Objectives

and
Structures of
Various Kinds
of Reports
 Learning Target:
MELC:
- Determine the objectives and structures of
various kinds of reports.
Specific Objectives:
1. Discuss the main parts of a report.
2. Understand the different types of reports.
3. Write a basic report.

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Report
✗ a major form of
technical/business/professional
communication.
✗ It is formal in nature and is written for a
specific purpose and audience.

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Report
A report can be the description of an event by a
person who witnessed it to somebody else who was
not actually present on the scene.

It can be the description of the conditions that did

exist, that do exist, or that are likely to exist.

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Types of
Report
1. Informal Report
✗ The informal report functions are to inform, analyze, and recommend.
✗ It usually takes the form of a memo, letter, or a very short international
document.
✗ This report differs from the formal report in length and formality.
✗ It is written according to organization style and rules.
✗ The informal report is usually more controversial in tone and typically
deals with everyday problems and issues addressed to a narrow readership
inside the organization.

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Types of Informal
Reports
✗ Progress report
✗ Sales activity report
✗ Personnel evaluation
✗ Financial report
✗ Feasibility report
✗ Literature review
✗ Credit report
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2. formal Report
✗ The formal report is the collection and interpretation of data and
information.
✗ The formal report is complex and used at an official level.
✗ It is often a written account of a major project.
✗ Examples of subject matter include new technologies, the
advisability of launching a new project line, results of a study or
experiment, an annual report, or a year-old review of developments
in the field.

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Types of formal Reports
✗Informational reports
✗Analytical reports
✗Recommendation reports

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a. Informational
Report
✗ Informational reports present results so readers can
understand a particular problem or situation.
Example: The manager of a city’s website might prepare an
informational report for the city council, the report would
provide statistics on the number of people who pay their city
water and sewage bills online, etc.

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 Characteristics of
informational reports
✗ Present information on the status of current research or of a
project.
✗ Present an update on the operation in your division.
✗ Explain how your organization or division does something.
✗ Present the results of a questionnaire or research.

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b.
✗
analytical Report
This type goes a step beyond presenting results. Analytical
reports present results, analyze those results and draw
conclusions based on those results.
✗ These reports attempt to describe why or how something
happened and then explain what it means.
✗ Analytical reports can be formal or informal.

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b.
✗
analytical Report
Explain what causes a problem or situation e.g. Present the
results of a traffic study showing accidents at an intersection.
✗ Explain the potential results of a particular course of action.
✗ Suggest which option, action, or procedure is best.

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c. Recommendation
Report
✗This type advocates a particular course of action.
✗This usually presents the results and conclusions that
support the recommendations.
✗This type is identical to an analytical report.

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c. Recommendation
Report
For example, your analytical report suggests using treatment X is
more efficient than treatments Y and Z. However, that does not mean
that you will use treatment X as cost and other considerations might
recommend treatment Y.
✗ What should we do about a problem?
✗ Should we or can we do something?
✗ Should we change the method or technology we use to do
something?

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Objective
s of
reports
 Objectives of reports
✗ To present a record of accomplished work (Project report)
✗ To record an experiment (primary research report/laboratory report)
✗ To record research findings or technical specifications (a report on
the details of a new product)
✗ To document schedules, timetables, and milestones (a report on a
long-term plan)
✗ To document current status (an inspection report)

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 Objectives of reports
✗ To record and clarify complex information for future reference (a
report on policies and procedures)
✗ To present information to a large number of people (annual report)
✗ To present organized information on a particular topic (a report
describing the functions of various divisions of an organization)
✗ To recommend actions that can be considered in solving certain
problems. (recommendatory report)

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Structure
of
Reports
 1. Title
✗ The title needs to concisely state the topic of the report.
✗ It needs to be informative and descriptive so that someone
just reading the title will understand the main issue of your
report.
✗ You do not need to include excessive detail in your title but
avoid being vague and too general.

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 2. Abstract (Summary or
Executive Summary)
✗ This is the ‘shop window’ for your report.
✗ It is the first (and sometimes the only) section to be read and
should be the last to be written.
✗ It should enable the reader to make an informed decision about
whether they want to read the whole report.
✗ The length will depend on the extent of the work reported but
it is usually a paragraph or two and always less than a page.

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 2. Abstract (Summary or
Executive Summary)
✗ What is the purpose of the work?
✗ What methods did you use for your research?
✗ What were the main findings and conclusions reached as
a result of your research?
✗ Did your work lead you to make any recommendations
for future actions?

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 3. Introduction
(Background or context)
✗In this section you explain the rationale for
undertaking the work reported on, including
what you have been asked (or chosen) to do, the
reasons for doing it, and the background to the
study.
✗It should be written in an explanatory style.

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 3. Introduction
(Background or context)
✗State what the report is about - what is the
question you are trying to answer?
✗Include a brief outline of your method of inquiry.
✗State the limits of your research and the reasons
for them.

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 4. Literature Survey
(Literature Review)
✗ This is a survey of publications (books, journals, authoritative
websites, sometimes conference papers) reporting work that
has already been done on the topic of your report.
✗ It should only include studies that have direct relevance to your
research.
✗ A literature survey should be written like an essay in a
discursive style, with an introduction, a main discussion
grouped in themes, and a conclusion.

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 4. Literature Survey
(Literature Review)
✗ Introduce your review by explaining how you went about
finding your materials, and any clear trends in research that have
emerged.
✗ Group your texts in themes.
✗ Write about each theme as a separate section, giving a critical
summary of each piece of work and showing its relevance to
your research.
✗ Conclude with how the review has informed your research.

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 5. Methods
(Methodology)
✗ You need to write your Methods section in such a way that
a reader could replicate the research you have done.
✗ There should be no ambiguity here, so you need to write in
a very factual informative style.
✗ You need to state clearly how you carried out your
investigation.

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 5. Methods
(Methodology)
✗ Explain why you chose this method (questionnaires, focus
group, experimental procedure, etc.), including techniques
and any equipment you used.
✗ If there were participants in your research, who were they?
How many? How were they selected?
✗ Write this section concisely but thoroughly – go through what
you did step by step, including everything that is relevant.

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 6. Results (Data or
Findings)
✗ This section has only one job which is to present the findings of
your research as simply and clearly as possible.
✗ Use the format that will achieve this most effectively e.g. text,
graphs, tables, or diagrams.
✗ When deciding on a graphical format to be used, think about
how the data will look to the reader.
✗ Choose just one format - do not repeat the same information in,
for instance, a graph and a table.

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 6. Results (Data or
Findings)
✗ Label your graphs and tables clearly.
✗ Give each figure a title and describe in words what the
figure demonstrates.
✗ Writing in this section should be clear, factual, and
informative.
✗ Save your interpretation of the results for the Discussion
section.

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 7. Discussion
✗ This is probably the longest section and worth spending
time on.
✗ It brings everything together, showing how your findings
respond to the brief you explained in your introduction and
the previous research you surveyed in your literature
survey.

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 7. Discussion
✗ It should be written in a discursive style, meaning you need to
discuss not only what your findings show but why they show
this, using evidence from previous research to back up your
explanations.
✗ This is also the place to mention if there were any problems (for
instance, if your results were different from expectations, you
couldn’t find important data, or you had to change your method
or participants) and how they were or could have been solved.

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 8. Conclusion
✗ Your conclusions should be a short section with no new
arguments or evidence.
✗ Sum up the main points of your research - how do they
answer the original brief for the work reported on?
This section may also include:
• Recommendations for action
• Suggestions for further research

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 9. References (Reference List
or Bibliography)
✗ Listed here are the full details for any works you have
referred to in the report, including books, journals,
websites, and other materials.
✗ You may also need to list works you have used in
preparing your report but have not explicitly referred to
check your instructions for this and for the correct style of
referencing to use.

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 10. Appendices
✗ The appendices hold any additional information that may
help the reader but is not essential to the report’s main
findings: anything that 'adds value’.
✗ That might include (for instance) interview questions, raw
data, or a glossary of terms used.
✗ Label all appendices and refer to them where appropriate
in the main text (e.g. ‘See Appendix A for an example
questionnaire’).
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