Technical Reports: Connecting Sections

As you work on your recommendation report, you should consider how you organize your content within sections.

Even if you are focusing on a single "problem," that problem might consist of several "sub problems." For example, if you are considering accessibility in [Name] Hall, you might find several problems associated with this main problem:

• Accessibility in [Name] Hall (main problem)
  • Lack of push button entrances on doors (sub problem 1)
  • No elevator (sub problem 2)
  • Stairs on individual floors (sub problem 3)
  • Stalls too small in restrooms (sub problem 4)

In your introduction, you would want to mention the central problem and then each of the sub problems that contribute to that larger problem.

Your introduction establishes the order in which you will discuss the sub problems in your Discussion of Problem and your Solutions sections.

Discussion of Problem Section

Discuss in this order:

• Accessibility in [Name] Hall (main problem): introduce overall problem in the context of accessibility at VT
  
  • Lack of push button entrances on doors (sub problem 1)
    • Discuss this problem in a section of its own, beneath its own heading.
  • No elevator (sub problem 2)
    • Discuss this problem in a section of its own, beneath its own heading.
  • Stairs on individual floors (sub problem 3)
    • Discuss this problem in a section of its own, beneath its own heading.
  • Stalls too small in restrooms (sub problem 4)
    • Discuss this problem in a section of its own, beneath its own heading.

Solutions Section

Discuss possible solutions in this order:

• Solution for Lack of push button entrances on doors (sub problem 1)
  • Discuss potential solution in a section of its own, beneath its own heading.
• Solution for No elevator (sub problem 2)
  • Discuss potential solution in a section of its own, beneath its own heading.
  • Remember: Sometimes there is no cost-effective solution.
• Solution for Stairs on individual floors (sub problem 3)
  • Discuss potential solution in a section of its own, beneath its own heading.
• Solution for Stalls too small in restrooms (sub problem 4)
  • Discuss potential solution in a section of its own, beneath its own heading.