What is a report?

A report is a systematic, well organized document which defines and analyses a business and
scientific or technical subject or problem, and it must always be accurate, clear, concise and well
structured, it may include:
The record of a sequence of events
Interpretation of the significance of these events or facts
Evaluation of the facts or results of research presented
Discussion of the outcomes of a decision or course of action
Conclusions
Recommendations
There are, however, different interpretations of what a report should look like, so it is important
that you check with your course tutors and course documentation as to the report format and content
expected.
Report structure
Title page : Acknowledgements : Contents page : Terms of reference : Procedure : Materials and
methods : Summary : Introduction : Main
body :Results : Conclusion : Recommendations : Appendices : References : Bibliography : Glossary
Unlike essays, reports are written in sections with headings and sub-headings, which are
usually numbered. Below are the possible components of a report, in the order in which they would
appear.
Title page (always included)

This should normally include the title, your name and the name of the tutor to whom it is being
submitted, date of submission, your course/department, and if applicable, the name of the person
and/or organization who has commissioned the report.
Avoid fancy fonts and effects and dont include any clipart.

Acknowledgements (usually just in long reports)

A list of people and organizations that have helped you.
Contents page (always included in reports of 4+ pages)

A clear, well-formatted list of all the sections and sub-sections of the report. Dont forget to put the
page numbers! If applicable, there should be a separate list of tables, figures, illustrations and/or
appendices after the main index.
Make sure that the headings in this list correspond exactly with those in your main body. It is best to
do your list of contents right at the end.
Procedure (sometimes included)

How your research was carried out; how the information was gathered.
Materials and methods (included if applicable)

Similar to procedure, but more appropriate to scientific or engineering report writing. The following
advice comes from Robert Barrass' book Scientists Must Write (Chapman & Hall,1978:135-136):

1 List the equipment used and draw anything that requires description (unless this is very simple).

2 State the conditions of the experiment and the procedure, with any precautions necessary to ensure
accuracy and safety. However, when several experiments are reported, some details may fit better in
the appropriate parts of the Results section.

3 Write the stages in any new procedure in the right order and describe in details any new technique,
or modifications of an established technique.

4 If necessary, refer to preliminary experiments and to any consequent changes in technique. Describe
your controls adequately.

5 Include information on the purity and structure of the materials used, and on the source of the
material and the method of preparation.

Summary / Abstract (usually included in longer reports)
This is a very brief outline of the report to give the potential reader a general idea of what its about.
A statement of:

overall aims and specific objectives
method/procedure used or you can include it in separate section
key findings
main conclusions and recommendations
Introduction (always included)

This should show that you have fully understood the task/brief and that you are going to cover
everything required. Indicate the basic structure of the report.
You should include just a little background/context and indicate the reasons for writing the report.
Your introduction will often give an indication of the conclusion to the report.

Main body/findings (always included)

This is the substance of your report. The structure will vary according to the nature of the material
being presented, with headings and sub-headings used to clearly indicate the different sections. A
"situation>problem>solution>evaluation" approach may be appropriate.
It is not sufficient to simply describe a situation. Your tutor will be looking for analysis and for a
critical approach, when appropriate.
Charts, diagrams and tables can be used to reinforce your arguments
Do not include opinions, conclusions or recommendations in this section.
Results (possibly included in scientific/engineering reports)
This section records your observations and would normally include statistics, tables or graphs.
Conclusion (always included)

Your conclusion should draw out the implications of your findings, with deductions based on the facts
described in your main body. Dont include any new material here.

Recommendations (sometimes included)

These should follow on logically from your conclusion and be specific, measurable and achievable. They
should propose how the situation/problem could be improved by suggesting action to be taken. A
statement of cost should be included if you are recommending changes that have financial
implications.
Recommendations can be numbered if you wish.

References (always included)
This is a list giving the full details of all the sources to which you have made reference within your text