Report structures vary according to the purpose and across different disciplines but there are some common features that broadly set them apart from essays.
What is a report?
For university assessments, a report is similar to an essay in that both need:
to be written in a formal style and follow academic writing conventions
an introduction, body and conclusion
analytical thinking and strong evidence to support the conclusion.
A report is often different to an essay in that a report:
is usually a presentation of facts and information, rather than a theoretical discussion of ideas and opinions
is often written for a specific audience (e.g. an organisation that has commissioned a report)
is structured with headings and sub-headings (often numbered) so that it may be easily scanned by the reader
uses short, concise paragraphs, and dot points where applicable
often uses graphics to convey data
often begins with an overview – an ‘introduction’, ‘background’, ‘abstract’ or ‘executive summary’
makes recommendations or suggests further lines of research
often has appendices with further details of processes or data.
Before reading or writing a report it is important to gain an understanding of the purpose. Here are just three examples of how some reports might differ in purpose and structure.
Business reports
examine how an organisation can achieve an objective
highlight a problem and suggest a solution
offer information, interpretation (e.g. product surveys), analysis and recommendations for an organisation.
Scientific reports
propose a hypothesis and test it
present findings of an experiment or research
provide details of how an experiment was carried out (methodology)
discuss results and implications of findings in the context of relevant research
acknowledge study limitations, gaps in research and suggest new directions in research.
include methodology, findings, conclusion and recommendations.
Government reports
can provide accurate information on a topic or policy to stakeholders
provide analysis of issues and policies in the public interest
provide recommendations for relevant stakeholders.
Begin by asking these questions:
Who has requested the report and why? Who is the intended audience?
What do they need to know?
How will the report be used?
Ensure you understand the requirements of your specific assessment task. Here are some questions to explore:
What type of report is needed?
How long does the report need to be?
What are the assessment requirements? What is the aim of the report? What is the problem/question to be investigated?
Are specific headings and sections required? e.g Recommendations
What information needs to be collected?
There are many different report structures for different purposes.
Always consult your unit assessment instructions and rubric for specific assessment requirements.
Here is a typical format used in Business.
Element of a business report
Notes
Letter or memorandum
Addressed to the person/group who commissioned the report, stating the purpose of the report, a brief summary and recommendations, and acknowledging all contributions in the report.
Title page
The title should clearly convey what the report is about. Include the author of the report.
Abstract or Executive summary
State the problem, how it was investigated, what was found, the significance of the findings and recommendations. Usually about 200 words.
Table of contents
Note – heading titles should be simple and descriptive. They are often numbered. Use heading levels, with major sections labelled 1, 2, 3, etc. And sub-headings labelled 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, etc.
Tip: Use Heading Styles in Microsoft Word. After you have completed a draft, insert a Table of Contents after the title page. Make sure you update the Table of Contents whenever you make changes.
Introduction or Background
Set the scene and give some background information about the topic. State the aim/purpose of the investigation and outline the sections in the body of the report.
Main body
Organise the body of the report into relevant sections.
Address the following questions:
What was investigated?
How was it investigated? Provide details.
What was found? Discuss the findings.
How could this be interpreted? What are the implications for your key audience?
Graphs or tables can be a useful way to convey data. If you do include graphs or tables, ensure that these are discussed in the main text. Each figure or table should be clearly labelled and include clear references in the main text, e.g. See Figure 2. Consult the Deakin Guide to Referencing for specific details.
Conclusion
Summarise what the report achieved:
Did it meet its aims?
What is the significance of the findings? Discuss and interpret.
Recommendations
Include a list of recommendations as a course of action that clearly follow on from the conclusion.
References
Include a list of references for all the sources you have cited in the report.
Appendices
Include any further information (e.g. further data) referred to in your report that was not able to be included in the body of the report due its length.
