Transcript Writing Short Technical Reports

Some Comments on Writing
Short Technical Reports
FES 409
Sections of a Tech Report
(not all fit this mold)
• INTRODUCTION
• METHODS
• RESULTS
• DISCUSSION
• CONCLUSIONS
• LITERATURE CITED
Organizational headings
• First, second and third order headings(1) METHODS
(2) Study Site
(3) Climate and soils
(2) Data Collection
(1) RESULTS
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 won’t have subheadings, and will be
brief (1-2 Parra.)
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
RESULTS
• Summary of your important findings- don’t
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
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).
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
CONCLUSIONS
• Brief REstatement of your most important
findings
• Nothing new should appear here (i.e. no
surprises)
• This section will not have subheadings
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.
47:179-181.
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)