How to Write a Report
It is very important that you know how to write a report. This is because, the skills acquired will not only be useful in improving your performance at school but also career excellence. Therefore, there is likelihood that soon or later, you will be prompted with the task of writing a report. However, you do not have to worry anymore since we have outlined some of the best guidelines to help you on how to write a report in this section.
A report can be defined as an informational work that is derived from writing, speech, film or television, and created with the main aim of relaying information or recounting some events. Such a paper should be portrayed in a wide format and targeted at a particular audience.
A report is not different from an essay or any other academic papers that you are used to writing. However, the skills can further help you on how to write other materials that are related to your coursework. Besides, report writing skills can also be quite useful in your career after school regardless of the profession that you will choose to pursue. All these confirm the importance of knowing how to write a report.
Guidelines on how to write a report with ease
Writing a report is not an activity that should take much of your time. With the following guidelines, you can easily master the art of how to write a report.
Identify the objective and audience of the report
Reports can be written for various reasons. For instance, you can be asked to write one with the aim of informing or advising an audience. Besides, there are also reports that are written with the objective of reviewing or persuading an audience. Thus, it is important that you first determine the aim of the report that you need to write in order to know the right direction to pursue.
It is also advisable that you get to know the target of the report to assist in proper understanding of the assignment. By considering these two elements, you will be able to start building up ideas on how to craft the report, thereby making your work much easier.
Research on the topic
Most students often fail to do research when writing reports simply because the assignments come with information to be used in writing. However, this is wrong. It is always advisable that you do more research on the topic of the paper to get adequate information. Even if it is a simple subject, you still need to go through a couple of previously written reports on the same. This will give you a heads up on how to deliver a good report.
In the case whereby you are given the option of writing a report on a topic of choice, it is always advisable that you opt for a subject that you love. By writing on a topic that you are passionate about, there are chances that you can create an outstanding piece.
While doing the research, you have to be sure of the number of sources that are required as per the instructions of the assignment. Besides, you must also ensure that the sources are reputable.
Develop a thesis statement
After thorough research, you can now collect your points and form the main idea of the report. The thesis statement is the main point that the other parts of the report will be discussing. A good thesis statement should be an argument that you are able to prove in the rest of the paper.
Create a draft
Based on the thesis statement that you have come up with, you should try and develop a draft to outline all the points that you intend to discuss in the paper. In the draft, list some of the main points that you will need to discuss in the paper. This will help you to remember all that should be included in the text during writing. With a draft, you can easily visualize how the report will appear.
How to write a report- step by step
Based on the kind of report that you are required to write, there are various avenues that can be pursued. However, the following are the simple steps that can easily assist you in knowing how to write a report.
Writing the introduction
The introduction is where you will be required to tell the reader about your topic in brief and also the thesis statement. A good introduction should be engaging and able to hook the reader to reading the rest of the report. Besides, the introduction should also give some background information on the topic so that the reader knows what to expect.
The thesis statement should link the introduction to the rest of the report. Therefore, it has to be crafted in a way that ensures smooth transition.
Crafting the body paragraphs
The body of the report is where you are required to give evidence to support the thesis statement. In order to make your work easier to read and understand, it is recommended that you always create a new paragraph for a new idea or argument. However, the ideas should be presented in a proper format to ensure the clarity of the report.
In the body of the paper, you can give quotes and even statistics from previously written reports to support your argument. All sources that are named in the report should be appropriately referenced.
Writing the Conclusion
The conclusion of the report should not only give your final thoughts on the subject but also refer the reader to the thesis statement. However, this does not mean that you should re-write the thesis statement in the conclusion. Instead, you can simply re-state it in another way that will make the readers to easily reflect on the subject of the report. In other words, it should reiterate to the readers, why the report is important to them.
There is always no restriction on the length of a report. A good report is one that can easily be read, understood and related to in one fold without having to go through it over and over. However, it is always advisable that you write a paper that can meet the set target.
After writing the conclusion, you should also remember to cite the sources that you have used as evidence in the report.
Examples of Reports
The following report samples will also offer you additional help on how to write a report since they are done by experts.
Example 1
A Scientific Report on Climate Change
‘’Climate is described as the prevailing weather conditions in a particular region over a long period of time of around 30 years. On the other hand, climate change refers to statistical changes in the weather over a period of time. Therefore, it can be said that weather and climate are closely related. This implies that there is no possibility in separating the two elements since they are not the same. Climate change does not take place overnight but takes quite a long duration of time (Solomon et al. 96). However, climate change is mainly impacted by human activity…’’ – a-scientific-report-on-climate-change-globalcompose.com.
Example 2
How the Scientific Method Works
‘’The Scientific method is fundamental in the success of an experiment. It is mainly comprised of four classes, observation, hypothesis, experimentation and analysis. Every successful scientific endeavor has to thoroughly cover each of the following stages. Observation involves noticing of a phenomenon, asking questions regarding it, and conducting further research to find out more about the phenomenon. For instance, you might find out that, two objects of similar dimensions fall under the same rate. A question that might come up is whether the mass of these objects affects the rate at which they fall. You can then research on information from previously conducted experiments or equations seeking to explain the phenomenon…’’
Find the entire sample of this science report on wikihow.com.
Example 3
Information Technology Report
‘’This paper is aimed at surveying the current state of scanner technology and to briefly discuss the predicted developments in the field. Through the examination of recently published articles in journals, magazines and online sites on the topic of scanners, this report describes the main kinds of scanners that are commonly used today. Besides, it will also examine their performance with regards to four criteria; resolution, bit-depth, dynamic range and software. The report will then consider the impact of further technological developments in these four main areas, as well as the introduction of new sensor technology in the development of scanners in future. The first scanner, initially called the ‘reading machine’ was developed in 1960 by…’’ Find the whole report on here.
If you have problems on how to write a report or choosing a topic for the paper, get in touch with us for assistance. Alternatively, you can visit our homepage for more information about our professional academic writing services.
References
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Report
http://www.dailywritingtips.com/how-to-write-a-report/
http://www.globalcompose.com/blog/
http://www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Report