Appendices and References in a Technical Report

A technical report is usually divided into three major sections:

  1. Front Matter (Preliminary section) → Title page, Preface, Acknowledgements, Contents, Indexing, Keywords.
  2. Body (Main section) → Introduction, Literature Survey, Methodology, Data/Results, Discussion, Conclusion.
  3. End Matter (Terminal section) → Appendices, References, Glossary, Index.

1. Appendices

The appendix (plural: appendices) contains supplementary material that supports the report but would make the main body too long or distracting.

  • Purpose: To provide additional data, detailed explanations, or raw information that is relevant but not essential for the main discussion.
  • Contents of Appendices:
    • Raw data, tables, graphs, or calculations.
    • Computer code, algorithms, or pseudo-code.
    • Questionnaires, survey forms, interview transcripts.
    • Maps, charts, technical drawings, or design layouts.
    • Derivations of formulas or detailed mathematical proofs.
    • Standards, specifications, or regulations referred to in the report.
  • Format Rules:
    • Each appendix is given a title and labeled Appendix A, Appendix B, Appendix C, …
    • Should be referred to in the main text (e.g., “See Appendix A for raw data”).
    • Kept in the same font/format as the report but separated from the main body.

2. References

The reference section lists all the sources cited in the report.

  • Purpose:
    • To acknowledge the work of other authors.
    • To allow readers to trace the origin of ideas, methods, or data.
    • To maintain academic honesty and avoid plagiarism.
  • Types of References:
    • Books – Author(s), Title, Publisher, Year.
    • Journal Articles – Author(s), “Title of Paper,” Journal Name, Volume(Issue), Pages, Year.
    • Conference Papers – Author(s), “Title of Paper,” Conference Name, Location, Pages, Year.
    • Websites/Online Sources – Author/Organization, Title, URL, Date Accessed.
    • Reports/Standards/Patents – Author/Org, Title, Report Number/Patent Number, Year.
  • Citation Styles (depending on institution/discipline):
    • APA (Author–Date system)
    • IEEE (Numbered system, used in engineering)
    • Harvard, MLA, Chicago, Vancouver etc.
  • Format Rules:
    • Only sources cited in the report should appear in the reference list.
    • Listed in alphabetical order (APA/Harvard) or in the order of citation (IEEE).
    • Use a consistent referencing style throughout.

3. Placement in Report

  • Appendices → Placed before references (end of main body).
  • References → Always the last section of the report (before index if included).

✅ Example (End Matter Layout):

Appendices

  • Appendix A: Survey Questionnaire
  • Appendix B: Raw Experimental Data
  • Appendix C: MATLAB Code

References

  1. C.S. Papacostas, Transportation Engineering and Planning, PHI Learning, 2009.
  2. E. Cascetta, Transportation Systems Engineering: Theory and Methods, Kluwer Academic, 2001.
  3. IEEE Xplore Digital Library, https://ieeexplore.ieee.org, Accessed: Aug. 2025.