Unit 5: Final Report Planning

Overview

Along with instructions, the other major application of technical writing is the formal technical report. It is "formal" in the sense that it uses a common standardized format and structure. It's an important item in your portfolio that you can show off to prospective employers.

In this unit, your task is to plan your final report project in as much detail as you can.

Here's a "pep talk" encouraging you be ambitious and take on exciting technological, scientific topics. Save the world! It needs t!

Caution: Do the report memo at the end of this unit—it's for a grade!

Objectives

When you finish this unit, you will be good at:

• Understand the role of the request for proposals (RFP)
• Define the purpose of technical reports.
• Define and distinguish between various common types of reports.
• Use the strategy for identifying an audience and situation.
• Use the strategy for narrowing a topic.
• Use the strategy for outlining a topic.

Final Report Planning: RFP, Topic, Situation, Audience, Report Type

The following questionnaires are the key things to be thinking about for your final technical document.  Tale them in any order you choose, but do all.

Find a topic. Often but not always, finding a topic to write a technical document about is a good place to start. Skim the following chapters in the online texbook, then use the link the brainstorming questions to find a topic.

1. Read Topics in the Online Textbook
2. Read Brainstorrming in the Online Textbook
3. Read Narrowing in the Online Textbook
4. Read Outlining in the Online Textbook
5. Use this link to explore possibilities for your technical document topic.

Points: 3

Define a situation and audience. To write a technical document, you need to know both the situation and its audience. 

1. Read Audience in the Online Textbook.
2. Read Situation in the Online Textbook.
3. Use these links to explore situations you could use for your technical document. Pick one!

Points: 3

Choose a report type. If you have a good idea of the topic, audience, situation of the technical document you want to write, the type of report you write may be obvious. Use the following readings and planning guide to determine that.

1. Read Types of reports in the Online Textbook
2. Read Handbooks in the Online Textbook
3. Read Recommendation reports in the Online Textbook
4. Use the questions in this link to choose the type of a document you want to write.

Points: 3

Final Report Planning Memo

Please copy the questions below, paste them into a Word document, answer each of them, save, then send by e-mail attachment to your instructor: admin@mcmassociates.io

Important: This is a required assignment for a grade. Think your final report plans through as carefully as you can, and provide as much detail in your answers to the questions as you can. If you draw a blank, post something to the forum or send to your instructor.

• You are responding to an RFP. What does it request?
• What type of report-length document does the RFP request.
• What solution to a problem or improvement is being sought in the RFP?
• How will the organization or individual use the requested document—to make decisions or send to membership?
• What are the characteristics of the target readers of the document (knowledge, background, experience)?

Information and programs provided by admin@mcmassociates.io.