Writing a report

Reports are documents which present focused, salient content to a specific audience. Reports are often used to display the result of an experiment, investigation, or inquiry.

Report writing is an essential skill for professionals and students. A report aims to inform, as clearly and succinctly as possible.

A report is similar to an essay in that both need:

• formal style
• introduction, body and conclusion
• analytical thinking 
• careful proof-reading and neat presentation

A report differs from an essay in that a report:

• presents information, not an argument
• is meant to be scanned quickly by the reader
• uses numbered headings and sub-headings
• uses short, concise paragraphs and dot-points where applicable
• uses graphics wherever possible (tables, graphs, illustrations)
• may need an abstract (sometimes called an executive summary)
• does not always need references and bibliography
• is often followed by recommendations and/or appendices

A report should generally include the following sections.

• Letter of transmittal
• Title page
• Table of contents
• List of abbreviations and/or glossary
• Executive summary/abstract
• Introduction
• Body
• Conclusion
• Recommendations
• Bibliography
• Appendices

Presentation and style are important. First impressions count, so consider these simple tips:

• use plenty of white space
• ensure the separate parts of your report stand out clearly
• use subheadings
• Allow generous spacing between the elements of your report
• Use dot points/ numbers/ letters to articulate these elements
• Use tables and figures (graphs, illustrations, maps etc) for clarification.
• number each page
• use consistent and appropriate formatting
• use formal language

Avoid these:

• the inclusion of careless, inaccurate, or conflicting data
• the inclusion of outdated or irrelevant data
• facts and opinions that are not separated
• unsupported conclusions and recommendations
• careless presentation and proof-reading
• Too much emphasis on appearance and not enough on content.

Here, there is an example: