21st October 2011, 03:05 AM
Are we supposed to? Yes for articles and syntheses, but reports? Really?
I think my reading of reports tends to start with the contents page, then off to the bit that describes the phasing etc then slam dunk to the conclusions, then back into the nitty gritty context detail, nipping back and forth between the structural text, the plans/sections and the finds reports. I don't think I have ever read one from cover to cover - other than my own when I have to proof read them, at the end of which process I am generally hoping that no one will ever read one of mine from cover to cover lest they wonder what the hell I am on!!!!
I think my reading of reports tends to start with the contents page, then off to the bit that describes the phasing etc then slam dunk to the conclusions, then back into the nitty gritty context detail, nipping back and forth between the structural text, the plans/sections and the finds reports. I don't think I have ever read one from cover to cover - other than my own when I have to proof read them, at the end of which process I am generally hoping that no one will ever read one of mine from cover to cover lest they wonder what the hell I am on!!!!