Tutorial: 45 minutes
Writing Reports in Engineering and Science

Engineers and scientists write reports to document projects, designs, and experiments. For reports in engineering and science, the expectations that readers have are much different from the expectations to be met for essays in first-year English. This website presents a 45-minute tutorial to help you learn the expectations to be met for reports that you will write as an engineer or scientist. If you do not have an hour to spend, consider doing the 15-minute version.

Writing in engineering and science is important.
1. View Films on Analysis of Constraints 

In contrast with essays that you wrote for first-year English, reports in engineering and science carry specific constraints for audience, purpose, and occasion [1]. As shown in Films 1-3, understanding these constraints puts you in a much better position to write an effective report. 

Film 1. Analyzing Audience for Reports.


Film 3. Analyzing Occasion of Reports: Length, Formality, and Format.

Film 2. Analyzing Purpose of Reports.

Key Questions That Films Address:
  1. Which audience does a report's introduction target? See Film 1.
  2. How does the level of persuasion affect a document's style? See
    Film 2.
  3. Do documents in engineering and science typically have minimum or maximum lengths? See Film 3.
  4. Is there a universal format in engineering and science? See Film 3.
2. View Films on Organization

Engineering and scientific reports are organized quite differently from essays. As shown in Film 4, those differences occur in the title, summary, the use of sections for the main text, and appendices. In addition, audiences have different  expectations not only for sections of the main text (see Film 5) but also for the first sentences of those sections (see Film 6). 

Film 4. Organizing a Report.


Film 6. Writing First Sentences of Sections in Reports.

Film 5. Writing Sections in Reports.

Key Questions That Films Address:
  1. What makes for an effective title in engineering and science? 
    See Film 4.
  2. Should a summary state the report's most important results? 
    See Film 4.
  3. What information does the audience expect a report's introduction to provide? See Film 4.
  4. Why are documents in engineering and science written in sections? See Film 5.
  5. How should you begin a section? See Film 6.
3. View Films on Language and Illustration

Language refers to the writing at the sentence and paragraph levels. In engineering and science, the most important goals of language are to be precise and to be clear (see Films 7-8). Given in Film 9 (and its accompanying handout) is a strategy for connecting sentences. Still other important expectations at the paragraph and sentence levels reside in the incorporation of illustrations (see Film 10).  

Film 7. Writing Precise and Clear Sentences.


Film 9. Connecting Ideas in Paragraphs.

​Key Questions That Films 7 and 8 Address:
  1. At the sentence level, what are the two most important goals in scientific writing? See Film 7.
  2. Should your writing in engineering and science be flowery? 
    See Film 7.
  3. To avoid ambiguities in engineering and science, what stylistic choices are made (that do not occur in general writing)? See Film 8.​

Film 8. Avoiding Ambiguity


Film 10. Incorporating Illustrations and Equations into Reports.

​Key Questions That Films 9 and 10 Address:
  1. What four expectations do audiences have for the incorporation of an illustration in engineering and science? See Film 9.
  2. What expectations do audiences have for the incorporation of an equation? See Film 10.
4. Play Comprehensive Kahoot
Instructors: You are more than welcome to assign this tutorial to your students. Also, if you would like a Canvas quiz of the Kahoot to verify that your students have done the tutorial, please visit the Canvas quiz page.
Appendix A: Additional Resources on Writing Reports 

The following resources discuss two additional perspectives on writing reports in engineering and science. First, discussed in Film A-1 is a process that professional teams use to produce effective reports. Second, presented in Film A-2 is a discussion on the following the rules of grammar, punctuation, and usage. This film is an introduction to the Tutorial on Avoiding Grammar Errors in Engineering and Science.

Film A-1. Process of Writing Reports as a Team

Film A-2. Importance of following rules of grammar, punctuation, and usage.
Acknowledgments

This tutorial, which was created in the College of Engineering at Penn State, is made possible by funding from the College's Leonhard Center for Engineering Education. Providing technical assistance on the films has been the Office of Digital Learning, which is also in the College. 
​
​Faculty and Staff Editors
​Michael Alley, Content Editor, Teaching Professor
Casey Fenton, Film Editor, Office of Digital Learning
Richelle Weiger, Film Editor, Office of Digital Learning
Elaine Whitmer, Film Editor, Office of Digital Learning
​
​Former Student Editors
​Morgan Aloi, ME, 2022
Olivia Brencovich, ME, 2022
​Justin Bardy, ME, 2021
Alexus Eicher, Comp Sci., 2021
​Dean Ellis, Aerospace Engr., 2021
Jake Grant, ME, 2022
Alexander How, ME, 2021
​Belinda Mativenga, ChE, 2022
Kaitlyn Pigeon, IE, 2021
Alison Wanamaker, IE 2021
​Mia Wanyo, ME, 2022
​References
  1. Michael Alley, The Craft of Scientific Writing, 4th ed. (New York: Springer, 2018).​​
  2. "Report Templates," Writing as an Engineer or Scientist, ed. by Michael Alley (University Park, PA: College of Engineering, 1996).
  3. ​"Sample Report Format," Writing as an Engineer or Scientist, ed. by Michael Alley (University Park, PA: College of Engineering, 1996).
Please feel free to provide comments, questions, and suggestions for the films, text, and quizzes of this website. To help us understand your feedback, please let us know whether you are a student or faculty member (or other professional).