The document provides guidance on writing reports. It explains that reports typically identify a problem, consider possible solutions through research, and evaluate solutions to make a justified recommendation. The report structure includes preliminaries, an executive summary, background, research methods, findings/results, conclusions, and recommendations sections. Organization may vary but the content aims to clearly present the problem, research process, results, and suggested action.

1. Writing Reports

2. Writing Reports
• The reports dealt with in this slide
presentation are common in subjects like
business and education.
• You will normally be expected to identify a
problem and carry out some enquiry to
solve it.

3. Writing Reports
• Based on your knowledge and reading you
will offer different possible solutions.
• You will need to carry out some kind of
investigation to see which solution is best in
a particular context.

4. Writing Reports
• You need to describe your method of
investigation and describe your results.
• You need to evaluate the different solutions
and make a choice.
• You will have to justify your solution and
make recommendations based on your
study.

5. Writing Reports
• The report is organized in the following way
and will have headings and subheadings to
show the structure. It may have bullet
points and numbered lists and will probably
include diagrams and charts.
• Title page: start by giving the title, the
date and any other information you have
been asked to provide.

6. Writing Reports
• Table of contents: follow with a list of
contents which shows the structure and
content of the report.
• Terms of reference: these provide the
background to the report by defining the
problem. They summarize the
researcher’s understanding of the original
brief.

7. Writing Reports
• Executive summary: this summary or
abstract summarizes the main points of
the report, including conclusions and
recommendations.
• Background: this section introduces the
problem and explains why the research
was necessary.

8. Writing Reports
• Research methods: this section explains
how the research was carried out. One of
its purposes is to persuade the reader that
it was done well and the results should be
believed.
• Findings/Results: in this section, present
the data that you have collected.

9. Writing Reports
• Conclusions: interpret the data and draw
out the key points.
• Recommendations: in this section,
identify any action arising from the
conclusions and discuss what this
involves in practice.

10. Writing Reports
• Appendices: include here the fine detail
(e.g. a copy of a questionnaire or raw
data) that is not necessary for the main
body of the report or that would clutter
the report.
• References: list all the materials that you
referred to in writing the report.

11. Writing Reports
• Note: Departments differ in what they
think should be in a report. Check what is
required.

12. Writing Reports
Organization of the report
Preliminaries

13. Writing Reports
Executive
Summary

14. Writing Reports
Background
 Description of the
background.
 Explanation of why the
research was necessary.

15. Writing Reports
Research Methods
 Report on how the research
was carried out.

16. Writing Reports
Findings/Results
 Report of the findings.
 Inclusion of diagrams which
need to be referred to.

17. Writing Reports
Discussion and
Conclusion
 Description of the findings.
Comparison and contrast of
the findings with previous
research.
Evaluation of the findings.

18. Writing Reports
Recommendations
 Recommendation of action.

19. Writing Reports
End matter

20. Writing Reports
• Note: Some sections may be organized
differently: results and discussion may be
one section; discussion and conclusion may
be separate sections; recommendations
may be part of the conclusion.