Writing Reports Christine Vella

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Today’s objectives Reports:

– Similarities & differences – essays and reports? – Report purpose & audience – Different report types & their corresponding

structures – Sample report assignment question – Sample report – Useful resources

Reports versus Essays

In what ways are reports & essays the same? In what ways are reports & essays different? Discuss with your partner.

What is a report? a clearly structured document in which the writer identifies and

examines issues, events, or findings of an investigation. information obtained from research or from undertaking a project is delivered in a precise, concise writing style organised under a set of

headings and sub-headings, which enable the reader to find data quickly

graphs and tables can also be used frequently offers recommendations for action based on the information

it has presented.

Structure of Reports Reports are written for different purposes. They therefore contain different information

and structures, including headings and subheadings, and these form the outline of the report.

What are the common elements of reports across disciplines? • Title page • Table of contents • Introduction • Discussion • Recommendations • Reference list

Structure of Reports However a more detailed report, for example a research report, may include a number

of additional headings & subheadings. Research Report • Title page • Executive summary (or abstract) • Introduction • Method / methodology • Results / findings • Discussion • Conclusions • Recommendations • Appendices • Reference List

Structure of Reports – Each field of study has a preferred model.

– If instructions for your assessment report are vague or ambiguous …

Clarify with your lecturer.

Where do you start? As with any assignment, the first step must be to unpack the question

& fully understand what you are being asked to write. Analyse the task carefully: the purpose of the report the scope of the report (what aspects are to be covered) the limits of the report (e.g., information, headings, word count, time frame) the target audience. If you are not sure about any of the details of the assignment ask your

tutor or lecturer for clarification, especially on the headings that you must include in your report.

Step by step

Step 1. Define the problem & the purpose of the report Step 2. Determine the audience Step 3. Determine the ideas to include Step 4. Research & collect the information Step 5. Sort, organise & evaluate the information Step 6. Prepare the outline

Step 1: Define the problem and the purpose of the report It is important to analyse the problem and define your purpose. It is

useful at this stage to ask yourself questions such as the following: What will the report investigate? What is the scope of your investigation? What are the limitations of your investigation? What method will you use to conduct your investigation? Defining the purpose of your report is most important. Once you have

determined the purpose of the report, it will be easier to define your audience and the information you need to collect.

Step 2: Define the audience At university, it is relatively easy to define your audience: it is your

lecturer or tutor, the marker of your work. Make sure you read the task carefully as sometimes lecturers set a

hypothetical audience.

Step 3: Determine the ideas to include It is important to establish the ideas or topics you need to

address. Make a list of all the potential topics or sections of the

report. From these, you can draw up a preliminary outline of

headings. This step will greatly assist in collecting the information

you need to write the report.

Step 4: Research & collect the information After having identified the issues and topics, you need to

locate the research and information needed. There are two main categories of information used in report writing:

primary (interviews with people, conversations etc.) and

secondary (published materials, previous reports, statistics).

Make sure that your sources are reliable.

Step 5: Sort, organise & evaluate the information Once you have gathered your information: review your material highlight key terms and ideas that relate to the purpose of the

report. This highlighted material may make up the findings section of the

report. Place these in a file and put any irrelevant material into a background file. Don't discard any information until the report is complete: circumstances can change and you will save time if you need to make any major changes, or the purpose of the report changes.

Step 6: Sort, organise & evaluate the information Going back to the preliminary headings you drew up, begin to sort your information

under these headings if they are still appropriate. This step is very important because you must ensure that you have a suitable structure or outline of the report. Keep the big picture in mind:

How do the ideas link together? Are there any gaps in the information? What headings/issues are the most important, and what sub-headings might come

under them? You may need to revise your headings/outline during this process and add new topics or

remove redundant or irrelevant ones. Categorise your information under the headings and then plan sub-headings. Having done this, ensure that your sequence of heading and sub-heading is logical and appropriate.

Step 7: Prepare the Outline The order of the information in the report is closely linked

with the purpose of the report, so it is important to establish immediately the report structure your lecturer expects.

The reader needs to see at a glance how your material is organised.

Headings and sub-headings do the same job as topic sentences in paragraphs in essays.

Allocate a certain number of words to each section.

Title Page

Report title Person for whom the report prepared Person(s) who prepared the report – (name & student #) Date of report/submission date

Executive summary / Abstract The Executive Summary is designed to give the busy

executive a brief overview of the report. This Executive Summary includes: a statement of purpose a brief description of what has been done in this report. a summary of the findings a recommendation

Executive summary The Executive summary is not numbered How long? 1 page per 5,000 words When is it best to write it? After you finish writing the report.

Table of contents I. Executive Summary ii II. PRELIMINARY COSTS 1

1.1 Staff costs 1 1.1.1 Recruitment costs 3 1.1.2 Training costs 5 1.2 Equipment 9

III. SECONDARY COSTS 10 References 44 Table 1 22

Introduction

The Introduction provides essential background information, including why the study or project was undertaken and what methods were used to gather the information. The sections required in the introduction vary, depending on the type of report and the department to which you belong. These may include the following sections:

Introduction

Purpose: why the research or project was undertaken. The purpose is usually stated in one sentence.

The aim of this paper is to give … This paper reports on … The primary focus of this paper is … This report provides … This study aims to …

Introduction Scope: This tells the reader the extent of the research. What

exactly was investigated. Method: This describes how the information was gathered. Limitations: This tells the reader what the researcher was not able to

do, due to lack of time, resources or other factors.

Introduction

Background: This is closely related to the Purpose. It may include

information about the company for whom the report has been prepared and the factors leading to the need for the report.

Definition of terms: Specific terms or concepts that need to be clarified or

defined.

Body Divided into sections and sub-sections. Depending on the type of report will include

– What you found out from your investigation – What those findings mean – How your findings relate to the question you

were investigating

Literature review

Briefly summarise the most significant texts and major research findings in your field of investigation. Evaluate the major works/findings, and connect them to your own work, to show how you will draw upon or depart from the literature in your research.

Materials and methods State/define the methods you used to conduct your

research (quantitative/qualitative; primary/ secondary) Briefly provide a rationale for why this method was

employed Describe the conditions under which the research was

conducted, number of participants, how they were selected, duration of the experiment etc.

Identify any limitations in the methodology. If necessary also include any materials that were used.

Findings The Findings section presents the basic facts with a

minimum of commentary. The implications of these facts are examined in the Discussion section.

In reports comparative findings can be presented in bulleted lists.

If the information being presented is more complex or more detailed it may be more appropriate to use numbered paragraphs rather than bullet points,.

Table form is another useful way to present comparative findings in a report.

Discussion of results / findings In this section analyse your findings at length, and provide

an explanation for why those results were obtained. You may state whether or not the results confirmed your

initial hypothesis, whether they were expected, and their possible significance.

Present your findings or arguments in a logical manner according to the subject matter. You may also present options, alternatives or responses to specific situations or issues.

Conclusions Summarise the purpose of the report the methodology or theories employed the key points or findings of your report and the significance of those findings Don’t introduce any new points, or information or new

sources. You can put recommendations here if you don’t intend to

have a specific section for them.

Recommendations suggest ways in which problems identified in the report

may be resolved. should be given in a numbered list should be feasible and realistic. information on how they can be implemented should also

be given. there should be a logical relationship between the results

and the recommendations, and all recommendations should clearly spring from previously discussed material.

Reference List & Appendices Reference List: List alphabetically the sources referred to in the body

of the report. Use appropriate referencing conventions for sources quoted, paraphrased or referred to in-text. Only include sources mentioned in the report.

Appendices: This is for material you consider important but it

interferes with the flow of your discussion; for example, data, calculations, surveys, transcripts, graphics, maps, questionnaires, pamphlets etc.) referred to in-text. Number each item starting each item on a new page. Only include items mentioned in the report.

The language of reports Knowing about the function and structure of reports is important; however, knowing

about the appropriate style and conventions to use when writing your report is equally important. Reports written in a university context tend to be:

structured formal objective impersonal complex and contain technical language. Good reports are documents that are accurate, objective and complete.

The language of reports The formal and impersonal nature of reports can be achieved

by avoiding certain types of language: slang terms and contractions (didn't, won't etc.) strong expressions of opinion and attitude use the passive voice (were specified, it is suggested etc.) it

allows writers to foreground what was done, rather than who did it, thus making the writing less personal.

A more objective, impersonal tone is achieved through the use of formal and impersonal language.

Sub-headings as noun phrases

Use noun phrases for your sub-headings NOT: What are the competitive advantages of company

X? NOT: Company X has many advantages BUT: Competitive advantages of Company X

Parallel form in sub-headings Which is the odd one out? • Decrease in costs • Increase in passenger numbers • Increasing destinations How can these sub-headings be made parallel?

Report checklist • Have you determined what type of report to write? • Have you determined the structure/headings of your report? • Have you collected the materials/information you need to write

the report? • Have you drafted a timeline to complete the report on time? • Have you written a draft and edited it carefully? • Are all parts of the report, including appendices, completed?

References Edith Cowan University https://intranet.ecu.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/20628/report_writing.pdf Monash University http://www.monash.edu.au/lls/llonline/writing/general/report/1.xml University of Canberra http://www.canberra.edu.au/studyskills/writing/reports