REPORT WRITING

REPORT WRITING

• Is common in a number of disciplines. A report is a specific form of writing, written concisely

and clearly and typically organized around identifying and examining issues, events, or findings
from a research
 A REPORT MIGHT INVOLVE

• An analysis of existing data and litereture

• conducting analysis and problem solving
• result of and investigation
COMPARISON BETWEEN REPORT AND
ESSAY
REPORT WRITING PROCESS
THREE MAIN PHASES OF WRITING REPORT

• The preparation phase where you analyse exactly what you are being asked to do and if you are
working in a group, agree on the group communication plan.
• The analysis phase where you gather your evidence, conduct research, under go investigations,
complete coding, calculation etc.
• The analysis phase will enable you to go up with your key message-your answer of the
question/solution to the problem. The will then determine the structure of your report and enable
you to complete the writing phase of the report.
 UNDERSTANDING THE TASK

• The key part of the preparation phase is to work out exactly what you are being asked to do.
What are you being asked to analyse or what problem have you being asked to solve.
EXAMPLE

 Note the wordings “should be justified

through evidence”. This gives a clue to what
you need to be focusing on when writing up
your report and will help guide your analysis
and research, the next step in the process.
 ANALYSIS AND RESEARCH

• Having determined what you are being asked to do in the report, the next phase is complete all
the analysis and research. Analysis involved will be dependent on the course and specific task.
 SOME TASKS YOU MIGHT NEED TO
PERFORM ;
• Gathering data and background info
• Performing statistical/mathematical calculations
• analysis of results of data
• Further research of statistics, reports, journal articles
• Coding
• Design
If working in a group, it’s a good idea to distribute analysis tasks among the group members.
 STRUCTURE

• The writing phase begins with determining your structure. A report is written to persuade the
reader of the key message. The key message should determine the structure of the report,
specifically the structure may be determine within the report. Additionally the structure may be
determine by the individual lecturer and may vary considerably according to the task’s purpose
and audience.
 GENERAL REPORT STRUCTURE

• Title page: should include the report title, author’s name, receiver’s name, and date.
• Table of contents
• Executive summary: briefly outlines key message, purpose, findings, conclusions and
recommendations. Sometimes known as synopsis or abstract.
• Introduction: gives the aim, scope and background. Also previews the report structure.
• Discussion: this section needs to develop the material in a clear, logical and coherent manner.
 GENERAL REPORT STRUCTURE

• Conclusion: summary of main findings and conclusions based on these findings.

• Recommendations: This section is sometimes combined with the conclusion.
• Appendices: holds technical information which would clutter the body of the report.
• References : any external evidence cited.
 WRITING THE REPORT

• Once you have determined the key message and the best way to structure your report, you will
find the writing phase smoother and more efficient. It is often much easier to allocate sections of
the report to different group members as evryone is clear on the overall direction of the report.
 THE WRITING FOCUSES ON:

1. Setting up your key message in the introduction

2. Developing your key message through your section and topic sentences
3. Supporting your ideas with good evidence
4. Summarising your findings in concluding sentences and your conclusion
 INTRODUCTION

• It can be very short and succinct and allow the reader to know your key message and outline of
the reasons behind that.

BODY PARAGRAPHS
• The body of the report provides the justification for your recommendation by presenting findings
based on evidence.
 INTRODUCTION

TOPIC SENTENCES
• It should indicate your position and encapsulate the argument that you make on that paragraph.
SUPPORTING SENTENCES
• Each sentences connect to each other to create a logical flow.
CONCLUDING AND LINKING SENTENCES
• It can also lead on to the next paragraphs by developing a logical link to the next main idea.
 INTRODUCTION

CONCLUDING AND EDITING A REPORT

• Typically conclusions summarise the findings.
When editing, the following can be helpful;
1. Key message
2. Structure
3. Paragraphing
4. Expression
 WRITING ADVISORY

• The writing advisory service provides personalised feedback on your written work throughout
the year.
• you will be able to get comments from an experienced academic tutor on the organisation and
clarity of your ideas, academic style and frequent language mistakes.
• the idea is that you learn from your mistakes and through implementing the suggestions that the
tutors give you.
THANK YOU