Some Comments on Writing Short Technical Reports

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Some Comments on Writing Short Technical Reports
FES 409
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Sections of a Tech Report(not all fit this mold)

• INTRODUCTION
• METHODS
• RESULTS
• DISCUSSION
• CONCLUSIONS
• LITERATURE CITED

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Organizational headings

• First, second and third order headings-
• (1) METHODS
• (2) Study Site
• (3) Climate and soils
• (2) Data Collection
• (1) RESULTS

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INTRODUCTION

• Statement about the problem(s) and objective(s)
  being addressed (from your lab handout).
• Background information that the reader should
  know about the subject (e.g. Soil fertility is a
  key determinant of forest composition and
  growth)
• Generally wont have subheadings, and will be
  brief (1-2 Parra.)

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METHODS

• What you did and how
• Information describing the study site
• Sampling design
• Measurements and instruments used
• Approach to data analysis, including computer
  programs used (e.g. modified Excel spreadsheets
  and FVS)
• This section will typically have subheadings

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RESULTS

• Summary of your important findings- dont just
  repeat s that appear in tables
• Reference to tables and figures (order
  synchronized with text)
• Save most of the interpretation for the
  discussion
• This section will have subheadings
• May include reference to an appendix

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Referencing Tables and Figures

• Figure 1 clearly shows the relationship between
  DBH and TPA over time.
• The number of stems in the 8-10 DBH size class
  declined over time (Figure 1).

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DISCUSSION

• Synthesis of results
• Reconcile findings with objectives
• Compare with what others have found, where
  appropriate (Literature cited)
• May or may not have subheadings, often they help
• Keep parallel with Methods and Results

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CONCLUSIONS

• Brief REstatement of your most important findings
• Nothing new should appear here (i.e. no
  surprises)
• This section will not have subheadings

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LITERATURE CITED

• List of all references included in your report
• Controlling the understory microenvironment is
  not an objective of the seed tree method (Smith
  et al. 1997).
• Smith, D.M., Larson, B.C., Kelty, M.J., and
  P.M.S. Ashton. (1997). The Practice of
  Silviculture Applied Forest Ecology, 9th Ed.
  Wiley, New York. 537 pp.
• Baker, F.S. 1949. A revised tolerance table. J.
  For. 47179-181.

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Some Common Mistakes

• Not taking the time to proofread
• Improper capitalization of common names (e.g.
  white pine not White Pine but American beech not
  american beech)
• One sentence does not a paragraph make
• Significant digits (e.g. there is no such thing
  as 12.2598 trees per acre, round 12 TPA BA to
  0.1 ft2/ac)