Writing a
report
What are the
differences between essays and reports?
In a report, it
is vital that the information is clear
and easy to find. For that
reason, reports can make use of things not normally found in essays, such as:
·
dot points
·
headings and subheadings
·
tables, graphs and diagrams
In addition,
there are other important differences between reports and essays:
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Reports
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Essays
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Reports present facts/information, and the aim is
to explain them as clearly as possible
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Essays discuss perspectives on an
issue, and the aim is usually to construct an argument for a particular point
of view
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Reports are written for the person or organisation that requested them
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Essays are written for a lecturer
and other knowledgeable people in the field
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Reports will be scanned, so the
most important information needs to be easy to find, and summarised where
appropriate
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Essays will be read carefully from
beginning to end
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Reports use short, concise
paragraphs and dot-points where applicable
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Essays link ideas together into a
cohesive series of paragraphs, rather than breaking ideas down into
easy-to-access pieces
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Reports end with a conclusion and recommendations for actions that
will address issues raised in the report
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Essays end with a conclusion and sometimes
predictions or suggestions for further research
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1. Letter of Transmittal
This is
a formal business letter to the person or organisation that commissioned
the report “announcing” the completion and delivery of the report. It
usually includes:
·
A salutation (e.g. Dear Ms Watson)
·
The purpose of the letter (e.g. here is
the marketing report you commissioned)
·
The main findings of the report
·
Any important considerations
·
Acknowledgement of any particular
help
·
Thanks
For example:
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Dear Mr Landry,
Enclosed is the report you
commissioned on 12 May 2009 on the Tourism Industry on Peacock Island,
NSW. The main findings of the report are:
·
that
the growth of the industry has been substantial (35% since 01 January 2009)
due to the increased awareness of and interest in the peacock population of
the island;
·
that
the peacocks' nesting habits are beginning to be disrupted by tourism;
·
that
tourism on the island needs to be carefully managed so the peacocks are no
longer disturbed by the increase in human activity, and
·
that
the government should consider placing some restrictions on tourist numbers
and designating appropriate peacock viewing areas.
It should be considered that the
Mayor of Peacock Island, Ms Annabelle Devereaux, was unavailable for comment throughout
the period in which this report was being researched, so her input should be
sought before any further decisions are made.
I would like to acknowledge the
assistance of the Peacock Island Tourism Board, and particularly its Chief
Administrator, Jan Stevenson, in writing this report.
Finally, I would like to thank you
for the opportunity this report gave me to familiarise myself with the
Peacock Island environment and its inhabitants, and to develop my research
skills, which will be invaluable for future projects.
Regards,
Shyla Graham.
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2. Title Page
This is the
‘cover’ of the report, which presents the key details in a professional layout.
Include:
·
The name of the report (i.e. the topic
of the report)
·
The organisation that commissioned it
·
Your name (and student number)
·
The date
For example:
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The Tourism Industry on Peacock Island, NSW, and its
impact on the native peacock population.
Commissioned 12 May 2009 by
Garry Landry, Native Animal Protection Agency
Shyla Graham
21 November 2009
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3.Table of Contents
The Table of
Contents is important for allowing readers to quickly find the information they
need. It should:
·
Show each of the numbered points and
sub-points
·
Include page numbers for each
·
Include a list of figures if necessary
·
Include a list of appendices
·
Have a clear and professional layout
The numbering
system used in reports will be unfamiliar to most students, but it follows a
fairly simple pattern. Each main section has a number (1, 2, 3, etc.), and each
sub-section within those main sections has a sub-number (1.1, 1.2, 1.3....).
See the example
below:
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1.
Introduction...........................................................................................................1
2. Literature Review...................................................................................................3
2.1
Impact of tourism on animal populations in coastal NSW and
Victoria.................3
2.2
Tourism management in coastal NSW and Victoria............................................5
3. Tourism
analysis...................................................................................................7
3.1
Tourism income analysis
2007.........................................................................7
3.2
Tourism income analysis
2008.........................................................................8
3.3
Tourism income analysis
2009.........................................................................9
4. Changing behaviours of peacock
population on Peacock Island................................10
4.1
Peacock Behaviour Report
2007.....................................................................10
4.2
Peacock Behaviour Report 2008.....................................................................11
4.3 Draft
Peacock Behaviour Report
2009.............................................................12
5. Predicted long-term outcomes of
no or minimal tourism management.......................13
6.
Conclusion..........................................................................................................15
7.
Recommendations..............................................................................................16
8. Bibliography.......................................................................................................17
Appendix 1 - Tourism Growth
(2007-2009)..................................................................20
Appendix 2 - Peacock Behaviour
Analysis (2007-2009)................................................21
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4. Summary, Abstract or Executive Summary
While your
lecturers will certainly read your whole report (in order to mark it and give
you feedback) in the workplace, reports are received differently. Some
readers will not wish to read the entire report, but only the parts relevant to
them, so the summary, abstract, or executive summary presents the entire
report in brief - generally on no more than one page. Include:
·
who requested the report
·
the purpose
·
background/context
·
brief description of methodology
·
main findings, and
·
recommendations
Use paragraphs
for an abstract and paragraphs/dot points for an executive summary.
Make sure the
layout is methodical, working through each section of the report clearly and in
order.
5. Introduction
The
introduction should clearly explain why the report
is relevant/important. To do this, explain:
·
Who commissioned the report and why
·
The context / problem that triggered
the report, giving any necessary background information
·
The purpose of the report and its scope
(i.e. what it does and does not cover)
·
The types of sources used (i.e. texts,
surveys, observation, interviews)
6. Body
The body of a
report will be made up of many different sections, each with its own
purpose. The body is where you will place:
·
The literature review (if applicable)
·
Research methodology – what you did and
why, mentioning any possible problems
·
Findings – stating the facts clearly,
and including labelled graphs and charts where appropriate
·
Discussion – your interpretation and
explanation of the findings
7. Conclusion
In the
conclusion, you should:
·
sum
up your main findings and key points of discussion
·
make
sure that you do not bring in any new information
·
be
brief and to the point – you should already have reported on everything in
sufficient detail
8. Recommendations
After
‘reporting’ on the present state of your particular topic, you need to make
recommendations about what should now occur in response to your findings. While
'Recommendations' is often a section that stands alone, each recommendation can be sequenced within the body,
after each relevant finding and discussion topic.
Make sure,
however, that recommendations evolve logically
from issues you identify in your findings, discussion and conclusions. They
should be realistic, and achievable.
While lecturers
may recommend a range of structures for the recommendations list, you can use
the following sample structure as a guide:
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This report makes the following
recommendations:
·
that
dot points or numbers are used to set out a recommendations list, so each
recommendation can be seen easily;
·
that
each recommendation begins with the word 'that', so as to align grammatically
with the introductory sentence;
·
that
each recommendation relates to problems or issues identified clearly in the
report, and
·
that
the recommendations are possible to achieve.
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9. Reference List
Like a
Reference List for an essay, a report's Reference List will be an alphabetised
list of all the texts cited in the report. This might include:
·
journal articles
·
books
·
other reports
·
websites
·
newspaper articles
·
interviews
10. Appendices
Appendices are
the place to include any data too bulky to place in the body of your report.
You might include:
·
your survey tool (but not all your
responses)
·
raw data
·
any graphs or tables too large for the
body
Make sure you:
·
number each appendix clearly (i.e.
Appendix 1)
·
give it a title, so the reader can see
what it contains at a glance, and
·
include it in the table of contents
In the body of
your paper, you can then refer to this bulky data without having it interrupt
the flow of the report. For example:
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In order to understand the impact
of tourism on the peacock population, a two-year study was conducted from
January 2007 to February 2009. Data was collected from the tourism
board that measured tourist numbers and tourist behaviour patterns in and
around the peacock habitat (see Appendix 2), and the peacock
population was extensively monitored, with data collected on peacock numbers
and behaviours, including feeding, nesting and breeding (see
Appendix 3).
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Notice that the
appendices are attached AFTER the reference list.
Presentation
and style are important in reports. First impressions count, so consider these
simple tips:
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Be professional, not pretty. Fonts and images should
only be experimented with if they help to present information more
clearly. Communication is more important than decoration.
Use plenty of white space. Don't overuse long
paragraphs, like those you would see in an essay. Present information
as succinctly as possible.
Use spacing, clear headings and a numbering system to
ensure the separate parts of your report stand out clearly and are easy to
locate
Use tables and figures (graphs,
illustrations, maps etc) to clarify information - sometimes these are needed to
supplement text.
Number each page - and make sure the page numbers
are correct on the table of contents
Use consistent formatting
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What kind of language is used in
reports?
Language should
be formal language, but simple and clear. Remember, the main aim of a
report is clear communication.
By and large,
sentences should be short, relieved when appropriate by some complex sentences.
·
Use sub-headings and dot points when
appropriate, but also include paragraphs with topic sentences
