Understanding Reports: Definition, Structure, and Writing Tips, Lecture notes of Distributed Programming and Computing

Download Understanding Reports: Definition, Structure, and Writing Tips and more Lecture notes Distributed Programming and Computing in PDF only on Docsity! What is a Report? In academia there is some overlap between reports and essays, and the two words are sometimes used interchangeably, but reports are more likely to be needed for business, scientific and technical subjects, and in the workplace. Whereas an essay presents arguments and reasoning, a report concentrates on facts. Essentially, a report is a short, sharp, concise document which is written for a particular purpose and audience. It generally sets outs and analyses a situation or problem, often making recommendations for future action. It is a factual paper, and needs to be clear and well-structured. Requirements for the precise form and content of a report will vary between organisation and departments and in study between courses, from tutor to tutor, as well as between subjects, so it’s worth finding out if there are any specific guidelines before you start. Reports may contain some or all of the following elements: A description of a sequence of events or a situation; Some interpretation of the significance of these events or situation, whether solely your own analysis or informed by the views of others, always carefully referenced of course (see our page on Academic Referencing for more information); An evaluation of the facts or the results of your research; Discussion of the likely outcomes of future courses of action; Your recommendations as to a course of action; and for (if you're a student then not just your tutor, but who it is supposed to be written for), and why you are writing it, as well as what you want the reader to do at the end of reading: make a decision or agree a recommendation, perhaps. Step 2: Keep your brief in mind at all times During your planning and writing, make sure that you keep your brief in mind: who are you writing for, and why are you writing? All your thinking needs to be focused on that, which may require you to be ruthless in your reading and thinking. Anything irrelevant should be discarded. As you read and research, try to organise your work into sections by theme, a bit like writing a Literature Review . Make sure that you keep track of your references, especially for academic work. Although referencing is perhaps less important in the workplace, it’s also important that you can substantiate any assertions that you make so it’s helpful to keep track of your sources of information. The Structure of a Report Like the precise content, requirements for structure vary, so do check what’s set out in any guidance. However, as a rough guide, you should plan to include at the very least an executive summary, introduction, the main body of your report, and a section containing your conclusions and any recommendations. Executive Summary The executive summary or abstract, for a scientific report, is a brief summary of the contents. It’s worth writing this last, when you know the key points to draw out. It should be no more than half a page to a page in length. Remember the executive summary is designed to give busy 'executives' a quick summary of the contents of the report. Introduction The introduction sets out what you plan to say and provides a brief summary of the problem under discussion. It should also touch briefly on your conclusions. Report Main Body The main body of the report should be carefully structured in a way that leads the reader through the issue. You should split it into sections using numbered sub-headings relating to themes or areas for consideration. For each theme, you should aim to set out clearly and concisely the main issue under discussion and any areas of difficulty or disagreement. It may also include experimental results. All the information that you present being read over again and edited ruthlessly for sense and style. Pay particular attention to whether all the information that you have included is relevant. Also remember to check tenses, which person you have written in, grammar and spelling. It’s also worth one last check against any requirements on structure. For an academic assignment, make sure that you have referenced fully and correctly. As always, check that you have not inadvertently or deliberately plagiarised or copied anything without acknowledging it. If it’s not relevant, leave it out. Finally, ask yourself: “Does my report fulfil its purpose?” Only if the answer is a resounding ‘yes’ should you send it off to its intended recipient. Continue to: How to Write a Business Case Planning an Essay See also: Business Writing Tips | Study Skills Writing a Dissertation or Th