reports)
Point-by-Point Comparison: You focus on
comparison between the options by
considering specific items (performance,
cost, ease of use, warranties, service,
capabilities). You also need conclude which
item is the best among the options
Conclusions and Summary: You summarize
each item for each option and provide
ranking for each one
Recommendations: Which option you
recommend based on the above summary
Ch5-B
47
Writing Common Engineering Documents
(Content and Organization of Recommendation
Reports)
Ch5-B
48
Writing Common Engineering Documents
(Recommendation Reports)
Ch5-B
49
Writing Common Engineering Documents
(Recommendation Reports)
Ch5-B
50
Writing Common Engineering Documents
(Recommendation Reports)
Recommendation Reports:
Compare two or more options against each
other (and again certain requirements) and
then make a recommendation.
Evaluation Reports:
Compare an idea, program, or thing against
criteria or requirements as means of
determining its value
This type may recommend, but essential is
the statement of the value of the idea,
program, or thing
Ch5-B
51
Writing Common Engineering Documents
(Terms)
Feasibility Reports:
Compare a project against requirements
relating to is economic, technical, or social
practicality, and then recommend whether
the project should be initiated
Proposals:
Make a bid or seek approval to do a project
and then supply supporting information on
the proposers qualifications. The primary
task is to land a contract or get approval
Ch5-B
52
Writing Common Engineering Documents
(Terms)