U.S. Department of Defense
Date of this Version
1954
Abstract
This is a brief text prepared for instructional purposes at the US Army Engineer School at Fort Belvoir, VA.
The manuscript covering the preparation of a technical report has been prepared for two reasons: first, to serve as a basic text for instructing student officers in the techniques of report writing and second, to serve as a means of reference. Student officers cannot be expected to retain in their minds all the minute details of report writing to which they are exposed during their period of school training. Considerable time may elapse after graduation and before they are called on to undertake or to supervise a technical study. If so, a cursory reading of the textual material contained herein will quickly refresh their memories; and, perhaps, serve as a guide to orient junior officers under their command.
When the text is used for instructional purposes, it is suggested that a series of coordinated situations and requirements be developed and used as practical exercises - that during the instruction, seminars be scheduled for the discussion and evaluation of individual student progress; and that only two periods, at the most, be used for conference purposes involving the entire class. Discussion concerning student reports, and the subject of report writing as a whole, should revolve around the manner in which the students, both individually and collectively, have demonstrated their ability to gather and to present in a concise form pertinent facts concerning a particular problem.