ABSTRACT
All scientific and engineering writing assumes some familiarity with previous work, a situation called intertextuality. Nowhere is this more important than with technical writing, here defined as writing in a non-academic context, usually industry or government. Since both the author and audience are familiar with the background, many components found in research articles tend to be missing, notably those found in the Introduction. Methods may also be familiar and therefore not reported. Progress reports document progress toward an agreed upon goal, whether within a lab, within a company, or related to a grant. In industry or government, different reports may be prepared on the same work for different goals and audiences, including supervisors with experience in the field (technical reports) and those with less direct connection to the research (management or consulting reports). The SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) has been adapted as a reporting method for many situations, listing claims and support related to each category.
