Guidelines for Writing Reports in Engineering
Engineering Faculty, Monash University
Key features of reports
Reports:
• are designed for quick and easy communication of information
• are designed for selective reading
• use sections with numbered headings and subheadings
• use figures and diagrams to convey data.
Basic Structure of a Report
A report usually has these components:
Title page
Summary
Table of Contents
Introduction
Middle sections with numbered headings
Conclusions
References
Appendices
1. Title page
The title page gives:
• the course name and number, the department and university
• the title of the report
• the authors' names, and ID numbers
• the date of submission
2. Summary
The Summary (~1/2 page) provides a brief overview of the substance of the report.
The summary
• states the topic of the report
• outlines the most important findings of your investigation
• states the key conclusions.
The summary does NOT
• provide general information
• explain why you are carrying out an investigation
• refer to later diagrams or references.