| How to write a report
|
|
How to write a report
What is a report?
A report is a systematic, well organized document which defines and analyses a subject or problem, and which may include:
The record of a sequence of events
interpretation of the significance of these events or facts
evaluation of the facts or results of research presented
discussion of the outcomes of a decision or course of action
conclusions
recommendations
Reports must always be:
Accurate
concise
clear
well structured
Various courses require you to write reports (as opposed to essays), notably business and scientific or technical subjects. There are, however, different interpretations of what a report should look like, so it is important that you check with your course tutors and course documentation as to the report format and content expected and this, one should know How to write a report. In addition, there is at times some blurring between what “essays”, “reports” and “assignments” are, so again check within your department. Much of the advice given in Guide 1.01, How to write an essay, also applies to reports.
1. when you set up for how to write a report, prepare an outline. Outline what you want to do on a piece of paper. There should be at least
o An introduction.
o Middle sections with headings, detailing your research, ideas and discussion. Keep this at about 3-5 different topics at the most.
o A summary and/or conclusion. A summary is a retelling of what you have reported on; a conclusion draws together your feelings or arguments about the topic to reach your final point of view.
2. Add a bibliography. Write or type your bibliography on a piece of paper or if you have a bibliographic page, write it down on that.
3. Write a rough draft. Proofread it and mark your errors clearly. Errors are not only spelling and grammar but also jumbled ideas and missing points.
4. To finalize on how to write report, rewrite your report. Add pictures if you want to or if it enhances the look. Use colored print if it is appropriate for the report.
5. Print and check for final errors. Bind the report if it is appropriate, or place in a folder.
Planning and research you should know before how to write report
You first need to decide your basic framework. With your main topic or question as a central focus, jot down your initial thoughts and start to group these together. You may find the Mind Mapping technique useful: see Guide 2.11. Start to divide key ideas from subsidiary information, and continually ask yourself if everything is relevant; if it isn’t, then delete it.
From your prior knowledge (from reading and lectures), you should be able to put together a fairly basic structure before you get into how to write report.
You will now be able to plan your research. Ask yourself what you need to find out, maybe in the form of questions that need to be answered, and then approach your reading from this starting point. If you have specific information to look for, it will make your reading easier and less time consuming. (See Guide 2.02 Reading techniques).
Try not to gather too much information in order to learn how to write report. Again, keeping your topic or question in mind, reject anything which is not 100% relevant. When you’re making notes, always try to summaries the main points as concisely as possible. Remember to make a comprehensive record of any sources consulted in order to be able to correctly reference these.
Make a record of the research methods you used.
How to write a report >
|
|
