Duties and Reports of the Subsurface Geologist 823 



all intervals and depth data down through the Oligocene-Eocene contact may 

 be considered as final, whereas all figures below the top of the Eocene would 

 remain in the status of estimates. 



Enter important members (sands and/or others) of formations in outline 

 form and in stratigraphic order under their respective formation headings. 

 Place member names and figures in parentheses to emphasize that depth ranges 

 of these units occur as insertions in the "Depth" column, and do not follow con- 

 secutively in the regular consecutive sequence of formation contact depth figures. 



After the main heading "Estimated" add in parentheses an estimated fig- 

 ure for allowed error in depth figures as "±300'." Alternatively, refer by aster- 

 isk to a brief footnote concerning amount of error allowed in estimated depth 

 figures. 



Explain other major existing discrepancies by footnote. 



Interval — Enter net drilling interval of each separate stratigraphic unit. 



Depth — Enter depth range of each separate stratigraphic unit. 



By — Indicate author and typist by initials, as in ordinary correspondence. 



Distribution — Indicate distribution of copies. 



Objective Report Writing^ 



A report from a professional geologist is the tangible presentation of 

 his work and opinion, for which his clients pay a fee. 



Objective report, as here defined, is one that gets down to cases at 

 once to the satisfaction of a client in industry. It is assumed in the fol- 

 lowing suggestions that the geologist is retained to solve a problem that 

 the client cannot solve for himself. It is not implied that all professional, 

 consulting problems can be flexed to the following matrix, but a very great 

 number of them may be. 

 Preliminary Procedure 



Diagnose the problem. 



Make adequate investigation (field and reference) for all data that 

 might be pertinent to the solution of the problem. 



Include in the assembled data information which seems reliable and 

 pertinent, but which cannot be verified on account of time or physical limi- 

 tations. (For example, an inaccessible, back-filled stope in a mine, or a log 

 of a long-abandoned well. 



Integrate these data into an answer to the problem, or into a pattern 

 of recommended operations that will contribute to that end. 

 Writing the Report 



Write the story completely. Do not stint on words, pages, or time. 



Revise and correct the sentences. Good English may not be compli- 

 mented, but bad English is "felt" even if the reader himself does not quite 

 know why it is bad. Good English inscribes in the mind of the reader, a 

 client, "Here is a man who cares." 



Select an assortment of colored pencils. Then go through the compo- 

 sition and underline, in color, "pertinent" data and "incidental" data. 



^ This section, "Objective Report Writing," is by Paul H. Keating, Department of Geology, Colorado 

 School of Mines. 



