Beginning a Report Consider the following ways to begin a technical report. Which example is easier to comprehend?

Example 1 Cold air can enter your house through tiny gaps around windows, doors, exhaust fan outlets, or any other place where hardware or fixtures penetrate the exterior surface of a building. In some residences, hidden openings can let in as much cold air as would come through a hole the size of a brick.

This report describes three ways consumers can lower their winter heating bills. Cold air can enter your house through tiny gaps around windows, doors, exhaust fan outlets, or any other place where the exterior surface of your home is penetrated. Caulking and sealing those gaps will make your home more energy efficient. Example 2

Consumers can easily lower their winter heating bills by caulking and sealing, wearing warmer clothes, and letting the sun in whenever possible. Caulking and Sealing Cold air can enter your house through tiny gaps around windows, doors, exhaust fan outlets, or any other place where the exterior surface of your home is penetrated. In some older homes... Example 3

Example 1 (Not the easiest to comprehend) Cold air can enter your house through tiny gaps around windows, doors, exhaust fan outlets, or any other place where hardware or fixtures penetrate the exterior surface of a building. In some residences, hidden openings can let in as much cold air as would come through a hole the size of a brick. The above example launches into the subject without any introduction, which makes it extremely confusing. Is this the introduction to a study of the thermodynamic properties of air? Will the document present the results of scientific testing of several competing brands of caulks and sealants? Is this part of an advertisement for a home maintenance company? The reader can't tell from the first few sentences what he or she is supposed to learn from the document.

Example 2 (Still not the easiest to comprehend) This report describes three ways consumers can lower their winter heating bills. Cold air can enter your house through tiny gaps around windows, doors, exhaust fan outlets, or any other place where the exterior surface of your home is penetrated. Caulking and sealing those gaps will make your home more energy efficient. The above revision is somewhat better, because it describes the content -- three methods for lowering heating bills. The new introductory sentence specifies who should read the document, and why. Unfortunately, it's not clear what the three methods are. Is "caulking and sealing" one method, or two? If two, then where's the third? Maybe the author is trying to say that the three methods are "caulk your windows," "caulk your doors," and "caulk your exhaust fans." If so, then what do we make of "or any other place..."? You should spend a little extra time organizing your document, so that your readers won't have to make guesses about what you mean to say.

Example 3 (This is easiest to comprehend!) Consumers can easily lower their winter heating bills by caulking and sealing, wearing warmer clothes, and letting the sun in whenever possible. Caulking and Sealing Cold air can enter your house through tiny gaps around windows, doors, exhaust fan outlets, or any other place where the exterior surface of your home is penetrated. In some older homes... Much better! The opening sentence lists the three main points that the document is going to make, adds a clear subheading to help organize the content, and then begins to give the details.