IAEAInternational Atomic Energy Agency

BASIC IRRS TRAININGLecture 7

Report Writing

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Outline

• Learning Objectives• The Mission Report

• Purpose and objectives• What is not needed?

• Evolution of the Report• Standard Mission Report Template

• Purpose• Structure• Examples

• Schedule of drafting the Report

Basic IRRS Training - Report writing

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Learning objectives

After finishing this lecture the trainee will:• understand the purpose and objectives of the

mission report• have impressions on what should not be included

into a report• be acquainted with the Standard Report Template,

and through this will be advised• on the structure and expected content of the report

chapters• on using keywords in reviewing and reporting• on preparing summaries of each chapter

Basic IRRS Training - Report writing

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The Mission Report (1)

Purpose: To summarize the results of the IRRS review in a way that serves best the IRRS objectives.Quotation from Training Lecture 1:

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The Mission Report (2)

Thus the main objectives of the report are:• to provide an objective evaluation of the regulatory

infrastructure with respect to IAEA safety standards• to provide recommendations and suggestions for

improvement, and identifying good practices• to promote the application of IAEA Safety Standards

Therefore the report should not contain• data, facts, information that are not needed for reaching

the above objectives• details that are not necessary for the satisfactory

description of the subjects included

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The Mission Report (3)

Examples of unnecessary details or information:• Description of documents, organizational details,

facilities, activities or practices that are otherwise not reviewed for compliance with IAEA safety standards

• Long quotations of titles or contents of documents when references would be sufficient

• Long list of documents or activities, which are otherwise not reviewed

• Details of reviewed documents, activities or facilities that are not necessary for understanding the reviewer’s conclusions

• Description of the activity of the review team

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A report without unnecessary details

(Life in five bottles)

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Evolution of the Report

Draft Report• Collation of the contributions by the reviewers• Edited by the IAEA C and the DTL• Discussed by the entire team• Submitted to the host for comments• Discussed with the host

Preliminary Report• Result of discussion, cross-read and accepted

by the team• Handed over for further comments (only formal or factual) to the host and the team• Returned within agreed time frame (e.g. 1 m)

Final Report• Corrected by the IAEA TC possibly with other team members• Officially submitted to the host country (possibly within 2 m’s)• Public, unless the host requests otherwise within 90 days

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Standard Mission Report Template (1)

Purpose:• To define the standardized Table of

Contents• To define the topics to be covered

by the various chapters and sections• To indicate interrelations among

chapters• To define the approximate length of

the chapters• To provide guidance/instructions

to the reviewers on writing the report

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Standard Mission Report Template (2)

General instructions for writing the chapter:The structure of each subchapter should be as follows:

Description of the situation in the country with regard to the subject of the given subchapter and based on the Advance Reference Material, interviews and other inputs:1. Those issues, which are in line with the IAEA safety

standards, should only be described briefly

2. Solutions, that may be considered to be a good practice, should be explained in some details.

3. Issues not adequately compatible with the applicable IAEA Standards should be addressed in detail. This description must be sufficient for understanding the reasons for the Recommendations or Suggestions that follow.

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Standard Mission Report Template (3)

Size limit (example)

Based on experiences of previous missions the suggested length of the chapter is 9 pages. The actual length may depend on the scope of the mission and on the specificities of the host country but in any case it should not exceed 13 pages

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Standard Mission Report Template (4)

In every subchapter there are additional instructions or reminders on how to write it.

Example: 1.3. ESTABLISHMENT OF A REGULATORY BODY AND ITS INDEPENDENCE

Instructions for writing this subchapter:Describe the situation in the country related to

GSR Part 1, Requirement 3 and 4, paragraphs 2.7 to 2.13

Particular attention should be given to:• Legal authority• Necessary resources• Effective independence as provided by the legal basis• Free from conflicting responsibilities

Keywords to use in review and report writing

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Relevant messages with right emphasis

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Standard Mission Report Template (5)

1.10. SUMMARY – at the end of each chapter

Instructions for writing this subchapter:

Summarize in a brief, condensed manner the main messages of the above subchapters by• clearly indicating areas that are in line with the IAEA Safety

Standards;• reiterating the issues that led to the recommendations or

suggestions;• referring to the good practices noted.

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Schedule of drafting the Report

(c.f. also in BIT Lecture 8 on Scheduling IRRS Missions)• First impressions (observations): 2 weeks prior to

the mission and on the Initial Team Meeting• Start writing report: first day of the mission• Preliminary findings to submit: third day of the

mission• Continue writing report: every day until submission• Draft report text to submit: fifth day of the mission, noon• Finalization of draft report: eighth day of the mission

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Harmonisation both within the mission report and with other mission reports should be an important goal of the team.

The team should try and ensure that there are no misunderstandings and that the authors also understand the Host’s position

The report should be concise, factual, and demonstrate independence of the review team

Recommendation of Experienced Reviewers

Give particular attention to:

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Summary

• The purpose of the Mission Report is to summarize the results of the IRRS review by• Providing objective evaluation of the regulatory infrastructure• Offering recommendations and suggestions, identifying good

practices• Promoting the application of IAEA safety standards

• The purpose of the Standard Mission Report Template is to give assistance to the reviewer in its review and writing

• Instructions and hints therein are advised to be followed

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THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION

Basic IRRS Training - Report writing

Photo: V. Friedrich

This activity is conducted by the IAEA, with funding by the European Union. The views expressed in this presentation do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Commission

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Discussion

• As a reviewer, what will you and what will not you write into a mission report?

• What is the advantage if you use the Standard Mission Report Template?