ruytj

1. Report Writing
Welcome! - whilst everyone is arriving, please:
a) Find these symbols at the bottom of the main window:
Ensure that your microphone and webcam are turned off.
b) Use the text chat to ask questions and participate during the
session. To find the chat window, use these symbols:
and select 'Everyone’.
c) Use headphones if possible as this helps with sound quality.

2. Webinar Outline
In this session you will have the opportunity to:
1. Identify what needs to be considered to create
an outline structure for the type of report
required.
2. Identify the different sections and features in a
report.
3. Examine examples of two report extracts to
assess persuasiveness and critical writing.

3. Questions for you...
What type of report have you been
asked to write?
What questions do you have about
report writing?
Please post your answers and comments
in the chat

4. What is a report?
• A concise and structured
document with a defined
objective written for a
particular audience (public
or private).
• Involves research for a
specific purpose.
• Headings and numbered
sections are usual.

5. Types of report (1)
Analytical
• Concerned with data-driven decisions and presenting an
evidence base to inform decisions and options.
• Example: A report investigating causes of climate change
and actions.
Informational
• Provides detailed context on a problem or opportunity
• Defines issues and options, outlines situations, causes
and concerns, offers a course of action and solutions.
• Example: Impact of Covid 19 on economy in North of
England.

6. Types of report (2)
Proposal / propositional
• Outlines options to solve a problem, appraising them
based on set criteria: viability, cost, effectiveness,
feasibility.
• Example: Business report for UK head office on where to
locate a new logistics hub.
Periodic
• Reports progress over time periods at set intervals,
focusing on metrics and measuring change, eg. education
gains, happiness in society across EU, living standards.
• Example: Reports from government departments, health,
education, OECD, UN, PISA.

7. 1. How to decide on a
report structure

8. 1. Clarify the purpose
The purpose of the report should be outlined in the assignment
brief and marking criteria:
Develop a business strategy for a company
after analysis and evaluation. (Proposal)
Weigh up options - appraise, analyse and
evaluate - compare and contrast available
options to reach an informed decision.
Historic/ chronological report into phenomena,
describe, analyse, evaluate. Timeline
approach – change over time, turning points.

9. 2. Consider your audience
• You could assume you are writing for a client, real or imagined.
Communicate your understanding of their situation or issues.
• Written for a professional community with expertise. You might
assume some prior knowledge in the audience, but also introduce
new knowledge in accessible language.
• Written for an academic audience but considering wider reading to
offer advice. For example, advice for professional practice. e.g. a
report for secondary teachers considering the value of digital
technology in classrooms - implications for practice.
• Consider any sensitivities for applied settings - related to work,
organisations, real-world problems. You may incorporate data from
research, interview or focus group findings so confidentiality and
anonymity may be relevant.

10. 3. Look for clues in the report title or brief
Explore the potential uses of the old Grade II listed Post Office building
in Sheffield as a commercial/ retail /community space.
Offer outline costings for refurbishment and evaluate potential options
for profitability, highlighting any risks and liabilities. The information
should be presented in report format for a professional group of
investment experts.
What themes would an audience be interested in exploring?

11. General Post Office Sheffield- now a SHU building

12. Key information from the brief:
Explore the potential uses of the old Grade II listed Post
Office building in Sheffield as a commercial/ retail
/community space.
Offer outline costings for refurbishment and evaluate
potential options for profitability and highlight any risks
and liabilities.
The information should be presented in report format for
a professional group of investment experts.

13. 2. Report sections and
features

14. Building blocks of report structure (potential headings)
Report headings Content
Front page Title page, date, author
Abstract or Executive
Summary (if required)
• Overview of report content including key findings and
conclusions.
• Not included in page numbering. Sometimes a foreword or
preface is included.
Introduction
• Issue or key problem.
• Identify opportunity - context, background, scope of your
report.
Main body
• Main body themes, split into key sections with headings.
• Define your headings according to the content/topics.
Findings
• What did you find out?
• What does this mean?
• Implications?
Conclusion What do you conclude - key points, messages, learning.
Recommendations Recommendations for any action
Appendix (required) Additional information- not required in all reports

15. Typical report structure: Title
Title page, date, author
• The title should capture the reader’s interest.
• Include key terms that relate to main topics you
will cover. It could give readers some information
about the scope and outcomes of the report.
• May be expressed as a statement or question.
• Choose an appropriate verb to capture your
purpose: investigate, explore, analyse, evaluate
etc.

16. Poll – Choosing an appropriate title
Which report title you think is most appropriate
in terms of communicating scope and subject
area under discussion?
Use the poll below to vote for your
choice.

17. Appropriate information in the title
This expanded title gives clearer scope and
indicates type of topics and variables that will
be considered.
Time for a change in attitude to fast
fashion? An investigation into the UK
industry to assess economic and
ecological impacts.

18. Writing the title as question
Craft title question
according to report
purpose.
Causes?
Outcomes?
Examinations?
Views?
Evidence?
To what extent...?
In what ways...?
Why....?
What....?
How....?
Who...?
Where...?
Which...?

19. Abstract or Executive Summary
• The abstract is placed after the title page at the start but is
usually written later.
• No need for references.
• Outlines report content in brief: your scope, how you
undertook data collection, what was found, conclusions,
recommendations.
• Not numbered and on a separate page.
• Write in simple language for non-specialist audience.
• Often written in past tense as if it has happened.

20. Executive summary (often given in management reports)
Source

21. Top tip for writing abstracts:
Find a good example from a peer-reviewed article and follow
the format (present tense example below)

22. Typical report structure: Introduction
• Topic sentence/s explores title.
• Scope of report - what is included vs. excluded.
• Terms of reference. Give detail on what is under
investigation/ discussion.
• Describe expected outputs of report in more detail
- summary of type of recommendations, actions,
solutions linked back to report title. Expresses
desired aim.
• May mention structure/ sequence of sections.
Outline issue or problem.
What’s the opportunity-context,
background, scope?

23. Example front page (1):

24. Example contents page (1):

25. Example front page (2):

26. Example contents page (2):

27. Report example structure –contents page and sections (3):
Separate points
may be
numbered

28. Creating a logical flow:
Practical
next steps-
what can
be done?
Explore
and then
outline
possible
solutions
Quantify
problem or
issue
General
Specific

29. Using brief to create subheadings
Explore the potential uses of the old Grade II listed
Post Office building in Sheffield as a commercial/
retail / community space. Offer outline costings for
refurbishment and evaluate potential options for
profitability and highlight any risks and liabilities.
The information should be presented in report format
for a professional group of investment experts.
What subheadings might this report include?

30. Functions of writing
Persuasive -
advising
reader
Offers a
position or
stance
Evaluative -
judges value,
strengths and
weaknesses
Descriptive -
explains
features, gives
information
CRITICAL WRITING

31. Report writing task- assessing style and critical writing
Read the two examples of report writing, considering the
following questions:
What examples do you find of the writer’s stance or
position?
• Which report is most effective and persuasive?
Why?
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1z5k8TS2__bbLbmq
JGgkJoMJ-
_YA6k2gb/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=100094180503506824
028&rtpof=true&sd=true
Please share your comments and ideas.

32. Report writing task – critical writing?
 Report Writing Task: read the two example extracts
from different reports.
 Which report is most effective and persuasive?
 Why?
Please share your ideas

33. Possible headings - sections needed to answer report question
1. Introduction
2. General trading landscape
3. Listed property landscape - Sheffield and historical interests
4. Retail and commercial outlook
5. Community use of space - charities and third-sector building demand in Sheffield
6. The Grade II listed post office building in Sheffield-concerns and opportunities in refurbishment
6.1 Preservation and conservation - exterior
6.2 Preservation and conservation - interior
6.3 Building refurbishment - materials
6.4 Building refurbishment - design constraints and maximising the use of space
6.5 Building refurbishment - projected costs
7. Potential building use and profitability appraisals - option viability
7.1 Option 1
7.2 Option 2
7.3 Option 3
8. Risks and liabilities
8.1 Listed status
8.2 Workmanship and quality
8.3 Contract management
9. Rental outlook and economic downturn post COVID
9.1 Rental and commercial growth areas
10 Long term investment potential
11. Properties values outlook - next ten years
12. Commercial rents
13. Renter management, debt management, planning and suggested strategy
14. Conclusion
15. Recommendations

34. Sources to inform your thinking
Findings may be generated from research and reading:
Findings
Market
research e.g.
Mintel,
databases
Your own data
collection e.g.
interviewing people
about the issues
Peer-
reviewed
articles
Grey literature-
information not
produced by
commercial
publishers

35. Critical writing in reports
• Connect ideas from your sources to find shared
conclusions and themes. Question these and
evaluate them.
• Explain implications from your sources and
explore hypothetical scenarios. What could the
likely impact be?
• Draw conclusions and forecast impacts.
• Ask yourself ‘so what?’ to check you are giving
enough detail and being critical.

36. Connecting your ideas to context
Think back to our Post Office example:
• Would options and recommendations
be different in different economic
circumstances: boom and recession?
• Clarify your assumptions and apply ideas to the current
context. e.g. Post Covid-19: explore potential impacts such
as higher building costs, material shortages, lack of skilled
labour.
• ‘What if’ scenarios...?.

37. Conclusion
Conclusion
• Draw the findings together.
• Summarise key messages.
• Show how you have met the purpose of the
report.
• If appraising multiple options, are you able to
recommend one preferred option?
• You might acknowledge any remaining concerns,
unanswered questions or difficulties. Future work
on the topic may be needed.

38. Conclusion – Example:
Conclusion

39. Conclusion example – Flow of ideas:
1. Impact and which
parties contribute to
report
2. Summary of
findings and impacts
3. Call for new
responses – what
could work?
4. Specific area to
focus on and early
solutions emerging
5. Clear recommendations

40. Recommendations
In this section you make concrete recommendations for
actions which flow from the conclusion you have already
written:
• Think of how to implement the conclusion and what
recommendations you can make around major themes.
• Aim to be realistic and recommend actions that are in
line with your evidence and sources.
• For example, in the old Post Office report you might
make recommendations about the future use of types of
contracts with builders to reduce liabilities and suggest
ways to limit costs.

41. Recommendations - Timescales
You can structure your recommendations based on a
timeline of how soon they should be implemented:
• Short-term: Immediate actions
• Medium-term: Within the next two years
• Long-term: Think big! These could be large-scale policy
or strategy changes, or a shift in context.

42. Recommendations – Creative example:
Recommended actions are expressed by means of a two-sided approach:
1) what is required of city and
2) what is required of government.

43. Presenting, graphics and models (1)
Diagram shows key
aspects of the
inclusive renewal
deal and arrows
indicate which
factors are
connected
Maps show contrast
between Nottinghamshire
and Nottingham city
showing outflow of workers
and net employment figures
Visual representation of key heading areas of
recommended action and scope to document
existing action-good contrast between what’s
happening and what’s still to do.

44. Presenting data, graphics and stats (2)
Diagram shows correlation
between deprivation and
Covid cases- line indicates
deprivation/ case trend
showing deprived cities.

45. Presenting data, graphics and stats (3)
Diagram shows age
demographics bands compared
to UK. Turquoise band shows
key core cities, black box UK- 2
data set overlay in one graphic

46. Appendix or annex?
An appendix contains data that cannot be placed in the main
document (often too large or interrupts the flow) and is referred to in
the main document.
Use the phrase ‘See Appendix’ or ‘See Appendix 1’ (if there are
multiple). For example, you might add raw data, interview transcripts, a
competitor’s blog as appendices.
An annex, on the other hand, is usually a stand-alone document that
offers additional information in addition to what is contained in the
main document. For example, it could be a news article or brief paper
written by another author relevant to your topic or a data set from a
government department.

47. Useful resources
Not sure where to go from here? We recommend
the following:
• Webinar: Advanced Critical Writing
• Reading (ebooks):
Reid, M. (2012). Report writing
Becker, L. (2015). Writing successful reports and dissertations
• Online study guide: Report Writing

48. Any questions?

49. Additional support
Library
Help with finding sources, referencing, and reading lists.
Maths and Stats Help
Support for statistical (including software) and maths queries.
Assistive Technology
Specialist software for reading and notetaking.
University English Scheme
Resources and workshops to improve your use of English.
Disabled Student Support
For help with disability-related enquiries.
Student Wellbeing
For confidential help with psychological wellbeing.
Hallam Help
For all general questions or if you’re not sure who to ask.

50. libguides.shu.ac.uk/skills | skillscentre@shu.ac.uk | @HallamSkills
Webinars
Online group sessions on more academic skills and writing topics
1-1 appointments
Available online, over the phone or on campus
?
Virtual drop-ins
Every Wednesday 4-6pm for quick questions
Studiosity
Feedback on your writing drafts
Skill Guides
Online resources to develop your skills

51. Report writing resources
A list of additional resources you may find helpful:
Online study guides:
• Scientific report writing
• Writing field reports
• Lab reports
Report examples:
• Annual report of Health and Safety on Britain’s Railways
• Independent SAGE Report on Long Covid
• Independent Panel on Forestry
• Online Platforms and Digtal Advertising
• Sheffield City Council – Cycling Enquiry Report
Structure:
• Writing your abstract (video) How to write a strong abstract (scientific writing)
• Using visual data and infographics: Example 1 and Example 2

52. Feed back on this presentation
We hope that you found this presentation helpful.
Please give us some quick feedback
so we can improve our resources
and help other students.
Review this resource
If you have further queries, then please contact us
via skillscentre@shu.ac.uk.