Improving engineering reports and talks

The engineer's media of communication are primarily technical reports, published papers, and oral presentations. Logically, a written report should always come first, since this can be the most comprehensive of the group. From this base, both the professional paper and the oral presentation can more easily be derived. An understanding of the techniques and procedures of the professional writer, and of the basic differences between reports, papers, and talks, can be of great help to the engineering author. One does not become an accomplished writer or speaker after reading a single paper about these subjects. However, it could help. This paper concentrates on practical advice and counseling for potential authors who want to improve their capabilities.