Technical report writing
This guide supports students in the faculties of Engineering and Science, but may be of interest to all students engaged in communicating technical information.
The ability to communicate technical information is an important skill that students need both for their university study and for their careers as effective professionals.
Faculty of Engineering
School of Biological Sciences
- Ecology writing guide
Compiled by the School of Biological Sciences for ecologists but applicable to all natural sciences.
Books
- Writing for science: A practical handbook for science, engineering and technology students by Heather Silyn-Roberts
- Writing for science and engineering: Papers, presentations and reports by Heather Silyn-Roberts
- Technical writing A-Z: A commonsense guide to engineering reports and theses by Trevor M. Young
- Style and ethics of communication in science and engineering by Jay D. Humphrey, Jeffrey W. Holmes
- Making sense: A student's guide to research and writing engineering and the technical sciences by Margot Northey; Judi Jewinski
- A guide to writing as an engineer by David Beer; David McMurrey
- Writing scientific research articles strategy and steps by Margaret Cargill; Patrick O'Connor
- Scientific writing: Easy when you know how by Jennifer K Peat
- How to write a great research paper by Beverly Ann Chin
- How to write a paper by George M Hall
- The research project: How to write it by Ralph Berry
Journals
- IEEE transactions on engineering writing and speech
- IEEE transactions on professional communication
- Technical communication
Study skills
Recommended
- Writing technical reports
Monash University. - Writing guidelines for engineering and science
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.
Additional
- A guide to technical report writing
IET - Institute of Engineering and Technology. - Guide to writing laboratory reports
University of New South Wales. - Whitesides' group: Writing a paper
George M. Whitesides.
Reference styles used for Engineering
Common reference styles for engineering at the University of Auckland:
- APA
- Harvard
- Chicago
- AIP Style
Monash University Library. - IEEE Style
Monash University Library.
LaTeX and BibTeX web resources
- LaTeXTemplates.com
A website created by a PhD student of the University of Auckland. - LaTex Project
- Text Formatting with LATEX
- LaTeX Tricks and Tips
- TeX Users Group
- TeX Resources on the Web
- Using BibTex to Create Your Bibliography
Support
- Referencing
Access a range of tools and support material to assist your referencing work.
Examples
- Quick©ite
Use this interactive tool to view examples of references.
Covers a range of styles used at the University of Auckland.
Last updated : 19 April 2021