In this episode Dr. Jill Fennell speaks with Dr. David MacNair, Director of Laboratory Development at Georgia Tech, about technical reports and the importance of moving beyond chronological narratives in engineering communication. 

Show Notes and Timestamps:

• Introduction to topic and guest 00:54
• Technical Reports and their role in Engineering 04:28
• Communication challenges for novice report writers 05:48
• Significance of organization in avoiding pitfalls 07:07
• Importance of organization in relation to pre-determined formats 10:34
• Why writing chronologically is not the best option 12:47
• Impact of poorly written reports on decision making 15:40
• Importance of considering specific clients in teaching report writing 16:25
• Why choosing an organizational strategy is the Engineer’s job 20:58
• Examples of prioritizing client needs and the impact on report organization 22:48
• Guiding students towards making effective organization decisions 26:08
• Specific Organizational Strategies, importance of considering audience 28:54
• When chronological IS appropriate or best 31:03
• Results and Discussion sections and importance of organization within them 34:42
• Actionable advice and tips for students to improve their organizational skills 40:14
• Wrap up 42:09