18. study bites - writing reports 09-09-2010

8/6/2019 18. Study Bites - Writing Reports 09-09-2010

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Study Bites Writing reports

Produced by Robert Gordon University 1 Study Skills and Access Unit

WRITING REPORTS

There are many different types of report, from mid-term sales and

marketing forecasts, proposals or requests for funding, through to casestudies and scientific lab reports.

When writing a report it is important to keep in mind:

why the report is being written (e.g. to provide information, to

make a request or to influence decision-making)

what it will cover (the focus, themes and issues) and

who the audience is (e.g. what does the audience already know

about the subject area, what do they want/need to know, what is

their likely opinion).

All these things can influence how you prepare, write and present your

report. You will also need to keep in mind the constraints or limitations

on time and budget, what evidence is needed, and the aims which

define the scope and objective of the report (Payne and Whittaker 2000).

Report Structure

The structure of reports varies according to the subject matter, and

different courses may have different report formats. Students may find

that not all of the sections discussed here are relevant to the type of

report they have to produce. For example a business school report may

not require a methodology section, whereas a scientific report based on

primary research would almost certainly need a methodology section.

Check the assignment guidelines/instructions carefully to ascertain which

sections to include. Many departments put out a guide to the structureand style of reports they require for their subject areas; read these

carefully and/or ask your tutor if you are in doubt.

In this topic we will look at two commonly used types of report:

academic style reports and corporate style reports. Many features are

common to both, but there are some important differences that you need

to be aware of (always check with your department if you are unsure of

which style to use). Note that reports can have flexible formats, so the

following should be used as a guide only.


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Academic style reports

Typical sections include:

Title page Abstract (executive summary)

Contents page

Introduction

Literature review

Methodology

Results

Discussion

Conclusion

Recommendations References/Bibliography

Appendices

What do these terms mean?

Abstract (executive summary)

An abstract (sometimes called an executive summary) is a brief summary

of the report, containing key information from each section (for example,

key points in the methodology, key findings, conclusions and

recommendations etc). The abstract should be self-contained so that

anyone can read it to get an overview of the whole report without having

to read through the entire text. Although it appears at the beginning of a

report, it is often easier to write the abstract after you have completed

the other sections.

Introduction

The introduction gives background information to provide a context for

the report. It provides an overview of the topics covered and the purpose

of the report. It differs from the abstract in that it shouldnt state key

findings, conclusions and recommendations.

Literature review

The literature review is a critical evaluation of sources you have reviewedwhile researching the topic you are writing about. It is more than a


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summary as it should provide a critical analysis of the sources, for

example identifying similarities and differences or gaps in the literature

etc. (see Critical Thinking and Writing Analytically).

Methodology

The methodology section summarises the techniques used to collect the

data presented in the report. It may also include justifications for using a

particular data gathering method and/or any problems encountered

during collection and collation.

Results

The results section presents the results of the investigation and may

include tables, graphs, charts or diagrams to visually present the

information (make sure these are all labelled accurately). If the results

are extensive, you should present a summary of the findings in this

section and put the raw results in an appendix (see below).

Discussion

This section provides a more in-depth analysis and discussion of thefindings in the results section. In some reports the discussion section may

be combined with the conclusion section.

Conclusion

The conclusion section explains the significance of your findings. It should

critically discuss these findings in the context of your analysis of the

literature review. You might also discuss the limitations of the report

findings (e.g. sample size, restricted sample, bias, or any problemsencountered).

Recommendations

The recommendation section is where any suggestions for action or

further investigation are made. It may sometimes be included in the

conclusion section.


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References/Bibliography

The reference list should contain the full details of all the references used

in the text (a bibliography can include texts consulted but not used/cited

in your text). Follow your departments recommended style forreferences.

Appendices

Appendices contain material that is referred to in the report, but which is

too large or detailed to include in the body of the report (e.g. raw data,

questionnaires). The reader should be able to choose whether or not to

consult the appendices, so information in the appendices should not be

essential to understanding the report.

Academic report checklist

Title Page: Does the title page contain all the correct detail?

Contents page: Are the contents list, list of tables and charts and

appendices complete and in order with correct page references (check

these haven't shifted during rewriting)?

Abstract: Does the summary/abstract stand alone as a complete and

accurate summary of the report?

Introduction: Is the background as brief and as thorough as possible

and are any definitions clarified? Are the aims of the report clearly

stated (note: sometimes the aims are presented in a separate

section)?

Methods: Are the methods used in the report appropriate and clearly

stated? Will the reader be able to establish the validity of the methodsused?

Results: Are the findings presented in a logical order? Is the content

relevant to the aims of the report? Does the text flow naturally and is

the language clear and concise?

Discussion: Is the material well-balanced and are any

opinions/assertions supported?


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Conclusions: Are the conclusions well-supported and do they reflect a

sound analysis of the material presented in the main body? Check that

new information hasn't been introduced.

Recommendations: Do you need a separate section for

recommendations or can they go in the conclusion? Are the

recommendations relevant to and fulfill the aims of the report? Is it

clear what action (if any) is required?

References Is the list of references complete and are all the in-text

citations correct and in the right place? Will the reader be able to trace

the references?

Appendices: Are all the appendices present, in the correct order and

numbered accordingly?

(Adapted from Payne & Whitaker 2000)

Corporate style reports

Some courses, particularly business courses, may require you to write

reports that dont necessarily follow the standard academic report format

we have outlined above. If this is the case your department shouldprovide you with a detailed outline of the format they require. In

corporate style reports the sections are numbered and it is up to the

writer to structure and label the different sections according to what is

appropriate for the contents and/or assignment instructions. This style of

report is similar to reports generated in corporate environments.

If you are assigned a corporate style report it is important to read

through the assignment instructions carefully as these will often contain

clues as to how to structure the report and what labels will be required for

each section (see Understanding Assignment and Exam Questions). It

would be useful to plan out the structure in advance to ensure the

sections are cohesive and that the flow of information through the report

is logical (see Structuring Assignments and Exam Essays).

Note: in corporate style reports abstracts are known as an executive

summaries.

Below is an example of an excerpt from a corporate style report:


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Example of corporate style report (excerpt)

2.0 Marketing Strategies historical perspective

Between 1939 and 1954 Dyce and Dyer relied primarily on word of

mouth advertising and shop-front appeal (Peeler 2003). With the

arrival of rival haberdashery Pauls on the corner of Market and

Union Streets in 1953, however, the company was faced with its

first major retail competition (Considine 1976). Pauls had secured

a prime location and set up lavish window displays that snagged

shoppers attention before they reached Dyce and Dyer further

down Market Street. By the time founding partner Robert Dyce

stepped down due to ill health and his son Robert took over in

1954, sales were down 25 percent (Bruce 1998). Later that year,

Robert Dyce launched the first Dyce and Dyer door-to-door

marketing campaign.

2.1 The door-to-door marketing campaign was begun with two clear

objectives: to advertise the store, thus promoting brand

awareness, and to offer loyalty discounts.

2.1.1 Brand awareness was achieved through well-designedmarketing leaflets clearly displaying the Dyce and Dyer logo

and shop front. The leaflets also contained a map with the

stores location clearly displayed. Carefully worded

descriptions of the store suggested a superior shopping and

after-sales service experience (see appendix 2).

2.1.2 Loyalty discounts were offered to consumer who bought

more than 50 worth of items over a twelve month period.

Consumer purchases and loyalty discounts were tracked on

personalised cards kept in the store (Bruce 1998).

2.2 The door-to-door marketing campaign was a major success for

Dyce and Dyer and spawned a number of copy-cat loyalty schemes

(Henderson 2005). Within two years sales at Dyce and Dyer had

outstripped its rival Pauls (Bruce 1998) and the company seemed

poised on the brink of retail victory over its rival Pauls.


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Sources and further reading

PAYNE, E. and WHITTAKER, L., 2000. Developing Essential Study Skills.

Harlow: Pearson Education Limited

18. study bites - writing reports 09-09-2010

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